Trustee’s Annual Report for CADCFA 2018 - 2019
The 2018-19 CADCFA year started off with registration on 8[th] September 2018 and classes commencing the following week with over 50 members enrolled, from beginner level to Diploma. It is great to see CADCFA continuing as an organisation with such a wide variety of members from all backgrounds and with an age span of 5-95.
CADCFA senior members were invited to participate in the Colhalts 40[th] anniversary celebrations in April in St Olcan’s Parish Hall, Rasharkin. Attendees thoroughly enjoyed the Wizard’s Walk which has become one of CADCFA’s favourite pieces over the last few years. It is always good to continue and strengthen the relationships built up over the years and also for our fiddlers to listen and learn from other local musicians and get involved with local music events.
CADCFA made a presentation to Macmillan Cancer for £300, which was greatly received by volunteers from the Charity.
CADCFA were privileged to be part of 1[st] Broughshane’s fundraising evening for the Air Ambulance. This was a great night for all involved and Broughshane Primary School choir and instrumentalists were fabulous and a great credit to the school and local community. We are always keen to support the local community and it is great to have their support in return.
16[th] – 20[th] July 2018 seen CADCFA hold their yearly Summer School for all ages which was funded by Mid & East Antrim Councils’ Small Grants Scheme.
CADCFA have been encouraged having been part of Broughshane Village of the Year celebrations throughout their year of celebrations. This was a Channel Four programme which the organisation was involved with during filming of the local village. CADCFA members took part in the village parade and also performed on the main stage. It was great to hear the news that Broughshane had been crowned ‘Village of the Year’.
As always with the autumn comes the Halloween season and we thoroughly enjoyed a great family night on 20[th] October 2018 in Broughshane Community Centre, with all the fiddlers dressed as their favourite spooky characters.
Throughout the Spring and Summer terms, candidates sat their SCT and LCM exams with another great result from our youngest members, achieving top results.
Summer school ran from 15[th] July to 19[th] July 2019 and was a great success this year again, with a good attendance and great achievements from the players. Our young members always enjoy this week and there was great excitement when Eli Bedel came to film some of the summer school as part of a project on cultural identity and the historically linked cultures of Americas Appalachian region and Ulster Scots roots.
Three members of our Committee commenced the North Antrim Community Network Leadership Programme which runs from September 2018 to March 2020. This means our members attend monthly workshops around leadership and develop an Action Plan of musical events that we feel CADCFA members can benefit from as well as increasing awareness of our group throughout the MEA area and afar.
As part of the NACN programme we visited Cultra on 10[th] August 2019 for a children’s ceili. The weather was not the best but everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day nonetheless, learning dances (which hopefully will be remembered for summer school next year) and we were also given an opportunity to show case our talents by playing.
It has been another year of great work from the committee, teaching team and unending support from parents and guardians.