Last night saw the first annual Nitten Club Poetry Competition take place since the pandemic began and it was a fabulous night. There were eight entries and the quality from all was truly quite outstanding. It’s amazing how creative people can be when they’re invited to take part in events like this. We heard biting satire, political protest, wry humour, love and affection and just about everything in between. Choosing a winner was certainly no easy task but in the end the prize was given to Paul Ashcroft for his stirring tale of Haggis hunting in Glen Snotter. Congratulations go to Paul, who was suffering from a dicky throat but was determined he wasn’t going to miss the evening – we’re all glad that he ventured out to entertain us.
In addition to the competition there were, of course, the usual musical contributions from the members and visitors. It’s heartening to see how people have responded since Nitten Folk Club re-opened a few short months ago. These are still very uncertain times and people can be easily forgiven for being cautious about large gatherings. Masks are no longer a legal requirement but we still recommend that people adhere to the guidance and continue to wear them while moving around the club.
Our next event will be the guest night on 5th May when we welcome to the club the wonderful Sylvia Barnes and Sandy Stanage (they had been scheduled to appear in 2020 but unfortunately the pandemic got in the way). Sylvia and Sandy were founding members of the seminal Scottish band ‘Kentigern’ and have been performing at home and abroad for many years. Sylvia’s glorious, soaring vocals combined with Sandy’s virtuoso guitar playing is truly magnificent and their blend of traditional and contemporary songs and tunes is something that really should not be missed.
We look forward to seeing you there.
The Committee