A grand day out

It started a couple of months ago through casual conversation. 2 likeminded souls supporting the community and brushing over the future, the hopes and the needs of communities and what plans we have in place to help where we can. An idea, a decision to take it further and to take it back to those others involved or interested to see if it's what they would like to do. 
2 months later and we find ourselves in one of the most gorgeous settings I have had chance to help organise events.  St Ives Community Orchard. 
Overlooking St Ives Bay, that just a few weeks ago was host to warships and the G7 summit. Also an area we have been involved with over the last year through supporting the food banks here during Covid.  
The setting is just wow and the people who are behind the Community Orchard just burst with this thing called hippieness and a big dollop of pride. So eager to show us the orchard, the hives, the new developed areas and the Pizza Oven, that we almost ran late for setting up for what is our, first outing and community workshop.  
There was a booking system in place set up before the event to make sure it was something the community wanted to take part in. 17 had signed up. 26 instruments packed up. 5 staff to make it happen.  
For us it was a great chance for the youth involved to have a big part of delivery. They sorted, serviced and selected the instruments for the day. They worked on the safety aspect of the day with Covid deep in everyone's thoughts and especially after the recent spike in numbers in the area and they took to the event like naturals. You would have never known it was their first event but the way they taught, interacted and inspired was better than what we all expected. The feedback gained from the participants was really uplifting for them and all involved. They wanted to capture the day through film and we took along a polaroid instamatic camera to just that and the film taken was just the perfect way to do it and really helped capture the day. 
All ages turned up and although some of the 17 pre sign ups didn’t show, we found we had some walk in after hearing the music being played and wanting to find out more. In all, 22 people joined in with the music and for us, this was a great success. The 3-hour workshop quickly passed and we ended the day with the youngsters playing a few turns they had mastered during the last few months. While they played, the Pizza Oven was fired up and we spent the next couple of hours, kicking back, eating great food in a great setting and with great people.  
If this is what coming out of Covid looks like then we all want more.  
If this is what the future of Poly Rhythm looks like then, again, we all want more! ​