2020 Winner: Tewit Silver Band
In what was a very close run battle for the honours it was the outstanding Tewit Silver Band from the North of England that claimed the award after building on their recent development under the baton of Martin Hall.
2020 saw them add a second consecutive Butlins Mineworkers Championship title in Skegness and followed that up with another victory at the North of England Regional Championships in Durham — both in the Third Section.
Covid-19 may have stopped their contesting progress (they have now won eight contests in a row) but they continued to keep active during lockdown too. They gained three first choice preferences from the panel, plus five other podium nominations.
Podium finishers
It enabled them to just pip to just pip second placed Youth Brass 2000, who gained two first choice preferences and four podium nominations, and Brass Band BlechKLANG who gained three first choice preferences and one podium nomination.
There were also first choice preferences from the panel for Eccles Borough, the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and the National Secondary Schools' Band of New Zealand.
2020 saw them add a second consecutive Butlins Mineworkers Championship title in Skegness and followed that up with another victory at the North of England Regional Championships4BR
Panel:
The Awards Panel consisted of: Iwan Fox (Editor 4BR); Malcolm Wood (4BR Chief Contributor); Andrew Wainwright (Composer/Arranger/Graphic Designer); Gordon Simpson (statistician Brass Band World magazine); Chris Thomas (Chief Contributor Brass Band World magazine/4BR contributor); Frode Rydland (EBBA Music Commission/ Bjorsvik Brass); David Hirst (Conductor/Adjudicator); Alexander Zwann (Chief contributor CU Brass); Tim Mutum (writer/brass band recording and history specialist); Owen Melhuish (President: North Shore Brass New Zealand); Chris Wormald (Conductor/Adjudicator/Arranger); Steve Jack (photographer/4BR, BBW contributor); Stein Skopholm (Broadcaster/presenter)
Past Winners:
2019: Wardle Academy Youth
2018: Oldham Band (Lees)
2017: BD1 Brass
2016: Youth Brass 2000
2015: Ebbw Valley
2014: Manger Skulemusikklag
2013: National Children's Band of Great Britain
2012: National Youth Band of Great Britain
2011: Bjorsvik Brass
2010: Hazel Grove Band
2009: Oldham (Lees) Band
2008: Smithills Schools Senior Band
2007: Sellers International Youth Band
2006: Pennine Brass
2005: Marsden Riverhead Brewery Band
2004: Smithills School Senior Band
2003: Smithills School Senior Band
2002: St. Dennis Band
2001: Peter Hawke Garages Lindley Band