Category: Sponsorship
2 Blewbury Youth Brass’ Grand Tour!
Blewbury Youth Brass returned last Friday 25th August, following its successful tour of Germany. Here are a few details and pictures:
Sunday 20th August
An early start for BYB, with the coach heading off from the band hut in Blewbury at 4:45am. Second baritone player, Natalie, was surprised by an impromptu 11th birthday celebration at a service station in Belgium.
The journey was very smooth and fast and we arrived in Boppard ahead of schedule and settled into the Bergschlossen Hotel.
Monday 21st August
After breakfast, we started the day with a rehearsal. Due to space restrictions, we used the veranda and were surprised to be joined by an enthusiastic group of fellow hotel guests who became the band’s greatest supporters.
We headed up to Cologne and enjoyed a day exploring the Lindt Chocolate Museum and visiting the Cathedral. This included the band climbing the 533 steps of the tower. We cooled off with a stop at the town’s water feature where some players engaged in some very energetic and soggy paddling.
Our evening meal at the Hard Rock Cafe became a party to celebrate David’s 12th birthday. The restaurant kindly supplied hats, streamers and party poppers to add to the festivities.
Tuesday 22nd August
The morning was spent exploring the fort at Ehrenbreitstein following an exciting cable car ride across the Rhein.
We then moved on to Bad Ems to prepare for our afternoon concert. The bandstand was sited in the shade of trees amongst some small bars and cafes beside the river. We were joined by Thea’s parents who had travelled out to hear the band!
Wednesday 23rd August
A drive to Rudesheim where we enjoyed some free time. Rudesheim proved a great town for ice-creams, chair lifts and sight-seeing.
The Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum was fascinating. It housed some of the oldest and most unusual mechanical instruments. We were mesmerised by the ingenuity of the machines.
We then headed to Bad Munster. Again, our coach driver got us there ahead of time and we were able to enjoy a leisurely afternoon in the town park. Many children ‘took the waters’ at the spa (not a pleasant experience!), explored the historic waterwheel and marvelled at the curious ‘haystacks’ which created a seaside atmosphere. Some children took part in a tense game of giant chess.
The evening concert was perhaps the musical highlight of the tour. We played under the arch of a very unusual raised bandstand to a large and appreciative audience.
Thursday 24th August
This was our day in Boppard. The children were given some freedom to explore the town. Attractions included the museum, the church, yet another chair lift and shopping in the town.
Some members of the band bumped into a group of pilgrims passing through the town. The group was led by a brass band who were delighted to show the children their European-style instruments and played ‘Trumpet Tune’ for them.
Our afternoon concert, again on the banks if the Rhein, was a delight. The children were relaxed and the soloists, in particular, excelled.
The evening entertainment included a fancy dress competition and our awards ceremony. Jamie was presented with the ‘good egg’ award for his tireless dedication to duty; Rachel was voted the ‘Players’ Player of the tour’; and Daniel received the musical director’s award for ‘Player of the Tour’.
Overall, the tour was a great success. The band played superbly. We loved Germany, its people and its culture. We were warmly welcomed wherever we went and were treated with kindness and respect. The children on tour were a delight. They all worked so hard and were a pleasure to be with. The staff were impressed with their good manners, willingness to comply with any requests, and their friendliness towards one other.
0 Please support our Germany tour
Blewbury Brass Band is embarking on a new and exciting project to engage its young players. In the summer of 2017 we will be touring Germany with ‘Blewbury Youth Brass’. This band is mainly made up of children from our learner band but we have also invited other young players from local bands to share this magnificent opportunity to take British brass band music to our continental friends.
We will be joined by players from five other Oxfordshire bands; Cholsey Silver Band, Cholsey School Brass Band, Wantage Band, Abbey Brass (in Abingdon), and Yarnton Silver Band. Thirty-five musicians will be going on the trip ranging in age from 9 to 18 years.
The band will be staying in the beautiful town of Boppard which is situated on the banks of the river Rhine. During our stay we will be exploring the cultural heritage of the region which may include a trip to Beethoven’s birthplace, and a visit to a mechanical musical instrument museum. The band will be playing four concerts in churches, concert halls and open air venues. The tour will be lead by Blewbury Brass Band’s Ian Barlow and Judith Atkins.
To help keep the cost of the trip affordable, we are looking to local individuals and businesses for sponsorship. We will be putting on a concert in the local area upon our return, and will offer free tickets to all our sponsors. All sponsors will also be acknowledged in the concert programme and on our band website http://www.blewburybrassband.org.
There are many ways in which you can help us:
- A £5 donation will provide refreshments for the band or a uniform bow tie.
- A £10 donation will help with printing costs and publicity.
- A £20 donation will buy a Blewbury Youth Brass hoodie.
- A £30 donation will sponsor a piece of music for the band.
- A £50 donation will help towards our transport costs.
- A £200 donation will help towards an educational outing.
- A £500 donation will sponsor a place for one child on the tour.
If you would like to support us or require any further information, please contact Judith Atkins on md-learnerband@blewburybrassband.org.uk.
If you would like to listen to the Blewbury Brass Band our winter concert will be held on 26th November in Blewbury Village Hall where you can see our learner and main band perform.
