Royal Band Aid
Bringing some true Christmas Spirit to this afternoon's proceedings are the Tilehurst-based South Berks Concert Band, who'll be performing a medley of carols and festive on the pitch before kickoff. As well as providing some splendid entertainment, the 30-strong band are also hoping to raise some much-needed funds on behalf of DEBRA, a national charity which helps children suffering from a serious skin condition. Epidermolysis Bullosa is a generic disease which affects around 20,000 children in Britain and causes the skin to blister at the slightest touch.
(ref. item 4 1996)
Band to strike up festive notes for the Royal fans
Football fans will be asked to dig deep into their pockets when a band brings a touch of Christmas spirit to Elm Park. The Tilehurst-based South Berks Concert Band will play a Christmas medley before the kick-off in the needle match between Reading and Wolves on December 23.
Playing to their biggest audience yet, the band will take a bucket collection in aid of DEBRA, the local charity set up to help sufferers of a serious skin disease.
Benita Greenway, South Berks flute player and secretary, said the woodwind and brass band would play carols and other festive songs for 30 minutes from 2:15pm.
The 30 band members will dress in Santa hats and antlers. The collectors will be wearing full Santa costumes. They are hoping to collect more than £1,000.
(ref. item 3 1996)
Band shows its elders a thing or two
The Reading-based South Berks Concert Band, the sole Thames Valley representative in the heats for the National Concert Band Festival, came away with bronze. The band, which draws its members from all over the region, entered the community band section, as it welcomes players of all ages and all musical abilities, and played a 20-minute programme that drew the praise from the professional adjudicators. Musical director Jeff Anderson said he was pleased with the result. "The gold medalists were much larger bands, almost twice our size, and largely made up of older players," he said. "Some of our players haven't reached their teens yet. It was an excellent experience for all of us and we've all learned a lot."
(ref. item 2 1996)
Band prepares to go for gold
The South Berkshire Concert Band members are giving their lungs plenty of exercise at the moment. The are rehearsing their programme for the Boosey and Hawkes Concert Band Festival which will take place in London in November - and they're determined to win a top award, having walked away with two silver awards and a bronze in previous years.
Chairman Mark Picken summed up their feelings: "This year we are definitely going for gold!" In the run-up to Christmas, the band will also be raising money for DEBRA, the Crowthorne based charity which helps children suffering from a skin disease, and which the band has been raising money for for several years. It hopes to play at Reading Football Club befoe one of the pre-Christmas games - despite a previous setback. "We were invited for the Wolves game last year," said Mark, "but it was rained off!"