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Small drop in Midlands Area entrants

69 bands will compete at the Midlands Regional Championships over two weekends in March.

Desford
  Desford went on to claim the National title in London

Although there is a small overall decrease in competing numbers for the 2026 Midlands Regional Championships, 69 bands will still take to the stage at Bedworth Civic Hall on the weekend of 7th & 8th March and Sunday 15th March.

The Third and First Sections will be held on Saturday 7th March (starting 10.00am), with the Fourth and Championship the following day (Sunday 8th March at 10.00am).

The Second Section will be held at the same venue the following weekend on Sunday 15th March (11.00am).

Qualifiers

Two bands plus the pre-qualified National Champion Desford Colliery will be invited to compete at the Royal Albert Hall in October. The defending champion is the GUS Band.

Three bands from the First and Third, and two bands from the Second and Fourth Section will head to Cheltenham in September.

Championship Section:

Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs; Andrea Price

Blidworth Welfare (Colum O'Shea)
Derwent Brass (Jack Capstaff)
Desford Colliery (Ian Porthouse)
Enderby (Gareth Westwood)
GUS Band (Christopher Bond)
Kibworth (Brendan Caddy)
Langley (Cliff Parker)
Newstead Brass (Martin Heartfield)
Ratby Co-operative (Glyn Williams)
Sovereign Brass (David Maplestone)
Staffordshire (Lee Woodward)
Thoresby Colliery (Luke Pallister)

First Section:

Adjudicators: Mark Wilkinson; Paul Norley

Audley Brass (Tom Hancock)
Bedworth Brass (Jonathan Mott)
Bilton Silver (Rugby) (David Stowell)
Brass Band of Central England (Stephen Phillips)
City of Coventry (Lee Woodward)
Foss Dyke (Gareth Westwood)
Gresley Colliery (Richard Windle)
Hathern (Gary Wyatt)
Hucknall & Linby MC (Chris Ledger-Knapp)
Jackfield (Craig Stevens)
Oddfellows Brass (John Davis)
Raunds Temperance (Jonathan Pippen)
Rushden Town (Adele Hudson)
Shirland Welfare (Lynden Cooper)
Shirley (Kieron Howe)

Second Section:

Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt; Mark Wilkinson

Burbage Buxton (Steve Critchlow)
Carlton Brass (Matthew Ludford-King)
City of Birmingham (Saphran Ali)
Harborough (Ben Smith)
Leicestershire Co-op (Ben Hewlett-Davies)
Ratby Co-operative Mid (Nicholas Garman)
Rolls Royce (Derby) (Adrian Lacey)
Stamford Brass (Julian Bright)
Stourport on Severn (Oliver Wilson)
Thrapston Town (Nathan Waterman)
Tintwistle (Jim Henson)
Towcester Studio (Ian Knapton)
Wellington (Telford) (David Nicholson)

Third Section:

Adjudicators: Jack Capstaff; Stan Lippeatt

Amington (Chris Barker)
Avonbank (Evesham) (Micah Parsons)
Cleobury Mortimer Concert (Craig Willaims)
Ibstock Brick Brass (Jon Penton)
Ireland Colliery (Chesterfield) (Sarah Fellowes)
Long Eaton Silver (James Dennis)
Market Rasen (Peter Richardson)
Newark Town (Gary Wyatt)
Pleasley Colliery Welfare (Geof Benson)
Shipston Town (Alex Bland)
Shirebrook Miners Welfare (Christopher Banks)
Syston (Alex Bland)
Wem Jubilee (Cathy Rutherford)
Whitwell Brass (Sam Fisher)
Wigston (Colin Jones)

Fourth Section:

Adjudicators: Paul Norley; Stan Lippeatt

Arrow Valley (Alex Bland)
Bilton Silver (Evolution) (Jodie Kelsall)
Brackley & District (Archie Batty)
Bretforton Silver (Paul Wood)
Corby Silver (Daniel Thompson)
Coventry Festival (Allan Wheelhouse)
Croft Silver (Henry Dunger)
Cubbington Silver (Mark Scott)
Dunchurch (Paul Whitmore)
Malvern Hills & District (Chris License)
Matlock (Chris Banks)
Moulton 77 Brass (Kirsty Woodhouse)
Newhall (Kevin Holdgate)
Trentham (Steve Churchill)

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Michael Bennett

BSc, RNCM (Perf)
Performer, Composer, Arranger, Teacher


               

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