Gresley Old Hall in Church Gresley, Swadlincote was recently packed to capacity as Gresley Colliery and Gresley Colliery Youth Bands played a memorial concert in honour of their President Des Boddice, who passed away in May this year, after a valiant battle against cancer.

Guests

Special guests for the evening were Nigel Boddice MBE (Des’ son), Roger Webster and Holly Boddice granddaughter of Des who performed the duet ‘Quicksilver’ with Roger Webster and the band.

The programme, which was chosen by Nigel, consisted of music that Des loved and included 'Miller Magic', 'Washington Post' and 'Mack and Mabel'.

Love of music

In keeping with Des’ love of religious music the band performed three hymns which the audience joined in with.

The climax to the whole concert consisted of three pieces of music relevant to the way that Des’ family, The Gresley Colliery Band Organisation and his friends in the wider brass banding world felt about the man and his love of music — 'Con te partirò', 'Music' and ‘When The Saints Go Marching In’.