Who will join this band and help them march on to further success?

The charitable organisation, which has been around since before 1882, is looking for new members in order to attend the Whit Friday March Festival next year.

Club chairman Catherine Hartley says: “One of our goals for next year is to attend the Whit Friday March Festival held in the Saddleworth area.

“We have missed the last couple of years and would 
really like to return to this fun event, but we need more players if we want to do this confidently.

“Whilst we are able to fulfil our local engagements in Chorley, we are actively 
recruiting new players or 
maybe for some to return.

“Our numbers are dwindling as some members move on to university. We especially need cornet players and trombonists.

“When we have a few more members we’d also like to try a contest and perform more concerts. We would also like to introduce a training band for beginners and young learners.

“Playing in a band is very rewarding. It is a great way to meet other people, musicians and non-musicians and it is fun to make music within a band ensemble. I enjoy playing in the band because I love music and wanted to help. I enjoy playing at local events in Chorley, most recently at Chorley Live, and the Remembrance Service.

“Chorley Silver Band needs more players if it is to continue and the benefits to its members and the community are endless.

“Being part of an organisation can give a sense of belonging and purpose and there are many opportunities to further your music career in bands. One of our newest players has just begun to try conducting. We are open to making connections with other bands, as we endeavour to improve our skills and musicianship.”

The group has enjoyed a lengthy – and successful – history.

Catherine adds: “Chorley Silver Band has been around since before 1882. These are the earliest records that we can find of the band when they entered a contest in Blackpool.

“Over the years, the band’s identity has changed from adult band to youth band and now we find ourselves more open age. My son, James, who is 18, joined aged seven. When the then conductor of the band came to visit his school, James was immediately taken with the trombone. After a visit, he acquired a trombone on loan and has never looked back. He has since taken GCSE music at school and still plays now. He travelled with the band to Belgium, and has attended several Whit Friday March events.

“The band has had numerous conductors in its history, most notably, the late Stuart Pullin. Unfortunately I didn’t meet him and never knew him.

“His legacy was a thriving band and compositions from himself. Since then, the band continued to drive forward, entering into competitions and travelling abroad for a tour of Belgium in 2012.

“Our current conductor is Connor Gingell. He is a talented young musician from Bolton and he is the principle bass player at the Championship Section Band Wingates. Being only 20 years old, he has achieved a great deal in his brass career to date, particularly when he participated in the National Brass Finals at the Albert Hall in London in October this year. Earlier in June, Chorley Silver Band performed in a joint concert with Wingates at Chorley Town Hall. It was a well attended concert and something we would like to do again.”

Chorley Silver Band meets once a week on a Saturday morning at St Laurence’s Church, Union Street, in Chorley. Members practise from 10am to 12.30pm. 
Rehearsals start back up again from Saturday January 7.