Brass Bands England (BBE) has announced the cancellation of the 2020 National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain due to the ongoing effect of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The event was scheduled to be held at Magna Science Adventure Park in Rotherham on 28th March.

Worrying

BBE Chief Executive Officer, Kenny Crookston stated: "The situation regarding the Coronavirus pandemic has become extremely worrying for all of us, and in the interests of everyone's health and safety, the 2020 Youth Champs must be cancelled.

This is obviously very bad news for the 1,300 young musicians, their teachers, conductors, family members and supporters who have spent many hours preparing for the event in recent months, and we would like to assure them that we have taken this decision with their best interests at heart."

Impossible

He added: "We have looked in detail at rescheduling the event, but with great uncertainty over the expected spread of the virus and the timescale involved, impending school exams and an already packed banding calendar, such an undertaking appears impossible.

We will also be postponing our development and training events scheduled over the next four weeks (Artistic Development with Philip Harper in Lancaster on 23rd March and BandSafe in Denmead on 5th April), our next board meeting will be held online and BBE staff are now being encouraged to work from home to minimise the possibility of spreading the virus."

The situation regarding the Coronavirus pandemic has become extremely worrying for all of us, and in the interests of everyone's health and safety, the 2020 Youth Champs must be cancelledBBE

Thanks

The CEO concluded: "I would like to thank everyone who has dedicated their time and resources to making what we are sure would have been a wonderful event.

This includes our outstanding team of staff and trustees at BBE, all of whom are devastated that this year's event cannot take place."