THE people of Okehampton certainly did 'squeeze the day' last Saturday, as Wren Music brought a day of piano accordian performances and workshops to the town over the weekend.

Those attending the events at Fairplace Church on Saturday got to learn new tunes to play, new skills and the chance to meet like-minded people.

Leading much of the day was Paul Hutchinson, who teaches in London regularly and performs with an array of folk bands.

Among those he plays with are Belshazzar's Feast and the catchily-named Playford Liberation Front, dedicated to popularising the music of John Playford.

During the day, Paul Hutichinson led workshop sessions with Paul Wilson, music director of Wren Music.

He has played the accordian from the age of eleven, and has played in a huge variety of bands and developed his own distinctive style.

In the evening, they were joined in concert by Wren's Marilyn Tucker and Jason Rice, one of the central figures of both the Dartmoor Pixie Band and Moor Music.

The majority of his repertoire is from the Devon folk tradition, and he now teaches regularly at South Tawton's Church House.

The accordian workshops and concerts are the latest event in a jam-packed and special year for the group. 2013 sees Wren Music celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Set up in 1983 by Marilyn Tucker and Paul Wilson, Wren Music had the aim to bring folk music and its heritage to a much wider audience.

Thirty years on, and with the help of a small team of talented singers and musicians, Wren now work with communities in Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset as well as in Devon.

They even work on projects in Newfoundland, where it is said that 60% of residents can trace their ancestral roots to South West England.

One of the big undertakings of the year by the group is a tour by the Wren Band, with a concert of songs exploring legendary tales of English werewolves. The band was specifically formed by the eight musicians of Wren to mark the charity's 30th anniversary.

The tour kicks off on Sunday, June 2, at Exeter's Northcott Theatre. Tickets cost £14, £12 concessions. To find out more visit http://www.wrenmusic.co.uk">www.wrenmusic.co.uk or call the box office on 01392 493493.