๐ถ BABS Bulletin | August II
Join the Board, Harmony Express, and Chair's first visit.
Summary
- Board Recruitment - New Roles to Fill
- Harmony Express is making a return
- Chair's Corner
- Club Spotlight -The Kingsmen
- Pitch In - A number of Clubs are looking for a new Musical Director
- Rolling Hills Chorus
- The Kentones
- 5Ways
- Harmony Lincs
- The Usual Suspects
Board Recruitment - New Roles to Fill
We're still looking to fill two Board Roles - Vice Chair and Director of Governance & Internal Comms
The Vice Chair is someone to act as a genuine deputy to the Chair role, and provides a calm capable pair of hands that the rest of the Board can rely on. This role is currently performed by Calvin Laverick, who will be stepping down from the role following a transition to the new appointee.
The Director of Governance & Internal Comms is responsible for organising all of the Board Meetings, including the AGM and AMM, as well as the collation and production of the member bulletin.
Full job descriptions can be found below, as well details on how to apply.
If you'd like an informal chat about either of the roles first, please do get in touch via [email protected]
Harmony Express is coming back
After a brief hiatus, everyone's favourite online Barbershop publication (aside from the BABS Bulletin of course) is making a come back!
It's taking on a new perspective where it will be managed by Peter Bryant, who is doing an excellent job with the BABS Podcast, who hopes to breathe fresh life into the publication with news from around the UK and beyond and guest publications from time to time.
We'll be formally launching this in September , but if you want to get notified as soon as the go live happens, you can do so below.
Chair's Corner - Visit to Pitch and Mix
Hi Barbershop Fans, Alistair here, your BABS Chair.
Something my predecessors told me was that one of their favourite parts of the role of Chair was getting out and visiting choruses, and on Monday I got to do that for my first time as BABS Chair.
I headed up to Nottingham (which was a lot further North than I had originally expected!) to visit Pitch and Mix, and award them with their Highest Placed Small Mixed Chorus award from Sing2026. It also happened to be the evening that one of our talented Musicality Judges, Sam Hubbard, was giving the chorus feedback on their performance - it's amazing to see how just a few small tweaks can make such a difference to overall chorus sound (if you haven't taken up the opportunity to have your chorus feedback yet, I'd strongly encourage it!).
By happy coincidence, they were singing If I Didn't Have You, which was one of the first barbershop songs I learnt back in 2018, so I got to join in with everyone!
Whilst my civilian life prevents me from having the same lofty ambitions as some of my predecessors, which is to visit every Club in the association, if you've got a special occasion or an event that you'd like me to attend, I shall endeavour to come along.
That being said, I do still want to be as accessible as possible, so as I mentioned last time, you can book some time with me to talk about anything that's on your mind (preferably BABS related of course).
If there's a question you've got, or a concern you need to raise, or you just want some general chit-chat about barbershop, please use the link below to pop in 15 minutes with me.
Looking forward to speaking with you, and seeing some of you soon.
Club Spotlight - The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen gather to celebrate the achievements of their members and Club - which is 35 years young!
It's difficult to think of a better way to spend an evening than with the joy and harmony of song; enriched by the camaraderie, fun and friendship associated with being a member of a Chorus; and blessed by the sharing of precious moments with family and friends - all gathering to celebrate success; recognise and reward achievement; and mark significant milestones. But this is what the Kingsmen Barbershop Harmony Chorus has just done; and done in style.
On display to greet attendees at the Awards Evening were items from the Club's archives, including an array of scrap books containing photographs and articles telling the story of the Club from the very first rehearsal attended by 12 guys at the Crabshell Pub in Kingsbridge in the Autumn of 1991; through to Tours (including 3 to the USA); results from competitions; and money (well over ยฃ100k) raised for various Charities. And inevitably, the page turning led to the sharing of stories, laughter and the recollection of happy memories.
