Whit Friday
2013
Coleshill Town Band at the Whit Friday March in 2013. The day saw a new record with the band, with 5 deportment prizes.
2010
.
2009
After a couple of weeks of beautifully sunny and hot weather, hopes were high for perfect weather conditions for our return to the Whit Friday Marches circuit. How different things turned out!
After departing the band room just after midday we attempted to get to Dobcross to meet Hazel, our escort around Saddleworth and Tameside, and to be first band to play. A couple of hiccups, a longer driver change stop and a detour past the turning to Dobcross village, meant we arrived to find we were to be the second band to perform. Never mind, we were off and running or should I say marching – the first chance to test out our newly learnt marching skills. A nervy but nevertheless enjoyable first performance was under our belts and we moved back up the rolling Saddleworth hills to our second venue – Scouthead. We didn’t have long to wait before we formed up ready to march but by now the weather had dramatically changed. Marching in the rain gave way to performing in a downpour but Coleshill Town Band bravely played on!
Now very wet we returned to the coach and moved on to Greenacres and despite being cold we were beginning to get in to the swing of things. We were starting to be more confident with our marching and receiving good comments about our performances. With the weather, ‘Yellow Submarine’ was certainly proving an appropriate choice and putting a smile on members of the public’s faces.
Next we moved on to the very competitive 3rd/4th/Youth section contest at Friezland. We were now feeling more of the buzz of Whit Friday as the crowds here were the biggest so far. A good march was followed by a solid contest performance and then, much to the relief of band members, a break for a drink, something to eat and the chance to watch a couple of other bands. The rain had relented as well!
Our next venue was to be Greenfields but on arriving at the village the queue of 12 coaches persuaded us to drive straight through and move out of Saddleworth and in to Tameside. Carrbrook was our first stop in Tameside and what a good move this turned out to be as we put in fantastic performances on the march and on the contest stage. Despite the rain returning now coupled with a howling gale, the band ended up winning the deportment prize and finishing halfway in the table of contest performances.
Good progress around the circuit meant plans were now being revised and we stopped off at Stalybridge Labour Club. A very short march was well received by a decent sized crowd and contest performance was to be put to the test by the adjudicator, Derek Broadbent – the man who transcribed our contest march ‘Carnival King’.
It was now dark and the rain returned as we stopped by our next venue Dukinfield. No march at this contest but a very pleasant and sheltered pub garden was to be the setting for our contest performance. Quick service at the bar enabled band members to get a drink and then nice homemade burgers from the barbeque.
The plan was to try and get to another venue before our finishing point of Denton. However, we correctly decided to just head straight to Denton as we would then be clocking up our eighth contest and that was a good enough return for our evening’s efforts. We arrived at Denton at just the right time in terms of getting to perform before a rush of bands arrived but at the wrong time in respect to the weather. The heavens opened once more but we bravely decided, despite being given the option, to march! We received very warm applause for our efforts and, in very trying conditions, put in very brave final performance of our contest march.
Denton was a good place to finish as the bar was a very welcome sight to band members and the chips being served certainly helped warm people up. It also gave us chance to see one of the ‘big boys’ and a contest winning performance by the Leyland Band. At midnight, we boarded the coach and set off home enjoying a singsong, a raffle, a drink from the mini bar and finally a sleep before returning tired and wet but very satisfied to Coleshill.
Well done everyone for your efforts. We battled on through the terrible weather (acknowledged as the worst conditions in living memory for the Whit Friday Marches), we pulled together as band, we put on our best ever marching display and musically performed well with over half the band performing at Whit Friday for the first time. A big thank you to Simon for all your work to make us march so well, thanks to our supporters who braved the conditions to cheer us on and thanks to Hazel for navigating us so successfully around the area. Finally, once again well done to all band members, when other bands gave up Coleshill Town Band battled on – you were great!
After departing the band room just after midday we attempted to get to Dobcross to meet Hazel, our escort around Saddleworth and Tameside, and to be first band to play. A couple of hiccups, a longer driver change stop and a detour past the turning to Dobcross village, meant we arrived to find we were to be the second band to perform. Never mind, we were off and running or should I say marching – the first chance to test out our newly learnt marching skills. A nervy but nevertheless enjoyable first performance was under our belts and we moved back up the rolling Saddleworth hills to our second venue – Scouthead. We didn’t have long to wait before we formed up ready to march but by now the weather had dramatically changed. Marching in the rain gave way to performing in a downpour but Coleshill Town Band bravely played on!
Now very wet we returned to the coach and moved on to Greenacres and despite being cold we were beginning to get in to the swing of things. We were starting to be more confident with our marching and receiving good comments about our performances. With the weather, ‘Yellow Submarine’ was certainly proving an appropriate choice and putting a smile on members of the public’s faces.
Next we moved on to the very competitive 3rd/4th/Youth section contest at Friezland. We were now feeling more of the buzz of Whit Friday as the crowds here were the biggest so far. A good march was followed by a solid contest performance and then, much to the relief of band members, a break for a drink, something to eat and the chance to watch a couple of other bands. The rain had relented as well!
Our next venue was to be Greenfields but on arriving at the village the queue of 12 coaches persuaded us to drive straight through and move out of Saddleworth and in to Tameside. Carrbrook was our first stop in Tameside and what a good move this turned out to be as we put in fantastic performances on the march and on the contest stage. Despite the rain returning now coupled with a howling gale, the band ended up winning the deportment prize and finishing halfway in the table of contest performances.
Good progress around the circuit meant plans were now being revised and we stopped off at Stalybridge Labour Club. A very short march was well received by a decent sized crowd and contest performance was to be put to the test by the adjudicator, Derek Broadbent – the man who transcribed our contest march ‘Carnival King’.
It was now dark and the rain returned as we stopped by our next venue Dukinfield. No march at this contest but a very pleasant and sheltered pub garden was to be the setting for our contest performance. Quick service at the bar enabled band members to get a drink and then nice homemade burgers from the barbeque.
The plan was to try and get to another venue before our finishing point of Denton. However, we correctly decided to just head straight to Denton as we would then be clocking up our eighth contest and that was a good enough return for our evening’s efforts. We arrived at Denton at just the right time in terms of getting to perform before a rush of bands arrived but at the wrong time in respect to the weather. The heavens opened once more but we bravely decided, despite being given the option, to march! We received very warm applause for our efforts and, in very trying conditions, put in very brave final performance of our contest march.
Denton was a good place to finish as the bar was a very welcome sight to band members and the chips being served certainly helped warm people up. It also gave us chance to see one of the ‘big boys’ and a contest winning performance by the Leyland Band. At midnight, we boarded the coach and set off home enjoying a singsong, a raffle, a drink from the mini bar and finally a sleep before returning tired and wet but very satisfied to Coleshill.
Well done everyone for your efforts. We battled on through the terrible weather (acknowledged as the worst conditions in living memory for the Whit Friday Marches), we pulled together as band, we put on our best ever marching display and musically performed well with over half the band performing at Whit Friday for the first time. A big thank you to Simon for all your work to make us march so well, thanks to our supporters who braved the conditions to cheer us on and thanks to Hazel for navigating us so successfully around the area. Finally, once again well done to all band members, when other bands gave up Coleshill Town Band battled on – you were great!
photograph by Stephen Anderson
2008
