The musical partnership between the Hade Edge Band and conductor Jamie Smith has come to an amicable end.

Jamie will leave the role in the coming weeks with the band now making arrangements to advertise for his replacement.

Success

The Grimethorpe Colliery principal cornet took the helm with the Yorkshire band in 2019, combining it with his busy freelance playing and teaching. They gained success in coming runner-up in the Second Section Butlins Mineworkers Championship in 2020 and gained promotion to the First Section after securing a podium finish at the Yorkshire Area Championships.

The band has consolidated that position since, claiming a top-six finish at this year's event in Huddersfield. He also worked hard to create a new youth band, the Hade Edge Heroes, which was a direct product of the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to help bring new generation of youngsters into the movement.

Great regret

Speaking about his departure, Jamie said: It's with great regret that I will be leaving Hade Edge. My commitments elsewhere mean that it's hard for me to give the band the time that it deserves.

The band is full of wonderful people, and is run incredibly well and I would like to thank everybody involved for making my time there so successful and enjoyable. They a great opportunity for somebody new to achieve great things with them."

Thank you

The band themsleves are also sorry to see Jamie depart, with Chairperson Robert Turnbull telling 4BR: "First of all a big thank you to Jamie for his time with us — not just for the success and inspiration but for the hard work — especially for steering the band through Covid and bringing us out in a healthy position from 2022 onwards.

Jamie now wishes to concentrate on his playing career and we wish him all the best for the future in whatever direction his career takes him."