Diggle Community Brass is a team – the players, the “behind the scenes” support – everyone has a part to play.
Our Players
Meet some of our Diggle Community Brass Players! They have very different playing experiences and backgrounds, but they all come together to form a friendly and supportive group.The band welcomes new players of all levels of experience, and can loan instruments. Please get in touch here to find out more.
Lawrie joined the band in 2003 after following his two children and his ‘Mrs’ who had already been in the band for a number of years. He traveled to slow melody contests and to concerts at Diggle Band Club also listened to the merry band at quite a few Whit Friday Contests.
Several members of the band suggested he join the band because he was always present & supportive of the B Band. So Lawrie was eventually given a trombone to practice.
After joining the Trainer band and returning the loan instrument he decided to buy his own Trombone. After a few rehearsals with the trainer group he moved up into what was known as Diggle B Band and the rest they say is ‘history’ !
Rita is a band stalwart – her energy and enthusiasm is infectious, and she is a great role model for everyone. She was persuaded to start playing when someone told her it was never too late, even in her mid 60s, to learn to read music. She was lent a tenor horn, and, after a few lessons, came to Diggle Trainer Band. “My first request was ‘will l be able to play Punchinello?’ – a march l remembered from my childhood following grandfather on Whit Friday. l now find one bar still quite difficult but KEEP PRACTICING! I enjoy so much, it’s a request for my funeral. I’m sure l never thought l would play it, and it’s the reason l have had the wonderful hobby for the last few years. I am indebted to the great people in this band for helping me through the worst time of my life. I love DCB.”
Behind the Scenes
Not only the Librarian, but the go to support for everyone in the band, Anne Colley is not a player herself, but has a family of talented musicians, and is tremendously supportive of everyone, especially our young players. A member of the committee, the Treasurer and a Trustee, we probably don’t thank her enough!
Being a Bradford lass, the band names I knew were Brighouse and Rastrick and Black Dyke. Up until early adulthood I hadn’t really paid too much attention to brass band music but having spent a number of years in the ‘South’, on returning to the north, my husband and I settled in Saddleworth and started our family.
At about the age of 8, my first daughter began brass lessons at Diggle Primary School. Through contacts there, we became aware of Diggle Trainer Band which was to soon become Diggle B Band. She joined, and the rest as they say, is history. Only at the age of 26 did she finally put down her instrument to follow her studies and career as an opera singer. Our second daughter joined at a about the same age and now still plays.
Diggle B Band gave my daughters so many wonderful opportunities and experiences: taking part in the annual spectacle that is Whit Friday (‘Better than Christmas day’ according to them!); being part of an extended family that is a brass band; developing the confidence to perform in public; travelling abroad to play with the band in Belgium; socialising and having fun with their band ‘family’. The band has played a huge role in their lives (and mine!) in making them the young women they now are.
Even having been away at university etc. both girls always came back in their holidays to sit in at rehearsals and to help out in performances. They have always wanted to come back when they can.
Having seen this as a parent, taking the girls to and from rehearsals and performances and developing a passion for brass music along the way, when the vacancy came for someone to take over managing the band’s music library, I immediately said yes. The band had given my daughters so much pleasure over the years that now I could say ‘thank you’ and give something back to the band. Many years on, I am still there and absolutely love being a part of our band family and I could not be prouder to be part of Diggle Community Brass.