BFBB’s CRB system flourishes

After advising brass bands to implement a policy for child protection, the British Federation of Brass Bands (BFBB) is encouraged that many bands across the country have taken up the advice and have implemented a basic child protection and safeguarding procedure.
Since the BFBB became a registered body with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) a healthy flow of member bands have used the BFBB’S new procedure to have players, tutors and conductors checked with the CRB.
As a registered umbrella body, the BFBB endeavours to process applications quickly and with minimal administration and is extending an invitation to all bands to use the service which is free to all BFBB member bands or a small administration charge is payable by non-member bands.
Advice from the BFBB states: “It is very important that all bands use the CRB facility. We know that many bands have not registered members to-date so we advise them to take a look at the procedures they have in place to see if they are up to date. We advise that any senior members who work with young people agree to a CRB check. If bands apply for grants or charitable status they will need to have their CRB checks in place.”
For more information on the CRB checks contact Derek Atkinson

on 01744 755463 or e-mail derek@nwcbba.fsnet.co.uk

BFBB push Cultural Olympiad bid

The British Federation of Brass Band’s (BFBB’s) Development Officer, Philip Watson, has been pushing the creative developers of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad for the maximum involvement of brass bands in all cultural events.

In a recent meeting with Tessa Gordziejko, the Creative Programmer for London 2012 (Yorkshire region), Philip discussed several issues concerning bands.

He commented: “We discussed many avenues that could involve brass bands, including National Signature Projects involving the central aims of youth, innovation and diversity, themes for Yorkshire and other regions which are the moving body and public space animation, the launch of the Cultural Olympiad on 24 August 2008 where it is hoped we can get many bands performing and collaboration events with the possibility of funding for commissioning a new work for brass bands.”
Brass bands are being invited to apply to have their own projects recognised as part of the Cultural Olympiad, though in many cases there is no funding available for these, but successful applications will be rewarded with the honour of using an official non-commercial mark for the 2012 Olympics. The agreement to endorse this mark and create a four year cultural festival is a first in Olympic history and the newly developed ‘Inspire Mark’ will only be available to projects without any commercial sponsorship.
Commenting on the lack of funding for cultural projects Philip Watson said: “The BFBB believes there is a clear need for a small grants fund to inspire local community groups and bands across the UK to dream up projects that fit the criteria for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad and we will be looking into ways to develop this.”
The application process for Cultural Olympiad projects will have a seven week turnaround time and details of how to apply can be found at http://www.london2012.com/beinspired.

Press release 17 January 2008

Brass Band Archive

Following discussions to secure the future of the Brass Band Archive the British Federation of Brass Bands has now signed a Declaration of Trust transferring ownership of the Archive to the Federation.

In addition to the BFBB (as Donee Trustee) the new Trustees of the Archive are: Walter Ainscough, Alan Marsh, Martin Mortimer, Brian Halliwell, Derek Rawlinson and David Read.

Power to appoint new or additional Trustees will now be with the BFBB, who will also be entitled to accept future appropriate items to be incorporated as part of the collection.

The BFBB and the other Trustees have declared, in the Trust, that they will preserve the collection on behalf of present and future brass band enthusiasts.

Commenting on the agreement, Robert Morgan (Chairman of the BFBB) said “we are extremely honoured to have been asked by the Trustees to take care of the archive for the future interest of brass band enthusiasts. The work carried out by Walter Ainscough, Alan Marsh and others is very significant and has been a true labour of love by these stalwarts of the movement. Walter and Alan will of course be continuing to look after the exhibits in Wigan. Together with the Trustees we look forward to enlarging the collection over time and bandsmen/women are encouraged to donate those special items that may be in the attic or a back room of the band room, for the benefit of all.”

To join the Friends of the Brass Band Archive the annual fee is £25 and Life Membership is available for £100. Applications are available from Walter Ainscough, 95 Ashbourne Avenue, New Springs Park, Wigan, WN2 1HW. Tel: 01942 231811 or Alan Marsh, 01942 747644.

Finally, Robert said “The Brass Band Archive is also delighted to have been selected for a support project for the creation and maintenance of a new website. We are extremely grateful to receive this and offer our thanks to the Association of Band Traders and Steve Walker (the Butlins event co-ordinator) for the provision of exhibition space at the 2008 Butlins Mineworkers Contest, Virtuosi England Ltd. for the donation of a Euphonium for a special prize draw at the event, TOR Designs for the sponsoring of signage and staff uniforms to enhance the display stand and Just Brass Media Services for the provision of their website design and maintenance services. This will be a significant help with future publicity and promotion of this extraordinary collection of our brass band heritage.”

