9^th December 2016 - SENIOR BAND REHEARSAL NIGHT

With effect from 2017, the Tuesday night rehearsal for the Senior Band will move to Monday.  The time will remain the same.

30^th July 2016 - STBB RECEIVES QAVS

On the 30^th July, STBB had its annual awards night, during which Malcolm & Karen Lewis were presented with the Queens Award for Voluntary Service on behalf of the band by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Major General Martin White CB CBE JP.

2nd June 2016 - STBB Awarded QAVS

Shanklin Town Brass Band is proud to announce that it has been awarded The Queens Award for Voluntary Service

The Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service 2016
Press Release

Shanklin Town Brass Band, in Shanklin, Isle of Wight recognised with
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2016

A voluntary group from Shanklin who works in the community to promote Brass Band Music amongst young musicians, has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. 

In addition to providing low cost music tuition to budding musicians at its Saturday morning Brass Academy, the Band which itself became a charity in 2011, also supports many other Island charities, and organisations in their fund raising efforts. The Band’s current home is the Grade II listed Rylstone Chalet which is currently being restored to its former glory by a team of dedicated volunteers. The Band is proud to promote both Shanklin, and the Island whenever it competes in Brass Band Contests on the Mainland

Malcolm, Karen and Charlotte Lewis from Shanklin Town Brass Band attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday 24^th May 2016 where they met the Queen and other winners of this year’s award.

Shanklin Town Brass Band is one of 193 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of awards given to groups this year is slightly higher than last year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to tackle community challenges.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work in their communities. The awards were created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and winners are announced each year on 2 June – the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.  

Award winners this year range from a War Memorial Community Trust, providing social facilities for the benefit of the community in Clwyd, Wales, to a club enhancing the community by developing individuals through athletics, in Ayrshire and Arran, Scotland.

Shanklin Town Brass Band will receive the award from the Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight later this summer.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Committee Chair, former broadcast journalist Sir Martyn Lewis said:

“I warmly congratulate all of the inspirational voluntary groups who have been rewarded for their community work with a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The judging panel for this year’s awards were struck by the quality and breadth of all the successful groups.

The thousands of volunteers who give up spare time to help others in their community and to help solve problems demonstrate the very best of democracy in action.”

Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson, said:

“I would like to congratulate all groups who received this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, in recognition of their fantastic achievements. The huge amount of work and commitment these organisations put into their local communities is surpassed only by the passion and motivation of the individuals who volunteer. I hope these groups continue to inspire others to get involved and make a positive impact so that we can continue to build a more compassionate society.”

Chairman of the Band, Karen Lewis said:

"The award recognises the work, dedication and achievements of the Band since it was formed 22 years ago. The time and effort given by voluntary organisations across the Island greatly enhance the community we live in, and the more people that get involved, the better for us all."

10th May 2016 - Chalet restoration: An Update

We are pleased to announce that Malcolm and his small band of volunteers have been joined by the Shanklin 'Men in Sheds' who are keen to assist us with such a worthwhile project.

They have started to help us by installing a kitchen upstairs, as well as doing some other jobs to help with the restoration, such as painting, carpentry work and that.

With regards the Seaward facing side of the building, we have had to repair the damage that was done by the scaffolding company when they removed the scaffolding.  On the plus side, however, we have now finished installing the scroll work in the bays, the panels over the cross beams between the top and bottom posts and we've started painting the main posts that require a top coat of paint.

Our main attention has now turned to the front of the building where we have started to remove some of the rotten timbers from the Bandstand corner and we have been examining the area to see what work is required to restore that side of the building.

6th May 2016 - STBB Wins An Award

Shanklin Town Brass Band has won an award at the Community Action Awards on the Isle of Wight.

28th April 2016 - Chalet restoration: Floorboards on Seaward Side Complete

Following the removal of the scaffolding on the seaward side of the chalet, Malcolm Lewis and his small band of helpers have now completed the balcony floor on that side of the building and put the skirting boards around the bottom of the posts.

