Chair’s Message

A harmonically warm welcome to all at HarmonicaUK and a special hello to the many that have chosen to join our growing family in recent weeks. 2020 certainly was a busy year for many involved in HarmonicaUK as we had to evolve during a year of such adversity. However, if you look closely then HarmonicaUK has been in constant evolution for more than 85 years, a fact that we must be sure to celebrate. At our beginning in 1935 we were known as The Harmonica Song Band League. This name served us well right up until 1952 where we were renamed as the National Harmonica League (NHL). Late in 2019 we changed the name again to HarmonicaUK. I look back at 2020 with admiration as our team explored every option to ensure that not only did we tread water, but tremendous progress was made. A fact backed up by a lot of feedback from you all. Many of our members have enjoyed the weekly lockdown sessions and coffee mornings. In 2021 we can look forward to a brand-new look as the rebranding looks back at our past as well as looking forward, just as our forefathers have done since 1935. I hope our new look will stand the test of time. We are also looking at our IT. We must streamline all that we are doing, look at new systems and get our IT working for us from automated membership, communications internal and external and much more. Our committee is looking at our membership numbers and we have set a target of increasing our membership to 1000 members this year. Have a think to see if you can encourage anyone to join us for 5 pence per day. As I draw to a close, I’d like to say a special thanks to our proof readers and contributors who have helped make this edition possible. We sincerely hope that we all get to meet in person soon, but if not, please be reassured that our great organisation will continue to function, grow and engage.

Best wishes Pete