The integral importance of Grimethorpe Colliery Band in helping their local community survive and hopefully prosper during increasingly austere economic times, will be spotlighted in a BBC Radio 4 programme to be broadcast this Christmas.

Celebrates

Entitled, ‘Music to Save Grimethorpe’, the Yorkshire poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan, who was born and brought up near the village, looks closely at the band’s unbreakable bond with the community it has represented with pride for nearly 100 years.

McMillan certainly celebrates the power and precision of Grimethorpe’s music making, but also explores the commitment of the band in helping to provide community based music making to a new generation of potential brass band players.

Cuts

He talks to conductor Dr Robert Childs and members of the band, sits in on rehearsals, and finds out how they are fighting to help their community survive at a time of potential catastrophic financial cut backs.

He also talks to members of the local community as the band push on with their work of funding music education in the local school so that children can learn to play music for free.

this is a programme about our link to our community and how the band has become increasingly proactive in helping protect and enhance musical opportunities, especially for young childrenDr Bob Childs

Link to the community

MD Dr Bob Childs told 4BR: “Ian and the team came up to Grimethorpe before the Nationals and again just before Brass in Concert.

They were very clear that this is a programme about our link to our community and how the band has become increasingly proactive in helping protect and enhance musical opportunities, especially for young children. It is that link which now gives the band huge motivation to what we do.”

Broadcast

The programme will be broadcast on Radio 4 on Boxing Day at 11.00am and New Year’s Eve at 9.00pm.