Chairman Paul Harvey opened proceedings with a warm Kingsmen welcome and handed over to Stu Newberry who took on the role as Master of Ceremonies. Stu guided attendees through the presentation and award of: the Harmony Award (recipient Kevin Hamer); the Jack Nation Trophy (recipient Chris Lambart); the Director's Award (recipient Ian Wooler); and the Barbershopper of the Year Award (recipient Kevin Hamer). Several Kingsmen also received Long Service Awards. 10 Year Badges were presented to Jim Stewart, Terry Weeks; Kevin Hamer and Ian Wooler (and will be to Charles Harrington, Geoff Sharps and Shaun Fewtrell - all of whom were unable to attend the event); a 20 Year Badge was presented to Gary Rowe; and 30 Year Badges were presented to Tim Wyatt and Steve Hancock.
The evening culminated with the presentation by Chairman Paul Harvey of a special award - to Roy Hann, who founded the Chorus back in 1991 and who was the Musical Director for 30 years. The award was a glass trophy engraved with the words 'From your Brothers in Harmony. In celebration of your unwavering dedication, musical passion, and your 35 year milestone in founding the Chorus'.
And you've guessed it - the celebrations continued at an Afterglow at a local pub, where more singing, fun and friendship was in abundance.
Fancy having a go at singing? Want to join in the fun? If so, why not come along to one of our Rehearsals? You'll be guaranteed of receiving a big, warm Kingsmen welcome - and who knows, this time next year, you could be an award winner!
For further information about the Kingsmen and Membership check out the following links: www.kingsmen.org.uk/
Have you got something exciting from your Club you want to share with the rest of the BABS Community? Have you got an upcoming show or event that you want to advertise? Then this is the space for you!
We'll be putting these features in each BABS Bulletin going forward, providing we get the content to fill it - and that's where you come in.
If you've got something you'd like to share please fill in the short form below.
Spots will be allocated based on the following criteria
- If the Club hasn't had a Spotlight spot previously
- If the content is time sensitive
- If a specific date is requested (we will do our best to accommodate these, but can't guarantee it)
Pitch In
A Number of BABS Clubs are looking for a new Musical Director
- Rolling Hills Chorus, Edinburgh
- The Kentones, Bromley
- Harmony Lincs, Lincoln
- 5 Ways, Banbury
If you're interested in any of these roles, more information can be found below
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If you're wanting to get a message out to other BABS Members (or anyone for that matter) wanting them to "Pitch In", then this is the place for you! You can submit an advert below for a number of things, including;
- Finding people in your area who are interested in forming a quartet
- Seeking a new Musical Director for your chorus
- Getting help with some of your Chorus IT or Marketing
If you have a request, please follow the link below to our website, where you'll find more information, see existing requests, and be able to submit your own.
The Usual Suspects
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Grants
The Grant Application Window is currently Open (Closes again 31st August)
BABS has a number of grants available to support clubs and singers.
- Recruitment
- Financial Hardship
- New club startup
- Regional events
- Support for education and international contests
More information, along with application forms, can be found below.
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BABS Official Podcast
Tune In is the official BABS podcast. Hosted by the BABS volunteer team, each episode dives into organisational updates, recaps recent events, answers listener questions, and features interviews with special guests. Whether youโre a seasoned barbershop enthusiast or a newcomer, Tune In has something for everyone!
Got questions or feedback for us? Drop them in the comments or email us at [email protected].
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Dates for your diary
Sunday 13th September - Autumn Member's Meeting (Online)
Saturday 7th November - Prelims (Tamworth)
Friday 28th - Sunday 30th May 2027 - Sing2027 (Brighton)
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Join the BABS WhatsApp Community!
The BABS WhatsApp Community is a great way to stay connected, share ideas, and engage with fellow members across the organisation. Whether you want to discuss barbershop, ask questions, or keep up with the latest BABS news, this is the place to be.
Joining is easy - just click the link below for instructions.
Join the BABS WhatsApp Community
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Is your club on our map?
Did you know that we have a Chorus Finder map on our website?
If your chorus isn't listed, or has out-of-date information, please let us know by emailing [email protected]
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BABS Council Members
Every Club has a number of Council Members who play an important role in the wider BABS decision making process. You can read more about their role, and find out who they are below.
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