|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Songline Concept
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE SONGLINE CONCEPT was conceived in1995. Tom was working as a choral animateur in East Kent which centres on Canterbury. He became aware of the Pilgrim's Way which stretches from Winchester to Canterbury substancially along the North Downs Way. He dicided to walk it with his then 10 year old son,Jonathan, and soon found that this ancient path was sadly abused and in many parts lost to north/south transport systems which crossed its more natural west/east geographical thrust, with often enormous urban development. He gathered a group of friends to sing their way back through the obstacles and re-establish the old pilgrim path. They too sang and performed in the schools and churches on the path and found they were met by vast enthusiasm to join in the song and walk.
|
|
|
|
|
Established Songline 1997 - 2001
|
|
|
|
|
Tom, flanked by his wife and son, and daughter behind
|
|
|
The songline was born. We did the North Downs twice, then the South Downs from Eastbourne to Winchester, then we met the great Millennium Celebrations and walked the Thames Path from Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier. By then we were highly fundable and were able, thanks to the Millennium Commisson to write a show and prepare songs to perform to many thousands of people at locks, churches, schools, shopping centres, Hampton Court, The London Eye, The Dome, etc. It was really quite glamorous! In 2001 there was no money, so just 3 of us walked the Saxon Shore Way from Gravesend to Eastbourne for next to nothing but by the end of the that we had walked 620 miles spiralling round SE England and we felt we had achieved something. But time moves on and of the three who finished and had done the whole thing one went to Australia, one had to go back to becoming a serious bio-chemist and Tom had clogged up arteries that needed sorting! |
|
|
|
|
|
