Anniversary And Summer Programme

SPEAKER_05 0:05

Hello and welcome to the June twenty twenty six Be More Mancroft broadcast.

SPEAKER_06 0:10

I'm Edward Carter. And I'm Judy Ball. And of course we're sort of celebrating, aren't we? I think we've done twelve broadcasts. We it's our birthday.

SPEAKER_05 0:19

That's right. Once a month we've done twelve, so that makes a whole year. I think you're right. Well sh maybe we should sing happy birthday, I don't know. Well maybe not. A choir of two.

SPEAKER_06 0:28

But it's it's very busy. There's so much happening, and of course, all the new recitals and things all happening now at Mancroft, so much going on, isn't there?

SPEAKER_05 0:34

Yes. Yes, yes. It's lovely in the in the longer days, of course, and in the summer months. Yes, always things happening, happening, yes, and visitors actually from all around the world, of course, coming to the church, coming to the city, which is fun. Yes, yes. Yes, well, the events that you you mentioned about events and concerts. Last month, May, there were some concerts connected to the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, of course.

SPEAKER_04 0:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 0:55

But also we have our own music recitals.

SPEAKER_04 0:57

We do.

SPEAKER_05 0:57

And there are always events happening. They are so popular. Yeah, yeah, they are.

SPEAKER_06 1:01

Some of them are very popular. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:04

And there's one person who's kind of behind the scenes a bit, but who's very much involved in organising them and planning them, and that's Susie Ashcroft. She's our events coordinator. I had a chance to meet up with

Susie Ashcroft On Free Recitals

SPEAKER_05 1:15

her actually and have a have a chat. So made a little interview. Let's listen to it. Yeah. Well, I'm here in the church office, in fact, I'm part of the Chancery Hall. I'm with my lovely colleague Susie Ashcroft, who is, amongst other things, our events coordinator. Now, Susie, that's a fancy title. What does events coordinator mean?

SPEAKER_03 1:34

Everything and anything. The church is an absolutely amazing place for holding concerts, recitals, and I negotiate with people who want to hire the space. Particularly I mount the Mancroft Music Recital Series.

SPEAKER_04 1:52

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:53

Which is free for anyone to come along at one o'clock on a Saturday lunchtime when there's a recital on.

SPEAKER_05 1:59

They're always great. I mean they're fantastic. And we do that because the vicar says who's the vicar?

SPEAKER_03 2:08

It's a gift from us to the city of Norwich.

SPEAKER_05 2:12

Yeah, yeah, which is a nice way of seeing it really, isn't it? A sort of musical gift. Yeah. And they're well supported, aren't they?

SPEAKER_03 2:18

They're very well supported, and it is worth always us remembering that we are so privileged to have this amazing space to work with. So to be able to give things back is great.

SPEAKER_05 2:31

Oh, that's really good. So I mean there's often organ recitals, but there are other things as well, aren't there? Quirky musical offerings.

SPEAKER_03 2:37

Oh that's for sure. We recently had two ladies dressed in Tudor costume, and their speciality is Tudor music on as near as possible original Tudor instruments. We've got flautists, we've got folk singers, we've got singers, we've got all sorts of things.

SPEAKER_05 2:54

You haven't got Mongolian nose flute artists, I noticed.

SPEAKER_03 2:58

No, we haven't got, but we have got Lithuanian kankles.

SPEAKER_05 3:01

Well that's probably a step up, I think, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah, no, they're

Festival Concerts And Future Paid Series

SPEAKER_05 3:05

fantastic, and there's a tremendous group of people who come and support them regularly, of course. Yeah, and then occasionally we we sort of host a big event for so the last month, May we we had a couple of concerts, I think, from the North Norwich Festival. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:18

We did. We had two. We had now you've caught me on the hop here. James McVitie, the organist, gave a very fine recital and showed a film beforehand with three Norfolk organs, one of which was ours. And the second was a lady playing something very like the Cancles, but much bigger and much noisier. But they were both really well supported.

