There was one award made at the recent results ceremony at the Brass in Concert Championships at Sage Gateshead that certainly gained universal approval from all the competing bands as well as the audience.

Dedicated service

The 40 years of dedicated work and organisational excellence of David Bennett (right) was warmly appreciated when he was reluctantly persuaded to step onto the stage to accept a special award in recognition of his commitment to a contest he helped to create alongside founders Cyril Beere and Peter Hartley at the Carreras Rothmans factory in Darlington in 1977.

Such has been his dedication that in the intervening years he has only missed the event once — for the birth of his daughter Suzie (born three days before the first contest), whilst in 1984 he swapped the backroom role he enjoys so much to be the entertainment and presentation judge for a year.

Not in the spotlight

Brass in Concert Chairman John Woods told 4BR: "It said everything about David that we had to just about drag him onto the stage for the award.

He is such a warm, generous man who has never wanted to be in the spotlight — although it is one that he has helped to shine on the world's finest brass bands for the past 40 years."

He is such a warm, generous man who has never wanted to be in the spotlight — although it is one that he has helped to shine on the world's finest brass bands for the past 40 yearsBiC Chairman, John Woods

Premier event

He added: "Without David, the festival wouldn't have developed into the premier event in the world it is now.

We are delighted that we have been able to formally recognise everything he has done for Brass in Concert — although he did say that he was quite happy to enjoy the next 40 years helping back stage again."