Shropshire band makes national final

And it will do so with a mix of excitement and some trepidation, as because of the pandemic it will be performing Connotations by Edward Gregson to an audience for the first time since its qualifying performance in March last year.

Jackfield Band is up against 13 other bands from around the country as it represents the Midlands in the First Sectional final at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain on September 18. The competition had originally been scheduled for September 2020.

Kelly Hodges from the band said: "The band qualified in March 2020 following a podium finish at the qualifying championships at Bedworth Town Hall which in itself had presented its own difficulties in preparing as localised flooding in Jackfield from the River Severn had made the band room inaccessible during February and so interrupted rehearsals.

"Then a week after qualifying the country went into its first Covid-19 lockdown and so a 15 month period of hibernation began for the players in line with government regulations to ensure the safety of all.

"A brief hiatus at Christmas saw socially distanced groups of six players meet up to perform carols at Blists Hill Victorian Christmas and a succession of online Christmas Carol videos were prepared. But it wasn’t long before again like the rest of the country we were in lockdown and restricted to home practice.

"With easing beginning in June, the band began it preparations for the now rearranged 2020 finals in September, meeting up in socially distanced groups in well ventilated locations such as Wrekin College and Oak Tree Centre who we are extremely grateful to and thankful for their support."

Conductor David Maplestone said: “It is great to be back in the band room again seeing familiar faces and of course the opportunity to make music, but we shouldn’t lose sight of what many have been through and what the country has endured during the last 15 months.”