SPEAKER_05 3:40

Yeah, yeah. And we've had some very leading names come to give concerts at Minecraft of Course in the past, haven't we? The Canon Masons and and then even Glenny, I think, came and gave a concert a a few years back. So it's it's amazing that people it obviously works as a as a venue for for music.

SPEAKER_03 3:57

It does work as a venue for music. For the big names, we are usually depending on incoming promoters to bring them in. Because obviously there's a fairly big risk if you're if you're getting a big artist, you're going to have a big fee. But we have, and I think the Mason one was actually promoted by us. We my plan is for next year to look at starting a series of our own promoted maybe six concerts, evening concerts to match up to the Mandroft music recitals, but these will be paid.

Art Installations Drama And Heritage Week

SPEAKER_05 4:36

Yeah, no, well I mean absolutely so, yeah. Well, what watch the space for that one? That's good, yeah. So music is obviously a tremendously important part of our events programme, but occasionally there are other things, art installations and that kind of thing. I mean, are there any do any of those come to mind as being having been particularly exciting? I know there was there there are huge projects.

SPEAKER_03 4:54

Um we have had a few huge projects, obviously Gaia hidden last year. We have smaller exhibitions, we've got an exhibition coming in at the end of July, beginning of August. We the the space can be used for anything. My own personal thing is I would like to see more drama. Oh yes. But we shall see.

SPEAKER_05 5:14

Yeah, well that's a good thing to to have in mind as well. And there have been dramary type things done in the past.

SPEAKER_03 5:20

Yes, they tend to be outside though, in the forum.

SPEAKER_05 5:23

Yes, well sometimes the forum. And there was there was the um the passion play all about three or four years ago now, which did come into the church at the end, but that largely as you say was outside. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 5:33

Yes. And a bit of poetry reading might not go amiss either. Yes, poetry reading. Do you write poetry, CZ or not? Absolutely not.

SPEAKER_05 5:41

I do sometimes actually. Well hidden words, maybe. Oh, actually I could give a poetry reading.

SPEAKER_03 5:48

Uh the other thing, of course, that we do mount that I'm working on right now actually is the Heritage Open Week. Yes, of course. Yes. 18 events going across that this year.

SPEAKER_05 5:58

Wow, that's in September, of course, can't it? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:00

Uh 11th to the 20th offhand. Uh that's all going up onto their website now, so really good programme has been put out this year.

SPEAKER_05 6:10

It's busy. Well, that's a good reminder that you're working ahead of us, aren't you? You couldn't not just sort of say, well, what should we put on next week? It's often months ahead, years ahead, even I suppose.

SPEAKER_03 6:19

I've already got ten things booked in for next year.

SPEAKER_04 6:22

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_03 6:23

And with my other hat on, which is communications, which actually is hand in glove with events, I'm I'm already starting to think about Christmas, yeah. The Christmas week for events is completely done. They

Worship Space Meets Event Venue

SPEAKER_03 6:39

have a lot of charity councils, that sort of thing.

SPEAKER_05 6:41

And um yeah. Yeah. Fantastic. And I know one of the things we sometimes talk about is getting that blend of the church as a place of worship, place of prayer, and as a community place, a place where people come, where events happen, where lovely uplifting things happen that aren't necessarily worship. And it's just it's interesting, really, isn't it? Kind of making that work. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:03

It is, and it's really important. And one of the things I've been really pleased about this season is we've had a new promoter get in touch who's now booked lots of concerts, who does really unusual from our point of view, things that I would never have dared to do, Japanese film music, for instance, about to do a Lord of the Rings concert. Absolutely sold out, but what's pleasing it's people that uh we have never seen in this church before on the whole. So that's a whole new audience getting to enjoy this place. Um yeah, good. Oh, not to mention the flamenco dances. Flamenco dances, yes, yes, well. I mean, people uh absolutely love these things, don't they? And we've had two lots of flamenco dances this year. Both absolutely crammed.

