Wind Band Tour 2023

This is the text of the letter that went out today to everyone at Wind Band rehearsal

France Tour, 2023

Dear Parents,

Following our highly successful European excursions pre-Covid, where the Wind Band were accustomed to staging outstanding concerts across Western Europe, we are now looking to resume our tours in 2023.  However, it has been very difficult trying to work within a realistic budget at a time when costs are soaring across all aspects of life.  We have therefore chosen a short-haul option of the Loire Valley and Normandy in France.

We plan to depart from UVHS late afternoon/early evening on Saturday 15th July, 2023, and return late on Thursday 20th July (with school breaking up on Friday 21st).  The accommodation will be on a half board basis with three nights spent in Angers (Loire Valley), and one night in Carentan (Normandy). 

The band will perform 3 concerts whilst in France (2 in the Loire Valley and 1 in Normandy).  Students will also have the opportunity to spend time visiting the towns and chateaux in the area as well as experiencing the culture of the region.  Transport will be by two coaches and trailers: outward via the Dover-Calais ferry route, return via Cherbourg-Portsmouth.

The cost of this tour has been quoted at £650 per student (based on a band size of 72 players), but the Friends of UVHS Music will subsidise the cost for all band members by £100 (a significant amount), bringing the student charge to  £550 each. There is a little additional financial support available from The Friends for those families who require it and/or with two or more children going on the tour – please contact me if you feel you need assistance: no band member is ever denied the chance to go on tour on grounds of finance. 

If you wish your child to participate on the tour, please make a deposit payment of £100 by Friday 15th  October.  Three further payments of £150 will be scheduled (by the end of January, March and May 2023), with the full balance paid by Friday 26th May. All those students going on the tour will be expected to attend rehearsals regularly, or to give valid reasons for absence in advance.

We prefer to accept contributions on-line via your Parentpay account  –  this tour is not currently on Parentpay but will appear on your child’s account in the next few days.  Please note you will need to give electronic consent for your child’s participation in this trip. Medical notes and emergency contact details will be collected in April/May, but please be aware that we do not travel on group passports so every student will need a valid passport before departure (that now means that the passport MUST have been issued at least 6 months before 15th July, 2023 and also have 6 months left before expiry).

We regret that we are no longer able to accept cash payments, but if you wish to pay by cheque, please make it payable to ‘UVHS’ and complete the consent slip below, returning it in an envelope clearly marked with your child’s name, form and trip details “Wind Band – France Tour, 2023”.

May I also take this opportunity to ask all parents to make sure that they are signed up to the Performing Arts Blog, accessed via the ‘Links’ tab on the school website. The majority of messages from the Performing Arts are done via the blog now, not via letter, and it is important for us to know that you are receiving them. There is also an online calendar which allows you to keep up to date with concert dates, fundraising events and Friends of UVHS meetings.

Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours,

Richard Butler MBE

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