Although the Saddleworth and Oldham Whit Friday contests were played out under glorious clear blue skies this year, it was the colour purple that was once again to be seen blazing in triumph.

Led by Prof Garry Cutt, Brighouse & Rastrick claimed the overall champion accolade for the third successive year. It was a memorable hat-trick too, as it is the first time it has been achieved with the same conductor at the helm since the central prize fund was introduced in 1991.

Knight Templar victory

Victories for the West Riding band playing 'Knight Templar' at Diggle, Dobcross, Greenfield and Uppermill, as well as a runner-up spot at Delph and third place finishes at Grotton & Lydgate (they also came sixth at Scouthead & Austerlands) meant that they secured with title through the newly implemented Median Value results system in comfort.

It also saw them push rivals Black Dyke into second place as the Queensbury band under Prof Nicholas Childs secured 'Knight Templar' victories at Delph, Grotton and Lydgate with podium finishes at Denshaw, Greenfield and 11th place at Lees to complete their 'Median' top-six.

Although they missed out on the overall Saddleworth top prize of £2,500, they did however make a successful trip to Tameside to secure the £1,500 Top Mossley contest honours.

Hepworth MD, Ryan Watkins took to Facebook to share his delight at his band's level of performances on 'The Wizard' as they came third overall thanks to a brace of triumphs at Denshaw and Lees & Springhead in what was a busy night of nine contest visits.

Maestro touch

Despite the fine weather it was though another night of 'Purple Reign'. Brighouse & Rastrick boosted their bank balance by over £7,500 (making it around £25K won in the last three years), as the 'Marple Maestro' yet again gave a masterclass demonstration of the art of the Whit Friday march performance.

It will also be one that will be enjoyed by television viewers across the UK too, as the band was accompanied on their Whit Friday travels by a camera crew form the Channel 5 programme 'Our Great Yorkshire Life'.

Sense of pride

Speaking to 4BR, Garry said: "I've enjoyed this marvellous tradition with so many bands and even as a listener over the years. There is a special connection to the event with Brighouse though — the uniforms, the sense of pride and of the occasion.

Performing a Whit Friday march takes understanding — and that is something these players understand. Not just precision and balance, but style and character, colour and texture. It has to have a sense of poise. That's not a secret, but it's really hard to achieve and that's why these performances with this band are so satisfying."

He added: "Whit Friday is a special to me in so many ways. I've thoroughly enjoyed it once again to front such a great band and proud to claim just a little bit of Whit Friday history."

Keen battle

There was certainly a keen battle for the overall honours, with the remaining top-six finihers led by a consistent KNDS Fairey who won at Scouthead.

Chav Brass brought their inimitable form of fun-packed street march audience entertainment and contest platform seriousness in fifth, with sixth placed Milnrow adding the 'Best Local Champion' accolade to round off a successful day. Oldham Band (Lees) (eighth overall) came runner-up in that category ahead of third placed Boarshurst Silver (eleventh overall)

As always there was a warm welcome to competitive 'visitors', as West of England Area champion Aldbourne (seventh) and the British Army Band Catterick (ninth) filled the top-ten places, whilst the global appeal of the event was enhanced by Tasta Brass from Norway, the Americans of Milwaukee Festival Brass and the Australians of City of Traralgon.

Next generation

The next generation of Whit Friday performers were also on fine form as a number of cracking ensembles played their part.

Wardle Academy Youth Band took the overall accolade (they were joined by their even younger counterparts of Wardle Junior Blast) with others such as Oldham Music Centre Youth, Dobcross Youth Training and Brass Monkeys, Coleshill Youth, Delph Youth, HD9 Community Youth and Mossley Hollins all adding to the sense of inclusion.

Evolving

The evolving character and popularity of Whit Friday continues. There were 110 bands taking part this year — with 36 Third/Fourth/Youth bands at Freizland, won by Dobcross Silver, and 76 bands in total eligible for the overall Saddleworth prizes.

It is a remarkable endorsement of the incredible amount of dedicated work undertaken by the volunteers who organise and run things — from stewards to results co-ordinators.

The modern Saddleworth Whit Friday event is now very much made up of a triptych of distinct community, commercial and contesting elements.

It was not too long ago that Covid-19 cast a shadow over its very future, whilst health and safety, policing and protection requirements alongside cost-of-living increases continue to impose immense challenges.

That there were such healthy numbers taking part from Delph to Uppermill, backed by generous prize money funds spoke volumes for the year round (not just on the day) commitment involved.

Thresholds

The Processions of Witness walks remain the cultural touchstone on which the events are based and ones that are still supported with community pride.

Without doubt though, it is now the very different character of secular 'march' entertainment provided by bands that fills the streets with listeners (boosting the trade to local pubs and eateries) well into the night, whilst the contests themselves retain a keen, friendly edge of competition.

