My story is about how, in a short period of time, my life went from the humdrum to that of utter exhilaration.

I enjoyed Inside Lives immensely. It was very enjoyable - not at all what I expected! A team spirit within the group quickly emerged.
The workshop is excellent for anyone who finds it difficult to put pen to paper.

I'd spent all week travelling from my home in the London suburbs to the office, where I worked as an accountant with the Civil Service,. I saw hundreds of people every day on the train, but hardly anyone ever speaks, and you tend to feel completely ignored.

The coming weekend turned out to be the complete opposite, for in addition to my 'day job', I was a professional drummer.

My jazz band, playing in the style of the 1920's, was broadcasting weekly on Radio 2's 'Good Morning Sunday', compered by Canon Roger Royle.

One result of this broadcast was a booking to appear at the 'Greenbelt' Festival, an annual gathering of Christians from across the world. We were to appear on the main stage as part of the Sunday morning open air communion service.

The car was loaded very early on this wet August morning, and we travelled to the site in Northampton, to find everywhere a sea of mud. The dressing rooms were in a series of port a-cabins, and the route to the stage was via a line of wooden boards.

The view from the stage was of a huge, empty field, the silence only broken by sound engineers noisily testing equipment. I set up my drum kit, then returned to the dressing rooms for breakfast and a change into the band costume.

Ten minutes to go, and the heart starts beating faster; will there be anyone there?, will I make a mistake?, have I got the right music? As we went onto the stage, we were greeted by a low roar; the previously empty field was now a sea of faces.

All the concerns disappear as I start playing and singing; television cameras are pointing at me, and 20,000 people are singing along. By the second number, the adrenaline has kicked in. I move from the drum kit to the front of the stage, and encourage the audience to clap along with the next tune.

Noone is ignoring me now!

by Chris Hewiss