One of the most famous and historic names in the banding world has risen to the future challenge imposed by the current COVID-19 crisis by taking an innovative approach to outdoor social distance playing.

Marsden Moor

Six players from Meltham & Meltham Mills recently got together in a local quarry on nearby Marsden Moor to perform some favourite hymn tunes and marches to get a taste of what a full return to playing might be like in the near future.

Ensuring that they fully observed social distancing and health guidelines (they played without a conductor and the professional photographer Oli Scarff took the images from a separate vantage point) they did however attract an audience of hikers and dog walkers who listened from afar.

The moment was captured for posterity images have now been featured in The Guardian and Daily Telegraph newspapers in the UK as well as in publications in Germany and Ecuador4BR

From Germany to Ecuador

The moment was captured for posterity images have now been featured in The Guardian and Daily Telegraph newspapers in the UK as well as in publications in Germany and Ecuador.

The only downside after all the precautions was that the playing did attract a swarm of adoring midges!!