Marlow Ukulele Group celebrates 10th anniversary

A musical group in Marlow shared the love on Valentine’s Day as it celebrated its 10th anniversary.

The Marlow Ukulele Group was formed in 2012 with the maiden meeting attracting 30 attendees.

However, 10 years on, the group has expanded with almost 200 members now present, with the fortnightly meetings on Monday evenings at the British Legion attracting more than 50 regular participants.

Brian Ward, chairman of the Marlow Ukulele Group, said he decided to pursue some hobbies following his retirement.

“I purchased a cheap brightly coloured ukulele that had caught my eye and quickly realised that this was not a toy,” said Brian.

“In fact, I seemed to have accidentally stumbled into a ‘ukulele renaissance’ triggered in part by the growth of the internet.

“After a one-day ukulele workshop at Milton Keynes Stables, I looked around for local groups where I could practice.

“Although I found there were ukulele groups all over the country, the nearest seemed to be in Reading and Milton Keynes, so my wife said, ‘why not start your own?’

“I had a background in IT and teaching, so after creating a website for the brand-new Marlow Ukulele Group and sending out fliers in the area, we held our first meeting in February 2012.”

The group plays ‘anything from The Beatles to Taylor Swift’, providing beginners and experienced players an opportunity to enjoy music together.

“Some of us are brave enough to perform in public and we have raised many thousands of pounds for local charities,” Brian added.

For more information, visit marlowuke.co.uk