Pontardulais Town Band proudly led their community Remembrance Parade last weekend as part of a series of commemorative events that included a concert that featured the first performance of 'Bugles Sang' written by local composer Haldon Evans.

Community work

A former member of the band, the work was funded as part of a Ty Cerdd 'Composer in Residence' grant, and was inspired by the band's community work during the 1914-18 conflict in hosting memorial services, recruitment occasions and even the annual West Wales Association Brass Band contests that drew crowds of over 4,000 people.

The band sought to find out more about their history after reading an article on 4BR, and how music making united the community of Pontardulais at the most horrific and turbulent of times.

The band sought to find out more about their history after reading an article on 4BR, and how music making united the community of Pontardulais at the most horrific and turbulent of times4BR

Grant

They applied for WW1 Heritage Lottery funding and made contact with a number of community groups and organisations to take the ideas forward, as well as the Ty Cerdd 'Composer in Residence' grant.

Not only was the result of the band's hard work a wonderful community concert event, but it has meant that they have now been able to trace their history back to 1873.