4BR has been informed that a meeting is due to be held in Cardiff later this month to start work towards the setting up of a new national Welsh brass band organisation.

It follows discussions that have identified both the need, as well as the potential of a unified domestic organisation — one that would enable Welsh banding to be formally recognised, and potentially gain funding from bodies such as the Arts Council of Wales and other organisations.

Focus

It has been brought into focus by the success of the work of Brass Bands England which was in attendance at the recent Welsh Regional Championships in Swansea. They recently announced that it had gained Body of Persons Approval (BOPA) from the Welsh Government to help its member bands (which include around a dozen Welsh bands).

The initiative has been led by Andrew Jones, a respected figure in the Welsh banding movement, who told 4BR that he believes that people are determined for such a body to be set up and succeed.

He also confirmed that widespread support has already been gained from a number of leading bands and figures within Wales.

Bring together

Although a formal structure and a name will have to be agreed upon, it is hoped that it could ultimately bring together representatives of the current domestic banding structures to establish workable collective aims and objectives to benefit the whole of Welsh banding.

Speaking with Andrew in Swansea 4BR: "Wales has bands to be proud of at all levels and in all parts of the nation, yet we seem reluctant to work together for their overall benefit.

Now is the time to finally do it — and to be inspired by what is happening in England and Scotland.

We cannot afford to remain isolated and divided in our outlook and working relationships if Welsh banding is to remain vibrant, healthy and financially secure."

He added: "All the constituent elements are in place to succeed. We just have to now get on and make it happen."

All the constituent elements are in place to succeed. We just have to now get on and make it happenAndrew Jones

Support

Speaking to a number of leading figures at the recent Welsh Regional contest in Swansea, 4BR found that there was overwhelming support to the setting up of a body that could gain the same type of Arts Council funding as Brass Bands England.

Opinions aired felt that such a body could have the potential to help secure funding streams to assist essential grass roots development, artistic projects, robust policies governing welfare and inclusivity issues and to develop closer working partnerships with the promoters of the National Championships, other national contesting bodies, Brass Bands England and national organisations as well as the European Brass Band Association.

Previous attempts to set up a body to effectively bring together the different disparate parts of the Welsh banding community have failed, but with a new sense of optimism that a collective approach may now succeed, 4BR has been informed this is the ideal time to try again.

Meeting

The meeting is to be held on Sunday 22nd March (9.30am — 1.00pm) has already attracted over 20 representatives with space available for others if they wish to attend.

If interested, please contact Andrew Jones at: andrew@andrewjonesmusic.com or call on 07973869621