SPEAKER_05 7:50

Yeah. Wonderful, wonderful. Well, we are very lucky having such a great building, um, church. Partly lucky, but actually there's been a lot of work gone into it. A lot of money has been put into the building over the last well, even before I arrived as Vicar, which is seven or eight years ago now. I mean, if you think there's the uh the the front with the flexible furniture, the the questels can all be moved, and the new lighting more recently. We've got we've got a pretty good I mean venue is a slightly odd word to use, but we've got a pretty good venue really for hammer for a very good offer, yes it is.

SPEAKER_03 8:22

A little bit of pillars getting in the way of sight lines sometimes, very rarely.

SPEAKER_05 8:28

No, they're not bad though, they're quite thin pillars, really.

SPEAKER_03 8:31

Ah, so yeah, Saturday night concerts which go on very, very late, and we we have to stay there to get the quaestals back in for the following morning.

SPEAKER_05 8:40

Yeah. My favourite,

Stewards Behind The Scenes

SPEAKER_05 8:42

isn't it? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:43

But it's great that we can do that.

SPEAKER_05 8:45

Yeah, yeah, of course. And that does raise the the the fact that um it's not just a building and people coming in, it's it's our people, well, you mainly. Um and I'm massively grateful to you, Susie, for all that you do on this. But there are lots of other people who help a steward in concerts and and obviously cleaning and all sorts, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:01

There's a team of stewards, they're amazing, they volunteer, they come along, and it it it sounds great, oh come to a free concert, but that's not what it is. It can be quite challenging. We had someone pass out this week, for example, so you need to be on your toes, know what you're doing. And I'm so grateful to those people who give up their time.

SPEAKER_05 9:19

Yeah, no, that's wonderful. And I guess if anyone was interested in becoming a a concert steward, and um they can be in touch. Yeah, please do. Always welcome new people. Especially if you've got first aid experience. Fantastic, great. Well, Susie, thank you so much. Been lovely to chat. That's a really, really important part of our life as a church, actually, all all of all of the events. Not least because I love looking out uh into a a full church, you know, seeing hundreds of people there uh who've come sometimes from miles away, full of expectations.

SPEAKER_03 9:49

Especially with and sometimes with thousands of candles. Some of the promoters come with thousands and thousands of candles. Absolutely mind-blending.

SPEAKER_05 9:56

It's wonderful. It's amazing what you can think of,

Back With Hosts And Dream Events

SPEAKER_05 9:59

isn't it? Susie, thank you. It's been lovely to chat today.

SPEAKER_06 10:03

That was great. I mean, we we do have a wonderful selection of stuff anyway. But I had to smile to myself when you she said that I've already got ten things booked up for next year.

SPEAKER_05 10:13

Yes, yes. Well, with events, you know, you you just have to work ahead a long way. People plan things for sometimes years, months ahead. 'Cause there's lots to to put in place. The performers, the ticketing of it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 10:26

And the different types of performers.

SPEAKER_05 10:28

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_06 10:29

Have you ever done flamenco dancing? Uh no. Right. Are you changing? No.

SPEAKER_05 10:35

I'm sure you'd be very good.

SPEAKER_06 10:38

But um I I did go I did see the concert. No, it's a recital, whatever you like to call it, for the Tudor Girls. Oh yes. And they I think there was about ten or fourteen instruments that they different instruments that they played.

SPEAKER_05 10:50

What was the most exotic instrument they had? Can you remember?

SPEAKER_06 10:53

It was sort of a like a harpy thing. I can't remember what it was called.

SPEAKER_05 10:58

Yes.

SPEAKER_06 10:58

Beautiful.

SPEAKER_05 10:59

Oh amazing, sort of small harp. Yes.

