Following its summer recess, the Poulton-le-Fylde Youth Band, led by John Squires-Evans, has gained a number of new young members.

Enjoy and progress

Set up in 2002, the Junior/Youth Section of the Poulton-le-Fylde Band trains and encourages young players between the ages of 8-18 yrs on the Fylde Coast of Lancashire to come together once a week to really enjoy and progress in their brass playing.

The Youth Band has come a long way in its short history and has taken on some ambitious concerts over the past few years.

In 2009, the Youth Band hopes to go contesting for the first time hoping to emulate the recent success of the senior bandPublicity Officer, Andy Moore

Talented players

The band was originally led by Graham MacPhee who passed the leadership over to John Squires-Evans in 2005. John, being a talented local peripatetic brass teacher in the area, has a fantastic rapport with the young adults and has a way of getting them to match his own style of playing having spent many years in top brass and military bands.

Many of the Youth Band currently play for the National Childrens Band of Great Britain under the leadership of Dr Nick Childs as well as Yorkshire Youth and in one case, the National Youth Band of Great Britain.

Close association

For any Youth band to be successful, there needs to be a very close association with a senior brass band and this is certainly the case at Poulton.

Two founding members of the Youth Band are now full time members of the Senior Band and also still help out with the Youth Band on a regular basis.

The senior band also benefits from other players who have come through the ranks and there are already further players waiting to join. Part of the success of the Youth Band is its close association with the main band and the regular social events that they both enjoy.

Contesting future

Andy Moore told 4BR: "In 2009, the Youth Band hopes to go contesting for the first time hoping to emulate the recent success of the senior band who are to be promoted in 2009 to the National Championship Section after having a string of good competition results culminating in a 3rd Place in the 1st Section National Finals at Harrogate in 2007."

The Youth Section hope that their close connection with the senior band will continue when a new Musical Director for the senior band is appointed in the near future.