Musicians: Ben Hazleton (double bass) Marcus Bonfanti (guitar, vocals) Pete Wareham (sax)
We like to celebrate notable dates in the calendar and in the last few years the Winter and Summer Solstices have become two of our favourites. 21st June is the longest day of the year (or the shortest night, depending on your perspective) so it’s a good excuse for a garden party at Bridgeside Lodge – not that much of a reason is ever needed…
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, the names Pete Wareham and Marcus Bonfanti will be very familiar to you. Surprisingly however today was only the second time they’d played together at Bridgeside Lodge, not that you’d have known it. Even before the first notes of the first song there was a buzz in the air and we knew we were in for a fun afternoon.



We’ve recently purchased some wireless microphones (thanks to a grant from the Roger David Burrows Music Fund) allowing residents to get involved from the comfort of their seats, and who better to give them a first test-run that Bridgeside Lodge’s resident songsmith Big Joe?
Bill Withers’ Lean On Me has, over the past few years become the unofficial anthem of the collaboration between The Spitz and Bridgeside Lodge. It speaks to the balance and the mutual appreciation we have for each other. We lean on each other.
It was fitting therefore for Big Joe, manager Fatma and the Spitz band to jam to this glorious song of universal unity and love.

“You just call on me brother when you need a hand, we all need somebody to lean on”












You can read about last year’s summer party here.
Or if this heat is making you long for a crisp December evening, then our Winter Solstice events are pretty magical too: