The details for this year's Whit Friday march contests which take place on 20th May have been released by the organisers, Saddleworth & Oldham District and Tameside Council.

Council and private sponsorship

This year, around £60,000 is up for grabs courtesy of the financial support from Oldham Council and private sponsorship within Tameside.

Oldham Council has once again generously supported the Saddleworth & Oldham District Whit Friday contests along with support from Saddleworth & Lees District Partnership.

Funding

Over in Tameside, funding has been received from 103.6FM Tameside Radio and Premier Kia (Dukinfield).

The organisers have reminded the bands to visit the website which gives bands and spectactors all the information needed for Whit Friday.

The website address is: www.tamesidebrassbands.org

In Saddleworth there will be sadness this year due to the passing in February of Bill Cullen, the long standing co-ordinator of Lees and Springhead contest and the collater of the Saddleworth results, following contest day itself.

In Denshaw, on police instructions, Huddersfield Road must be reopen by midnight and the last band must have finished playing by that time. Consequently, Denshaw have brought their last booking-in to 10.30pm instead of 10.45pm. The organisers are also planning to shorten the 'march-down' after 10pm if there are a large number of bands.

Plan ahead

Both councils have informed 4BR that they are working hard to ensure that roadworks are kept to a minimum. The advice to the bands however is plan ahead of the day itself.

Judges

The line up of judges who will spend eight hours or more in caravans and tents has also been confirmed.

Alan Fernie, Paul Holland, Mike Kilroy and Paul Norley will be amongst those scattered around the venues.

Polite reminder

The contests received high profile coverage last year with Fairey's being followed by a BBC TV film crew. When the feature was broadcast in September reference to the disqualification of Black Dyke at Delph following objections as to whether the band had breached Rule 2 (that the competing band in question must be signed in and ready to play at the time of being asked by the contest officials) at the contest was made.

With that disqualification in mind and alcohol freely consumed by some of the competitors which has resulted in them using obscene and foul language towards contest organisers, 4BR has been asked to remind the competing bands taking part to do so within the spirit of the night and behave appropriately towards everbody, be it those running the contests or fellow bands.

No repeat

Organisers have requested that there is no repeat of disqualifying any band at any venue, but they will take advice (and disqualify if needed) those who try to gain any advantage against their rivals in an unsporting manner.

Bands have previously lost their prize monies through being economical with the truth as to their genuine national grading and volunteers, many of whom are not banding officiandos ask that this practice also stops.

Volunteers

The success of Whit Friday is helped by the dedication of volunteers, but contests can never be short of enough helpers.

If you can offer your help to a contest, please contact them asap.

The full list of Whit Friday contests is as follows:

Saddleworth & Oldham District:

Area Open Champions: £2,500, 2nd: £1,000, 3rd: £750, Youth: £250
Local Area Champion: £750, 2nd: £600, 3rd: £400

The Saddleworth & Oldham Contests are supported by Oldham Council and Saddleworth and Lees District Partnership

Delph:
http://www.delph-whit-friday.co.uk

Contest: 4.15pm — 10.30pm
Main Prize: £1,000 from a total prize fund of £4,000
Adjudicator: Mike Kilroy
Contact: Mr R. Rodgers (01457 874354)

twitter: @DelphContest

Denshaw:
http://www.denshawcontest.co.uk/

Contest: 4.00pm — 10.30pm
Main Prize: £1,000 from a total prize fund of £3,690
Adjudicator: Allan Holdsworth
Contact: Andrina Baxter (07920763979)

twitter: @denshawcontest

Diggle:
http://www.digglebandcontest.co.uk

Contest: 4.00pm — 10.30pm
Main Prize: £800 from a total prize fund of £2,765
Adjudicator: Simon Kerwin
Contact: B. Cliffe (01457 873901)

twitter: @DiggleContest

Dobcross:
Contest: 4.00pm — 10.00pm
Main Prize: £750 from a total prize fund of £2,995
Adjudicator: Alan Widdop
Contact: Gavin Roberts (07877015169)

twitter: @DobcrossWhitFri

Friezland:
3rd, 4th & Youth Sections only
Contest: 4.30pm — 10.30pm
Main Prize: £200 from a total prize fund of £575
Adjudicator: T. Newbigging
Contact: J. Barrett (01457 870612)

Greenfield:
Contest: 4.00pm — 10.00pm
Main Prize: £1,000 from a total prize fund of £4,250
Adjudicator: Chris Wormald
Contact: Frank Rothwell (07802938270)

