Just over a month after hosting a highly successful 2017 Championship event in Harrogate, the UniBrass team will head to the National Youth Brass Band Championships in Salford this weekend.

New and old members of the organising committee will be volunteering backstage throughout the contest day to continue their ongoing support for the event and the wider brass band community. The team will be helping out at each of the four sections.

Mutual benefits

Over the last few years the UniBrass team has been inspired by the smooth running of the National Youth Championships, with mutual benefits gained by both organisations by what has quickly become an increasingly strong link.

Several new student volunteers from the University of York have joined the UniBrass organising committee over the past months, one of whom, Beatrice Rix, is certainly looking forward to helping out at a band contest for the first time.

"I'm relatively new to brass banding, with UniBrass 2017 being the first competition I attended,"she told 4BR. "I'm looking forward to helping at the Youth Championships to learn more about brass bands and what it takes to help run a brilliant event."

I'm looking forward to helping at the Youth Championships to learn more about brass bands and what it takes to help run a brilliant eventFirst time studen helper, Beatrice Rix

Invaluable experience

Chris Baldwin, incoming Chair of the UniBrass committee, added: "I have no doubt this will be an invaluable experience for new members, as it brings an insight into the running of a brass band contest, as well as an opportunity to raise awareness of UniBrass within the banding community."