MAY I please thank the hundreds and hundreds of Boltonians who came to support the Victoria Hall on Saturday night by watching the World famous Black Dyke Band and Eagley Band in concert.

It was a fantastic evening from start to finish, an absolute thrill to be part of, and I know from speaking with a Senior Victoria Hall Trustee at the end of the evening, the takings have run into many thousands of much needed pounds for the hall.

Our next concert in the project to keep the town's historic and magnificent Victoria Hall open is in just three weeks' time, on Saturday April 13, when my Eagley Band and Smithills Community singers and musicians take to the fantastic stage again for our annual Concert For St George at 7.30pm. We will also be making a huge donation to the superb International Aid Trust from that evening so once again I appeal and invite as many Bolton people as possible to please come out once more that night and keep our Victoria Hall open for as long as we can.

If Saturday night and the BBC Songs of Praise recording two weeks ago are anything to go, by we can keep our town's Victoria Hall open for a long time to come with the continued support of the fantastic Bolton public.

Chris Wormald

Musical Director