SPEAKER_06 11:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 11:02

Yes. Well, I mean, if you were dreaming up an exotic event, you know, what what would it be, I wonder? Oh crap. Oh, I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 11:10

Exotic, I don't know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 11:11

Perhaps um I don't know, some combination of drama and art and music and um I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 11:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 11:19

It's amazing the events that are there. And of course, one of the challenges, however, of being in Norwich is there are so many things happening all the time. It's a culturally very rich community and cities. Which is a glorious thing. But I know sometimes in the past we've we've thought carefully about hosting an event and took the dates and everything. And then someone said, You realise there are already three other very good concerts happening on that very same evening. But but actually that's true of um most evenings, particularly if you get to the end of the week or the weekend. Yeah. Yeah, but Susie's amazing in terms of how she she plans it all.

SPEAKER_06 11:52

And

Poetry Hymn Writing And Wordplay

SPEAKER_06 11:53

the idea of the art side of things and the poetry reading.

SPEAKER_05 11:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_06 11:56

It's a little bit different. Yes, yes. Well perhaps you're a poet, are you, Judy? I love poetry. I love poetry. Oh, what's your favourite poem? Yeah. Well, I know it's not very cultural, but I absolutely love Lewis Carroll. Oh, yes. And the Wallace and the Carpenter is my favourite. Very. I won't bore you, I won't take up the whole of the podcast as well. It's like that.

SPEAKER_05 12:16

What's the first line or a favourite line?

SPEAKER_06 12:18

Sun was shining brightly, brightly with all his might. Did his very best to make the billows smooth and bright. This was odd because it was the middle of the night. Oh, the middle of the night.

SPEAKER_05 12:27

Well, the middle of the night in June, practically the sun is still shining, isn't it? Yeah. Very good, very good. Yes, I well, I love poetry as well. It says so much in just a few words, doesn't it? Yeah, really imaginative. And the thing I do do sometimes is uh is write hymn words, which isn't poetry, but it is sort of poetry.

SPEAKER_04 12:44

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 12:45

And some poems have been set to to make them into uh hymns or carols. Yeah. Yeah, like in I think in The Bleak Midwinter, it basically was a poem. And then became a carol. Yeah, I think so. Yeah, no, so it's it's amazing what you can do with words. But but very good to think that's um that Mancroft Our Church is um so well used by so many

A Visitor On Peace And Prayer

SPEAKER_05 13:06

people. Um not just open to visitors in the week, but actually people coming for particular events.

SPEAKER_04 13:11

Exactly.

SPEAKER_05 13:11

Um yeah, but there are lots of visitors, and actually in the summer, yeah, we people come from far and wide. I bumped into a lovely chat with his daughter actually the other day. Oh yeah. Um so um I I'm and made made a little clip with him. So maybe we'll listen to that now.

SPEAKER_04 13:24

Oh right, good.

SPEAKER_05 13:27

I'm in church and I've just bumped into someone who's visiting. I think you said you're visiting from Kings Lynn.

SPEAKER_02 13:33

I am, yes. Yes. Myself and my daughter tend to visit Norwich, go to cathedral, and this is the first time we've we've uh been here.

SPEAKER_05 13:40

Well it's great to see you both here. And so uh w what what actually do you like about coming into a church or a place like this?

SPEAKER_02 13:47

I do like the architecture, the history. I also sit and meditate sometimes and have a quick chat. The atmosphere, I think, really. The atmosphere and the history and the feeling of just being at peace, relaxed.

SPEAKER_05 14:02

Yeah. Oh that's beautiful, yeah. Yeah, being at peace and kind of feeling life again somewhat.

SPEAKER_02 14:07

Yes, yes, definitely. Especially when you're in the middle of a busy city or a town or something and it's it's it's just nice to get away from all that.

SPEAKER_05 14:16

Oh brilliant. Well it's lovely to meet you today, and thanks for visiting the church. Uh thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 14:21

Yeah, yeah. It's it's a lovely church. Yeah, brilliant.

Talking With God When It Feels Dry

SPEAKER_02 14:24

I thank you.

SPEAKER_06 14:25

I found that interesting, you talking to the gentleman from King's Lynn. Yeah and talking about having a chat. Because very often that's what I do. Yes. I don't say I don't pray, but very often I will actually talk as though I'm having a sort of a conversation, a one-sided conversation. But I I yes, I do talk to God.

