Lichfield Arts’ free community festival, FUSE, will burn brighter following a £2,000 boost from BUSKATHON.

During the weekend of 22/23 May, Speakers’ Corner saw 20 hours of music, sun and fun, with dozens of buskers entertaining large crowds.

Saturday saw a varied programme of performers, including traditional one-man-and-a guitar buskers, bands, belly dancers and the Boys’ Brigade band.

Also wowing the audience were a circus performer, musical families, a tuba-playing minister, a folk quartet and even Michael Fabricant MP!

Sunday was the turn of Bruford Low (a.k.a. BUSKATHON organiser Dave Simcox) who busked at the piano for 10 hours, ably assisted by a host of singers who joined in with gusto!

Both days were concluded with a singalong round the Joanna; Speakers’ Corner resounding to Beatles numbers and other popular songs.

Lichfield Arts volunteers rattled buckets and handed out hundreds of leaflets publicising FUSE, which takes place in Beacon Park on 9/10/11 July (www.fuselichfield.org.uk)

Dave Simcox and friends in song

Dave Simcox was tired but ecstatic by the end of BUSKATHON. “I had set myself a target of £1,000, so to double that is truly amazing. As well as raising much-needed funds, we have also raised the profile of FUSE, and also Speakers’ Corner as a public space for the whole community. My heartfelt thanks to all of those who contributed, either by performing, collecting or just turning up and giving money. We finished the event with the song “Perfect Day” and for me, that sums it up.”

Buskers are being given the chance to take part in a two day musical masterpiece event in Lichfield.

Set to take place at Speakers’ Corner on Dam Street on 22 & 23 May, a Buskathon led by Dave Simcox, will be raising funds for Lichfield’s Fuse Festival.

On May 22 buskers from all genres will play from 9am to 7pm, with the following day seeing Dave Simcox (aka Bruford Low) busking for 10 hours.

Fuse Festival Director Tim Perks said: “This is a great offer from Dave Simcox – aka Bruford Low – and will be a great boost to fundraising effort for Fuse, an event which costs over £30,000.”

For further details of how you can help or to book a spot, call 01543 262223 or e-mail dave.simcox@mac.com.

Speakers’ Corner Lichfield celebrated its first anniversary on the 1st May.

Hundreds of people came along to take part in the celebrations. Over 2o speakers took part, ranging from the youngest ever speaker at to speak at Lichfield’s Speakers Corner (just 5 years old!), through to students, politicians, and artists.

The Lichfield Blog (thanks to Nick and the team!) attended and took lots of great photos.

Find out more on the Lichfield blog 

See photos on the Lichfield Blog’s Flikr site. 

Thanks to everyone who came along to celebrate Lichfield’s heart of public debate – Lichfield’s very own Speakers’ Corner!

My husband and I call Allison the Velvet Hammer.  She is a pretty, petite woman, quietly spoken, so lady like……you always smile after you’ve spoken to her.  Then you think ‘I wasn’t going to volunteer for that…..’ because once more Allison has got you to say yes when you intended to say no.

I knew something was up when  I was asked to come into Lichfield Arts office for a meeting with Stuart and Allison to talk about cultural diversity, it’s a feeling you get.  The question wasn’t would I say yes or no but what would I be saying yes to.

It seems that Saturday 22nd May is going to be a busy day at Speakers Corner with a Buskathon organised by Dave Simcox and people talking about what they think ‘cultural diversity’ is ‘and it would be really nice if we could have someone from Lichfield Arts speak and I would sponsor them’

I am a writer.  I like to write. I have to write.  I am happiest ensconced in my own little world taking the images and thoughts in my head and translating them into the written word.  When I am as satisfied as I am going to get with my work I let people read it.  Like most writers I am never completely satisfied and the beauty of the written word is you always have the option of changing it or even never sharing it.  Speaking publically is another matter.  You can’t stop to consult your thesaurus for just the right word, you can’t decide it’s kettle o’ clock because it’s not going quite the way you wanted and need a break, you can’t go back and edit something once it’s said.

Despite knowing all this and the fact I turn a beautiful, glowing shade of red when I am embarrassed or stressed I found myself saying yes, I’ll do it.

So now comes the hard part.  What do I think the term ‘cultural diversity’ means.  Not just in an abstract way like some government advisory body,  but what does it mean to me personally, in my life and in my community. 

I’m not sure yet.  I have a few ideas and few notes written down, but every time I think I have a handle on it my research takes me off on another tangent.  I suspect that I will be just as surprised by what I say on the day as anyone who stops to listen.