Entries open for Foden’s Whit Friday competition

FODEN’S Band are organising an Online Whit Friday Brass Band Championships on Friday, May 28, and entries are now open at: http:// fodensband. co. uk/ whitfriday.

The deadline for entries is Thursday, April 1.

Last year’s online alternative to the cancelled Saddleworth and Tameside Whit Friday Marches Festival resulted in 90 bands from around the world taking part, p e r f o rming to a global audience of more than 30,000, and it is hoped that this year the numbers will be about the same.

Having had the 2020 and 2021 Whit Friday competitions cancelled, both Saddleworth and Tameside organising committees were left very short of the necessary funding to promote the contests in future years.

With this in mind Foden’s decided to ask each band entering the 2021 online competition to support the Saddleworth and Tameside organisations by donating £5, with an option to donate as much or as little as each band can afford.

There will be no expectation on the bands in this regard, but it is hoped the event can generate a significant amount of funds to help preserve the future of the in-person Whit Friday contests for years to come – 100% of the money raised will go directly to Saddleworth and Tameside.

Meanwhile, the Bolsover International Brass Band Summer School has announced that subject to Covid status and restrictions, the Summer School will take place from July 25 to July 30.

There will probably still be some minor restrictions in place, although hopefully not, but if there are then attendees at the course will be assured that adequate safety measures will be put in place, including social distancing, to ensure that all are kept safe.

However, if Covid is still prolific then the Summer School will be postponed until 2022.