SPEAKER_05 14:44

No, that was a lovely description he gave. Oh, I think you're right. It was of prayer, having a chat with God. Yes. Um that's an interesting question, isn't it? Um how how do we talk with God, not just not just at God? Because you can't you can't in a way we don't hear much back, but sometimes we do, I think. Or we feel things back, perhaps.

SPEAKER_06 15:06

Occasionally I can't honestly say I've noticed much in that respect.

SPEAKER_05 15:10

But I still do it. Yeah, yeah. Or maybe it's not so much expecting like a conversation on the phone with someone who'll chat away. I I I think you're right, it's not like that. Perhaps it's more as we talk to God, we uh we kind of feel like we're part of something bigger and we're joined to something.

SPEAKER_06 15:28

And if we've got any problems, we're unloading them.

SPEAKER_05 15:30

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_06 15:31

And you feel that you're speaking to someone who's going to listen and appreciate what you say.

SPEAKER_05 15:36

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well certainly um yes, we'll I mean when visitors come to the church and I'm I I just love meeting them all, as I know you do, yeah. Yes, I do. Um and they have so many different reasons they come to the church. And that that gentleman I I met had listed a whole number of them, which is lovely.

SPEAKER_04 15:52

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 15:53

Um but I do tend to say as part of that that conversation, oh it's it's a lovely place to to pray and to worship, you know. And that's partly the the building, but it's also the other people today who are are around. But also it's the the the generations who've gone before. Hundreds of years worth of people who've come into the church.

SPEAKER_06 16:12

Um I remember on one occasion I was going through a little bit of a difficult patch some years ago, going into the church and there was nobody there. Very, very quiet. And I can remember sitting in the front pew and and I again I was chatting as opposed to actually praying. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I felt almost a s sense of relief.

SPEAKER_04 16:32

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 16:33

It was quite weird, absolutely. It was lovely. Yeah, it was interesting. It was and very rewarding, I thought.

SPEAKER_05 16:38

Yeah, definitely. Well, I sometimes also say to people with a slight smile, of course, I'm paid to pray. Uh you know, a vicar or a priest actually, I mean I'm lucky enough to be paid a strip end for my work. And in a way, I am. I'm paid to pray. Uh which is extraordinary. Which does mean, however, that there's a lot of praying. You know, I'm kind of I haven't committed to it. And uh and sometimes it feels a bit dry and almost sort of stale, perhaps. And maybe a bit repetitive sometimes, you know, if it's the similar prayer, saying again and again. And that there are times when I um perhaps if I've got a bit of holiday or something, and I just you know, I I pray in a different way if I'm on holiday and sort of ease up on the formal prayer.

SPEAKER_06 17:23

Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_05 17:24

Yeah, of course. And then the the extraordinary thing happens when I come back, I'm back on duty or you know, I'm back with a with sort of formal morning prayers or whatever it might be, evening prayers. A bit like you just described. I have a kind of very strong, strange warmness, uh some kind of feeling that is hard to describe. You can't describe it. But it feels very, very positive and um affirming somehow of of life. Yeah, that's interesting. Prayer is a mysterious thing, I have to say. It really is. You know, it's quite unlike almost anything else. Yes. Yeah, yeah. Well, the other thing that the the man I met said, lovely to come into a peaceful place in the house of a busy city. Yes. And it's that is true. But

Norwich Culture And Growing Up Here

SPEAKER_05 18:07

actually the busyness of the city is a glorious thing as well, I always feel, because you know, I love I love the hustle and bustle. I'm very much a city person.

SPEAKER_04 18:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 18:14

And I was out and about just the other day and met a couple of very nice young people who again I had a chat with them about what they like about Norwich. So let's let's listen to that now. I'm out of the city, lovely um early summer stay, and met two lovely people. And what do you like about Norwich?

SPEAKER_00 18:31

I like that there is literally something for everyone. So whoever you are, whatever you're interested in, and whatever you want to do, you can find it here. Yeah. But on a much more personal scale than you would find somewhere like London. So it's not so anonymous. Nice. What about you?

