BBC SCHOOLS PROGRAMMES: Since 1977 Jancis has been writing songs for the BBC Schools’ programmes and the songs, LORD OF THE HARVEST, FROM THE DARKNESS CAME LIGHT, LITTLE STAR, STILL SMALL VOICE, SEE THE FARMER and PLANTING MY FEET are all used in Schools today throughout the country and all appear in BBC’s Schools’ hymnbook COME AND PRAISE. These songs are nationally popular and are suitable for multi-faith schools, and as such they are of immense benefit to the schools and churches throughout the country who use them - producer Geoff Marshall Taylor.
The NEWMARKET OPEN DOOR (registered charity 1070554), which is a charity for the homeless of Newmarket was launched in 1998 with a song OPEN DOOR specially written by Jancis, and she organises and hosts the Annual Open Door Concert every year. This concert raises not only money for the charity, but also raises awareness in the town of the plight of the young homeless and the work of Portland House, which is the address of the home. She also released a recording of this song for sale in aid of the project
HOSPITALS AND DAY CENTRES Jancis visits day centres for the elderly throughout the region on a regular basis and she is welcomed at such centres as BEDFORD HOUSE DAY CENTRE in Ely, NEWMARKET DAY CENTRE:, KENNETT DAY THERAPY UNIT - Kathy Sadler 01638 564022 and THE STROKE CLUB at Newmarket Hospital, CAMSIGHT (society for the visually impaired), Queen’s Court Day Centre in Bottisham near Cambridge, Hilton Park Care Centre in Bottisham near Cambridge, Brookfields Hospital for the elderly, Rupert Brooke and Francis Cornford Wards, in Cambridge, St. Andrew’s Tuesday Club in Cherryhinton, Cherry Trees Day Centre in Cambridge. Her music and stories are most therapeutic in these establishments, and she endeavours to bring light relief to those who are disabled in mind and body and to those for whom loneliness and isolation are their greatest problems.
THE RICHMOND FELLOWSHIP - DAY SERVICES AT THE STABLE IN NEWMARKET - since 1998 Jancis Harvey has organised sessions with groups of adults with mental health problems. Monday sessions have been in the form of ‘stress management’ and she has used folk music and poetry; and her Wednesday groups have been in the form of music sessions using ‘singing-together’ plus song-writing, and she has produced a handbook with ten of the songs which the group have written together. On three occasions, an invited audience has come to hear the songs with the group presenting them, which is quite an achievement for some of them... The Newmarket Song which was written, OUR TOWN has been popular throughout the town. The project goes on. Tel: 01638 660664
THE IDA DARWIN HOSPITAL - for adults with learning difficulties - from 1987 until 1996, when most of the residents had left the hospital to live in the community, Jancis Harvey was invited to The Ida Darwin Hospital on an average of once a month to present an hour long concert in the form of an informal coffee evening. Several of the residents were invited by Jancis to come and perform their own choice of song with her to the group which, especially in the early days, could be from 30 adults upwards. This was much appreciated, especially at the Christmas sessions, when many residents had to stay on site over the holidays.
CAMBRIDGE CITY
COUNCIL - ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT - sponsoring concerts within Cambridge
City Boundary, for senior citizens: TEL: Miranda Steel on
01223 457524 - this facility, has taken Jancis to concerts
for pensioners in Cambridge - just a few of the venues are: Pensioners’
Voice - Zion Baptist Church; Salvation Army, Tenison Road; Chesterton
OAP; Cherryhinton - Mobile Warden Scheme, Annual Party; Normanhurst;
St. James’ Friendship Club; Zion Pensioners’ Fellowship;
Trumpington OAP; Addenbrookes’ Day Services; Pensioners’
Voice - again, Jancis is a popular choice through her skills of
communication, especially to those in the groups who are disabled
and lonely, and find her visits most therapeutic. Anyone who thinks
they may be eligible for this service, please phone Wendy on the
number above.
Support and encouragement for Amateur Dramatics - Jancis Harvey has supported the NEWMARKET DRAMA GROUP (NOMADS) since 1988 by reviewing almost every production for the Newmarket Journal, the local newspaper on a non-paid voluntary basis. NOMADS serves the community by way of its productions and the reviews encourage the cast and company who put on at least six productions each year. She will also review productions by other companies, when requested: ie: WICKHAMBROOK PLAYERS; groups from ELY, SOHAM, BOTTISHAM,
FRIENDS OF FORDHAM CHURCH (this is a voluntary village society run by Gareth Wood for the benefit of the community of the village of Fordham and its links with Soham - concerts and recitals are regularly staged in both Fordham and Soham bringing not only some excellent music to the more isolated parts of the region, but also bringing people together to enjoy a variety of music) - Jancis has supported all ventures by this voluntary group for about ten years and attends most of the concerts in order to submit a review to Newmarket Journal, which the group finds encouraging. With organiser of ‘Friends’ Gareth Wood - 01638 720328, a recent concert was arranged for Jancis and the children from the local school in Fordham Church - this brought together school, church and village and was a most valuable community time for all concerned.
