So the final 2 jobs for the band for the Christmas Season, and in 2022 was at Sainsbury's over the course of 2 nights (22nd & 23rd December), providing some festive cheer for shoppers.
The band has been really busy over the last 4 weeks and we want to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to our dedicated players who have relentlessly turned out to spread some Christmas cheer to the people of County Durham. Also, a big thank you goes to our supports who have dug deep and put money in our collecting buckets. Your help is very much appreciated.
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Tonight saw the band perform a joint concert with the Crook and Weardale Choral Society in Stanley Crook Parish Church. It was a wonderful night with over 250 people in the church, creating a fabulous atmosphere. There was a Christmas ambience, but also a tinge of sadness as we said goodbye to the "Little Church on the Hill" and the people associated with it.
We have played at this wonderful venue for such a long time and it's sad for this to end. Let's hope a new venue can be found for next year, so our link with the choir can continue. A big thank you to David, Matty, Carl, Paul and Stuart for being fabulous deps. Your help is very much appreciated. This morning has seen the band play at the Walkergate Complex in Durham, outside The Bishop's Mill pub. It was very cold, but a lot of people dug deep in their pockets to put something in our collecting buckets. We just want to say a massive thank you to everyone for their support during this difficult financial time. The money raised will help us with our running costs, and keeping the band running. Thank you to our dep David on Solo Cornet, given you found yourself on your own. We really appreciate your help.
Tonight has seen the band perform at a lovely, but cold Christmas Evening at Beamish Museum for the 2nd Friday in a row, as part of their Christmas Night specials. It's getting close to Christmas and the final but busy week to go for the band.
Tonight has seen the band perform a very enjoyable Christmas concert at Quebec Village Hall. We featured our soloists Richard and Leila, our full back row cornet section, and of course our very own Frosty the Snowman. A big thank you to David and Bob who helped us out. We really appreciate it.
The band spent tonight performing in the town bandstand at a very cold Beamish Museum as part of their Christmas night specials. We are back again next week so come and say hello if you are visiting.
Today has seen the band perform at two engagements. This morning, the band were out spreading some Christmas cheer in Durham Market Place as part of the Durham Christmas Festival. A big thank you goes to everyone who has put a little something into our collection buckets. We really appreciate your support.
This evening, the band performed a fantastic concert at Birtley Masonics, a concert we've been doing for over 25 years. We played a variety of music and brought festive cheer for our audience as well as featuring some of our fabulous soloists - Nicola on Flugel, Gareth on Eb Bass and Kate without her Trombone.
The band are delighted to welcome not one but two new members to the band.
Susan Smith joins us on 2nd Euphonium having moved back to the North East. We would like to wish Keith Barrow our previous Euphonium player the best of luck in the future. Some of you may recognise him but we would like to say a massive welcome back to David Young who joins us on Eb Bass. David conducted the band for many years so it's great to see him back in the band hall. We hope you both have a long and happy time with us!
Tonight has seen the band play at the Christmas Light Switch On at Cornsay Colliery. It was a lovely atmosphere and a super tree. The village also looked very festive.
Last night saw the band celebrate Marion's (our Secretary) 65th Birthday Party, along with hosting our Presentation Evening. One of the most prestigious awards went to Ray Lee, who has been awarded with the title of Life President, for his hard work and loyal dedication to the band. Congratulations Ray, and very well deserved.
Today has seen the band start their 2022 Christmas season off, with the first job at Dalton Park Shopping Outlet in Murton. Thank you to everyone who donated a little something into our collection buckets.
On Friday (11/11/2022), our conductor Phillip Tait performed the Last Post and Reveille at Bearpark's short Remembrance Service.
On Sunday (13/11/2022), it was the band's honour, yet again, to be apart of the 2nd largest Remembrance Parade outside of London, in Sunderland. The band provided the musical accompaniment along with the Royal Signals (Northern) Band. Thank you to our deps today, your help is really appreciated. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. The band are delighted to announce the birth of our newest little member. Charlie Michael Rowell, weighing 5lb 15oz. Now 11 days old, he is doing fabulous and we can't wait to meet him really soon. Just like his big brother, we are sure he will fit right in with #teambearpark. Our solo horn player, Lindsey, is taking some time off from playing to enjoy some maternity leave and recover from her C Section, but we are pleased to announce that Kris Waite has joined the band on the horn section and we hope she has a long and happy time with the band.
