What's been happening
This news page is where you'll find out the latest about Melstrum: what we've been up to and what we're looking forward to.
Coronavirus – Covid-19
27th May 2021
27th May 2021
At Last – a Taste of Freedom
After 14 months Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra planned a secret gig at Redwood Park. A well planned sortie. All casually rocked up separately in true flash mob style. Not entirely sure if it was legal singing, even if it was outside. Ian and Dave had their bikes ready for a quick getaway just in case. Luckily we didn’t get busted and all went well.
Thanks to Ian and Allan for organising our little get together. A beautiful evening, if a bit windy, but a great sing song and not a bad performance if we say so ourselves. We even got a round of applause from a couple walking their dog which was nice.
Watch out fans, Melstrum may be appearing in a park near you soon.
After 14 months Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra planned a secret gig at Redwood Park. A well planned sortie. All casually rocked up separately in true flash mob style. Not entirely sure if it was legal singing, even if it was outside. Ian and Dave had their bikes ready for a quick getaway just in case. Luckily we didn’t get busted and all went well.
Thanks to Ian and Allan for organising our little get together. A beautiful evening, if a bit windy, but a great sing song and not a bad performance if we say so ourselves. We even got a round of applause from a couple walking their dog which was nice.
Watch out fans, Melstrum may be appearing in a park near you soon.
Coronavirus – Covid-19
28th August 2020
28th August 2020
Update August 2020
This update is just to let you know Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra are still here and are practicing hard so we can return to delight you as soon as it is safe for both you and us to do so.
This update is just to let you know Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra are still here and are practicing hard so we can return to delight you as soon as it is safe for both you and us to do so.
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Unfortunately, we will not be performing under the current Government Guidelines. We are sure you can appreciate how difficult it would be for you and us to follow the two metres social distancing rule and wear masks in enclosed spaces.It would make it almost impossible for us to give you, our fans, the level of performance you have come to expect. But, rest assured, we will review the situation in November and will report back here, so please return to our website for updates as things may change.
All cancelled bookings will have priority and hopefully can be rescheduled for 2021. Some arrangements have already been made, but details will not be published on the website until we know exactly when we can get out on the road again. As you can imagine, we are missing you as much as you are missing us, and we are itching to get back to entertain you with our eclectic mix of songs. Not only have we been using Zoom meetings for practice sessions, but also for selecting and arranging new song titles to add to our repertoire. So, keep checking our website for the latest developments. |
"You must try harder!"
Juneau, Melton's Arts Correspondent Extrordinaire, is not impressed with Gareth's performance. |
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch at melstrumukulele@gmail.com
Keep safe, keep well
Best wishes from all of us in the Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra
Keep safe, keep well
Best wishes from all of us in the Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra
Coronavirus – Covid-19
21 March 2020
21 March 2020
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Melstrum Gigs – Latest information
We at Melstrum are as upset as we know our followers will be, but following the Government's guidelines our gigs are being cancelled for the next few months. Hopefully some of our gigs later in the year will go ahead as planned, but we are very aware that we have to pull together as a country to conquer this disease. We were very disappointed that we couldn’t play at the Goodwood Bowls and Social Club on Saturday 21st March. We were all looking forward to performing at this event, as they are such a great crowd and we dearly missed entertaining them. A heartfelt thank you to the club for their donation of £50 to our charity, LOROS. The good news is that all the organisers who have cancelled so far have asked that we should be in contact when this is all over, so we can organise another date. As soon as these are rearranged, we will put them on our Gig Guide. And rest assured: Melstum will keep strumming, albeit at home, to ensure future gigs are to our usual high standards. |
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The Show Must Go On
25 March 2020 Melstrum's novel way of continuing our Tuesday night rehearsal. Would social distancing and lock down prevent us from getting together on Tuesdays? Of course not. Here we are, keeping in tune for our next performance, when things get back to normal. Thanks to Sarah for hosting the "event". And what an event it was, not perfect, but heaps of fun! We did all learn one new thing: “Lag” not great when you're all playing together, but Sarah mastered a work around. Well done Sarah. Congratulations to us golden oldies mastering this new fangled computer technology. Hope for more next Tuesday. |
On screen: Clare and Gareth, Ian, Jan, Sarah and Ian
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Rutland Sailability
5 March 2020
What a great gig!
5 March 2020
What a great gig!
The beautiful setting of Rutland Water
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Bev did a great job as compere. You would never have guessed it was her first time. If I say so myself, we rocked with some lovely ballads. "Drunken Sailor” went down well with the audience. Changing one verse to “Put him in a Life Boat with a Ukulele” was genius. Another nautical tune was “Messing about on the River”; the line “The best thing to know is the way how to bail” followed by a loud “Bev"! made everyone laugh. Maybe something about Bev recently tipping a big boat over?
