Thanks to the continued work of the British Federation of Brass Bands (BFBB) and Barnsley East and Mexborough MP, Jeff Ennis, fellow MPs and members of the House of Lords are taking an active and healthy interest in brass bands with the official formation of the Parliamentary Brass Band Group which held its Inaugural General Meeting (IGM) in Committee Room 13 of Houses of Parliament earlier this month.

Appointments

The BFBB was appointed Group Secretariat in a meeting attended by Philip Watson, the BFBB’s Development Officer.

The meeting appointed several officers including: J. Ennis MP (Chairman); D. Heath MP for Somerton and Frome (Vice Chairman); Lord Foster of Bishop Auckland (Hon. Secretary); BFBB (Group Secretariat). Further meetings will be held at the Houses of Parliament twice a year.

This group will be able to influence decisions taken in parliament that will affect the future of all British brass bandsPhilip Watson, BFBB

Opportunity

Commenting Philip Watson said: "This is an opportunity to be grabbed by brass bands. A list of those MPs and Lords that are members of this group will be published on the BFBB website soon and when it is, bands should take a look at it and if their MP isn’t on it, write a letter urging him or her to join the group.

"This group will be able to influence decisions taken in parliament that will affect the future of all British brass bands. It will be a wonderful platform to air the views and discuss the issues that matter to the brass band sector."