Robert Morgan
Chairman, BFBB

English Nationals 2008 information ENBBC

British Brass Band Registry website redisigned - Now it's even easier, everything you need at your fingertips. Visit British Brass Band Registry

BFBB become registered body with Criminal Records Bureau - Details available from the information section.

English Nationals to Feature Redhead

Salvationist composer, Lieut-Colonel Robert Redhead has been commissioned to write the Test Piece for the 2008 English National Brass Band Championship, announced the British Federation of Brass Bands today.

Redhead, born in Southport but now resident in Toronto, Canada, came to prominence in the banding fraternity when his Isaiah 40 was used as the Test Piece at the National Championships of Great Britain at the Royal Albert Hall in 1996, and the same piece was revived again this year when it was the chosen test piece for ‘the Regionals’.

Chairman of the British Federation of Brass Bands, Robert Morgan, commented that ‘Robert was the unanimous choice of our organising committee. We were extremely impressed at the reception Isaiah 40 received earlier this year and also noted the personal impact Robert made when he visited the Yorkshire Regionals at St. George’s Hall, Bradford. We feel certain that the personality and spirit of this unique man, who played such a pivotal role in bringing SA and secular bands closer together, will once again shine through in his music’.

Lieut-Colonel Redhead, now retired from his active officer role in The Salvation Army, reports that he is ‘busier than ever’, regularly travelling throughout the world, along with his wife Gwyneth, advising on the use of music and drama in Salvation Army worship.

The 2008 English National Brass Band Championships take place at Preston’s Guild Hall on Saturday 28 June, when Grimethorpe Colliery Band will be aiming to retain their 2007 title, and with it, the right to represent England in the 2009 European Brass Band Championships in Ostende, Belgium.

Robert Morgan
Chairman, BFBB

BFBB Press Release

English National Brass Band Championships

BFBB Press Release

The British Federation of Brass Bands (BFBB) is pleased to confirm that sponsorship has been secured from Besson for the forthcoming English National Brass Band Championships at Preston Guild Hall on Saturday 30th June.

Commenting on behalf of the BFBB, Chairman, Robert Morgan welcomed the news that Besson were supporting the event. “It’s great to have Besson on board” he said “and we wish them well with the launch of their new products”.

Speaking on behalf of Besson, Sylvie Irvoas, Marketing Manager, Group Buffet Crampon said “since the acquisition of the Besson brand we have oriented our sponsoring policy to the National Brass Band competitions, targeting European contests. We want to keep close relationships with all the Brass Band Federations and the European Brass Band Association (EBBA) involved in the development of the brass culture. This year we have participated in several contests in England, Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Norway and France and we encourage the brass band movement as much as possible.”

“Being part of this movement would not be possible without a high level range of instruments and we are proud to carry on the original Besson’s values as a manufacturer. Besson celebrates its 170th anniversary this year and the most precious gift to this brand is the loyalty of the musicians who have played Besson instruments for several generations and who are now expressing to us their satisfaction discovering and adopting the new Besson range”.

The ENBBC is the qualifying contest for the European Championships and this year’s winner will be invited to represent England in the 2008 Championships in Stavanger, Norway.

Tickets for the event can be obtained from the Guild Hall - Tel. 01772 258858. The contest starts at 10.30 a.m. and the results and Gala Concert will be from 6.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.

End of Press Statement
7th June 2007

2003 Licensing Act

Representatives of the British Federation of Brass Bands (BFBB) and the Voluntary Arts Network (VAN) met at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in London on Friday, 1st December 2006, to discuss the effects and problems surrounding the 2003 Licensing Act. The event was aimed at National Voluntary Arts Umbrella Bodies, but was relevant to anyone involved in planning, organising and delivering voluntary arts events, or enabling voluntary arts organisations to do so. Over 60 delegates and nine prominent speakers were at the meeting and a follow-up briefing is due to be published by VAN in the next couple of weeks. It might be helpful to reiterate some of the advice BFBB has previously given to bands on seasonal issues.

