Hi Guys,

Thought I’d drop a line to let you know how we celebrate in Rochester. For about four years now, my friend Bob and I have been organising a St George’s day celebration. This takes the form of a “black tie” curry. Everyone dresses for dinner, the restaurant is decorated in bunting and there are flags provided for all to wave.

As well as this, the restaurant accommodates us by playing the music that we provide. This of course includes everything you would expect – Pomp & Circumstance, God Save the Queen, Jerusalem and such like, as well as some classic tunes – Dambusters, Bridge on the River Kwai etc. But it also includes some of the quirkier things that could only be English – The Dad’s Army Theme, Bring Me Sunshine, Ernie the Fastest Milkman in the West.

We provide song sheets and find that before too long, other people in the restaurant are joining in with the singing and asking for flags to wave. This event is growing slowly. We started with about half a dozen people – we got some strange looks that night. This year we were up to twenty and expect next year to be bigger still.

It’s good to be able to celebrate our nationality. It’s something that didn’t happen when I was a child. This is something that’s growing and I’m glad to be a part of it.

Keep up the good work.

Mark.