The band last made the trip to the Lincolnshire resort in 2007 where they came 4th and 2006 saw them being crowned Butlins Mineworkers Champions with an aggregate of a first place on the set test piece for that year (St Magnus) and a second place in the Sunday entertainment contest. This year’s set test is a new commission from the pen of the highly talented Black Dyke percussionist Paul Lovatt-Cooper, entitled Sleepless Cities. At the time of going to press, we don’t as yet have confirmation on the bands competing at the championships, but we will bring you this information in due course.

Christmas 2009 gets underway when the Flowers Band return to the Cheltenham Town Hall on Saturday 19th December at 7.30pm for ‘Christmas With Flowers’. They will be joined on stage by the Cotswold Male Voice Choir for a feast of festive musical entertainment that will get you in the mood for Christmas. The evenings proceedings will be compered under the safe hands of BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s Vernon Harwood. Tickets are priced £12 (£10 concessions) and are available from the Cheltenham Town Hall box office on 0844 576 2210 or via the Town Hall website at www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk

After booking their place at the finals via the West of England Regional Championships back in March, the band was determined to better it’s ninth placing of 2001. The band travelled to the capital on the Friday, where they stayed at Chelsea Football Club’s Copthorne Hotel, and very swish it was too. Upon arrival, there was time for a quick freshen up and drink before an intense rehearsal. Afterwards the band relaxed with evening drinks and a meal, before retiring to bed for an early night!

Saturday morning arrived with a seven am breakfast call, before for an eight am rehearsal. The band’s chairman Mike James made his way to the Royal Albert Hall for the draw whilst the band finalized any finishing touches to the set test piece for the day ‘The Torchbearer’ by Peter Graham. Flowers were drawn to play number 14 and after giving their all on stage, the band were awarded seventh place out of the twenty competing bands, with Black Dyke taking the title for a record twenty second time!

The real winners throughout the day though were the audience, as ‘The Torchbearer’ proved to be an instant hit, with the Royal Albert Hall remaining almost full for the majority of the day. Congratulations must also go to our friends and fellow West of England representatives on the day Camborne Town Band, who were positioned just behind Flowers in eighth place. A good day for West of England banding, lets hope we can go one better next time around.

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Stewart Crawford takes over the solo horn seat having previously played with the Sun Life Band of Bristol and Jonny Shaw takes up the vacant Eb bass position teaming up with Phil Green. Jonny previously played with The Fairey Band.

We are also very pleased to welcome Will Norman on 3rd Cornet. Will has been attending rehearsals for a few weeks and has shown such potential at the tender age of 14. His first contest with the band will be the National Brass Band Championships at the Royal Albert Hall, not a bad way to start your banding career!!

The recording features many of Studio Music’s hidden gems from arrangers such as Martin Ellerby, Goff Richards and Darrol Barry. The cd will be available from the website of Studio Music Ltd or from the trade stand at any Flowers Band concerts.

Phil Green, formerly of Foden’s, Desford and Sovereign Brass has joined on principal Eb Bass along with Craig Williams on Bb Bass, who also arrives from Sovereign.

Andy Smith, has signed from Newbridge (Celynen) Band to take up the assistant principal cornet seat along with Welsh compatriot Lawrence Savage, also formerly of Newbridge and for many years the Sun Life Band of Bristol. Lawrence fills the vacant top second cornet seat.

Speaking about the new signings, Flowers’ musical director Paul Holland commented, “It is with some excitement that the band can boast the recent arrival of Phil Green, Craig Williams, Andrew Smith and Lawrence Savage. They are all extremely talented individuals who have already provided additional strength to the band. I am delighted that they have all settled in so quickly and we all now have our minds firmly focused on the English Nationals. We welcome them to the band and hope they have a very enjoyable and successful time with us”.