Shanklin Town Band's work in increasing the participation of young people in brass band music making on the Isle of Wight has been recognised with a 2016 Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.
Youth investment
It is the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK and celebrates the organisation's long term investment in providing low cost music tuition to budding musicians at its Saturday morning Brass Academy, and through its main band, as well as the charitable causes they also support themselves.
The Band's current home is the Grade II listed Rylstone Chalet which is currently being restored to its former glory by a team of dedicated volunteers.
The band will formally receive the Queen's Award from the Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight later this summer4BR
Garden party
Band representatives Malcolm and Karen Lewis, together with their daughter Charlotte attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace on 24th of May where they met the Queen and some of the other 192 winners of this year's award.
The band will formally receive the Queen's Award from the Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight later this summer.