2023 Evente Diary
January
26th MK Coniston Cubs
Outreach event. African drumming session with local cubs
2022 Events Diary
“Another year packed full of performances and workshops in the community”
African Drumming Sessions ran open air weather permitting at Willen Lake North and also evenings at Holy Trinity Church Old Wolverton
December
Bookings were cancelled last minute.
October
St Leonards Church Heath and Reach
Outreach community event, African Drumming for holiday club.
August
MK Council #HAF
Two weeks of arts activities and delicious hot food for children booked onto the program.
July
Bedford Games
African Drumming performance.
Chiltern School
Whole day Spesial needs drumming whole school.
Van Dyke School
Whole day African Drumming with GCSE Music Strudents.
The Big Eat Bletchley
African Drumming Prformance for popular community event.
June
Drayton Park School
All day whole school African Drumming sessions
Brooksward School
All day whole school African drumming sessions.
February
MK Festival of The Arts
Nkiru Drummers entered in the Open Small Ensamble group.
Herons Lodge for MK Brownies Thinking Day 2022
As part of Nkiru Arts Outreach progran, all day African Drimming sesssions with 100’s of Brownies.
2021 Events Diary
African Drumming Sessions ran throughout the year open-air at Willen Lake North and also at Holy Trinity Church Autumn, winter.
December
MK Council #HAF
A week of Arts Activities and delicious Hot Food for the children booked on the program.
November
Pitsford School Northampton
African Drumming Workshops with primary school years
Kents Hill
African Drumming Workshop for corporate team building event.
September
Mini Monsters Preschool Workshop
3pm to 5pm African Drumming for preschool and their families Shenley Church End
August
MK Council #HAF
Holy Trinity Church Old Wolverton
Two weeks mornings. African Drumming workshops and delicious hot lunch for children booked onto the #HAF program.
Shenley Church End Parish Council
Medbourne Pavillion
African Drumming Workshops for families.
June
African Harmony Singing Workshop
May
Holy Trinity Church
Delighted to give a performance on Trinity Sunday 30th May. Open air at Holy Trinity Church. First Performance for Nkiru Drummers in 2021
April
Return of our Open Air twice weekly African Drumming Sessions at Willen Lake.
January, February & March 2021
All music activities conducted via regular Zoom sessions.
March
Launch of our Henna Arts Kit in a Box. A fun activity to learn Henna Art with all materials and our own written instructions booklet and practice patterns booklets to do in the safety of your own home.
2020 Events Diary
“Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and Lockdown all public events, workshops and performances have been cancelled”.
September, October, November & December 2020
September brought new weekly open-air sessions began at Willen Lake on Friday afternoons. Friday sessions were open to all to register for in advance and ran with strict 2m social distancing and mask wearing observed. These sessions were attended by those who did not want to attend indoor sessions and because we drummed close to our cars these sessions were ideal for anyone with mobility issues. The rain did not dampen the sessions as we quickly moved to the very roomy underpass near the carpark. Sessions continued until November lockdown was announced.
September was the return to Wednesday evening drumming sessions at Holy Trinity Church Old Wolverton. Keeping a strict 2m distancing and mask wearing compulsory for all sessions ran from 7pm to 9pm with numbers capped at 12 max. Sessions were suspended with November lockdown.
Zoom sessions replaced the Friday afternoon and Wednesday evening sessions and drummers joined together virtually to drum and learn the complex parts to the rhythms.
July and August 2020
With the easing of restrictions Nkiru Drummers were able to drum outdoor in Campbell Park most Wednesday evenings with thanks to The Parks Trust for Licence to use Campbell Park. A very welcomed and needed activity for many that had spent many weeks living in isolation due to the pandemic. A great activity for improving physical and Mental Health. Drumming Covid compliant and Covid safe, keeping a social distance of 2 meters apart and wearing Face Coverings soon became the new normal for Nkiru Drummers.