Most seasonal music at Christmas is either incidental or part of religious service and is not, therefore, licensable. However, some seasonal concerts may fall into the definition of regulated entertainment – for example, a concert with an audience. If in doubt, organisers should contact their licensing authority.

If a carol service is organised, advertised and provided for an audience, there would seem to be little doubt that this would be licensable. However, a band outside at shop could be construed as incidental to the activity of people going about shopping and therefore exempt from the requirement for a licence. It would make no difference whether or not they were seeking voluntary contributions to charities from passers by. This is different from a scenario where a shopping centre or individual business has organised an event for an audience in a shopping mall which would require a licence or temporary event notice.

Under the 2003 Licensing Act, there is no distinction between band playing religious or secular carols unless the carols were performed as part of a religious service or in a place of public religious worship, which would then not require a licence.

DCMS recognises that there is no common interpretation of the 2003 Licensing Act and is currently reviewing the guidance issued to Licensing Authorities on the discharge of their functions under the Act. DCMS said they will shortly be consulting on their proposed revisions to their guidance. The public consultation will last for 12 weeks and the responses will inform the final version of their guidance.
Prior to the consultation the DCMS are hoping to write to the representatives of licensing authorities to remind them of their views on incidental music. However, presently, it is for Licensing Authorities to interpret the Act and to determine whether or not specific events need a licence. BFBB urge all Licensing Authorities to be approachable, just and forward thinking in their interpretation of the Act.

The BFBB Information Pack about the 2003 Licensing Act can be downloaded below

Recommended Good Practice series One - Licensing Act

Data Protection DVD

The Information Commissioner's Office has produced an interactive DVD to improve understanding of the Data Protection Act. This tool highlights a few common mistakes and the eight principles of good data protection practice. Released on 10 November and distributed to data protection officers, it can be obtained on request from the ICO web site.

http://www.ico.gov.uk/tools_and_resources/request_publications.aspx
________________________________________________________

Charities Act implementation plan

The Cabinet Office has published an implementation plan for the Charities Act 2006 for England and Wales on their website. The Act came into effect on 8 November 2006, but is being implemented in sequence, starting in early 2007. The aim is to give charities (and others that will be affected by the Act) time to properly prepare for changes that will affect them. The implementation plan sets out this process and indicates when the various provisions of the Act will come into force.

To download the plan, go to:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/documents/charity_reform/implementation_plan.pdf

________________________________________________________

New publication on trustee liability

A guide to the risks that might affect charity trustees, aimed primarily at trustees of small and medium sized organisations, as well as support staff and advisers, was launched on 15 December 2006 by the Governance Hub. Written by James Sinclair Taylor of the charity team at Russell-Cooke Solicitors, Reducing the Risks: A Guide to Trustee Liabilities is available to download from
http://www.governancehub.org.uk

United Co-operative Ltd to Sponsor the

National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain

United Co-operatives and the British Federation of Brass Bands have announced a partnership that will secure the future of the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain. United Co-operatives has agreed to sponsor all sections of the event, initially over the next two years. In addition, United Co-operatives is keen to provide funds for a new award that will recognise a youth band that has best served its own community over the past year.

Michael Fairclough, Community Relations Manager at United Co-operatives said: “We are delighted to be in a position to develop our role in the community by ensuring the future of this major championship.”

One of the championship organisers, Arnold Tattersfield of the BFBB, is delighted and said: “The BFBB are looking forward to working with United Co-operatives and intend to create a close partnership to aid the future development of Youth Bands.”

The BFBB website, www.bfbb.co.uk has a link to United Co-operative’s website, further information about the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain and a wide variety of other brass band interests.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

New free guide on staffing a collaborative project

The voluntary sector’s drive for effectiveness and efficiency is leading to increasing interest in collaborative working, allowing organisations to pool knowledge and expertise, and workforces to gain new and transferable skills. However, staffing a collaborative project can be a complicated matter and potentially damaging if not handled properly.

New guidance on staffing a collaborative project for voluntary organisations has been published jointly by the National Council for Voluntary Organisation’s (NCVO) Collaborative Working Unit and the UK Workforce Hub. The guide contains practical information and advice for staffing a collaborative project and includes range of case studies. It addresses:

- the issues that should be considered when staffing a collaborative project;
- the pros and cons of different models of employing staff;
- how to deal with problems such as grievance or discipline issues.

