Fundraising

 June 2009 Mobile Garden Party

During the very wet and windy weekend of 6/7 June the band organised a mobile garden party for residents of Ashbourne and surrounding area. The band were booked to play a 20 minute slot at different locations in the area including private parties, Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne Market, The Cock Inn Clifton, Okeover Arms Mapleton and Edinburgh Woollen Mills Ashbourne. The event kicked off at Ashbourne Market Place at 12:00 Saturday following words of encouragement from Ashbourne mayoress Geraldine Cooper and finally finished sheltering in a private garage in Clifton at 4:30 Sunday afternoon. In all we played at 14 venues and raised £1040 for charity to be shared between Rainbows Trust, Derbyshire Air Ambulance, Cancer Research and Diabetes UK. Most of the band survived the wet  as did most of the music although one member was caught piecing together his copy of She's The One after it disintegrated in a particular heavy (torrential) downpour. Thanks to all our party hosts and also to Dave and Laura for hosting a barbecue on Saturday night, the proceeds from which also went into the collection bucket.

Photos from the weekend can be found on the Events and Gallery page.

May 2008 Morecambe

Early May Bank Holiday weekend the band travelled to Morecambe where we were hosted by the Morecambe Brass Band Association. We arrived on Friday and once we were settled in, fed and watered we performed an impromptu cooncert (practice) for other hotel guests. Saturday morning was spent on a shopping trip to Lancaster followed by an open air concert on the promenade. In the evening we were joined by the MBBA Brass Ensemble for a joint concert. Sunday we performed another open air concert in Happy Mount Park. In the evening we were joined by members of MBBA for a quiz night (which was won by ATB MD Richard and his team). We were accompanied throughout by Ashbourne mayor Steve Bull and his family who co-ordinated the fund raising. We were surprised at the improvements to Morecambe and a good time was had by all. We raised over £500 for the Morecambe RLNI inshore lifeboat which was the service called out during the disastrous night in 2004 when 21 cocklers lost their lifes. The youngsters were also given a tour of the lifeboats and facilities. 

Photos from the trip can be found on  the Events and Gallery page.

August 2007 Ball Drop and Car Wash

Many thanks to everyone at Ashbourne Fire Station who allowed us to use their venue for these two fund raising events. On the afternoon of Saturday 4th August literally hundreds of plastic balls were dropped from the Aerial Ladder Platform. Each ball was numbered and had been bought by players, friends and family of the Band. The first one to be caught by fireman Brian Tregunna belonged to Angie Lees who won the first prize. The Ball Drop took place at the end of the Fire Station’s open day at which the Band also had a cake stall.

The following Saturday, Band members and firemen joined forces and raised over £300 by washing cars. The funds raised were split equally between the Band and the Firemen.

Visit the Events and Gallery page for photos of these two events.

July 2007 8 Hour Concert

On Sunday 29th July at 10am the Band started the marathon 8 Hour Concert in Ashbourne Town Hall. The full Band of around 30 members played for together for the first hour and a half and thereafter took it in turns, in three groups, to have 15 minute breaks. Between each piece the Band were allowed only a two minute break, strictly timed by various officials, to change over the music. At around 6.30pm the full Band regrouped to finish the 8 hour task together. Throughout the day the band dug deep into their music library with a line up from marches to hymns and all that popular music in between. This event was undertaken in aid of 5 local charities who will share the sponsorship money equally and were there on the day with a selection of stalls.

Photos from the day can be found on the Events and Gallery page.

November 2003- Thorpe Cloud Challenge

18 playing members of the band were sponsored to climb and play at the top of Dovedale’s most famous landmark. The Band played a 45 minute concert including such pieces as the “Pennine Way”, “Climb Every Mountain” and “The Rambler.” The money raised, over £800, was donated to the Derbyshire Mountain Rescue Team and the Wetton and Alstonefield First Responders.

May 22 2004- A-Z Challenge

The Band started by playing a march and a hymn in Ashbourne Market Place at 5am on a Saturday morning. Then they jumped into two mini busses and headed for Brailsford to do the same, then Clifton, then Denstone, then Ellestone…. Get the picture? The band managed to find a 500 mile round trip that took it to every letter in the alphabet, except X! They returned in the early hours of Sunday to play a march and a hymn back where they started some 22 hours previously. The money raised was donated to the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK.

Regular Fund raising events

Over the course of a year we organises several fundraising events in order to pay for the general running of the band including instruments, music and uniforms. We don’t receive sponsorship from elsewhere so these events are crucial to keep us going. Please try to support us and take part where you can. If you want any further information about any of our events please fill out an enquiry.

Bingo nights - Bingo nights are held regularly in the Ex-Serviceman’s Club in Ashbourne. They are organised by Angela Lees. Please see the engagement list to see when the next one will be.

Quiz nights - We have had 2 very successful quiz nights so far and they have been as much a social as a fundraising event. For more details of the next quiz please see our engagement list.

Car Boot Sales - In the past few years we have held car boot sales in the grounds of the Bankcroft Centre and the Library in Ashbourne. The band takes a small charge per car and then the rest is up to you to make as much money as you can.