Smithills Brass Band sets its stall out for USA tour
10:35am Thursday 3rd November 2011 in Your Town
Smithills School Senior Brass Band has taken the unusual step of opening a shop to raise money to fund a trip to America.
The world and national champion band is selling its CDs and merchandise to raise £60,000 needed for next year’s music trip, its fourth to the USA.
The shop, which is the brainchild of parent governors Patricia Tremayne, Sue Diggle and Amanda Hurst, is based at St Andrew’s Court, opposite HMV in Bolton.
It opens on Saturday and will trade throughout November and December.
The band’s new CDs will be on sale along with its 2012 calendar, merchandise and art donated by Russell Ramsden.
Chris Wormald, assistant headteacher and director of arts at Smithills, said: “The band is massive in America but next year’s tour will cost £9,000 per person. We have to raise funds like there’s no tomorrow.”
The CDs were released this year on the World of Sound/Doyen label based in Manchester. Mr Wormald added: “We’ve released three top-notch CDs. We’re also selling pens, mugs, keyrings and other items including Christmas puddings with little trombones on top. It’s quality merchandise. “We’ve also had great support from Wallace Printers, at Middlebrook, which has been a great sponsor for 15 years. It has printed our calendars and brochures.”
Band members will play Christmas music throughout the seasonal period to attract shoppers. Mr Wormald said: “We think St Andrew’s Court is a good location, being near HMV. The band will play there at weekends in addition to our Saturday and Sunday lunchtime slots outside M&S.
“The school has won two Bolton and Bury Enterprise Awards and has a good reputation for its enterprise work.”
The band’s parent support group has spent weeks organising the shop and a rota to run it.
● The band plays at Bolton’s Victoria Hall on Saturday, November 20. Proceeds will go to Bolton Hospice and the RNLI, which has a lifeboat called The Bolton. The band has raised £180,000 for the charities over 20 years.
