History of The Sleaford Concert Band
Compiled by Jim McQuade – October 2007

The Sleaford Concert Band grew from an idea between Paul Vickers, a well known supporter of the Arts in Sleaford, and Mrs Vi Hill, owner of the local music shop.  It is unknown what input Mr Jimmy Young had into the idea but knowing Jimmy he would have been very interested in the proposals being discussed by Paul and Vi.  Vi asked me if I would be interested in conducting a band made up of local amateur musicians with a view of forming a concert band.  This was in 1998 and little did we know then that the embryonic group that met in the Solo Club on Saturday morning the 9th May would blossom into the highly respected band that we have today.

The first rehearsal included a violinist, a pianist, a guitarist who couldn’t read music, a recorder player who played clarinet (Ken is now the leader of the Training Band and the solo clarinettist!!) and a saxophonist who could not sit down and play because she hadn’t had that lesson yet!  We had one piece of music and spent two hours rehearsing it – oh how I hate Aida!

During the next few months the band continued to attract new musicians and had a variety of meeting places in the town.  It wasn’t long before we had attracted the first few ex members from the RAF Band at Cranwell as well as various music teachers and talented performers.  Servicemen and women from the local military camps joined the band and we even had ‘Eric’ an American seaman on trombone.  Music students from the local schools helped make up the numbers and it wasn’t too long before we were talking about staging our first concert.  Vi continued to support the band and encouraged other local business people to become sponsors of the band.  Mr John Larder and Mr Frank Graves were two of our earliest supporters.  John provided much needed finance and Frank is now the President of the band.

The Band Committee was formed in 1999 under the Chairmanship of Jen Kirk and it wasn’t long before a group called the Friends of Sleaford Concert Band, led by a number of our supporters, was formed and helped raise money for the band.  Mr Mike Lock was appointed as Chairman in 2000 and the band continued to flourish under his leadership.  Mike had an enthusiasm for the band that was infectious.  He also developed a policy for the Sleaford Concert Band that whatever equipment we bought should be the best money could buy and it was during this period that over £10,000 was raised to buy new music, music stands and stand banners produced by Toye, Kenning and Spencer, providers of ceremonial equipment to Her Majesty’s Forces.  The Committee also took a courageous decision to be more selective concerning the type of engagements we accepted hoping that good quality concert type engagements would attract better musicians to join the band.  This policy seemed to work.  In 2000 and 2001 the band was invited to perform at The RAF Waddington Air Show and in 2001 the band represented Sleaford at an International Music Festival in Marquette Les Lille in France.  Radio Lincolnshire’s Nigel Hallam joined the band for the weekend recording a programme about our visit for Radio Lincolnshire.  The item was nominated for a Sony Award in 2001.  Around this time the band decided to organise a summer fireworks concert to be held at the Sleaford Rugby Club and with the clubs help we attracted over 500 people to the first concert.  The 2003 concert was a celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee.  Local Youth Groups paraded around the rugby field prior to the concert and a message from Her Majesty was read to the audience by The Mayor of Sleaford and The Chairman of North Kesteven District Council.  The band was joined by the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Band of the Royal Air Force College and the RAF Waddington Pipes and Drums.  There were few dry eyes during the performance of Highland Cathedral.

There were four such concerts and they were only discontinued when, in 2004, some kind person(s) nicked the £12,000 generator we had hired and we only just managed to escape from having to pay the entire amount for this piece of equipment.  These concerts were replaced by appearances at The Heckington Show where the band has, since 2003, provided music for the Grand Fireworks Concert held on the Saturday evening.  Peasholme Park in Scarborough was a nice venue for the band in 2004 when all the musicians and the equipment were ‘shipped’ across the boating lake to the floating bandstand. 

One of the most entertaining concerts given by the band was a 40s theme night held in the Sleaford Indoors Bowls Club when all members of the band and a large proportion of the audience dressed up in 1940’s fashions and presented a concert in an air-raid shelter.  Make believe of course!!  One of the highlights of the band’s short history must be when we were invited to support the RAF Big Band ‘Swing Wing’ at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Keal to help raise money for the Radio Lincolnshire’s Go for Gold Appeal.

In 2000 The Sleaford Training Band was formed to provide an opportunity for both young and old beginners to participate in music making in a training environment.  Ken Garfield was appointed as Director of Music and his undoubted talents as a teacher have been put to good use ever since.  In 2001 The Training Band forged links with the Saxilby Youth Band and performed a concert in Saxilby which was very well received.  Recently the Concert Band has joined up with two other bands in the local area, The Newark and Sherwood Concert Band and The Lincolnshire Concert Band to stage joint concerts for charity.

Both bands could not survive without the help and support we get from our non musician supporters.  Many people having given sterling support over the years but none more so than the ‘Mother of Sleaford Concert Band’, Jayne Field who in 2002 received the Sleaford Targets Civic Award for her dedication to the band and to ‘The Arts’.  In 2001 The Sleaford Concert Band was awarded the Mayor’s Civic Award for services to the local community.  The Mayor was the late Mr Howard Sullivan and he proved to be a great supporter of both myself and the Sleaford Concert Band. He once called the band  ‘Sleaford’s best Ambassadors’.  Howard was invited to conduct the band during his year in office and he will be remembered as always asking the band to perform the theme music from the film Gladiator at concerts.  Howard died in 2006 and he has been sadly missed by us all.  The same year saw the death of another great supporter of the band.  Mr Martin Partridge.  Martin will be remembered for his marathon performance during the Christmas Carolling of 2004. Martin played for the entire 24 hours of the fund raising event.  Over the years the band has raised thousands of pounds towards local charities.  These include St Deny’s Church, Sleaford Toy Library, Sleaford Homestart, Gifts, Lincoln Palliative Care, Flame, Local Arthritis, Lincs Ambucopter, Sleaford Methodist Church and Radio Lincolnshire’s Gold Appeal.  Each Christmas the band holds a concert in St Deny’s Church.  These are the longest running concerts the band undertake having begun during the first year of the bands existence.  At the most recent concert in 2006, I was taken ill and admitted to hospital.  This did not deter the band.  Mr Dave Taylor ex Band Sergeant Major, British Army, took the baton and saw the engagement through.  This shows the undoubted talent many members of the band have.  The band has been presented by many local radio personalities including Rod Whiting, Andrew David, Nigel Hallam and John Marshall.

We have an extensive library of music journals and perform pieces from almost every genre including classical, big band, jazz, TV and film and light concert pieces.  In 2002 the band found a home at The Sleaford Methodist Church and has remained in these premises ever since.  In 2007 Mr Brian Cooper was successful in getting the band a grant from the National Lottery which was primarily used to provide instrumental lessons for potential members of the band.  It also helped to provide an extensive range of percussion instruments.

The Band has always been proud of the support it has received from local people and in recognition of this support has made a number of appointments.

And we thank the following people for their dedication and support to the Sleaford Concert Band as Chairmen of the Board of Trustees:

The Sleaford Concert Band has amazed me over the past 9 years.  I would never have believed we would have had such an accomplished band in such a short period of time.  The band continues to attract new members.  This year alone we have seen 9 new people join the band and 8 new members have joined the training band.

If I have forgotten to mention anyone in particular I do apologise.  Please remember I’m now on the wrong side of fifty and the old memory isn’t what it was.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about the history of the Sleaford Concert Band.  If you wish to make any comments or indeed add to my recollections then please contact us:
info@sleafordconcertband.co.uk