Grotton:
Contest: 4.00pm — 10.00pm
Main Prize: £700 from a total prize fund of £2,500
Adjudicator: Stephen Tighe
Contact: Graham Talboys-Smith (07761 593342)

twitter: @WhitBrass

Lydgate:
Contest: 4.00pm -10.30pm
Main Prize: £850 from a total prize fund of £3,285
Adjudicator: Derek Southcott
Contact: Nita Porter (01457 877629)

Lees & Springhead:
Contest: 4.30pm — 10.00pm
Main Prize: £500 from a total prize fund of £1,755
Adjudicator: Alan Fernie
Contact: Barbara Beeley (0161 652 0930)

Scouthead & Austerlands:
Contest: 4.15pm -11.00pm
Main Prize: £800 from a total prize fund of £3,680
Adjudicator: Jonathan Pippen
Contact: D. Needham (0161 6520341)
Bands waiting on the night number: (07880 743876)

Uppermill:
Contest: 4.00pm — 10.30pm
Main Prize: £1,000 from a total prize fund of £2,660
Adjudicator: David Marshall
Contact: Pam Byrne (01457 820149)

twitter: @BandContest

Tameside:

Area Open Champions: £2,500, 2nd: £1,000, 3rd: £750, Youth: £200, 2nd £100
Local Area Champion: £750, 2nd: £600, 3rd: £400

The Tameside Contests are supported by Premier Kia (Dukinfield) and Tameside Radio in conjunction with Tameside Council and the Friends of Tameside Whit Friday

Audenshaw:
http:/­/­www.clubbz.com/­club/­4633/­manchester/­aldwinians_rufc_brass_band_contest_2010

Contest: 4.00pm — 10.30pm
Main Prize: £500 from a total prize fund of £1,750
Aldwinians Rugby Club
Adjudicator: Paul Holland
Contact: Sylvia Donley (0161 336 6814, 07947 018175)

Broadoak:
Contest: 5.00pm — 11.00pm
Main Prize: £500 from a total prize fund of £1,600
Broadoak Hotel
Adjudicator: Duncan Beckley
Contact: Robert Frost (0161 3302764)

Carrbrook:
Contest: 4.30pm — 10.30pm
Main Prize: £600 from a total prize fund of £1,555
Carr Rise
Adjudicator: John Davies
Contact: Andrea Broadhurst (07980743006)

twitter: @CarrbrookWhitFr

Denton:
Contest: 4.15pm — 11.15pm
Main Prize: £250 from a total prize fund of £1,260
Adjudicator: Mike Lyons
Contact: Mrs Joan Emery (0161 2925319)

twitter: @DBBAwhitfriday

Droylsden:
Contest: 4.30pm -11.00pm
Main Prize: £400 from a total prize fund of £2,000
The Bush Inn
Adjudicator: Ryan Breen
Contact: Sheila Bowater (0161 3702811)

Dukinfield:
Contest: 4.30pm — 11.00pm
Main Prize: £400 from a total prize fund of £1,500
Tame Valley Hotel
Adjudicator: Dave Chapman
Contact: Brian Hill (07506053670)

Heyrod:
http:/­/­www.heyrodbandcontest.com

Contest: 4.30pm -10.30pm
Main Prize: £600 from a total prize fund of £1,745
John Street
Adjudicator: A.F. Williams
Contact:

Hurst Village:
Contest: 4.30pm — 10.15pm
Main Prize: £300 from a total prize fund of £1,275
Ashton United FC
Adjudicator: Richie Howard
Contact: Denise Pinder (0161 308 4076, 07789392856)

Stalybridge:
Contest: 4.30pm — 10.30pm
Main Prize: £400 from a total prize fund of £1,250
Stalybridge Labour Club
Adjudicator: Paul Norley
Contact: Mike Round (07980102158)

Stalybridge Celtic:
Contest: 4.30pm — 11.00pm
Main Prize: £400 from a total prize fund of £1,525
Stalybridge Celtic FC
Adjudicator: C. Evans
Contact: Gordon Greenwood (07770 433336)

Upper Mossley:
Contest: 4.30pm — 10.00pm
Main Prize: £600 from a total prize fund of £1,900
Mountain Street
Adjudicator: M. Tweedle
Contact: Paul Harrison (07876214425)

Find the venue:

To enable bands to plan their routes and find the contest venues, visit the following link:

http:/­/­www.www.tameside.gov.uk/­brassband/­whitfriday/

Contest organisers have worked tirelessly throughout the year to generate 60k in prize money for Whit Friday this year ~ 4BR

Further details:

Further details for the Tameside Contests are available from: http:/­/­www.tamesidebrassbands.org