BBC Wales News has placed a spotlight on the need for the Welsh brass banding movement to invest in its grass root foundations to safeguard its future sustainability.

The feature report was shown on its regular television news output, including its main evening news programme, Wales Today, on Tuesday 11th June.

Positive example

However, rather than solely focusing on the reduced number of bands that competed at this year's Welsh Regional Championships, reporter Garry Owen used the positive example of the work being undertaken by Pontardulais Band near Swansea to show how some banding organisations are meeting the challenges of recruiting new players.

Their Academy Band which started in 2022, is now flourishing led by conductor Alison Gent, with the hope that it will be able to compete in the Fourth Section in Swansea in 2026.

It's fun

With the news cameras in their bandroom for a rehearsal, cornet player Charlotte, aged 11 said: "Just do it and try it. It's fun!" That sentiment was echoed by drummer Joseph, 14, who added: "I want to carry on playing, and hopefully one day to get to the senior band."

Investment in the next generation was key according to senior band Neil Palmer. He added: "We're looking ahead. We've got a lot of history, but we also want to make sure we have a great future."

And with senior players taking time sit in with young players, Alison Gent added that the success was down to team work.

She added: "We are really lucky that some many of our senior players help us and the young people here on their musical journey by either coming along to play during practice, or to sit next to them and help with one-to-one tuition."

We're looking ahead. We've got a lot of history, but we also want to make sure we have a great futurePontardulais Band

Importance

The importance of that investment was highlighted by 4BR Editor Iwan Fox who said in interview: "Section Four is the foundation on which banding is based. It's like an apprenticeship. If we don't invest in that the foundations will collapse."

With the Welsh Government investing over £13 million in its flagship National Music Service, there is hope that bands from every corner of the nation will be able to make links to local schools to find a new generation of players.

Recently, Beaumaris Youth Band represented Wales alongside Tredegar and Cory at the European Brass Band Championships in Lithuania, whilst there are encouraging signs from organisations across Wales of investment in young players.