EMMAUS COMMUNITY in 1992, the first UK community was established in Landbeach near Cambridge. Jancis composed a song, ROAD TO EMMAUS especially for the opening ceremony. The song tells of the work of the community and its striving for near self-sufficiency and also the self respect given back to the homeless who find a base and a purpose at an Emmaus Community.
CHURCH OF
ENGLAND’S CHILDRENS’ SOCIETY: The song CANDLE IN THE DARK, which Jancis
wrote in 1990 has been included in the Millennium Christingle
Pack along with four other of her songs: Little Star, From the
Darkness came Light, Planting my feet in the footsteps - these
songs have been used in services throughout the country and have
been most appropriate to each occasion.
Many of her Christian songs are featured in words and music on the HYMNQUEST CD ROM produced by Pratt Green Trust. Fred Pratt Green established this trust for the furtherance of hymns.
Her song CANDLE IN THE DARK has been adopted by THE BRITISH ORGAN DONOR SOCIETY and she is invited every year to the tree planting service at Wimpole Hall Church near Cambridge when a new tree is planted to commemorate the life of an organ donor. Jancis sings this song and at least one other song - She also sang this in Guildford Cathedral last year for a BODY service. - John Evans: 01223 893636 The BODY services unite donor families with recipient families. It is always a time of mixed joy and sadness and her song speaks for each member of the congregation of every occasion. Future services: on Sunday 16th September at Wimpole and Sunday 7th October in Ripon Cathedral.
Education at RAF Lakenheath - Host Nation concerts at RAF LAKENHEATH in 1998 for the American schoolchildren - Jancis gave a series of eight concerts to bring to the American children, stories from East Anglia and songs about the region which she has written - SONG OF SUFFOLK in particular, and also gave them opportunities to ask questions and contribute to the sessions. Elizabeth Jansch: 01638 500383 - this was a most valuable time for American teachers and children alike.
In 1984 in response to a request from a person suffering from terminal cancer, Jancis wrote ANNABELLE’S UNICORN and released this on cassette in order to raise funds for the St. Elizabeth Hospice Appeal in Ipswich. £2,500 was raised - tel: Mel Bingley 01328 738734
WAKEMAN OF RIPON composed by Jancis for the 900 anniversary of the City of Ripon Charter and used for a concert in the Cathedral with children from six schools in the City. She sang this with children from the Roman Catholic school in Ripon and great links were forged in the area as a result.
SHOEBOXES FOR CROATIA: In 1996 as a result of an appeal for shoeboxes filled with gifts for the refugees of Croatia, Jancis wrote and performed A SHOEBOX FULL OF WISHES and this was used to help the appeal, a cassette recording was subsequently released. Jancis received a personal letter from the recipient of her shoebox and this was a great highlight for her personally.
Chernobyl Childrens' Holidays - Jancis arranged a concert in Spurgeon's Chapel in Waterbeach, near Cambridge in March 1998 to raise funds for holidays for the children who still suffer as a result of the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. Over £300 was raised and was contributed towards the fund and as a result several children came to stay in the area that summer.
FOLK MUSIC SOCIETIES: Jancis has founded and also run folk clubs from 1967, firstly at Saffron Walden College, and in 1970 she re-started the Co-operative Folk Club in Nottingham and the Great Chesterford Folk Club in Essex in 1973. Just recently she has been working with Richard Spendlove by setting music to his poems many of which are about Cambridge and the surrounding area and several social issues - these are being very well received by the community at large as well as the locality around Cambridge. Jancis believes that the stories of people and places in and around East Anglia should live on and endeavours to ensure that all events vital to the area should be immortalised.
Together with two other friends she founded Newmarket Cats (registered charity 1089406) in August 2001. The charity now has a membership of over 50. She has set up and sponsors a website for the Newmarket Cats - now available - click on Newmarket Cats and is constantly involved in either practical rescue work and fostering of stray or abandoned cats, and also with her music at the various functions for this charity. Through much efforts of late, various grants have been awarded and various fundraising activities have helped this new and exciting community project in Newmarket.Return to index page click here
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