Photos by Leon Jones. Left click on images to enlarge.
A few weeks ago on Thursday 4th August the Choir was delighted that long serving chorister Colin Jones visited us at practice and he was thrilled to be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award and Honorary Vice Presidency by Musical Director Siân Hatton and chairman Mark Stocker. This award is given to choristers who have given outstanding service to the choir over many years as a tribute to their commitment and achievements.
Colin has, due to ill-health been unable to join in with us at practice and concerts recently. He has been a loyal and devoted chorister who joined the choir soon after its initial formation in 1963 and has been a continuous member for 53 years. An outstanding achievement for which he was the first to be awarded a 50 year long service award three years ago. The only other recipient is bass chorister John Evans, who completed his half century this year.
Colin is a memorable character and has always stood out as one of the more vociferous and colourful choir members, always ready to give advice and encouragement. Sporting his white ‘Dickensian looking’ side whiskers he is always prominent in the front row of the second tenors on almost all of the choir photographs. He has been a past chairman and choir librarian for many years and is well remembered for opening up the choir hall to receive the brewery lorries. He is particularly proud of the part he played in the construction of our Choir Hall in 1996 and has produced a step by step video recording of the progress. A copy is in the cabinet at the choir hall.
2nd tenor Colin has taken part in almost every tour undertaken by the choir with visits to the USA, Canada, The Netherlands and Austria as well as all over the UK. Not to mention two cruises. He is also well remembered for conducting the choir’s famous ‘Afterglows’ and for his trick of balancing pint pots of beer on his head while ‘bobbing up and down like this’. Never a drop spilled.
Colin is an ex steel worker at the then RTB steelworks at Llanwern (later British Steel and Tata) and is a keen Rugby supporter with a long tradition with Caldicot Rugby Club.
Caldicot Male Voice Choir owes Colin a huge debt of gratitude for his long service, dedication and achievements and richly deserves his award.