Sound of tambourine a big comfort for many

I LOVE the Tambourine.

No, no, not the mountain, well not on this occasion anyway, I mean the ancient Egyptian musical instrument.

Hang on, not saying I was around in ancient Egypt to get hold of one, maybe in Not So Ancient Egypt.

I received mine thanks to the famous local band the Reclining Rockers, who presented me a tambourine on their 243rd Never To Play Again Farewell concert.

Not that my tambourine playing is any good, it’s actually extremely bad, sounding more like venetian blinds in a cat 5.

I failed triangle so moved on to the margarine – tambourine, sorry, and I never looked back – to see the people chasing me.

There are however wonderful ladies that play them, and I remember them well, when I was a kid, The Timbrels.

They were brilliant.

I remember them at Christmas, along with the Salvation Army Band on the back of a truck on street corners here in the tropics, except when they were rained out of course, and the Tambourines actually sounded better.

Imagine a rock tambourine band, like the Rolling Tambourines, maybe a movie about a disgruntled Vietnam vet named Tambo, or new musical biscuits call tim tambourines.

The list could go on, but best it doesn’t. Sadly we wont have the Tambo’s at the Salvos Brekkie coming up on the 20th, but we have the wonderful Natalie Cook speaking, also the great kids from Cathedrals’ All Shook Up (which sort of sounds tambouriney), the 1RAR Band, and hopefully you.

I truly love the Salvos, what they stand for, sit for, collect for.

They’ve been around forever, in fact before forever, always doing wonderful work for our city, and every city.

Please book for our Red Shield Brekkie on 20 May by contacting Peter ‘Two’ Wheeler at Colliers, it will be a top way to start the day at the mighty Ville.

Also the weekend after is the doorknock, not to be concerned, I’m not coming to your door with a tambourine, though in years past the tambourine itself was used to collect money.

Perhaps if I did, you would pay them to take me away.

This year it’s for domestic violence, so please support the work of these wonderful people, the Salvos.

You’ll see our volunteers all over the city at the shopping centres, and you’ll probably see our army mates too, as in the other army.

Whenever there’s a military commemoration or anniversary, there’s a good chance you will see Brett the Sally Man.

Incredible history from the second Boer War, the Sally Man has been there for our soldiers ever since, and the Salvation Army here for all of us too.

I remember interviewing a lady who had been in desperate need of help, and finding herself at the front door of the Salvos near the airport.

Apart from telling the many wonderful attributes of this famous charity, I remember her final words meant so much, she said the Salvation Army make you feel at home when you need one, they “don’t judge”.

I love the Salvation Army.

As we all do.

Happy tambourine days.