THE VIRUS AND THE VALLEYS

Why local death rates have been so high:

Areas in UK with most deaths per 100,000 people:

Rhondda Cynon Taf – 326.6 Merthyr Tydfil – 295.1 Havering (London) – 289.3 Bridgend – 285.6 Blaenau Gwent – 283.4 Neath Port Talbot – 277.7 Tameside (Manchester) – 269.3 Southend-on-Sea – 266.5

BRASS Bands Wales/Bandiau Pres Cymru launched their new website on February 4 and has offered free membership to bands and any individuals who would like to join.

As a member you can access a whole host of benefits including access to the hub area of the website where resources and information will be stored and you can learn about discounts from music publishers and membership for partner organisations.

There has certainly been a flurry of new members and at the time of writing this article, February 8, more than 40 bands are in membership and more than 50 associate members have joined including one from Japan and another from Switzerland.

Andrew Jones, the current chair of the Brass Bands Wales Steering Committe, set the ball rolling, and certainly needs congratulating on manageing to enthuse enough people in the brass banding world to create an organisation that really should have been an integral part of Welsh banding years ago.

Brass Bands Wales should now become a real voice in the affairs and successes of Welsh bands in the future.

It should be noted that membership of Brass Bands Wales is open to anyone who is interested in any way in supporting and enjoying brass bands and as new members will certainly be appreciated.

Brass Bands Wales are already making their presence felt as Chair, Andrew Jones met with Kenny Crookston, CEO of Brass Bands England, Carrie Boax,

President of the Scottish Brass Band Association and Allan Davison of Northern Ireland Brass Band League to plead their case for easing of restrictions for brass bands and professional musicians when crossing to the European Union to engage in concerts and tours.

They met with Caroline Dinenage MP, Minister of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Alex Davies-Jones, MP for Pontypridd.

They were listened to with respect and were confidant that there there would be further meetings in the future.

MORNING, I trust you slept well, what would you like for breakfast?’, I enquired, as Thomas and Emma took their seats at the table.

‘Toast, peanut butter, jam,’ Emma curtly replied, while Thomas stated, ‘toast, honey, no butter’.

I rushed off to prepare the order, only to hear Thomas hollering ‘milk’ from his seat, followed by Emma barking ‘Shreddies’.

While the toaster did its magic, busied myself emptying the dishwasher and pondered exactly how I’d unwittingly signed up to a life in service. Meal served, I awaited my next task, like an eager

waiter hoping for a tip.

I

Emma was happy to fill the lull and demanded a green bowl, in preference to the blue one I’d used to contain the Shreddies.

Breakfast service finished and it was time to brush their teeth, which they agreed to, on the provision I did the brushing. Presumably because they viewed it as beneath them.

I was starting to feel I’d found myself as a footman working at Downton Abbey, devoting my waking energy to scuttling around after his Lord and Lady.

Only I wasn’t even getting paid for this and I’m not sure my employers fully appreciated the top-class service.

Next up was potty-time. Thomas completed his business, stood up and simply bent over for me to wipe his bottom, without uttering a word.

‘I’m not sure even the staff at the Palace have to put up with this’, I thought, as I reached for some wipes.

For lunch, Victoria had prepared a cheese salad involving avocado, which Emma was eating with her fingers. I attempted to politely persuade her to use a fork.

She looked at her green avocado-ey hands in disgust, lent towards me and wiped them on my trousers, despite the perfectly good paper towel right next to her.

DOUBLE TROUBLE FOR A FIRST-TIME DAD OF TWINS