Bestwood Welfare Black Diamonds

The band played today at a very wet Queens Park in Chesterfield. This was the band's last job of a very busy summer season. The band would like to thank the following players for depping for us this summer.

Claire Taylor( Hepworth)
Terry Brown (Welbeck)
Andy Townsend (Long Eaton)
Ian Frost (Kirkby)
Katherine Baggaley
Mandy Abbott (Shirebrook)
John Fern (Killamarsh)
Julie Wiseman (KIllamarsh)
Robert Smith (Ireland Colliery)
Ben Henderson
Steve Watkins (Whitwell)
Mark Arnott (Rolls Royce)
Paul Askew (Rolls Royce)
Tim Brown (Thoresby Youth)
John Yarker (Pleasley)
BJ Shaw (Welbeck)
Jeremy Hill (Pleasley)
Nigel Brinkworth
Nick Harris (Brighouse & Rastrick)
James Broadhead (Deepcar)
Bev Smith (Ireland Colliery)
Sam Turner (Long Eaton)
Di Bonser (Kibworth)
Chris Baldwin (Matlock)
Paul Foster (Derwent Brass)
John Pullen (Old Silkstone)
Simon Smith (Ireland Colliery)
Tony Draper (Whitwell)
Francis Hargate (Killamarsh & Barnsley Building Society)
Jeff Shaw (Welbeck)
Henry Burnett

The band are delighted to announce that Sue Woolley has joined the band on front row cornet. All the band wish Sue a long and happy time at the band.

The band currently have vacancies on Solo Baritone, Solo Euphonium, and Eb Bass so if anyone is interested please get in touch.

The band are delighted to welcome Tom Hopkinson back to the band for the Summer. Tom has just finished his first year at Lincoln University and is back for a while on Eb Bass.

Next Tuesday evening the band are playing at the Holgate School in Hucknall. The band are part of big arts day which is being held on that day. It also completes the first year of the band being a community partner of the Holgate School. This is very important to the band as it seeks to branch out into the local community.

The band would like to welcome back Ben Jacklin who has been in Serbia since last October. He rejoins the band on the back row of the cornet section.

The band would like to thank local district councillor Dennis Beeston on his kind donation of £200.00 to the band. The donation comes from the amount of money received by each councillor from Gedling Borough Council.

At Yesterday's 2008 Leicestershire Brass Band Association Spring Festival our young players from the Training Band did us proud. Samantha Northridge played in section B of the Junior Slow Melody and came 17th out of 30. Later on our Junior Hymn Quartet made up of Samantha Northridge on Cornet, Olivia Turner on Horn, Amy Ellis on Baritone and Charlotte Hodgkinson on Baritone came 10th of the 12th quartets competing. Very well done to them all!!!

The band would like to congratulate our Front Row Cornet player Paul Harding on his recent marriage to Jane and wish them many years of happiness.

The band came 6th our best showing at the area contest for a number of years . While not earning the band promotion it puts us in good shape in the grading tables for 2009.

The performance on Sunday also earned the band the following comment from 4bars rest:

Meanwhile Bestwood Black Diamonds took 6th place with a performance of merit in which their euphonium, percussion and soprano all excelled. This was a performance that could have challenged for the title had it not had the odd lapse here and there.

The band are pleased to announce that David Clark is to conduct the band at this year's area contest at Bedworth on March the 9th. The band are also pleased to announce the welcome return of Helen Sanderson to the cornet line and also that Emma Hartnett will play Solo Trombone for the contest.