Great gig and looking forward to a return visit next year. Rutland Sailability supports people with disability to experience the pleasure, thrills and freedom of sailing, enjoying the sensation of being out on the water in the beautiful setting of Rutland Water. They meet at the Club every Thursday throughout the year, sailing season April to October.
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 Bev, our Super Compere for the gig
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New Sponsorship for 2020 – 2021
27 February 2020
Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra is pleased to announce that its chosen charity to support for the next two years will be LOROS Hospice.
27 February 2020
Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra is pleased to announce that its chosen charity to support for the next two years will be LOROS Hospice.
LOROS Hospice is a local charity, who every year cares for over 2,500 people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
LOROS's aim is to enhance the quality of life of adult patients with cancer, progressive neurological conditions and end-stage organ failure for whom curative treatment is no longer possible. Patients are treated at the Hospice and in the community based upon clinical need, regardless of background and the ability to pay. For further information please follow this link https://www.loros.co.uk |
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Farewell to Bruce
25 February 2020
25 February 2020
Members old and new gathering for Bruce’s last day with Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra
Today was sadly Bruce’s last day with Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra. About eleven years ago Bruce along with Paul, two of our founding five members, were the driving force into getting Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra on the road.
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In the early days, meetings were held at the Crown in Melton. Bruce soon took control of the group leading us forward. He organised everything from bookings, rehearsals, music, song lists and was our very special unique frontman. We all loved his imaginative links between songs, always keeping us guessing how he was going to seamlessly bring things together, (although we are all still trying to figure out that Spartacus link).
Whenever we perform our audiences always comment that, not only are they having a great time, but it is obvious we are too. That has been down to Bruce and his infectious sense of fun. Over the years under Bruce’s leadership Melstrum has raised over £20,000 for various charities. A fond farewell to Bruce, our big man in the middle. |
Bruce and his ever-supportive wife Judith
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The Melstrum Ukulele Orchestra’s family
New email address
17th February 2020
We have a new contact email address. Check it out on the Contact page
17th February 2020
We have a new contact email address. Check it out on the Contact page
Contact form problems
25 November 2018
We have been having problems receiving and replying to requests via the contact form which was on our contact page so we have removed that facility for the time being. We must apologise for any inconvenience this has caused you. If you are still waiting for a reply from us please send us your request again using our contact email address, which you can find on the Contact page, stating that you have tried to get in touch before.
25 November 2018
We have been having problems receiving and replying to requests via the contact form which was on our contact page so we have removed that facility for the time being. We must apologise for any inconvenience this has caused you. If you are still waiting for a reply from us please send us your request again using our contact email address, which you can find on the Contact page, stating that you have tried to get in touch before.
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New Sponsorship for 2018 – 2019
January 2018 
One of our aims is to sponsor local charities and, after a very successful two years collecting for Home-Start Horizons (Melton & Rutland), we are extremely pleased to announce that our chosen charity for the next two years is Age UK Leicestershire and Rutland. The money will be going directly to Gloucester House in Melton Mowbray to be used for elderly people and their carers in and around the town. Gloucester House is a community centred building in the centre of Melton, offering a range of services, predominately for the over 50’s but across the whole of the age spectrum. The specially trained team of staff and volunteers provides facilities and support services for people with special life challenges and needs, both at Gloucester House and in the surrounding local communities. See here for more details.
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Simply the Best!
October 2017
We very much enjoy performing together and we like to think that our enjoyment comes across to our audiences and gives them that feel good factor. We really appreciate all the wonderful comments and support we get from the local community for our performances, and it is through that support that we can provide a little help for charities to achieve all the good work they undertake.
So you can imagine how thrilled we were to be nominated by our current charity, Home-Start Horizons (Melton & Rutland), for the 2017 Melton Times Achievement Awards in recognition of our support for local charities for the past six years. We were therefore “over the moon “ when we were declared joint winners with Shopmobility in the Community Champion category at the award ceremony at Melton Theatre on 27th October 2017.
We could not have achieved this without your enthusiasm and support. Many thanks to you all. Our trophy and certificate
October 2017
We very much enjoy performing together and we like to think that our enjoyment comes across to our audiences and gives them that feel good factor. We really appreciate all the wonderful comments and support we get from the local community for our performances, and it is through that support that we can provide a little help for charities to achieve all the good work they undertake.
So you can imagine how thrilled we were to be nominated by our current charity, Home-Start Horizons (Melton & Rutland), for the 2017 Melton Times Achievement Awards in recognition of our support for local charities for the past six years. We were therefore “over the moon “ when we were declared joint winners with Shopmobility in the Community Champion category at the award ceremony at Melton Theatre on 27th October 2017.
We could not have achieved this without your enthusiasm and support. Many thanks to you all. Our trophy and certificate
Enjoying the after-awards buffet prepared by Brooksby Melton College students
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Collecting our certificates with Shopmobility
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