Prize band winners to the tune of £1,000
ACELEBRATED brass band has won a cash prize of £1,000 thanks to nominations from the public.
Middleton Band is one of 500 winners in specialist insurer Ecclesiastical’s Movement for Good awards, which is giving £1million to charities this summer.
As part of the awards, members of the public were invited to nominate causes close to their hearts, with 500 gifts of £1,000 available for donation. 13,695 charities were nominated by an amazing 253,879 people.
The band said the award could not have arrived at a better time, as its organisation and members had been forced to drastically change the way they work due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
They got 2020 off to a successful start, achieving first place in the second section at the North West Area competition in February - however since the imposition of lockdown, the band’s usual bi-weekly rehearsal and several public engagements scheduled for the senior, youth and training bands have been unable to take place.
The prize money will now enable the band to transition towards a new normal and facilitate its re-engagement with the community.
Band Secretary Aaron Hayes said: “We would like to thank everyone who voted for us to win this award.
“We have a proud tradition of bringing people of all ages and all walks of life from the community together and promoting wellbeing through music.
“We are looking forward to developing support for our band community and particularly vulnerable members for whom association with band may be the only socialisation they have.”
Mark Hews, group chief executive at Ecclesiastical, said: “We would like to thank every single person who took the time to nominate a good cause as part of our Movement Good awards.”
He continued: “As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, for charitable giving is at the heart of our business.
“We’re looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better.”