2019 Events Diary
“Another year packed full of performances and workshops in the community”
New Year’s Eve 2018
Performance with audience participation at Gulliver’s Land Milton Keynes to welcome in 2019, the Theatre was packed with adults and children as Nkiru Drummers performed their lively West African repertoire with the audience participation stamping feet and clapping hands with body percussion to Ghanaian Rhythms .
Milton Keynes Festival of The Arts 2019
March 16th. This year saw Nkiru Drummers win Gold in the Open Small Ensemble section, in previous years winning Bronze and Silver in the same event.
1st Oxley Park Guides
March 18th was a busy evening facilitating and evening of African Drumming workshops with the guides.
Christ Cornerstone Church
28th April Nkiru Drummers performed as part of the African Themed service in aid of the Charity Advantage Africa
Heath & Reach
30th May. Jan and Mike Rudge lead a morning’s African Drumming workshop at St Leonards Church Holiday club. Children ranged from 4 years to 16 years.
African Sanctus
7th July. Nkiru Drummers we delighted to be part of this amazing concert, by performing at the opening of the concert, during the first half, in the interval and at the end of the concert too.
Wolverton Summer Festival
14th July. Nkiru Arts Henna artists attended this event doing beautiful henna art on hands and feet and selling a range of African inspired crafts all made by hand in our studio at Kiln Farm, by our talented volunteers.
Africa Diaspora Festival
19th July. Although the skies opened to a torrential downpour this did not deter our amazing group who performed to a small crowd on Stage at Campbell Park in the worst weather Milton Keynes has seen all year. Do look up our photos on our Facebook page. The group were absolutely amazing and gave an incredible performance despite the weather!
Bow Brickhill WI
25th July. Saw our return to Bow Brickhill WI. In contrast to Africa Diaspora Festival the wettest day of the year, this was the hottest day of the year. However our brilliant team delivered an African Drumming Workshop to a Hall full of WI ladies. A fun time was enjoyed by all.
World Picnic
28th July. To round off a busy July, Nkiru Henna Artists attended the popular World Picnic in Campbell Park Milton Keynes to again do intricate Henna Art on Hands and Feet.
BBC LOOK EAST
7th August BBC Look East Featured Nkiru Arts on their live program. Nkiru Arts were contacted by BBC Look East after one of the BBC staff has seen the group perform earlier in the year. Sam Read and the cameras came to Campbell Park to film and interview the group during one of the summer open air drumming sessions in Campbell Park.
Campbell Park Open Air Drumming
The month of August found Nkiru Drummers enjoying the summer evenings down by the canal drumming every Monday and Wednesday, when it didn’t rain. Passers-by were encouraged to join in and have a go. A Big Thank You to the Parks Trust for permission to drum on their land.
Amazing Grace Walk
15th September. Nkiru Drummers supported the walkers of the Amazing Grace walk. Drumming in two locations to spur the walkers along. First to welcome the walkers as they arrived at St Laud’s Church Sherrington and send them on their way after their pit stop with the lively beats of our African Rhythms. Then we welcomed the walkers at Emberton Park as they arrived exhausted after their long walk from Christ Cornerstone Church Milton Keynes, drumming continued in the afternoon to entertain the walkers and their families on a glorious sunny day.
Graduation Party
2nd November. Nkiru Drummers were honoured to drum at a private party to celebrate a mature student’s graduation on gaining her degree. The party goers, mainly from Zimbabwe, were surprised to see a local Milton Keynes group perform traditional West African Rhythms in traditional African costume. This was a really enjoyable evening and the group were very well received.
December Charity Gift Wrapping
Nkiru Volunteers worked 72 shifts totaling a massive 306 Hours during December 2019 to help raise funds for 4 local Charities. An impressive 1,473 gifts were wrapped over 20 days.
New Years Eve 2019
The year came to a close with Nkiru Drummers performing once again at Gulliver’s Land Family Theme Park to help bring in the New Year. Nkiru Drummers performed 3 traditional Rhythms and were then helped by audience members and Gulliver’s own Leonard the Lion for the final two Rhythms in our set. A fun night was again had by all. Photo’s to view on our Facebook Page.