Neston Music Festival 2025
Every year the Parkgate Society partners with the organisers to sponsor a number of concerts as part of the annual Neston Music Festival. We are pleased to announce details of the two events we will be hosting in 2025.
THE Victoria String Quartet
Date / Time: Saturday 3rd May at 7.30pm
Venue: United Reformed Church, Parkgate Road
Programme:
Haydn, op 1 no 1, "La Chasse",
Ravel String Quartet
Shostakovich Quartet no 4, op. 83.
In demand since its formation in 2017, the Victoria String Quartet has performed chamber music throughout the UK and has been hailed as an ensemble ‘brim full with pedigree and wide experience’ (Buxton International Festival), with concerts at venues including Kendal (Lake District Summer Music), Pinner and Buxton Festivals, London, Manchester (Bridgewater, RNCM and Stoller Halls), north Norfolk, north and west Wales and the Scottish Borders.
In addition to gathering return invitations to chamber music societies and festivals, the Victoria has curated an ongoing programme of creative projects: a collection of short chamber works about (and by) Sir John Manduell (Divine Arts), a recording of the Weber, Cooke and Brahms clarinet quintets, and a CD of string chamber music by Richard Pantcheff with BBC Radio 3 presenter Tom McKinney (2024 Prima Facie). Recently a residency at Marchmont House in the Scottish Borders saw the Quartet perform and record a collection of string chamber works by Scottish composer Helen Leach (2024 Divine Arts), which has enjoyed great success on BBC Radio 3. Enthusiasts for lost and undiscovered works, in 2022 the Quartet gave the first public performances of Elgar’s Six Fragments for String Quartet and are looking forward to recording them in 2025.
Ben Holland (violin)
David Greed (violin)
Kimi Makino (viola)
Adrian Bradbury (cello)
Thelma Handy String Quintet
Date / Time: Saturday 10th May at 7.30pm
Venue: United Reformed Church, Parkgate Road
Programme:
Two string quintets by Mozart and Brahms.
Thelma Handy and Friends return to the Neston Festival, following their sell-out performances the last two years. Formed by some of Wirral and the North West’s leading string players, these musicians have shared concert platforms together all over the world - not least as members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, but also as passionate chamber musicians in their own right.
With a wealth of festival experience between them and reputations for making and recording chamber music at the very highest level, tonight they are joined by RLPO violist, Nadia Debono to perform two string quintets by Mozart and Brahms.
Thelma Handy (Violin)
Sarah Brandwood-Spencer (Violin)
Nadia Debono (Viola)
Rachel Jones (Viola)
Alex Holladay (Cello)
The Old Baths - Update
It is nearly a year since the new viewing area at the Old Baths was created and it has been a big success. Cheshire West and Cheshire Council have recently completed some additional works in the area: the path has been extended to create a new section running from the main carpark to the viewing areas, and has been resurfaced to repair flooding damage caused earlier in the year. The culvert for the stream running down from Backwood Farm has been cleared to reduce the flooding on the path down towards the sea wall. Works are now completed, just in time for the winter high tides and bird watching season.
Parkgate Society Lectures
Know your enemy - the Parkgate Mosquito
By peter Enevoldson
Mosquito monitoring is undertaken by local experts who volunteer their time to improve the quality of life for our community. Peter Enevoldson is one of these volunteers and is responsible for producing the regular reports used by Neston Town Council to implement plans for mosquito control. This monitoring is also used for the traffic light system forecasting mosquito activity in the area.
Date / Time: Monday 17th February 2025 at 8.00pm.
Venue: Neston Club, Station Road, Parkgate.
There will be our usual raffle, and a book exchange - you can bring two books and take home up to two others - however, if your books are not taken, you should take them home.
Community Volunteers
Community Spirit TEAM
Our regular litter picks take place on the first Saturday of each month with our team of volunteers. The next meeting will be held on Saturday 8th February at 10am - weather permitting. Meet outside of St Thomas’ Church. Hi-Vis jackets, litter pickers and bags will be provided. Wear suitable clothing for the weather, wellies or boots, and gloves.
All volunteers are welcome.
News - Local Fairs
The Parkgate Society regularly has a stand at local fairs, promoting the history of Parkgate and the work of the Society. Please drop by to meet the Committee members if you are in the vicinity.
Fairs planned for 2025:
Saturday 22nd March: Wirral History and Heritage Fair at Hulme Hall, Port Sunlight.
Saturday 6th July: Neston Village Fair at Comrades Field, Neston.
Alan Passmore (Society Secretary) and Derek Haylock (Society Membership) at the WHHA fair.
Keep up with the latest society news and events by following us on social media
Learn all about Parkgate’s HistorY
This is Parkgate
Learn more about Parkgate’s History. Written by a member of The Parkgate Society, this booklet takes you through the history of our village. Available from Nicholls (The Parade) or you can buy it (delivery via Royal Mail) here.
The Parkgate Heritage Trail
Take a short walk through Parkgate’s history, exploring the village as it used to be. Our Heritage Trail booklet is available from Nicholls (The Parade) or you can buy it (delivery via Royal Mail) here.
BBC Villages by the sea: Parkgate
Parkgate featured in the BBC Villages by the Sea (Series 3) covering some of the history of the village. It is available to view on BBC iPlayer by clicking on the image above.