OrganFax Directory

Sheppey Organ Club

Telephone Number :  01795 664007   or   01634 234272

Email address :  59colgra@googlemail.com

Contact name :  Colin Friend (Chairman)

Venue address : Sheerness East WMC, Queenborough Road, Minster, Sheppey , Kent, ME12 3BZ

About Sheppey Organ Club

The club was founded in February 1984 by a group of local enthusiasts with a common interest in electronic organs and music in general. A meeting has been held nearly every month since that time. In early years, meetings were held at the Masonic Hall, Sheerness.  In January 1987 the club moved to the Borough Hall in Queenborough but changes in circumstances in December 2010 brought about the move to the current venue - that of the Sheerness East Working Mens Club at Minster. Since that first concert meeting back in 1984 a great number of artistes, from all over the country, have made the journey to Sheppey and performed in concert at the club's meetings, playing music in many contrasting styles, on many different makes and models of organs, hopefully to satisfy all tastes. This year, 2005, is the club's 21st Anniversary Year.

The very high standard of entertainment that has been offered over the years at a reasonable cost to both members and guests has seen both attendance at the concerts and the club membership remain at a very high number. Members and guests travel to the island from many areas throughout the county, on some occasions even from other parts of the country, to attend the concert evenings.

The club is also extremely active socially with very successful short-break holidays having been arranged over the years for members and their friends, both in England and to the continent, theatre trips have also been arranged. The former includes visits to Bruges (1993 - 3 days), the Rhine Valley (1995 - 5 days), Valkenburg (1996 - 5 days), a Turkey and Tinsel trip to Bournemouth (1999-4 days), two to the Moselle Valley (2000 - 5 days and 2001 - 6 days), a second Turkey and Tinsel break to Jersey (2002 - 5 days), to Belgium and the Ardenne (May 2003 - 5 days), a third Turkey and Tinsel on a Rhine Cruise ship (Nov 2003 - 5 days), to Italy (May 2004 - 6 days), a Shamrock and Tinsel break to Dublin ( November 2004 - 5 days) and in May this year, 2005, the most successful of all, a 5 day Rhine and Moselle cruise.

The theatre trips that have been organised include the musical 'Oliver'(2000), the Bert Kaempfert Orchestra in concert (2000 and 2002) and the musical 'Le Miserable' (2002). The club has also promoted eight  very successful Open Air Concerts in the Esplanade Gardens on the seafront at Sheerness in past years.  These concerts have featured - Martin Orbidans in 1991, Gaye Wilson in July 1992, Andrew Cartwright in August of the same year, John Dalley in 1993, Tony Stace in 1997,  Jean Martyn in 1998, Andrew Nix in 1999 and Nicholas Martin in 2001 and in August 2002 Tony Stace returned for a second time. 

Since 2002 and in place of the Open Air Concerts, the club has arranged special Sunday afternoon concerts at the Borough Hall each July, these concerts have featured DirkJan Ranzijn in 2003 and Brett Wales in 2004 and DirkJan Ranzijn again this year, 2005

Every December since the year 2000, the club has arranged, in a joint promotion with The Swale Borough Council, Sunday afternoon Christmas Concerts. The featured artistes for these concerts have been Alastair Kiernan in 2000 and 2001, Andrew Nix in 2002, Jean Martyn in 2003 and Tony Stace in 2004. All of these concerts have proved to be popular and have been completely sold out.

Norwegian Fjord Cruise which leaves on the 28th of April, ship ahoy!

The Sheppey Organ Club meets at the Sheerness East WMC Minster, usually on the last Friday of each month.

Concerts start at 7.45pm

The annual membership subscription, payable on 1st March each year to cover the period 1st March to 28th February, is £7.00, but membership may be applied for at any time during the year.

Members admission £3.00

Visitors admission £4.00

Our Venue

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