BERE shanty singers the Tavy Tars recently celebrated their fifth anniversary playing to packed audiences. The shanty songsters traced their roots during the concerts at Bere Ferrers church hall. The hall was transformed to represent the local hostelry with the audiences and performers sat at tables. Entitled 'Back to our Roots', the evening saw each of the group's members recount their family connections with places, accompanied by songs, mostly of a nautical nature. The songs in act one concentrated on family ties and the importance of family roots. Act two explained, via song, how they each had put down new roots in the Bere Peninsula. Special guests Sid Vinnecombe and Paul Harris- Hirst lead the singing of some traditional pub songs. The Tars' ladies sporting Tavy Tarts Tops and singing 'we are right behind you' brought the evening to an end. The crew of the Tavy Tars consisted of Clive Charlton, Joe Gilling, Peter Key, Will Spearing, Rob Smith, Rae Bullough, Mike Grimshaw, Vic Martin, Robin Musgrave and Bruce Horner. Accompanists were Jane Musgrave, Pru Barnes, Carol Horner and Beth Barnes. Joe Gilling expressed thanks to Monica Mitchell, Steve Jackson and Beth Etherington, Jason Poole and Margaret Willmott.
