St Michael and All Angels Steel Orchestra Pic credit: Jonathan Goldberg
Members of the St Michael’s Youth Project (SMYP), home to St Michael & All Angels Steel Orchestra, heard the charity was dissolving in a Sunday sermon address to parishioners on April 30.
Rev Ron Herbert, vicar of St Michael & All Angel in Hillside, Stonebridge, stepped down from the trust in January but continues to act as its treasurer.
He said: “I’m afraid I jumped the gun. I announced it before it happened and before I should have announced it, so I caused a problem unnecessarily. It has now been dissolved. I’m not going to say more at this point.”
The orchestra, which won best band at the Notting Hill carnival last year, was evicted from the church last October, where it has been based for 20 years.
Replies
commiserate with the Band, I must say,
I'm not at all surprised! Our band, Panectar,
were evicted from St Clements & St James's
Church about four years ago. What was even
more appalling and hurtful was the pack of
lies we were given as to the reason we were
required to leave! We have been struggling
ever since.
Nevertheless we continued supporting the
St Clement's and St James's parish children
Mass Band at Carnival Mondays, providing
them with free sound system and live music
on the road.
It is a sad fact that the Church Parishes are
being run like financial institutions with little
regard for the welfare of the community they
serve.