Earlier this year at Whitby Festival I was involved in a performance of "Picking Sooty Blackberries" which was a celebration of the life of Keith Marsden, who wrote many of the songs performed by Cockersdale. The band had been doing the presentation themselves, but decided that at Whitby which was one of Keith's favourite places, they would add a choir. Graham Pirt, Val Marsden and John O'Hagan took workshops all week, teaching us the harmonies, and one evening we performed with them. That was one of my most majical moments, though I shed a few tears, as Keith had been a friend. My husband who watched the performance also found it absolutely wonderful, and moving.