Good Turnout At Boarshurst Band Coffee Morning
Saturday's coffee morning at Boarshurst Band Club.
The Boarshurst Silver Band continued its fundraising efforts on Saturday, with a well-attended coffee morning at the band’s club in Greenfield.
It was the latest in a series of events organised by band members, as they look to get the money together to attend the national finals in Cheltenham in September.
Boarhurst is the only Saddleworth band to have made it this year, after they finished as runners-up in the Fourth Section at the North West regional qualifiers at Blackpool in February.
Director David Ashworth said the fundraising has been going well so far. Local bands including Oldham (Lees), Diggle and Mossley have already played concerts at the club, with the proceeds going to the fund.
Mr Ashworth said: “We’ve had some fantastic support. Bands that we’re normally competing against have been helping us out.”
The band’s target to make the trip is £8,500, to cover accommodation, a coach and other expenses. Saturday’s coffee morning raised more than £200, and there’ll be another on Saturday 11 June.
Other events coming up include a Bavarian night at the Boarshurst Club this Saturday, with entertainment from the Gruntzen Fartzen Chuck Chuck Band. It starts at 7:30pm and admission is £5. Then, the band itself will be in concert at Dobcross Band Club this coming Sunday.
The following Sunday, 29 May, the band will have a stall at the Uppermill Civic Hall flea market, and they’ll also be playing at the Kingfisher pub in Greenfield from 2pm. On 5 June there’ll be a concert and fundraising duck race down by the river on Greenbridge Lane in Greenfield.
The Golborne Band, which qualified along with Boarshurst from the regional heat, will also be playing at the club soon. “We have to see what the competition’s like!” said Mr Ashworth, who has close connections with Golborne, a former pit village near Wigan.
This will be Boarshurst’s first visit to the national finals since 2004. “We’ve had a seven year itch and we’re back into it now,” said Mr Ashworth, who added: “This is the oldest band in Saddleworth, 162 years old this year. It would have been nice to have done it a couple of years ago for the 160th anniversary, but the 162nd anniversary is all right by me!”
More details about the band and all its planned fundraising activities are available from its website here.
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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