For such bold readers of verse as John Burns and Jan Doran, what better companions could they have for their poetry recital in church than the Arrow Valley Brass Band?

There was a sizeable audience for a celebration of both music and verse and few could have left disappointed.

Both John and Jan are known for the bounce they can get into words and Jan's recital of Brenda Read-Brown's Happy Hoover, about a vacuum in a drug addicts' home, had the necessary exuberance, swing and final pathos.

John too is a consummate reader of poetry and if his bounce on the day lacked the full confidence of his Henley-style blazer, perhaps this was out of respect for ecclesiastical surroundings.

I have seen him more playful in less formal spaces, such as the Royal Hall.

But his love of language still shone through, particularly with his readings of D H Lawrence's erotic Gloire de Dijon Roses and Larkin's very English Cut Grass.

The brass band itself was a revelation, with renditions from Mozart to the movie Sister Act.

But for me the highlight was a performance of the 16th Century romp Pastime with Good Company, which, like Greensleeves, is said to have been written by Henry VIII.

Gary Bills-Geddes