The choice of venue was never going to be an issue - the chapel looked as magnificent inside as it did from the outside, and rising out of the South Downs lit up against the dark December sky. The Committee’s challenge was to sell enough tickets to do justice to both the setting and the Choir. Friends were cajoled, friends of friends were cajoled. “Williams….. you Welsh?” “Have you ever been to Tenby?” The personal charm offensive was supported by a poster campaign, editorials and ads in the local media as well as interviews on two radio stations. Is it the drive for success or the fear of failure that makes a successful Committee? Well Sussex had a series of targets:

• Have more in the audience than the Choir
• Break even
• Make a profit
• Fill the 500 seat chapel

Meanwhile back in The Valleys things weren’t good. Just four days before the concert The Treorchy (as we now call them) and their Principal Conductor parted company. All was not lost. The charm of Fred the Secretary and the power of the internet came together to find Dr Alwyn Humphreys both available and willing to step into breach.So come Saturday the Choir was nervous as they arrived and had an intensive practice with Dr Alwyn – a man who set the Boys at ease with his warmth and obvious talent as an arranger and conductor par excellence.

The Boys were sorted and the Committee knew we were into profit – all going to fund our current project, the Living Skills Area at Chaliey Heritage School, for severely physically handicapped children. By the time the concert started well over 400 people were in the audience. In addition to the revenue from advanced sales, we took £706 on the door from tickets and donations for programmes. By the end of the first half which featured the fantastic talents of the soloist Diana Gilchrist as well as the Choir Ian Braid was so moved he told the audience that there were times in the last hour that he almost wished he was Welsh. He was also able to confirm that he was over the worst and should have made a full recovery in time for The 6 Nations.

Wine and mince pies were served at the interval and all too soon after two encores we were at the end of the concert. This was a very special evening for everyone that had the privilege to be there. Everything came together and the success of the event was down to the teamwork of the Sussex Committee and in particular the hard work of Helen Greaves-Smith and Sandy Fleming who led the project. Current estimates are that the evening will have raised around £5,000. 

Q. What do you do with 70 (thirsty) Welshmen, an accompanist and two coaches at 10:30 on a Saturday night in Lancing?

A. Find a rugby club.

Step forward Shoreham RFC and in particular Pete Gerry, The Secretary, and Simon Edgar the Chairman. When Ian Braid was organising the re-hydration of the Choir, Pete only had one question – “Do the Treorchy want a ‘lock-in’?” We knew we had come to the right place.  As it happened Shoreham arranged for their Christmas party to be on that very night and in order to make the Boys welcome arranged for a barrel of Brains to be on tap.

We piloted the coaches to the party and entered “The Royal Coach”. The party had been in full swing for 4 hours and there was clearly a lot of collateral damage evident. Stepping over the front row (and either their partners or some new found friends) we walked past the band and into a reserved room. Food was eaten, drink was taken and then the Treorchy set about their next task. “Boys we need to give the band an early night.” Sometime during the next 90 minutes the band did indeed leave as the Choir enthralled the Royal Coach with a stellar performance led by Dean the evening’s Compere. When Ian Braid first became Chairman of Sussex he never realised that as part of the role he would get to sing Delilah with the world famous Treorchy Male Choir. But he did. As Max Boyce used to say “I was there”.

The Treorchy has played some of the great venues in the world, The Millennium Stadium Cardiff, The Sydney Opera House, Mansion House, London and now via Lancing College Chapel (which they rank very highly indeed) The Royal Coach, Shoreham. It’s what rugby as a community does best – welcoming old friends and making new ones over a beer and a song. 12.45 am on Sunday morning and The Treorchy are making their way onto the coaches. Gareth, the Choir’s Chairman said “Ian…. you did us proud”. Said it all really and was such a compliment to the Sussex Committee. Same again next year? Don’t bet against it.