The band would like to say a big congratulations to the new Mr and Mrs Evans. Michael and Valerie, two of our solo cornet players got married yesterday in the wonderful surroundings of Wynyard Hall. The band played at the service in the Chapel and while the photographs were being taken.
When you take a family out of the band you need deps to replace them and we had some amazing ones. A big thank you to Alan Morrison, Adam Reed, Andrew and Ann Hall, Sue Harrison, Jim Johnson, Beth Carabine, Steve Robson, Tony and Pauline Thompson for helping us out. We really appreciate it. This weekend saw the band perform at the 2022 National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain (18/09/2022). We didn't get the result we wanted, but we were proud of the performance we put on. All of our soloists did an amazing job as well as the tutti band. It has been a great opportunity to socialise as a band in our super hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton Cheltenham, where the band enjoyed a meal and time in the pool.
A big thank you to our secretary Marion for her dedication and fabulous organisation skills to get us there. Our MD Phillip for his hard work preparing the band and having faith in us all. Weardale Motor Services Ltd for getting the band to Cheltenham and back safely and in style. All of our supporters who cheered us on the day and also everyone who helped to raise the money to get us there. Finally, all of our band members who have worked so hard over the last two months to prepare for the stage performance - we couldn't have done it without you!
Bearpark & Esh Colliery Band mourns the loss of our Sovereign, Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Such an amazing woman who always put others first. We stand with His Majesty the King, and the rest of the country in grief and gratitude for an outstanding Head of State. RIP our Queen.
Tonight, we drew our Grand Prize draw for our National Finals Fundraising efforts.
Congratulations goes to all of our winners. A massive thank you goes to all the businesses and members who donated a prize and to everyone who bought some tickets. Your help and support is very much appreciated. The band performed in their last concert of the summer season today at Grange Park in East Bolden. We managed to dodge some of the showers to play to a great audience.
A big thank you goes to Beth, Kendall and Tony for helping us out today. Your help is very much appreciated. It's now full steam ahead now with rehearsals for our appearance at the National Final in Cheltenham in September. A sense of deja vu for the band today, back to Saltburn after only 2 weeks.
This time with our conductor back from his holidays and a completely different programme, we performed to our wonderful audience at Saltburn bandstand again today. We featured our soloists Jonathan Wigham on Euphonium and Gareth Chester on Eb Bass today. The weather was glorious and it was great to be back. We look forward to seeing you all again next year. Today, the band has had a really successful coffee morning, raising much needed funds for our trip to the National Finals in September. Although Durham was a little quiet, we would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who came along to support. We raised an amazing £319.12. Also, a huge thank you to all the band members who came along to run a stall or make a cuppa and to Sue & Paul Harrison for donating the hire of the hall.
We still have tickets left for our Grand Raffle so get in touch if you want to be in with a chance of winning some fabulous prizes. Today saw the band performing at Saltburn bandstand. A concert we have now been doing for more than 20 years and always had a very appreciative audience.
We were very lucky that the rain decided to hit us just after we finished our last note. We would like to say a massive thank you to Gavin Brown who helped us out on Solo Cornet today. We really appreciate your help. Today was also the first concert for James Norman who has joined the band on the trombone section while studying at Durham University. We hope he enjoys his time with the band in-between his studies. Today has seen the band return to the Durham Miners Gala today. It's been a great day for us to return with sunshine, amazing music, marching bands and lots of banners. It was a pleasure to take Esh Winning, Durham University UCU and Adventure Banners into Durham.
A massive thank you to everyone who helped us out today. We couldn't have done it without you all. All over for another year - thank you. Many thanks to Roy Lambeth from the Durham Miners Museum for taking some of the photos of the band during today. The band would like to say a huge thank you to the good people of Durham who dug deep to support our fundraising effort today. We collected an amazing £483.43 in our buckets while performing in the market place. We would also like to say thank you to Durham Markets for their continued support and to our deps David and Beth. Your help and support is very much appreciated.
Tomorrow we are competing in the Picnic in the park competition on Durham Racecourse. If you are in the area bring a picnic and come and give us a cheer from 11am. |
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