Irthlingborough Beer Festival and Ladies Soft Ball Cricket

Last month I was invited to sponsor the very first Irthlingborough Beer Festival
organized by the Irthlingborough Cricket club.

The event took place during the weekend 24-26th of May and to my opinion it was a great success.

Saturated program included  Cricket training for children, Ladies Soft Ball Festival and a Cricket game between the Irthlingborough 2nd  Rushton teams. Children enjoyed practicing Cricket and their Bouncing Castle.

Evenings were filled with music – Disco in the Clubhouse and Live music from ‘The Boldeen” and “Rusty Spoons”.

Hog Roast, BBQ, Ale, Cider and Gin were in abundance. I was also invited to take some photographs of the event, especially Ladies’ Soft Ball Cricket. There were a number of teams competing from different parts of East Northamptonshire. The weather was cold and windy but it did not discourage the participants neither the audience.

Everybody enjoyed the event and hope it will be repeated next year. Here is my photo-video with some photographs taken during the Ladies’ Soft Ball Cricket Competition.

Please leave your comments below.

Enjoy the video!

White Mills Marina

What would you do on a nice sunny weekend at the end of June?

– Of course, you would want to enjoy this day “al fresco”.

This was exactly what we did, my husband and I, we went to explore our wonderful East Northamptonshire. What we had in mind? – to find a nice cafĂ© with beautiful views, preferably near water. We intended to go towards Castle Ashby. As soon as we came off A45 we suddenly saw a welcoming sign “White Mills Marina” and decided to explore the place.

White Mills Marina cafe by Nadine Platt

The Marina had a good number of moored narrow boats. Everything was new: paths, wooden huts and patios leading us towards a nice decked cafĂ©.We could not believe that this place has been going for two years and we did not know about it. We enjoyed food on the decked veranda of “the Boat house” cafĂ©, hiding from the sun under colorful umbrellas. The staff were very friendly and efficient, the food was good.

White Mills Marina by Nadine Platt

River Boats

 We enjoyed watching the boats coming into the Marina, being surrounded by the golden fields lit up by the sun. If you are a boating enthusiast you would like to know that this marina is located at Lock 9, on the picturesque River Nene in Northamptonshire.

One would find all the necessary facilities at the Marina, which has been designed with ease in mind. Debby, the Office Manager was very helpful in answering our questions regarding this place. I took some picture and we left hoping to come back again and again to this peaceful and beautiful place.

If you liked this blog and would like to learn more about the White Mills Marina,

please visit their website www.whitemillsmarina.co.uk

Silver Bilton Brass Band Concert

If you have a child of early school age, who wants to learn to play a brass instrument where would you go to help him or her with their request?

If you live in the Rugby area, then the best solution would be to join a “MINI BRASS” for beginners and start your journey towards maybe becoming a professional musician. This group is a part of a community project, which helps children to acquire good musical taste and practical skills to play a brass instrument. You won’t have to pay for membership or instruments either – all this will be provided for your child free of charge.

While progressing with musical skills, your son or daughter will be transferred from “MINI BRASS’ to the “Training Band” for the next level, followed by joining the Evolution Band to be eventually invited to join Bilton Silver (Rugby) Band, which consists of very experienced players.

I felt privileged and fortunate to take photographs of this special concert, which took place in St. George’s Church in Rugby, in December last year. This was a pre-Christmas event, where three brass bands were performing classical and modern musical compositions. The modern architecture of the Church produces good acoustics and helps to accommodate a large audience.

Children playing in both Brass bands truly enjoyed their performance.

They were definitely going through the learning curve, honing their instruments, being widely encouraged and “vigorously” supported by their admiring parents.

The bands were skilfully conducted by Diane Fisher (who is the Musical Director of both Bilton Silver Mini Brass and Bilton Silver Training Band and also a Repiano Cornet player with the Bilton Silver (Rugby) Band and her son Jack Fisher (Silver Bilton Brass Band).

Silver Bilton Brass Band Jack Fisher

Talented 18 years old Jack Fisher received the Bandperson of the Year 2015 award for his outstanding contribution to the Bilton Silver (Rugby) Band. He was the youngest recipient in the 35 year history of the award. Since then he has performed with the Band in different venues across the country, including the Royal Albert Hall. Later he became a Musical Director of Bilton Silver Evolution Band, followed by a position of the Band Master of Bilton Silver (Rugby) Band. His sister Jodie also contributed to the event, playing different instruments and helping with managerial duties.

The program included:

  • Improvisation No. 5 – Bryan Kelly, arranged by David Stowell

  • Hallelujiah (Jimmy Scanlon, Flugelhorn Solo) – Leonard Cohen, arranged by Alan Fernie

  • Do You Hear What I Hear – Nöel Regney, arranged by David Stowell

  • Gesu Bambino – World PremiĂ©re by Judith Hayes

  • Kingdom Triumphant – Eric Ball

  • Christmas Jig – David Stowell

The soloists were William Thomson, the Principle Cornet of Bilton Silver Evolution Band and Jimmy Scanlon, Flugel Horn of Bilton Silver Evolution Band. The Principle Cornet of Bilton Silver Training Band is Ben Murray although he wasn’t featured as a soloist on this occasion.

Silver Bilton Band Soloist Nadine Platt Photography

Silver Bilton (Rugby) Brass Band is one of the oldest music bands in the country, formed in 1893. The musicians of this band carried their professionalism through generations. Though the band comes from the village of Bilton, (Rugby, Warwickshire), it performs widely, participating throughout the year in different musical festivals such as summer fetes, Christmas concerts, Carol services, as well as in private events such as Weddings and other special occasions.

Silver Bilton Brass Band soloist

Musical Director of the Band Mark Allen has been passionate about Brass music since his teenage years, at first playing solo horn, later being involved into different activities of the Band such as European Tours, competing in the Albert Hall and Free Trade Hall and performing on the national radio.

“The band is a traditional contesting brass band. It was also placed in the First Section of the National Brass Band Championships, which is the Midlands Regional Second Section Champions for both 2012 and 2013”.

The band always followed its purpose – to serve the community and to introduce brass music to children, “en passant” keeping them off the streets.


If you liked the video and the blog, please leave your comments!
Thank you!

PS: I also took some Individual photos. If you performed at this concert you might find your photographs if you Click HERE to visit

  “Concert”  password protected portfolio. Please send me your request from my Contact Page. Thank you.