In my blog of April 18^th  I wrote this:-

As you will have read, we are planning to have a trial or pilot run in the hall of Hedsor Club using the indoor guidelines that apply, on Thursday May 20^th. I can now confirm that this will take place.

This pilot evening will be limited to 30 people who will have with them an invitation ticket. If you have already said you would like to come you will receive this invitation in the post with a covering letter from Jazz Angels treasurer John Dutton. If you would like to be considered for this (or future covid restricted Hedsor Jazz gigs) and haven’t already done so, (or even if you have, as a double check for us!!) please send your contact details to Tracy at tracy.georgiades@gmail.com. IF you come on May 20^th and don’t have that initial invitation you may be turned away.

This return evening will start at 8pm in order to give everyone time to get used to the revised arrangements and also, perhaps more importantly,  to give time for you to chat to other jazz people (from 2 meters apart of course) for the first time in many months.

Please note the full Hedsor Club indoor rules will be sent out later, but one thing I will clarify is that face masks must be worn within Hedsor Clubs premises EXCEPT AT YOUR TABLE. You can order at the bar with you mask on, but your drink will be delivered to your table. You will not be allowed to congregate at the bar! Preferred payment to the club is by card or electronic transfer.

This all still applies, but as the day draws closer I thought I should remind you. The invitation ticket doesn’t hold the start time as it hadn’t been decided at the time they were printed BUT YOUR INVITATION LETTER DOES STATE AN 8pm START! Please also bring your invitation ticket with you.

A couple of other points about an indoor gathering at Hedsor Club. On entering the club you must have your facemask on, and you must also use the alcohol dispenser for cleansing your hands on entering. The rule of six will apply. Six people from 2 families can share a table, and “Bubbles” can also share a table. Other than that social distancing rules must apply. In addition at Hedsor Club the outer toilet doors will be open, and social distancing must be practiced within these facilities as well as in the rest of the club. Once at your table, you can remove your mask. Away form your table you must replace it.

The club buildings will be providing positive ventilation. Doors and windows may be open so you might like to consider if you will need a coat or similar as the evening wears on. May evenings could be chilly!

Now that the rules of the game are out of the way I want to share with you an email I had from Nigel Fox.

Nigel at Hedsor in 2016

Dear Hedsorians!

Ingrid and I will be spending more time in Suffolk this Summer and so I will be unavailable for Hedsor for a while and will be away from this Thursday.  Ken McCarthy has agreed to take over on piano which makes sense as he’s within walking distance (he’s a very keen walker!) I notice I’m listed for June 17th but hopefully Ken can do that one as well?

I hope all goes well for the “trial” run on May 20th.

Best wishes and keep safe.

Nigel

A Typical Saxmundham Street

Nigel has done sterling work for us over many years at Hedsor Jazz and I do hope this is only a temporary stay in Suffolk. I can understand that after the kind of year we have all had that a stay in Ingrid’s cottage in Saxmundham should be taken full advantage of and I wish both Ingrid and Nigel a happy stay in East Anglia. As Nigel rightly says we do have an excellent local dep in the form of Ken McCarthy, so although we will all miss Nigel, its not all bad for those left behind!

Ken McCarthy with Mike Wills
taken at the ST Pirans jazz event in 2015
courtesy of Robert Goodhew

One final point about our event timing. AFTER our first night our start time will revert to 8.30pm. The rules inside the club will stay the same until further notice.

The latest  list of proposed gigs can be found in my blog for May 5^th.

SO, not long to wait now! May 20^th, one small step for jazz!