SPEAKER_01 18:44

For me, I love all the music and culture. No matter what kind of art that you're into, there's loads of galleries, loads of live music and lovely people. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 18:53

Nice. Thank you so much. Lovely to meet you. Me too.

SPEAKER_06 18:56

That was good to hear the comments about Norwich and how friendly it is and how a lovely place to be.

SPEAKER_05 19:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_06 19:02

Uh I I mean, yes, I mean I'm Norwich born and bred.

SPEAKER_05 19:05

Yes, yes. Well, I mean, was it has Norwich always been that kind of mixture of bustling and friendly?

SPEAKER_06 19:10

Oh yes. As a child I used to be in the city a lot. Right. Uh well, it used to come Saturday morning pictures.

SPEAKER_04 19:16

Oh, good, good, yes.

SPEAKER_06 19:17

Which is which cinema are? Oh, it was called the Haymarket, which of course is no longer there. No, okay. Where was so whereabouts was Hay Hills.

SPEAKER_05 19:24

Yes, I'm Hay Hills.

SPEAKER_06 19:25

So near where one of the shops now is, I suppose. Yes. And uh but we were always in the city for do and Chapelfield Gardens, we spent a lot of time in Chapelfield Gardens.

SPEAKER_04 19:34

Yes. Well that's still busy today.

SPEAKER_06 19:36

It was always a warm, friendly place. Yeah. Um and there was no well, we never saw anything unpleasant. It was just it was just a lovely place to grow up, actually. I was very fortunate to be living in Norwich at that time.

SPEAKER_05 19:51

Well, I'm I'm not born and bred in Norwich or Norfolk, but um I've adopted it all, it's adopting me perhaps. Yeah, it's lovely. I first came here as a young adult and uh I'm You went to St.

SPEAKER_06 20:01

Matthew's Church, I believe.

SPEAKER_05 20:02

Well, I was a curate at St. Matthew's Church.

SPEAKER_06 20:05

My parents were married there in nineteen twenty-eight.

SPEAKER_05 20:08

Probably the old St. Matthew's Church in the other one now. And then I I first worshipped with my my new wife Sarah at St. Mark's Blakenham when we first because we lived just round the corner from that church. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 20:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 20:23

No, Norwich is a good place. It is.

St Peter Patronal Festival Plans

SPEAKER_05 20:25

Yes, well, St. Matthew's St. Mark's and St. Peter, of course. And June is a special month for uh St. Peter Mancroft because it's the patronal festival month, yes.

SPEAKER_06 20:36

And St. Peter Mancroft. Do you think he was the patron saint of Flamenco dancing by any chance?

SPEAKER_05 20:41

What a good idea, yes. Yes, I should think so, yes. Patron saint of or patron saint of people thinking of me for a moment, of people with two left feet, maybe too.

SPEAKER_04 20:50

Oh yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_05 20:51

I'm not sure I'm a great dancer, uh although I've given it a go occasionally. Yeah, yeah. Yes, but it is the paternal festival. His his feast day, uh because each saint has a a particular day in the year, is the 29th of June, right at the end of this month. And in fact, Sunday falls on the 28th of June this year. So we're gonna have a big celebration on the 28th of June. So that'll be good. I dare say there might be a picnic as well. Yes, yes, I expect so. Yeah, well, good. Patron saint of

Closing Thanks And Summer Light

SPEAKER_05 21:19

Flamenco dances with two left feet. How about we compromise on that? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wonderful. What a good month June is, isn't it? Yeah, wonderful. Lovely long days and um master things.

SPEAKER_06 21:29

And light mornings. Light mornings, yes. I'm an early bird, and I like light mornings.

SPEAKER_05 21:34

Well, the the early birds are literally tweeting away from about half past four, aren't they? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, wonderful. Well, that's a good note on which to end, I think. Judy, it's been lovely to chat as always. Yes, we've been killed. And uh thank you all for joining us. And uh we hope you'll join us again next time.