COMMUNITY musician Fodo Higginson helped celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE-Day in Plain Pond, Wiveliscombe, in the latest of a series of fun events.

She put together a playlist of well-known Second World War and other 1930s and 1940s songs, and others baked and provided afternoon teas. Fodo said: “I also brought out my djembes and bought a pack of kazoos, and we played along with tracks, danced and chatted.”

The event, in which social distancing guidelines were followed, was the latest in a series in the area – Fodo has a sound system and puts together a playlist based on requests on a social media group.

Plain Pond residents go out onto the pavement or front gardens and dance once a week, and hear birthday ‘shout-outs’. Others in the surrounding streets hear the music and send video clips and messages of support. Fodo added: “It’s been a great pulling together within our street and an opportunity to check everyone’s okay.”

She has been busy in other ways during lockdown pre-recording sing-along programmes for community radio station 10Radio, and using video conferencing program Zoom to run sing-alongs, teach voice and guitar, and run a weekly open mic.

Fodo normally runs, under the auspices of Moorvale Creative CIC, regular sessions in care homes, music-making, singing and songwriting get-togethers funded by Somerset Skills and Learning, open mics and community music performance days. She also performs herself and specialises in teaching voice and basic rhythm guitar.

Residents came out later in the evening on VE-Day to sing ‘We’ll Meet Again’ and ‘White Cliffs of Dover’.