Join Fiona Frank on a Musical Journey to boost funds for two Lancashire charities

Music lover Fiona Frank has organised the final in a series of Musical Journeys concerts to boost funds for two Lancashire charities.
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Fiona is hoping for a bumper audience for Musical Journeys 4 on January 8.

The event can be viewed online on Zoom and, pandemic permitting, there will also be 50 tickets avaialble to wathh the event live at Halton Mill, Halton, near Lancaster.

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Fiona said: "It's a dark time of the year and we're hoping to bring somne light in with the last of our Musical Journeys concerts. The last three were really exciting."

Fiona Frank - who, with the aid of helpers, has organised Musical Journeys 4Fiona Frank - who, with the aid of helpers, has organised Musical Journeys 4
Fiona Frank - who, with the aid of helpers, has organised Musical Journeys 4

The first concert raised more than £2,000 and former Prestonian Fiona, who now lives near Lancaster, said: " We’ve gone from strength to strength with these events, raising over £7,000 in total for our musicians and our two chosen charities."

Donations have been given to based Global Link Development Education Centre (DEC) which works with refugees, and A.C.E, a which works with young people with mental health challenges in Lancaster, Morecambe, Fleetwood, Kirkham and Carnforth. The musicians, who lost much of their work during the pandemic lockdown were paid for their Musical Journeys' performances.

The January 8 concert starts at 7.30PM will feature local band Boom Bike Bourrée, described as " a joyous mix of medieval dance music and hip-hop beats", Lancaster's renowned melodeon player Ben Farmer plus a streamed performance of Syrian dance with dancer Medhat Aldaabal and percussionist Ali Hasan, live from Berlin.

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Fiona said: "I'm really excited to bring them back because it's my personal favourite of the acts we've had throughout the year. I first met Medhat at a Klezmer festival in Germany and then invited him to come to dance in Glasgow in 2019. He's being accompanied by an Arab percussionist and it is being live streamed from Berlin."

Fiona teaches Klezmer dancingFiona teaches Klezmer dancing
Fiona teaches Klezmer dancing

Tickets can be pre-ordered and Fiona said: "We’re relying on the people who’ve come with us on our wonderful Musical Journeys in 2021 to get your tickets in advance for this show. If we sell enough advance tickets we’ll be booking at least one more act who will either join us live on stage or will be beamed in from across the world.

"Again, as well as paying our great performers (who are only just able to resume professional engagements) we’re raising money for Lancaster charities Global Link supporting refugees and asylum seekers, and A.C.E. Achieve Change and Engagement (ACE) working with young people with emotional health challenges. Both of these charities have increased the numbers of people they're working with and have more and more calls on their services. "

Fiona added: "If you buy a ticket to this event, but find that you can’t make it at the last minute , or even if you know already that you won’t be able to make it, there’s no problem, we’ll send you a link to the recording afterwards."

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Tickets are £15/£10 for the live performance, £10/£2.50 for the online concert, £25 for a supporter's ticket and are free for refugees and asylum seekers. To book see www.tinyurl.com/musicaljourneys4 or go to trybooking.co.uk and search for 'Musical Journeys'.

Musical Moments

* Musical Journeys 1 featured four Lancaster musicians Sian Phillips, Paul Sherwood, Jane Lawrence and Ben Farmer, joined by Syrian viola player Raghad Haddad.

* Musical Journeys 2 featured musicians from the first concert plus champion Irish musician and dancer Bev Whelan. There were also afternoon workshops – Caribbean dance with "Uncle Phil" Preston based world champion dancer Phil Kaila; Irish dance with Bev Whelan; clog dance with Georgia Shorrocks, north east England based clog dancer and clog dance teacher and Helen Whittaker, Cumbria step dancer; Syrian dance with Medhat Aldaabal and Mouafat Aldoabl, from Berlin, accompanied by percussionist Ali Hassan; and Klezmer dance with Fiona Frank who was the compere for the evening.

* Musical Journeys 3 in June feaured three performers in the evening: Boom Bike Bourrée, from Bristol and Sevilay Gok from Turkey and afternoon workshops comprising a beatbox workshop with community music leader Ashley Murphy, a harmony singing workshop from the acclaimed Yandong Grand Singers from China, an Arabic drumming workshop with Ali Hasan, and a Salsa and Caribbean Dance workshop with Phil Kaila.

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