The Whitworth Vale & Healey Band is still celebrating their outstanding ‘treble’ victory at the Buxton Festival on the weekend.

It was the third year in succession that the North West band has been victorious at the popular contest, with the victories gained in a higher section on each occasion.

Successive victories

2012 saw the band win the Third Section, followed by the Second Section title in 2013, before they capped things off this time around with victory in the joint Championship/First Section contest with a resounding performance of ‘Connotations’ under the baton of MD John Binns.

Hard working

The delighted Band Chairman Richard Milton told 4BR: "We have had a great couple of years and promotion from the Third to the First Section has been a real reward for the hard working players and our great MD. This result is the icing on the cake."

In addition to the £450 first prize, the band also took home trophies as the highest placed First Section band and NWABBA member band. John Binns also became the first recipient of the Roy Newsome Memorial Trophy donated in memory of her husband by Muriel Newsome.

We have had a great couple of years and promotion from the Third to the First Section has been a real reward for the hard working players and our great MDChairman, Richard Milton

Real friend

John added: "Roy was a real friend of Whitworth as he conducted our Veterans Band at several concerts and for their CD recording, so it’s a real honour to be the first person to receive a trophy dedicated to his memory and the years of service he gave to the brass band movement."

The band will not be taking too much time off though as they have a busy concert schedule ahead and will also be preparing for the Whit Friday marches in June.