Back in February we were fighting for the future of our beloved Bromley Youth Music Trust, the best youth music organisation in the UK, one of the best in the world. To recap (briefly) the Trust was facing the loss of 100% of its funding from Bromley Council, with six short weeks’ notice. You will have followed our campaign against this disastrous decision made by people who will not accept the value of music in a child’s life, in the life of a well rounded adult.

The upshot was that the Trust managed to keep half of its funding this year but will lose the rest from next April. The following year it will lose the BYMT Centre, where music changes lives. This would be a tragedy and the search is on for high profile backers who will make a commitment to securing the future of top quality music tuition and the opportunity to play in world class ensembles for 9,000 children (and many adults) every week.

Anyway, back in February, fired with our renewed sense of purpose, a few of us Bromley Youth Concert Band parents formed a loosely-organised fundraising team. We took over the task of running the annual fundraising Garden Party, which had been swathed in mystery.

We started from scratch and had no idea what we were doing or how to do it but today all that organisation; those trips to the cash and carry; the booze cruise; the ambitions, imaginative upcycling; the baking; the cutting of cucumber; the garnering of raffle prizes all that came to fruition.

When I woke this morning and this was the view from my window, my heart sank.

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Today had no Plan B

Nevertheless, off I trundled at 11am to help set up for the party.

No-one knew how to set up a gazebo and it's not a task for someone my height.

No-one knew how to set up a gazebo and it’s not a task for someone my height.

In the end, the sun came out and we had a fantastic afternoon. Support for BYMT was immense and nearly everyone seemed to come in and then stay for the whole afternoon. I’m so proud to have been part of the team that made it all happen.

I’d like to thank all the people who donated prizes and all the people who worked so hard and gave up their precious time to make this happen.

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