The 2008 Fourth Section Welsh Champion, Cross Keys Silver has enjoyed an excellent couple of months both on and off the stage of late.

At the Welsh Regional Championships they secured a third successive trip to the National Finals in Harrogate by winning the 4th section for the second year running under the baton of MD Kerry Bowden.

Clear winner

Although the band took to the stage slightly down in numbers this year they still delivered a performance of Rodney Newton’s Four Cities Symphony that according to adjudicator David Horsfield was the clear winner.

The band can now look forward to another trip to Harrogate and will once again hope to improve on the result in both 2006 & 2007 (they came 19th and 17th in respective years).

The band has now received confirmation of its promotion to the Third Section from 2009, so will want to bow out in style come the end of the year.

They have worked and continue to work so hard that promotion to the Third Section is hopefully just the start of things, together with our promotion to the Second Section in the local contests, the future looks very good indeedMD Kerry Bowden

Promotion

Kerry was understandably delighted with the news of the promotion, and told 4BR: "It’s about time that this thoroughly deserved reward came to the band. They have worked and continue to work so hard that promotion to the Third Section is hopefully just the start of things, together with our promotion to the Second Section in the local contests, the future looks very good indeed."

Off stage the band is busy preparing for the recording of its first CD which will hopefully be completed very soon and they have also welcomed a few new players although they still have a number of vacancies available.

Civic Awards

Meanwhile Kerry his wife, Janet, who is the bands 2nd horn player and also runs the learners band have received recognition of their hard work and dedication, with a Civic Award from the mayor of Caerphilly County Borough Council.

Hard work

Each received a reward for services to the band and local community, although Kerry said both rewards were a testimony to the band and it’s own service and hard work in the local community. The band also received a donation from local MP Don Touhig earlier in the year which was greatly appreciated.

All in all it’s been a busy start to the year for the band but one which they have enjoyed and continue to enjoy!