A Concert at Mirepoix on 30th July 2021

We will be performing in Mirepoix on the 30th July, a free concert to bring some life back to Mirepoix's events calendar, which, like other places across France, has taken a severe knock due to the Covid uncertainties. 

Please come along, if you are able, and perhaps join in with some of the choruses.

The Aude Shantymen were invited to perform at Sete on the 6th July 2021, before the showing of the film called 'The Fishermen's Friends', a comedy about a renowned group of shantymen who are based in Port Isaac, Cornwall, England. We were given a 30 minute slot, to perform songs of our choice, which stretched a little on the night and enabled us to sing 13 songs from our pre-determined repertoire.

This was the first public event that we had engaged in this year and it felt good to be back in the swing of things. We have other events lined up for later in the year and we will continue to meet weekly, as we have been doing these past weeks (since lockdown relaxations) to practice our songs. 

Each year we assess the songs that we have in our song book and we entertain other new (to us) songs that we may wish to add. As a result of this year's vote, we have added a further 20 songs, which we are busy getting to know.

We will keep you informed of developments.

The Shantymen met today for their weekly singing session. Sadly, we have to report that we must cancel our forthcoming event at Capies, planned for the 25th September (this week). We have had some people saying that they are too concerned about Covid to come along. Also, the weather forecast is looking very bad. We have spoken with the restaurant owners, and they fully understand the difficulties and they have suggested that we postpone the event, until better circumstances prevail, perhaps in April 2021.

So, we will be offering full refunds to all ticket holders. If you could contact us via our email audeshantymen@gmail.com or by telephone on 06 38 68 11 77, we can arrange the refunds.

We are very sorry about this, but it was always going to be a possibility at this troubled time. We must put safety first. The event was to be held out of doors, so there was no issue there. If the weather was bad, we could have all moved inside, but this would have been a bad situation for the organisers to be placed in. Your welfare is our priority.

We are not alone with this, as the apple festival in Mirepoix has also been cancelled over Covid fears. We were to have sung there too.

An Evening with the AudeShantyMen

The AudeShantyMen are holding an event at Pomy (11294) midway between Mirepoix and Limoux on the 25th September. Please see the details accompanying this post.

This will be an open-air event, with separated tables provided. In the event of inclement weather, there is adequate under cover space available. Should the concert not take place, due to prevailing Covid restrictions, or other unforseen circumstances, the event will either be postponed, with any tickets sold remaining valid for the revised date, or a refund will be given.

A cold plate will be served subject to seasonal availability. Please let us know of any specific dietary requirements at the time of booking.

Numbers will be limited to 60 persons.

Une soirée avec les AudeShantyMen.

Les AudeShantyMen organisent un événement à Pomy (11294) le 25 septembre.

Ce sera un événement en plein air, avec des tables séparées fournies. En cas de mauvais temps, il y a suffisamment d'espace couvert disponible. S'il n'y a pas de concert, en raison des règles de Covid, ou d'autres circonstances imprévues, l'événement sera reporté, tous les billets vendus restant valables pour la date révisée, ou un remboursement sera accordé.

Une assiette froide sera servie sous réserve de disponibilité saisonnière. Veuillez nous informer de vos besoins alimentaires spécifiques au moment de la réservation.

Le nombre sera limité à 60 personnes.

Kev

Kevin Penny – “Janner” – RIP

From the moment Kev joined the Shantymen we were taken with his great sense of humour and larger than life personality. 

Originally from Plymouth he was known as “Janner” on stage, Kev made the song “South Australia” his own, singing it with great gusto and pace. His animated version of “You can’t be a pirate” was hilarious and the audiences loved it! On tour his welcome ability to keep the Shantymen supplied with wine spirited away in his rucksack was legendary! 

Kev also became Vice President for the Shantymen and contributed many suggestions for new songs. We always thought of Kev as being one of the youngest and fittest of the Shantymen so we were shaken when he developed colon cancer but, after a full course of treatment, he was declared fully fit again.

More recently Kev and his wife Pat moved back to Dartmoor where, apart from enjoying the outdoor life with their adopted dog Zak (as in that Zak adopted them), Kev also found time to start a local shanty group.

We were devastated to receive the news of Kev’s untimely death at the end of April from an undiagnosed genetic heart condition. We have truly lost a great and valuable friend, who is already sadly missed by all of us who knew him, and our thoughts and sincere sympathies are with Pat. 

Coming out of Confinement

Well, Covid 19 came and it put a hold on all our plans, as it did to all of us. We had to stop our singing sessions for many weeks and we learned of event cancellations that we were to have taken part in. The big one was the cancellation of Sete. So disappointing for the organisers, but so essential to tackle this beast of a problem.

With the easing of restrictions, we are now meeting and singing again (with care) and are receiving invitations to sing our own blend of sea shanties at various events.

This post is just a stop gap to let you know that we are here and are raring to go. Sadly though we lost one of us recently. Rest in Peace Janner. 

We will let you know when we have firmed up on dates for future appearances.

Flogger

Escale à Sete 2020

Once again we have been asked to perform at the Escale à Sete over the Easter period this year. We will be in attendance from Thursday 9th to Monday 13th April. It is a great event and if you come along make sure you come and say hello.

CSF Living Well Day

The Aude Shantymen are very pleased to be associated with this event and to support them on the day with a lunchtime concert.

