All a question of brass

This was apparently such a serious deficit that the village’s own long-standing brass band was forced out of the village after refusing to be ripped off in order to help balance the Parish Council’s books.

Not only has money been found to support this event, it has encouraged participation from bands outside the village whose aim was not to delight the people of Whiston but, I believe, to walk away with the prize money.

As for the former Whiston Brass Band, we are doing very nicely in our new and very hospitable rehearsal and concert premises in Talbot Lane Church, having now adopted the name of Rotherham Town Brass Band, ‘owned’ by us from a previous merger.

We have welcomed several new players and two more of our younger players have acquired music degrees as a direct result of their involvement with the band.

Operating as a strictly non-contesting band, our emphasis is on entertaining the public and educating our members and we find that the ‘beer-swilling’ image often associated with brass bands often does more to discourage than attract members, audiences and event organisers.

When asked if we would be taking part in the Whiston Festival of Brass our membership responded with an immediate and unanimous ‘no’. We have a busy autumn schedule ahead and will be taking part in the Rotherham Show Festival of Brass on Sunday September 9. Our next community concert will be held at Talbot Lane Church on Sunday October 8  at 7pm, tickets £3, everyone welcome.

Just one final note — if the Whiston Festival of Brass is to be held again next year, perhaps the organisers would like to display a set of brand new stand banners depicting the Whiston name and logo and bought by us at a cost of £1,200 only four months before our eviction, a contribution towards which was promised by, but never received from Whiston Parish Councillor Mike Yarlett in return for a performance.

We’ll let them have them at a competitive price…

J  Johnson, For and on behalf of Rotherham Town Brass Band.