Saturday 7th September saw the culmination of the Proms Season with “Last Night at the Proms” as featured on TV and the seven Lions Clubs of Solihull followed this up with their own “Last Night at the Proms” at the Solihull Library Theatre.
The concert was organised by the seven Lions in the Borough of Solihull i.e. Balsall Common, Castle Bromwich, Exhibition, Knowle & Dorridge, Marston Green, Shirley and Solihull all working together under the leadership of PDG Lion Doug Cross.
The Flowers Brass band with soloist Anne Williams were booked for the concert, a souvenir programme produced and Union Jack flags purchased so that every member of the audience could join in.
Come the evening of the performance a sold out theatre with principal guests Councillor Joe and Mrs Joan Tildesley, the Mayor of Mayoress of Solihull together with DG Lion Simon Moss and Lion Christine Moss, took their seats in anticipation.
Before the concert started Lion Doug introduced the Presidents of the seven local Lions clubs and the programme began with pieces by Dvorak, Lloyd-Webber and Rossini.
Following the interval it was time for the audience to join in with a “Best of the Beatles” Thereafter came the traditional Proms favourites with “Colonel Bogey”, “I vow to thee my Country” and “Londonderry Air” By the time of the grand finale of “Fantasia of British Sea Songs”, “Jerusalem” “Pomp and Circumstance” and “Land of Hope and Glory” the whole audience was on its feet singing along and the scene a mass of waving flags.
At the end Lion Doug manfully tried to thank everyone involved but was drowned out by calls for an encore which again had everyone on their feet, flags waving furiously.
Profits from the evening will be going to the “Sloppy Slippers Project” whereby stroke patients and others who require a firmer form of casual footwear are encouraged to replace their “sloppy slippers”
