Elland Silver Youth Band has been awarded a grant of £5,000 from the Community Foundation for Calderdale.

The grant through the Kathleen Mary Denham Legacy / Wilkinson Fund will help towards the costs of financing the band's trip to represent England at the European Youth Band Championships in Montreux in May.

£20,000

To fund the trip the 45 strong band and their chaperones are currently in the process of raising £20,000 to subsidise their travel and accommodation costs.

Band Secretary Kathleen Harrison added: "We're delighted to receive this sum as it will really help ensure all our young musicians are able to take part in the trip. We recognise the impact and development music has on our young people.

The invitation is a huge opportunity for the young musicians to represent Elland, Calderdale and England. It's a once in a lifetime experience both musically and socially, and for some members will be their first experience of travelling abroad."

The invitation is a huge opportunity for the young musicians to represent Elland, Calderdale and England. It's a once in a lifetime experience both musically and sociallyElland Silver Youth Band

Further donations

The band recently undertook a successful 12-hour 'Play-a-thon' which raised over £2,000 in sponsorship and which was broadcast to the world via the band's proactive social media presence.

Further donations have also been received from the Bearder Trust and One 17, whilst the band will now start a busy festive period of fund raising as they look towards Switzerland in 2019.