We held our annual Achievement Awards Evening on Saturday, hosted at the Bailey Inn, Yorkley. This event is always a fabulous opportunity for players from the Town Band, Training Band and Starter Group, to come together and celebrate the amazing achievements of the last 12 months!

The festivities began with a welcome for the players who joined us during 2024: Gabriel, Kath, Kim, Mike, Rachel and Silvana; all receiving a special certificate! Next up was Kevin, Band Chairman and Training Band Conductor, who paid tribute to the improved playing standard of the band and their success at the GBBA Contest in November, before presenting the Training Band Awards:
Most Promise Award: Jago
Most Improved Player: Millie
Tutor’s Award: Etta
Player’s Player Award: Dougie
Conductor’s Award: Jessica
Brian White Memorial Trophy for Musician of the Year: Dougie

Following on, Tom, the Town Band’s Musical Director, spoke about the band’s incredible year during 2024: qualifying for the National Championships in March, our outstanding performance at the Wychavon Festival of Brass, and the retention of the Third Section titles at the GBBA Contest. The winners of the awards, receiving newly inaugurated trophies were:
Most Improved Player: Daniel Crowe
Section of the Year: Trombones
Outstanding Contribution Award: Julie Jones
Player’s Player Award: Matthew Crowe
Player of the Year: Louise Bayfield

There was also a very special moment where we paid tribute to Mark Baldwin, who has recently decided to retire from the Town Band. Mark has been associated with Lydney for nearly four decades, and his contribution and dedication to the band have made an enormous difference over the course of his long service.
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Shout out to Kit for winning the annual skittles contest too!

We had a “blow out the cobwebs and have some fun” rehearsal this evening and ‘eased’ into the new year with light touch run throughs of Suite Gothique, The Padstow Lifeboat, Spectrum and Mephistopheles. 

​Band Chairman, Kevin, who led this evening’s rehearsal, reflecting on 2024 said: “A good year for the Lydney Band organisation. We will try our hardest to make 2025 even more fun.”