0 Blewbury School children and staff say thank you!
What a lovely surprise!
When Ian and Judith were giving “small group” brass lessons to Year 5 at Blewbury School just before Half Term, the children and staff sprung a surprise – an enormous “Thank You Card” to the band (with a wonderful cutout silhouette of a cornet) for fundraising and buying 24 cornets to be used by the school.
What a pleasure to be able to contribute positively into music making in the local community. But let’s not forget that, while the band bought the instruments, Marion Mills, Headteacher at Blewbury School, has generously decided to fund the lessons.
Thank you again from the band, Marion!
0 bbb Musical Directors get muddy!!!
Wow! Ian and Judith had fun last Saturday! Have a look at these photos!
Ian, Judith, Alex (who also teaches at Cholsey School) and Christine Mellers (mum of Adam and Katie, who play in the band) all took part in a 5k Mud Run.
The run (if that’s what it can be called, given the photos!) was to raise funds for Sam’s Musical Garden at Cholsey School. Do visit https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/judith-atkins-2 if you’re able to make a donation. So far about £850 has been raised (details of this can be found on the just giving page), both online and through cash donations.
0 bbb at the Wallingford Beer and Blues Festival
The Wallingford Beer and Blues Festival Festival Committee has most generously decided that the Blewbury Brass Band is to be one of the local causes to whom 2015 festival profits will be distributed. We’re hugely grateful since this will enable us to buy additional instruments so that more local children can start learning a brass instrument.
We intend to provide volunteers to assist at the festival on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th June and, while we have a prior commitment to play at the Hagbourne Fete on the afternoon of Saturday 13 June, there’s also a possibility that the band might be invited to play.
Beer and Blues? Try keeping us away!
0 bbb is now a Charity!
We’re delighted to announce that the Charity Commission has written to say: “We are satisfied that THE BLEWBURY AND DISTRICT BRASS BAND is a charity and it has been entered onto the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1161561”. Hoorah!
The Blewbury Brass Band is now a Charity. Click HERE to see the band on the Charity Commission website.
So what will change? Well, probably not a lot, to start with anyway!
Led by Ian Barlow and Judith Atkins, the musical side of what we do will continue unchanged (well, continue to grow in the way it has for the last few years). On the financial side, the band will now be able to benefit from Gift Aid on donations, and we’ll also be able to apply for grants from organisations who only applications form charities. This is likely to make a significant difference to our finance, enabling us to buy more music, more instruments, and to be even more active.
The band’s Trustees will be four Committee members (Chairman: Julian Gallop; Secretary: Dennis Fowkes; Treasurer: Martin Holliss; Learner Band Musical Director: Judith Atkins), plus we’re delighted to announce that three Blewbury “Great and Good” have also agreed to be Trustees: Sheila Loy (Trustee of the Blewbury Players and Tony Loy Trust), Marion Mills (Headteacher at Blewbury School) and Chris Lakeland (Chairman of the Parish Council). While the Trustees will have formal/legal oversight of the band as a Charity and meet periodically, the band has an active Committee who will continue to run the band on a day-to-day basis.
Onwards and upwards!
0 bbb to be sponsored by the 2015 Wallingford Beer and Blues Festival
The Wallingford Beer and Blues Festival Festival Committee has most generously decided that the Blewbury Brass Band is to be one of the local causes to whom 2015 festival profits will be distributed. We’re hugely grateful since this will enable us to buy additional instruments so that more local children can start learning a brass instrument.
We intend to provide volunteers to assist at the festival on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th June and, while we have a prior commitment to play at the Hagbourne Fete on the afternoon of Saturday 13 June, there’s also a possibility that the band might be invited to play.
Beer and Blues? Try keeping us away!
0 17 local children start to learn the cornet
The culmination of a lot of instrument fundraising saw 17 local children start learning the cornet this week.
With the active support of Marion Mills, Headteacher at Blewbury Primary School, Ian Barlow gave three groups of pupils their first cornet lesson, using brand new high-quality Catelinet student cornets bought from Rosehill Instruments in Beaconsfield.
The aim is that these pupils will have weekly lessons during school hours until the end of the Summer Term, with tuition provided by Ian and funded by the school. Then they will have the chance to continue playing, in the Blewbury Beginner Band.
Thank you again to everybody – sponsors, donors, band members and many more – who made this possible by helping us buy these cornets.
0 Blewbury Bulletin sponsors the Blewbury Brass Band
The Blewbury Bulletin occasionally distributes some of its surplus funds to village organisations. Since the needs of the Blewbury Brass Band are already well known, their Committee has decided to make a most generous £500 donation to the band, enabling us to buy another two cornets (or other instruments, if needed more urgently).
HUGE thanks to the Blewbury Bulletin Committee for this generous donation. It will, without question, be well used and help the band increase its support for music-making amongst local young people.
What a wonderful example of an alive community firing on several cylinders!
0 Rustom Patel sponsors the Band
We are delighted to announce that Rustom Patel, Lord of the Prebendal Manor of Blewbury, has made a further donation to the band, enabling the band to purchase another instrument for the Blewbury School brass club.
In previous years, Rustom has donated several instruments and made financial donations to the band, and his continued support is hugely appreciated.
Blewbury Brass Band 