At times however boisterousness did overstep the mark, with 4BR witnessing (and being informed of) an increase in a boorish 'entitlement attitude' from some members of the public as well as competitors.

The behaviour of a small minority of individuals and bands has now passed from simply being irksome to becoming disrespectful and unacceptable, with little understanding for instance of policing requirements or even the needs of volunteers to get a good night's rest after an exhausting but wonderfully vibrant day of communal music making.

Malcolm Wood

2025 Full Results: https://saddleworthwhitfriday.co.uk/area-prizes/

Despite the fine weather it was though another night of 'Purple Reign'4BR

Results: Saddleworth & Oldham District:

Area Open Champion:

1. Brighouse & Rastrick (£2,500)
2. Black Dyke (£1,000)
3. Hepworth (£750)

Local Area Champion:

1. Milnrow (£750)
2. Oldham Band (Lees) (£600)
3. Boarshurst Silver (£400)

Youth:

1. Wardle Academy Youth (£250)

The Saddleworth & Oldham Contests are supported by Oldham Council

https://saddleworthwhitfriday.co.uk/results/

Delph:

Main Prize: £1,200
Prize Fund: £5,150
Adjudicator: Leigh Baker
75 competing bands

1. Black Dyke (£1,200)
2. Brighouse & Rastrick (£800)
3. Leyland (£500)
4. Chav Brass (£300)
5. Aldbourne (£250)
6. Milnrow (£200)

7th Prize: St Dennis (£150)

Best First Section Band: City of Bradford (£150)
Best Second Section Band: Uppermill (£150)
Best Third Section Band: BMP Europe Ltd (Goodshaw) (£150)
Best Fourth Section Band: Bedford Concert Brass (£150)

Best Youth Band: Oldham Music Centre (£150)
Runner-up: HD9 Community Band (£100)

Best Band not in Championships Section: ASB Brass (£150)

Best Local Band: Marsden Silver (£150)
Runner-up: Delph (£100)

Best Saddleworth Band: Boarshurst Silver (£150)
Runner-up: Friezeland (£100)

Best Cornet: Brighouse & Rastrick (£40)
Best Euphonium: Black Dyke (£40)
Best Trombones: Brighouse & Rastrick (£40)
Best Basses: Black Dyke (£40)
Best Soprano: Leyland (£40)

Denshaw:

Main Prize: £1,000
Prize Fund: £4,230
Adjudicator: Allan Holdsworth
55 competing bands

1. Hepworth (£1,000)
2. Black Dyke (£600)
3. Redbridge Brass (£400)
4. Hawk Green (£200)
5. Whitworth Vale & Healey
6. Delph

Best Saddleworth Band: Oldham Band (Lees) (£150)
Runner-up: Boarshurst Silver (£125)

Best Local Band: Hebden Bridge (£125)

Best First Section Band: Whitworth Vale & Healey (£150)
Runner-up: City of Bradford (£100)

Best Second Section Band: Delph Band (£150)
Runner-up: Slaithwaite (£100)

Best Third Section Band: BMP Europe Ltd (Goodshaw) (£150)
Runner-up: Maltby Miners (£100)

Best Fourth Section Band: Littleborough (£150)
Runner-up: Loxley Silver (£100)

Best Soprano: Hepworth (£40)
Best Bass Section: Hepworth (£40)

Diggle:

Main Prize: £800
Prize Fund: £3,185
Adjudicator: Gordon Eddison
58 competing bands

1. Brighouse & Rastrick (£800)
2. Hepworth (£500)
3. Redbridge Brass (£400)
4. Wingates (£275)
5. City of Bradford
6. Aldbourne

Best First/Second Section Band: City of Bradford (£150)
Runner-up: Uppermill (£100)
Best Third/Fourth Section Band: Milwaukee Festival Brass (£150)
Best Unregistered Band: Chav Brass (£100)
Peter Blacker Prize: Tasta Brass (£60)
Best Saddleworth Band: Oldham Band (Lees) (£125)
Best Youth Band: Oldham Music Centre (£120)

Holden Cup: Milnrow (£100)

Best Soprano: Hepworth (£30)
Best Solo Cornet: Brighouse & Rastrick (£30)
Best Bass Section: Brighouse & Rastrick (£60)
Best Euphonium: Hepworth (£30)
Best Instrumentalist not in Championship Section: Trombone — Uppermill (£30)
Best Youth Soloist: Oldham Music Centre — cornet (£50)
Best Band on march: Milnrow (£50)
Most Entertaining Band on march: Wroughton Silver (£100)

Dobcross:

Main Prize: £750
Prize Fund: £3,085
Adjudicator: Stephen Tighe
61 competing bands

