The granting of city status to the Scottish town of Dunfermline as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2022 has meant a change of name for its 131-year-old brass band.
Dunfermline Town Band will now be known as Dunfermline City Brass — and will make its debut under its new name at the Scottish Championships in Perth next month.
Coat of Arms
Formed in 1892 the band has enjoyed the support of its town council for many years, and in its centenary year was granted permission to use the Dunfermline coat of arms as part of its uniform badge.
City status was conveyed upon Dunfermline in a short ceremony inside the City Chambers at which King Charles II officially presented the official documents to the Provost of Fife, Councillor Jim Leishman.
It has become Scotland's eighth city alongside Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, Stirling and Inverness.
Optimism
Shortly afterwards Band Chairman Danny Harrison spoke with Cllr Leishman and a few weeks later he received an official a letter from the Provost which said that, while this was not something the band needed local authority permission for, he thought the name change was a "terrific idea"that he would support.
Danny told 4BR: "From the band's point of view, it was important to get this endorsement from the Provost. We can now look forward to the future with a new name and a refreshed sense of optimism to go with our new identity."
