A Great Achievement

In early September, Arthur Done celebrated 90 years as a member of the choir at St Augustine's Church.  To commit oneself to a cause for this length of time is remarkable.  Arthur was awarded an RSCM long service certificate and medal at our All Age Worship on 14th October 2007.  Congratulations Arthur!

Report from the Swindon Advertiser 16th October 2007

Veteran choirboy Arthur Done is still in full voice 90 years after he first started singing.  The 98-year-old's mother took him along to his first choir rehearsal she hoped it would be a long-term commitment.   Nine decades later his voice is still ringing out around St Augustine's Church in Rodbourne every Sunday morning.  

"My mother told me one day that I'd better behave myself as she was taking me out that evening, and she took me along to choir practice at St Augustine's," said Mr Done.  "She said that she hoped I would be spending a nice long time here.  "From there I went right through the ages and I am still here now."  

At 14, Mr Done started work as a junior clerk in the Great Western Railway's chief mechanic engineer's department.  But that didn't stop him from getting together with the rest of the choir.    "I would still come along for practices on Tuesday and Thursdays and then for the services on a Sunday," he said. 

"In those days services were at 11am and 6.30pm and during festivals we used to have to go and find extra chairs for the congregation as so many people would come along."   In the 90 years since Mr Done first joined the choir, he said there hadn't been many changes.  "It hasn't really changed, except for the numbers," he said. 

"At the time I entered we had around 42 men and boys in the choir, but no girls."   Like all male choirs, it was split into falsetto, alto, tenor and bass.  "I am a bass now, but I used to be a falsetto when I was younger and I loved it.  "It is such a beautiful sound to sing."   Sadly the numbers have now dropped to about a dozen members and the youngest singer is now 10 years old.  

"I think what kind of a life I would have had if it wasn't for the choir," he said.  "Singing has kept me healthy, as we practice for two hours on a Tuesday and Thursday and then the Sunday service."  Mr Done said he would keep singing with the choir for as long as he can.  

And he isn't too fussy about what hymns are chosen by the choirmaster.  "I like all the general hymns of the Church of England," he said.  "But my favourite is Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer."

Lay Minister's Licensing Service

On October 6th Neil Fisher was licensed as a Lay Minister for the United Benefice of All Saints and St Barnabas and The Parish of St Augustine, at a service in Bristol Cathedral.