Bolton’s Eagley Band is set to make headlines worldwide after a remarkable year of success.
After receiving the prestigious 2025 King’s Award for Voluntary Service, Eagley Band will now be the featured ensemble in the December issue of international publication Brass Band World (BBW).
This is the first time in the history of both the magazine and the band that Eagley has received this honour.
The recognition comes as the band celebrates its 175th anniversary, having been formed in 1850.
Niki Bland, Director of Kapitol Promotions, said: “For any brass band to receive The King’s Award is a huge honour.
“We congratulate Chris and the whole organisation and have therefore invited Eagley to be the featured band in our Christmas 2025 issue.
“This is the first time we will have featured Eagley.”
Chris Wormald is the Musical Director of Eagley Band, the Community Band and the Community Choir.
Chris described the news as another milestone in an extraordinary year.
“The honour of being the featured band in the Christmas issue of BBW has come as another huge and very welcome surprise,” said Chris.
“It’s another first for Eagley, and perhaps unique for local town bands like ours.
“The featured centre pages of every BBW edition are almost always reserved for the huge global bands, such as Brighouse and Rastrick, Grimethorpe, Black Dyke, Foden’s, and the world-famous Championship Section bands everyone has heard of, especially in the Christmas issue.
“Within our genre, this invitation is almost like achieving number one in the Christmas charts.
“For a band like ours at Eagley, just promoted to the First Section from January, one level below these huge organisations, it is remarkable.”
As part of the British brass band tradition of contesting, bands are split into five main brass band sections.
These are the Championship, First, Second, Third, and Fourth sections.
Read more:
- Bolton’s Eagley Band honoured with King’s Award for Voluntary Service
- Bolton's oldest brass band to celebrate 175 years in style
- Bolton Eagley Band Christmas concert at the Victoria Hall
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, equivalent to an MBE, is the highest honour given to voluntary groups in the UK and is awarded for life.
This achievement is not only a triumph for Eagley but for the whole of Bolton.
While the award acknowledges the band’s proud heritage, it also celebrates its commitment to community projects, including 22 years of music-making through Eagley’s Community Band and 12 years of its Community Choir.
Eagley’s members have expressed their gratitude and pride during what has been a landmark year for Bolton’s much-loved musicians.
The band will perform in Bolton Market Place this Saturday (December 6) from 12 noon to 2pm.
Its annual Christmas Concert takes place two weeks later at Victoria Hall on Saturday, December 20, at 7.30pm, alongside its award-winning community choir.
Tickets cost £5 and are available from Booth’s Music Shop in Churchgate, via the band’s website or on the door.
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