1. Brighouse & Rastrick (£750)
2. Hepworth (£500)
3. Chav Brass (£400)
4. Milnrow
5. Aldbourne
6. KNDS Fairey

Best First Section Band: Hebden Bridge (£100)
Best Second Section Band: Shirland Welfare (£100)
Best Third Section Band: Dobcross Silver (£100)
Best Fourth Section Band: Crookes Brass (£100)

Best Youth Band: Oldham Music Centre (£150)
Runner-up: Dobcross Youth (£100)

Best Overseas Band: Tasta Brass (£100)
Best Unregistered Band: 'Till Death us do Parp (£100)
Best Local Band: Milnrow (£100)
Best Saddleworth Band: Friezland (£100)
Best Local Band on Whit Friday morning: Boarshurst Silver (£75)

Best Bass Section: Hepworth (£75)
Best Soloist: Brighouse & Rastrick (£100)
Best Youth Soloist: Oldham Music Centre (£25)
Best Local Youth Soloist: Dobcross Youth (£25)

First Band: Elland Silver (£50)
Last Band: Dobcross Silver (£50)

Most Entertaining on Platt Lane: Junior Wardle Brass

Friezland:

All bands excluding Championship, First and Second Section
Main Prize: £200
Prize Fund: £950
Adjudicator: T. Newbigging
36 competing bands

1. Dobcross Silver (£200)
2. BMP Europe (Goodshaw Ltd) (£100)
3. Clockface Miners Heritage (£50)
4. Eccleston Brass
5. Queensbury Music Centre
6. Warwickshire Brass

Best Fourth Section Band: Queensbury Music Centre (£50)
Runner-up: Littleborough

Best University Band: University of Lancaster (£100)

Best Youth Band: Oldham Music Centre Youth (£50)
Runner-up: Mossley Hollins School (£30)

Best Solo Cornet: Clockface Miners Heritage (£25)
Best Basses: City of Traralgon (Australia (£25)

Deportment: 2nd Rossendale Scouts (£30)
Best Entertainment: Oldham Music Centre Youth (£30)

Greenfield:

Main Prize: £1,000
Prize Fund: £4,570
Adjudicator: Chris Wormald
69 competing bands

1. Brighouse & Rastrick (£1,000)
2. Black Dyke
3. Milnrow
4. Hepworth
5. Sandhurst Silver
6. St. Dennis

Best First Section Band: Lindley
Runner-up: Elland Silver

Best Second Section Band: Uppermill
Runner-up: Tintwistle

Best Third Section Band: Clockface Miners Heritage
Runner-up: BMP Europe Ltd (Goodshaw)

Best Fourth Section Band: Pillowell Silver
Runner-up: Tottington Public
Third place: 2nd Rossendale Scout Group

Best Youth Band: Oldham Music Centre Youth
Runner-up: Coleshill Youth

Best Local Band: Milnrow
Best Local Fourth Section Band: Friezland

Best Saddleworth Band: Boarshurst Silver
Best Saddleworth Youth Band: Dobcross Youth Training Band

Best Overseas Band: City of Traralgon (Australia)

Best Solo Cornet: Brighouse & Rastrick
Best Euphonium: Brighouse & Rastrick
Youth Solo Prize: Wardle Academy Youth

Deportment: Sandhurst Silver
Runner-up: British Army Catterick

Grotton:

Main Prize: £800
Prize Fund: £3,400
Adjudicator: Christopher Bond
47 competing bands

1. Black Dyke (£800)
2. Hepworth (£400)
3. Brighouse & Rastrick (£200)
4. KNDS Fairey (£150)
5. Oldham Band (Lees)
6. Wingates

Best First Section Band: Silk Brass (£175)
Runner-up: Lindley (£100)

Best Second Section Band: Slaithwaite (£175)
Runner-up: Shirland Welfare (£75)

Best Third Section Band: Clockface Miners Welfare (£175)
Runner-up: BMP Europe Ltd (Goodshaw) (£75)

Best Fourth Section Band: Pillowell Silver (£175)
Runner-up: Tottington Public (£75)

Best Youth Band: Wardle Academy Youth (£175)
Runner-up: Dobcross Youth (£75)

Best Local Band: Oldham Band (Lees) (£175)
Runner-up: Milnrow (£100)

Best Scratch Band: British Army Catterick (£125)

Best Cornet: Brighouse & Rastrick (£50)
Best Soprano: Hepworth (£50)

Lees & Springhead:

Main Prize: £700
Prize Fund: £2,105
Adjudicator: Alan Fernie
37 competing bands

1. Hepworth (£700)
2. KNDS Fairey (£350)
3. Chav Brass (£200)
4. British Army Band Catterick
5. Aldbourne
6. Oldham Band (Lees)

Best First Section Band: Manx Concert Brass (£75)
Runner-up: Lindley (£50)

Best Second Section Band: Shirland Welfare (£75)
Runner-up: City of Traralgon (Australia) (£50)

Best Third Section Band: Dobcross Silver (£75)
Runner-up: Sale Brass (£50)

