How We Started

    St Hilda's Ukes was the inspiration of music teacher, Nicki Walton, in early 2013.

    Nicki is an accomplished saxophonist. 

    She was inspired to form St. Hildas Ukes after some elderly neighbours in St Hilda’s Road, Hythe, expressed a wish to learn to play a musical instrument.

    So acting on the idea, Nicki set up a community project and carried out a leaflet drop in her area to find out if any others would be interested.

    To her amazement, many of her friends and neighbours said they'd love to learn to play. So she started to teach a small group in her own home in June, 2013.

    After the first few meetings it became obvious the group was too large for her sitting room. So the intrepid group moved to The Three Mariners pub in Windmill Street, Hythe. Here it continued to thrive – sometimes to the bemusement and amusement of other customers!

    However, by February 2014, St Hilda's Ukes was attracting a regular weekly membership well in excess of twenty five. This meant the club of eager learners had outgrown the lounge bar of The Three Mariners.

    So once again, larger premises were sought.

    The plucky members put the feelers out, and through one of the player's contacts, St Hilda's were able to move to the Royal British Legion Club in Hythe in early February 2014.

    Here, the numbers are still rising, with well over forty members strumming, singing and laughing on most Monday evenings.