Concert in Dereham by the Band of the Life Guards raises thousands to help injured soldiers

By IAN CLARKE Sunday, September 23, 2012
1:22 PM

The organiser of a band concert in Dereham to raise money to help injured soldiers has described it as a “fantastic night.”

A patriotic audience enjoyed a concert by the Band of The Life Guards in Dereham on Saturday

The town’s Memorial Hall was packed on Saturday for the performance by the Band of the Life Guards and it is hoped £4-5000 will be raised for the Light Dragoons Colonel’s Fund.

The hall was decorated with Union Flags and organiser Paul Sandford said there had “not been a dry eye in the house” after a rendition of Eva Cassiday’s Somewhere Over The Rainbow in tribute to Swanton Morley-based Sgt Lee Davidson - who was recevery killed in Afghanistan - and all the other injured and fallen soldiers.

Sgt Bobby Buchan gave a presentation on the Light Dragoons’ work in Afghanistan and how the Colonel’s Appeal works.

The concert marked a home coming for director of music Paul Wilman, who attended Swanton Morley primary school for a term after his father Leslie became rector, and he played in front of his parents for the first time.

Mr Sandford said: “Paul conducted fantastically on his homecoming and paid tribute to his father and mother.”

Mr Sandford thanked all the local businesses for their support, especially Barclays Bank for their Gift Aid donation.