Bandsmen Simon and Paul hit all the right notes

Simon Hodgson and Paul Ellison are pictured outside Delph Band Club

A pair of intrepid fundraisers turned into a band on the run to beat the coronavirus and help keep a community’s spirit alive.

Fun-loving Simon Hodgson and Paul Ellison, both from Greenfield, dressed in bandsmen uniforms to take part in Saddleworth’s unofficial beer walk.

It was their tribute to the famous annual Whit Friday brass band contests which were cancelled due to government restrictions.

The dynamic duo led a gaggle of diehards who braved rainy weather to complete the 11-mile beer walk trail through the villages on Saturday.

Normally, the ingenious, hilarious and bizarre turn out in force with a mission to raise cash for their chosen charities at the event.

But the all embracing restrictions led respected community champions Justin Brown, and his sister Angie Adamson, to pull the walk.

Said Angie: “Normally hundreds take part and though there was only a few this year, those who walked had good feedback from people, many who were clapping.”

Simon said he and Paul started at Churchill fields in Greenfield at 1pm on Saturday, practice playing their way though Uppermill.

“By the time we arrived at Dobcross Band Club we had mastered the Floral Dance,” he joked.

“After Delph we gained enough confidence to stride over Lark Hill into Diggle and, riding high on a wave of joy, we marched over the hills, past the Cross Keys, down Church Road and back to Churchill, completing the 2020 Unofficial Beerwalk.

“We had some great laughs, a brilliant day and we managed to keep Whit Friday and the beerwalk fully alive, so they can be enjoyed by many more in the future.”

And he stressed: “We tried hard to maintain social distancing throughout the day, and opted not to collect money for charity, as this would mean getting too close to members of the public, and breaking social distancing rules.“

Simon and Paul have been involved in most of the beerwalks over the last 35 years, more recently dressed as Indian Mystics, Spanish guitarists, and mime artists.

The organisers are hoping to reinstate the walk later in the year when the lockdown rules ease.

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