Mountain Drumming Success
May 23, 2011
On Saturday 14th May, community drumming band Batala Lancaster crossed the border into Yorkshire for an extreme fund-raising event, combining the iconic Three Peaks Challenge with a passion for samba drumming, to raise money for YDMT.
After a very early alarm call, nine band members set off from Horton at 6am to take on the 25 mile trek over the hills of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough – with an unusual twist… This already challenging route was made far tougher as the team committed to carrying their large and heavy (7Kg) drums with them for the 14 hour duration, pushing their stamina and endurance to the limit!
Batala Lancaster take on the Three Peaks challenge ...with their 7kg drums
Meanwhile, other avid Batala drummers teamed up with YDMT to run a drumming workshop in Clapham village hall for a group of local children, providing the opportunity to learn the basics of samba drumming. By the end of the workshop, band-leader Juliana had the group working together to give an impressive and confident mini performance to the gathering of parents.
Ingleton Primary school pupil Robert (aged 10) said the workshop was “extremely good fun” and unlike anything he’d ever done before, whilst 14-year-old James from Lancaster described the morning as “loud and full of energy”.
The workshop
The fun didn’t stop there, as the band themselves prepared to take centre stage and deliver a free performance for the public at the entrance to the Nature Trail in Clapham. An appreciative and enthusiastic crowd of over 90 people gathered to watch the wonderful display of authentic Brazilian samba drumming music performed by Batala Lancaster.
A little later, passing walkers stopped in their tracks to appreciate the mix of rhythm, music and costume as the band performed again outside Ingleborough Caves.
The day culminated in a final performance on the top of Ingleborough in the evening, where the Three Peakers were reunited with the rest of the band before beginning the final decent. Over thirty drummers came together to play a dramatic free gig on the summit. Shrouded in low cloud, Batala Lancaster could certainly be heard before they were seen, and many walkers were drawn in and stopped to enjoy the show.
Performing on the summit of Ingleborough
Staff from the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust were on hand throughout the day with collecting buckets to receive any donations, and Batala Lancaster have been working hard to rally sponsorship, bringing the total sum raised so far to over £1,900! This money will play a vital role in enabling the Trust to continue to deliver the important projects that help to keep the Dales so vibrantly alive.
Huge thank you to everyone at Batala – you’ve been amazing.
Also, thank you to everyone who sponsored the team or came along on the day to enjoy the event and support YDMT.
It’s not too late to donate – visit www.justgiving.com/MountainDrumming.