Best Fourth Section Band: Manx Concert Brass (£75)
Runner-up: 2nd Rossendale Scout Group (£50)

Best Youth Band: N/A
Runner-up: N/A

Best Local Band: Oldham Band (Lees) (£100)
Best in OMBC: Boarshurst Silver (£50)

Best Cornet: KNDS Fairey (£25)
Best Euphonium: Oldham Band (Lees) (£25)

Spot Prize: Sale Brass (£100)

Deportment: British Army Band Catterick (£50)
Youth Deportment: N/A

Lydgate:

Main Prize: £1,000
Prize Fund: £3,410
Adjudicator: Matt Whitfield
72 competing bands

1. Black Dyke (£1,000)
2. KNDS Fairey (£500)
3. Brighouse & Rastrick (£250)
4. Milnrow
5. Aldbourne
6. Hepworth

Best First Section: Elland Silver (£150)
Runner-up: Manx Concert Brass (£100)

Best Second Section: Hawk Green (£150)
Runner-up: Ratby Co-operative Mid (£100)

Best Third Section: Dobcross Silver (£150)
Runner-up: Clockface Miners Heritage (£100)

Best Fourth Section: Queensbury Music Centre (£150)
Runner-up: Tasta Brass (£100)

Best Local Band: Milnrow (£125)
Runner-up: Oldham Band (Lees) (£100)

Best Youth Band: Wardle Academy Youth (£100)
Runner-up: Oldham Music Centre Youth (£100)

Best Scratch Band: ASB Brass (£75)

Deportment: British Army Catterick (£100)
Junior Deportment: Wardle Academy Youth (£60)

Best Trombones: Aldbourne
Best Basses: KNDS Fairey
Best Euphonium: Brighouse & Rastrick
Best Cornet: Milnrow
Best Youth Soprano Cornet: Wardle Academy Youth

Scouthead & Austerlands:

Main Prize: £1,000
Prize Fund: £4,710
Adjudicator: Jonathan Pippen
65 competing bands

1. KNDS Fairey (£1,000)
2. Leyland (£600)
3. Hepworth (£400)
4. Oldham Band (Lees) (£300)
5. Aldbourne
6. Brighouse & Rastrick

Best First Section Band: Elland Silver (£150)
Runner-up: Whitworth Vale & Healey (£100)
Third: Manx Concert Brass (£50)

Best Second Section Band: Uppermill (£150)
Runner-up: Slaithwaite (£100)
Third: Hawk Green (£50)

Best Third Section Band: Dobcross Silver (£150)
Runner-up: Sale Brass (£100)
Third: BMP Europe Ltd (Goodshaw) (£50)

Best Fourth Section Band: Littleborough (£150)
Runner-up: London Metropolitan Brass (£100)
Third: Penrith Town (£50)

Overseas Award: Not awarded (£100)

Best Youth Band: Dobcross Youth (£150)
Runner-up: Wardle Academy Youth (£100)
Third: Coleshill Youth (£50)

Best Local Band: Oldham Band (Lees) (£150)
Runner-up: Uppermill (£100)
Third: Boarshurst Silver (£50)

Best Saddleworth Band: Oldham Band (Lees) (£150)
Runner-up: Uppermill (£100)
Third: Boarshurst Silver (£50)

Deportment: British Army Band Catterick (£50)
Youth Deportment: Wardle Academy Youth (£50)

Best Bass Section: Leyland (£50)
Best Soprano Cornet: KNDS Fairey (£30)
Best Soloist: Hepworth — euphonium (£30)
Best Bass Trombone: Hepworth (£30)

First Band: Coleshill Youth (£50)

Uppermill:

Main Prize: £1,250
Prize Fund: £4,800
Adjudicator: Benjamin Richeton
59 competing bands

1. Brighouse & Rastrick (£1,250)
2. Chav Brass (£750)
3. Hepworth (£500)
4. KNDS Fairey (£250)
5. Whitworth Vale & Healey
6. Boarshurst Silver

Best First Section Band: Whitworth Vale & Healey (£175)
Runner-up: Blackburn & Darwen (£125)

Best Second Section Band: Uppermill (£175)
Runner-up: Delph (£125)

Best Third Section Band: BMP Europe Ltd (Goodshaw) (£175)
Runner-up: Littleport (£125)

Best Fourth Section Band: Littleborough Brass (£175)
Runner-up: Dobcross Brass Monkeys (£125)

Best Local Band: Boarshurst Silver (£175)
Best Saddleworth Band: Oldham Band (Lees) (£175)

Best Youth Band: Wardle Academy Youth (£175)
Runner-up: Oldham Music Centre (£150)

Deportment: Brighouse & Rastrick (£75)
Local Deportment: Marsden Sliver (£50)
Youth Deportment: Oldham Music Centre (£50)