Get Jayess to Cheltenham!

Aim

In March 2023 Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band qualified for the National Finals in Cheltenham and we need your help in getting there!

After a 2 year absence due to the pandemic, Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band took to the stage in the 3rd Section at the North of England Regional Championships. Under the direction of the legendary Duncan Beckley and our conductor Andrew Griffiths we came home with the first place trophy and an invite the National Finals in Cheltenham! Not only that, but the result also secured Duncan his 100th win! A truly spectacular achievement.

The band are over the moon to have walked away triumphant at the North of England Regional Championships, especially as 2 years of great adversity. It took a lot to get there but we made it! We were so delighted with the hard work and dedication shown by everyone associated with Jayess Newbiggin. We did ourselves proud and it was a honour playing together again.

Now, we need the help of our wonderful friends and supporters to help us get to Cheltenham. Getting to the National Finals is not an easy or cheap process, we need to cover the costs of things such as our coach travel, hotels, test piece etc. The money raised from this CrowdFunder will be put towards our transport costs...we can't get the Cheltenham without a coach!

Anything you are able to give would be amazing and we would be forever grateful! We want to do Northumberland and the North East proud and we can't do it without your help and generosity!

About Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band

Newbiggin by the sea has always had a strong sense of community and there has been evidence of various musical groups in the village. As a strong fishing community and latterly a mining community Music has always played a major role in the community. Early evidence of a brass band in Newbiggin goes back to mid 1800's with reports that a musical group played in the yard of the Newbiggin Central club building. It was also reported in early 1900's that a Mr Simpson of Meldon Terrace, a former member of the Newbiggin Silver Band won the annual march composition prize at Kneller Hall in London, home of the Army School of Music.

With the sinking of the shaft in Newbiggin in 1909, it was inevitable that families would move into the village and the band would grow into a strong musical outfit competing successfully at various levels of banding. Performing around the village the band gained a loyal and supportive following being affectionately known as “Wor Band”.

The Bandmaster of their day was a well known figure in the community. Most people knew of him as “The Bandmaster” and would know where he lived as they would the local doctor, teacher, priest etc.

Many famous names have been associated with the band over the years. These include conductors such as Jack Atherton, John Carr, George Wright and James Shepherd. Additionally, players who started their banding life in Newbiggin would often go onto play in other famous bands; Denis Wright, playing with CWS Manchester and the legendary James Shepherd Black Dyke Mills.

The band has always had a fine tradition of being the catalyst for musicians joining military bands, with Tony Griffiths, Richard Fenwick, Darren Patterson and Sarah James all joining the Band of HM Royal Marines in the 1970's 80's and 90's. Banding has always played a major part in local Schools and during the 1960's/70's Newbiggin secondary modern school with its inspirational music teacher Audrey Stimpson provided the majority of players for the local band; many of whom still play today. This continued with Gillian Irvine, (formally Charlton) MBE and others from the newly created high school.

Families continue too, and have also played a major role in local banding and indeed fourth and fifth generation players still playing today. This was apparent with cooperation within families whom may have played in the Newbiggin Corps Salvation Army Band.

Other memorable events during our history include Dennis Todd from Newbiggin sharing the stage with Jim Shepherd and The Northumberland Schools Brass Band in Newbiggin. This was when Arthur Butterworth’s, "Three Impressions for Brass" was premiered. The composer later said that this event was one of his most memorable.

In 2009 the band reformed as Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band, with local lad Andrew Griffiths becoming Musical Director in 2012. Thanks to Andrew's leadership the band has seen tremendous success in recent years, including twice becoming North of England regional champions in the 4th Section. The subsequent National Finals saw the band achieve 9th place in 2016 and 4th place in 2017. 

In January 2018, Jayess Newbiggin were promoted to the 3rd Section. Our first contest at this level saw us add another win at the DCBBA Festival of Brass Contest to our collection. In March 2018 the band achieved a 4th place finish at the North of England regional contest. 

Since promotion the band has progressed steadily and we are hoping that we can continue to grow as a band within the community of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. Despite the pandemic, we have remained strong and committed to our future and we can't wait to continue making music together and performing for our friends and followers.

This project successfully funded on 17th May 2022