Welcome to the Club that makes music ... FUN!

Venue:

South Hall, Hazelwick School, Hazelwick Mill Lane, (off Bycroft Way), Three Bridges, CRAWLEY, West Sussex
 RH10 1SX               CLICK HERE for map 

Usual meeting day:

Last Friday of each month, but also some extra Club Nights ... always on a Friday

Start time:

Doors open 7 pm for 7.30 pm start

Subscription rate:

£15 single and £25 couple at same address.  This includes monthly Newsletter.  Admission to concerts for  members is £1.  DIY Nights are chargeable at £1 for all comers, whether members or visitors

Visitors:

Visitors £4.00 with £1 reduction on production of current membership card of another organ or keyboard club, or AOE

Contact:

Peter (Chairman) and Val (Secretary)

Tel:

01293 530276

Alternative contact:

Alan on 01293 533244  Mobile: 07941 709405

Email:

crawleykeyboard@bigfoot.com  (Copy and paste)

In October 1988 a small group of enthusiasts got together to see if it would be possible to revive the old Crawley Keyboard Organ Society which had fallen by the wayside, having simply run out of ideas, money and venue.

Alan and Margaret Falkner (the present Chairman and Secretary) who were members of the former Society, hosted a couple of meetings in their home, with approximately fifteen or so people to start with, using their own Yamaha FS30 organ.   Very quickly the group grew and in November 1988 the decision was taken to change the name of the Society, form a Committee and try to put matters on a firm footing ... and CRAWLEY KEYBOARD CLUB was formed.  After a couple of months, John Dalley, who at that time was using an FS30 on the circuit, came to the growing group of enthusiasts and provided a concert on our home Yamaha (when an additional 30 chairs had to be brought in from a local church hall), and the decision was taken to hire an outside venue.  Membership stood at about 60 at that time.

Since that time we have had to move venue twice through increasing numbers, membership currently being around 200.  October 2003 saw us move to a different venue owing to the impending demolition of our previous hall.  New venue is another school in Crawley - Hazelwick School at Three Bridges where we have had to re-install all our lighting and equipment.

Monthly concerts are held, when we engage the services of some of the country's top professional artistes.  There is a full orchestra, band or group on stage ...  if you close your eyes!  In reality, usually just one artiste, although we do occasionally have two or more to entertain us!

Whilst we organise a professional concert once a month, we feel it is important to give help and encouragement to those members who want to improve their own playing abilities and we therefore have at least half a dozen additional meetings  - Club Nights - where we can exchange ideas, help each other with problems, swap registrations, etc. 

We hold our regular monthly concert meetings in the South Hall of Hazelwick School, Hazelwick Mill Lane, Three Bridges, Crawley, West Sussex.  It is a large hall with a good stage, and a seating capacity of about 280.  There is adequate off-road parking and light refreshments are available.

Additional Club Nights are held at a different, smaller venue, i.e. The Furnace Green Community Centre, Ashburnham Road, Furnace Green, Crawley - shown alongside.

Finished result on typical concert night

and When...

Our meetings are usually held on the last Friday of the month, with a change if there is a clash with a Bank Holiday, such as Christmas, when the meeting is brought forward - or delayed - a week.  On rare occasions we also have to adjust the dates if there is a conflict with the venue.  These are always publicised well in advance and will still be on a Friday.

We have a concert once a month and, on about half a dozen other occasions, we have an additional Club Night which may be a D.I.Y. evening, a demonstration by a dealer, a fund-raising activity or even an extra concert. 

Our meetings commence at 7.30 pm and finish at around 10 o'clock.             

Cost

Visitors are always welcome at any of our meetings and are charged £3.00 per visitor.  However, there is a discount of 50p upon production of a valid membership card of another organ or keyboard club.

There is a nominal charge of £1 per person - both members and visitors - for Club Nights, simply to help defray the costs of hiring our venue.