CONCERT AT THE KINGS FEST WAS A SELL-OUT AND RAISED £42,500

The announcement took place at a celebration party on Monday 3 August 2015 where Richard Baulu and team were pleased to present cheques to charities and the parish of All Cannings to help them support local good causes.

All the sponsors attended the event including PR Events and Marketing Manager Keshani Douglas with husband ABD Partner Andrew Douglas.

The Rock Against Cancer Festival 2015 now in its 4^th successful year of running has raised in total a fantastic £112,500!



The cheques went to charities: Above and Beyond, Macmillan Cancer Support and also Hope for Tomorrow whose representatives also attended the celebration party.

The 2015 concert was a sell-out
As people started to arrive from midday onwards bringing their rugs and chairs etc the field soon filled out as everyone settled in readiness for the performances. It was a beautiful sunny day!

The 2015 line up was superb...

Headline acts on the mains stage were: Animal and Friends, Howard Jones, Sweet, Lindisfarne and Squeeze!

Supporting acts on the Evolution Stage were: Lauren Thalia, Nellie Bell, Drench, Bad Sounds and Idlewood!

Comperes this year were Johnnie Walker and Dan Chisholm.

It was a truly fantastic day again and no doubt next year will be just as good.

For more information about this event go to www.concertatthekings.co.uk

Woman rejected by mother in will wins £164k inheritance – a landmark ruling?

“The long running saga of Ilott v Mitson would now seem to be at an end following the Court of Appeal’s recent landmark decision. Having determined back in 2011 that Mrs Ilott was entitled to a share of her late mother’s estate which had been left to three charities, the Court of Appeal has now ordered that Mrs Ilott receive approximately one third of her mother’s £486,000 estate. 

The original amount awarded to Mrs Ilott by the Judge at the very first trial was £50,000 and her attempts to have that amount increased on Appeal were initially thwarted but the Court of Appeal disagreed and made this award”
Peter Shah ABD Solicitor

To follow the story click here.

MARLBOROUGH JAZZ LIVE 2015!

This fantastic fusion of hot summer weather and balmy evenings was very apt for Marlborough Jazz Live again this year!  

Jazz Blues Traditional Afro Fusion Swing Latin Bebop and MORE!

The Marlborough venues were packed out with 100’s of people enjoying wonderful live music all throughout the town and in particular down at the ABD Priory Marquee... 

The Priory Marquee sponsored by Awdry Bailey & Douglas

A full house - Marlborough jazz hits the note in the Awdry Bailey & Douglas Priory Marquee

Amazing performances took place once again this year at Marlborough Jazz Live International festival.  As always a huge turnout and the weather was simply wonderful.

The Priory Marquee sponsored by Awdry Bailey & Douglas was packed out as always and the marquee side curtains were opened allowing people to sit out on the grass to enjoy the vibe.

The weekend starts here

After the grand opening outside the Castle and Ball Hotel which took place in the presence of the Mayor of Marlborough Councillor Margaret Rose, the festival began...

The Red Stripe Bands amazing boogie-woogie, rock ‘n’ roll and jump jive performance with Neil Drinkwater on piano and vocals were in full swing on the Friday evening in the Awdry Bailey & Douglas Priory Marquee followed by super saxophonist YolanDa Brown and her Trio playing until midnight.

Saturday was another story

Sticky Wicket and his Swing Orchestra kicked Saturday off to a winning start with Sticky doing “his thang” on the drums!  This is 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s Swing at its absolute best! 

Sticky Wicket performance

New to the Marquee

U'Zambesi - a group from Bulawayo, led by Lucky Moyo sang songs of hope, courtship, love and worship in an Afro, Pop, Jazz, R&B and Reggae kind of a way.  Their gumboot performance was just superb. 

U'Zambesi performance

The audience was up and on their feet dancing

The legendary Adam Winslet and his octet of vocals, guitar, drums, keyboards, bass, sax trumpet and trombone really got the audience swaying and on their feet playing a mix of funk, rock and soothing soul to dance the evening away.

Adam Winslet performance

Adam Winslet performance

The Grand Finale – headline act

Saturdays evening performance was a sell out!!  Clutching their tickets, hundreds of people queued and the marquee was once again filled! Having performed at Marlborough jazz many years ago, this super star was back to perform in the Awdry Bailey & Douglas Priory Marquee...

Elkie Brooks performance

Referred to as British Queen of Blues, who by April 2012 had released more albums that had reached the top 75 of the UK album chart than any other British female artist,  legendary singer Elkie Brooks was back to perform for 2 hours in the marquee with her amazingly powerful, husky voice. 

She supported The Beatles and the Small faces in the 1960s, before enjoying a solo career which included a run of 16 Top 25 albums.

Elkie Brooks 

Elkie Brooks 

Favourite songs were “Pearl’s a Singer, “Lilac Wine” “Fool (if you think it’s over)” and more. Truly a star performance. What a way to end an evening! 

A sunny Sunday at the Awdry Bailey & Douglas Priory Marquee

Last year the heavens opened and it poured with rain and they still drew a huge crowd. This year the sun shone for them and the crowd was even bigger!!

The Bratislava Hot Serenaders

The Bratislava Hot Serenaders, (one to look out for) specialising in 1920’s and 1930’s foot tapping “hot jazz” were true to form.

This Slovakian entertaining 18 piece orchestra led by brilliant trumpet player Juraj Bartos and supported by the Serenaders Sisters played “gramophone” style arrangements – Paul Whiteman, Duke Ellington, the Goldkette Orchestra but to name a few whilst dressed in traditional costume.

Brilliant trumpet player and band leader Juraj Bartos

The Serenaders Sisters 

The audience loved it so much, they played longer than planned!  An added bonus!

A triumphant ending!

Another year of fantastic music all round. Let’s see what next year brings...

The Bratislava Hot Serenaders with Andrew Douglas (ABD partner) and
his wife Keshani Douglas (PR, Events and Marketing Manager)

Information

For more information on Marlborough Jazz Live International Festival go to www.marlboroughjazz.com