LIVING WELL/ BIEN-ETRE DAY

 LES MARGUERITES

11580, ALET-LES-BAINS

SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER

10h30 to 16h30

THERAPIES & EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE FREE ON THE DAY:

MASSAGE           REFLEXOLOGY         HAND MASSAGE       SEIKHEM

YOGA     MEDICINAL GARDEN     FOOD & NUTRITION     ART THERAPY

BUFFET STYLE LUNCH €12.50, excl. Drinks

Lunchtime concert by the Aude Shanty Men

THERAPIES & EXPERIENCES

NO ADVANCED BOOKING AVAILABLE BEFORE THE DAY

SIGN UP WHEN YOU ARRIVE!

ART THERAPY – Merrilees Moran   www.coucoulimoux.com

Merrilees is the owner of the Coucou Atelier Boutique, Limoux, and, during the day, she will lead workshops on continuous line auto-portraits, with mixed media.

FOOD & NUTRITION – Andrew Crowe  www.earthsense.eu

Eating well need not be boring – looking at, and making some dishes from, overlooked foods that are extremely healthy, yet great to eat.  Simple to prepare at home with minimal skill levels.  Explaining the benefits of these foods in boosting health on the inside and outside.

HAND MASSAGE – Margaret Pearce

The benefits of hand and arm massage is relaxing with positive touch.  It also aids in the shedding of dead skin cells, helps with stiff joints, and makes the hands soft and moisturised. [If you have a nut allergy, please let me know in advance]

MASSAGE – Heather Edwards  www.heatheredwards.co.uk

Heather has been running a massage practice in Brighton (UK) for 15 years, and has recently moved into the region to continue working with people of the area.  In each treatment, Heather takes a holistic approach – working with mind and spirit, as well as the body.  Through treating many clients over long periods, she has inevitably gained some experience of working with clients with cancer.  In such circumstances, she aims to work with them in a supportive and practical way, according to their needs.

MEDICINAL GARDEN – Lisa Crowe  www.earthsense.eu

The medicinal garden around you – looking at the herbs & plants that you will have in our own garden, or that can be easily grown, that have a significant impact on your health and wellbeing.  Lisa will look at many common plants and herbs, and give an understanding of how to prepare and use such plants, gaining all these extra, and sometimes overlooked, benefits.

REFLEXOLOGY – Dianne Owen

Reflexology is a holistic treatment on the feet which have reflex zones that relate to the human body and its organs.  It is particularly helpful with stress, and brings relaxation, helping to stimulate the blood supply, which restores the balance of the body.  The full treatment lasts 40-45 minutes.

SEIKHEM – Gilli Palmer  Facebook – ‘All Sekhem Healing France’

Seikhem is the healing energy believed to be used by the Priesthood of the Egyptian Pharaohs.  It is a huge energy, when accessed, to bring ALL the elements together to aid healing & personal development, both in this world & in spirit.  It adds to all the other energy healing systems & generally produces insight & change in a wonderful way.  See yourself, the world & your life in a totally new light.

YOGA – Charlotte Pye

Charlotte is a Pilates and yoga teacher, and personal trainer, with 15 years’ experience in the fitness industry.  She has worked extensively in rehabilitation with a wide variety of people, including cancer patients, during and after treatment and surgery.  As well as general sessions, she teaches chair yoga for the less mobile, and can create specific diet & exercise programs designed for the home to help with recovery.  Charlotte has run several ‘Race for Life’ 10k’s, both with, and in support of, clients with cancer, and is really looking forward to participating in the first support day in the Aude.

FOOD & OTHER ENTERTAINMENT

LUNCH

A nutritionally balanced, and tasty, buffet style savoury and sweet lunch will be available, at the subsidised price of €12.50, excluding drinks

Example (subject to seasonal variations):

Red lentil, tomato & basil soup/Hearty vegetable & pearl barley soup

A selection of salads, e.g:

Curried chickpea & walnut salad

Pomegranate salad

Sweet & spicy carrot salad

Green leaf salad

Lentil & mint salad

Spinach lasagne

Selection of homemade quiches

Chicken salad

Apple crumble

Carrot cake

Better brownies

Bookings (limited to 50 lunches) must be made in advance

to Pam Mercer on sud-aude@cancersupportfrance.org

(Vegetarian, gluten free, and allergies may be catered for,

Subject to confirmation at time of booking)

Lunchtime entertainment from:

THE AUDE SHANTY MEN   http://theaudeshantymen.blogspot.com/

The Aude Shanty Men live mainly in the Aude, with a few renegade interlopers ‘press ganged’ from the Ariège.  We enjoy singing traditional and modern sea shanties in harmony, to keep alive the tradition of sailors’ working songs, and other songs of the sea.  As well as enjoying ourselves, we raise money for both the RNLI in the UK, and the SNSM (French Lifeboat Service), with recent donations to the lifeboat at Gruissan.  We have recently been collecting for the families of the tragedy that took place at Les Sables on 7^th June.  On this occasion, we are more than happy to support the good work of CSF, and wish them an enjoyable and successful day.

In addition, the ‘Salon du Thè’ at Les Marguerites will be open from 15h00,

where you can purchase delicious drinks and cakes

VILLELONGUE D'AUDE 12th July

We once again have the pleasure of appearing at the Bar in Villelongue d'Aude. Details are below, please come along and enjoy the evening.