For a free hard copy, please call 0800 2 798 798, or email

publicationsorders@ncvo-vol.org.uk

Press Release

BFBB Information Pack: A Marketing Strategy

The British Federation of Brass Bands has released the latest information pack in its ‘Recommended good practice in brass banding: Series One’. Each brass band needs to promote itself and its projects in order to increase the band’s membership, encourage people to participate in its activities and increase its audiences. This information pack provides a step-by-step guide to managing a brass band’s marketing strategy. It explains how to run a coherent marketing campaign and get the most out of the money spent on promoting brass band activities. This strategy can be used for all kinds of promotions, from selling tickets to branding and image-building projects. The information pack is entitled ‘A Marketing Strategy’ and copies can be obtained from the National Office Telephone: 01226 771015

END OF PRESS RELEASE

Licensing issues for music in hospitals, hospices and prisons.

There have been letters in the national press about problems under the new licensing act, specifically about small concerts on hospital wards, hospices now coming under the terms of the new Licensing Act. Whilst some larger hospitals will have a licence, clearly smaller venues will not. Have any bands had problems when they have attempted to take musicians into hospices, retirement centres and secure units for mental health patients? Do you apply for an occasional licence each time or is this completely impracticable?
Please let the Federation have your comments.

Cultural research – can you help?

Gillian Hibberd is undertaking a MA in Histories and Cultures at Brighton University which involves investigating and analysing the current role of the Brass Band movement particularly in the North of England. She has asked for help with her research and writes:

I am particularly interested in researching the effects of deindustrialisation, technological advances, gender and the cultural/ethnic make-up of Brass Bands in the twenty-first century. Among the questions I shall be investigating are do the musicians, in the main, still come from working-class backgrounds? Has deindustrialisation lead to a growing gap arising between those able to obtain sponsorship and the community based band? What is the status of professional musicians in brass bands and the role of women within the movement.

If you are able to help Gillian, please contact her at her website http://www.brassbands.org

BFBB CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Please note that the BFBB Child Protection Policy has been reviewed and up-dated. There is a small change to Paragraph 3.4 which now includes the words:

The Welfare Officer should be a member of the management committee. BFBB strongly recommends that all bands include the Welfare Officer on their Management Committee.

The BFBB constantly monitors and reviews its Child Protection Policy and makes appropriate changes as necessary.

Child protection advice

The BFBB offer free advice to all brass band organisations with regard to child protection

Child protection page

The Brass Band Archive

Taking Care of Brass Bands Heritage.

The Brass Band Archive is now open in Wigan who’s aim is to provide a service and preserve the Heritage of the Brass Band Movement.

The archive has the support of The British Federation of Brass Bands, The British Brass Band Registry, The British Open Brass Band Championships, Pontins Brass Band Festival and many Brass Band Personalities.

A visit to the archive is a must for all Brass Band Enthusiasts and Students.

The contents of the Archive include:
Memorabilia of Harry Mortimer, Harold Moss, William Rimmer William Halliwell and many more.
Over 7,000 sets of music and scores.
Hundreds of CDs, LPs and 78s.
Copies of the British Bandsman from 1887.
All copies of Brass Band World.
Numerous other copies of Brass Band Periodicals.
Brass Band Books.
Thousands of Contest Programmes.
Old Uniforms and Stand Banners.
Instruments Contest Trophy’s.

The entrance to the Archive is Free but we would be grateful for any donation or alternatively you can join The Friends of the Brass Band Archive for an annual fee of £25.00 benefits for this include a 50% reduction in hire fees, and when available a free catalogue. If you wish life membership at a one of fee of £100.00. is available. Application forms can be obtained by contacting Walter or Alan or downloaded here:

Download Membership Form

If anyone has any Brass Band Memorabilia that they may wish to give or loan to the Archive please contact Walter or Alan on the telephone numbers listed below.

The Brass Band Archive is open to view on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays every week Free of Charge. Other viewing arrangements can be made by contacting:

Walter Ainscough 95 Ashbourne Avenue, New Springs Park, Wigan,WN2 1HW.
(From 10 May) Tel. 01942 824820

The Federation has an open house policy for its bands. Your contributions are important: please feel free to comment to any of the Federation’s Executives, whose names are shown on the website.

For membership packs please contact the National Office where Ken Hirst, our Membership Secretary will be pleased to help.