A ukulele band, launched to combat loneliness amongst the elderly, is in growing demand, with a 97-year-old starring as its oldest member. Peter Barron joins in the fun

THE snow might be swirling crazily beyond the window, but effervescent 97-year-old, Bill Blewitt, is holding court inside with a rousing rendition of “Bring Me Sunshine”.

As he stretches out the last line for maximum effect – Bring me love! – his “family” burst into clapping and cheering. Oh, there’s plenty of love in the room, all right.

This is the unbridled joy of the Age UK North Yorkshire and Darlington Ukulele band. No, they’re not blood relatives but bound by music and, when they get together for their Thursday afternoon sing-alongs, it has all the atmosphere of a large family gathering.

The camaraderie is heart-warming, the music utterly infectious, and the banter flies thicker than the early December snow.

“Is me hair all right?” asks Bill, tucking a wisp behind his ear with a dramatically licked finger.

“What hair’s that then?” comes a shouted reply from wise-cracking Dave Hooper, and the other band members crease up. As well as love, there’s no shortage of laughter here either.

The first notes of this brilliant project were sounded three years ago when Lol Crallan, a project manager at Npower and part-time music teacher, approached Age UK in Darlington and suggested starting a ukulele band as a way of combating loneliness.

It started with just a trio but has now grown into a membership of 50, with the band in increasing demand for charity concerts.

As well as the main group, Lol also runs a beginners’ class from midday on Thursdays, and there’s another group of about 20 now meeting on Mondays at 2pm. The price is £3 a session but the payback is priceless.

“It’s grown so quickly and the spirit is brilliant. It’s become like a family,” says Lol. “Take Bill for example, he just loves it. He could hardly play a note when he first turned up but he started strumming and singing along and now he’s a star.”

Indeed he is. Bill’s a father of four, grandfather of five and great grandfather of one, with another on the way. He’s the band’s oldest member but the phrase “young at heart” could easily have been composed for him. A war veteran and former railwayman and joiner, he lost his wife Nancy when she was 62 but he still lives independently in a Darlington flat, and decided to join the band two years ago.

“Thursdays are the best day of the week,” he says. “I’ve made so many new friends – mind you, I have to keep ‘em in check.”

Bill loves music but had only briefly dabbled with a clarinet in his younger days. “I thought I could be Acker Bilk but it turned out that I couldn’t so I sold the clarinet and bought a set of golf clubs,” he says. “I didn’t get any better than a 16 handicap so maybe I should have stuck with the clarinet.”

No matter, he’s making up for lost time now, mastering a growing repertoire on the ukulele and happily singing solos whenever he’s asked. “They had me doing an Elvis number last week – It’s Now or Never,” he says, proudly.

It’s a song title that perfectly sums up his approach to life and there’s no doubt he’s appreciated. “Bill’s our secret weapon – the women flock round him,” says fellow band member Steve Bingham, a mere spring chicken at 72.

“Aye, and he’s a right flirt,” adds Dot Rogan as the rehearsal gets underway, with Lonnie Donegan’s Putting On The Style, followed by Bill singing a splendid solo on Travelling Light. Ain’t She Sweet, comes next before Ain’t That A Shame and Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, with Paul “Bongo” Bloomfield providing the percussion for the more upbeat number.

It’s time for a tea-break but not before secretary Ken Maddison interjects with an important announcement: “We’ve got two new gigs, folks, so we need as many of you as possible,” he says to more cheers. The new gigs are both in Darlington, one at Ventress Hall tomorrow and another at Elm Ridge Lunch Club on December 12.

Ken, who also performs the vital role of minibus driver, has plans to build on the band’s success next year: “We want to do more gigs and have days out in 2018 – we’ll just go off and play in a park. Why not?” he says.

Gillian Peel, chief executive of the Age UK branch, has no doubt about the band’s value. “They’ve formed such great friendships and developed real ability. If attitude helps you stay young, this group has it in abundance. Wherever they perform, they bring a smile to everyone’s face, and they’re always smiling themselves.”

She’s right. The smile hardly leaves the face of old Bill Blewitt as he strums away and sings his heart out.

“Listen, when I pop me clogs, I’d like Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller played at my funeral,” he declares during the tea-break. “I wouldn’t put it past a few of this lot turning up with their ukuleles – so they’d better start learning it, hadn’t they?”

Outside, the snowfall is getting heavier. “It’s getting worse but that’s good,” adds Bill. “We’ll have to stay a bit longer.”

White Christmas it is then.

  • Anyone interested in joining should call 0300 302 0100 for more details. To book the Ukelele Band for your event contact Dave Regan on 01325 362832 or email ken.maddison@ageuknyd.org.uk