With a few minor things left to complete that side, it won't be long before our attention is turned to the front of the building.

Compare the difference!!

20th December 2015 - Exam Results Are In

This November we entered eight of our youngsters for their Associated Board Music Practical Exams

And they all passed!

Three of them even passed with merit!

Here they are pictured with their certificates

23rd November 2015 - Chalet restoration: Removal of Scaffolding on Seaward Side

The scaffolding on the seaward side of the chalet is down, at last!

After all the hard work put in by Malcolm Lewis and his small band of helpers, the scaffolding on the seaward side has been removed, which has paved the way for the commencement of the installation of the balustrade and the completion of the balcony floor on that side.

Compare that to how it was and you'll see what progress has been made!

Once the 2015/16 winter season is behind us, we will complete that side and move on to the others!!

18th October 2014 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHANKLIN TOWN BRASS BAND!!

On the 19^th October Shanklin Town Brass Band came of age and was 21 years old.

To mark this special occasion, Shanklin Town Brass Band played to a sell out crowd at Shanklin Theatre who were entertained by the Youth Band, Senior Band and a special Massed Band, which was made up of the Senior Band and some friends from other brass bands from around the country.

The Youth Band opened the concert and played some of their favourite pieces, including Barnard Castle, Summertime and Bandstand Boogie. 

The Senior Band was next, who continued to entertain the audience by playing some of the popular pieces from their summer concerts, including The Great Escape, (which can be viewed below and as you will see it ended with Malcolm coming up through the trapdoor on the stage!) Reflections and Wandering Star.

28th September 2014 - youth band success AT SCABA CONTEST

Our Youth Band took part in the SCABA Autumn Contest, held at The Hawth in Crawley, Sussex - and like the Spring Contest

23rd May 2014 - Chalet restoration: Installation of Last 2 Top Posts on Seaward Side

At last, the last of the new posts have been installed on the seaward side of the chalet.  This means that we now have six new posts top and bottom, new beams and where needed new floorboards and supporting beams.

All that remains to do on that side now is the skirting boards around the bottom of the posts and the balustrade - and the timber to do all of that is in store at the chalet.  Work will commence on making the bottom rails, hand rails and individual panels next week for the balustrade, unless we can salvage any of the existing timber that is.

27th April 2014 - YOUTH BAND SUCCESS AT SCABA CONTEST

Youth Band Very Happy With Win at Crawley

Some of the youth band photographed in Rylstone Gardens with four of the trophies they won

In a very hard fought SCABA Spring competition, which took place at The Hawth Theatre in Crawley, the Youth Band came away pleased with their performance as they scooped no less than FIVE trophies.  Despite playing a technically challenging test piece, they beat off the competition with a quite an inexperienced band; some of the players were playing in only their first or second contest.

They achieved:

Photo © 2014 & courtesy of Isle of Wight Radio

20th April 2014 - Chalet restoration: A Much Needed Donation Received

A much needed donation has been received from Shanklin Rotary to help us with the restoration of Rylstone Chalet, thus enabling us to purchase more timber, including further floorboards and lots of timber for the balustrade (top & bottom rails plus the individual panels).

In their letter, Shanklin Rotary said:

"The key elements of what you do in the community really registered with the members of the Rotary Club of Shanklin. Clearly the band itself is an outstanding asset to the area and it is heartening to see your success in growing membership. Particularly those of teenage years and younger.

Rylstone Chalet is an impressive building and it is not only good to see it being renovated but also to see the work being done by committed volunteers from our community."

8th April 2014 - Chalet restoration: Installation of Top Posts on Seaward Side

Four out of the six new top posts required on the seaward side of the chalet have now been made; with decorative fittings recycled from previous posts where possible.

With the weather being dry, we took advantage of this to install these new top posts, which you can see in the photo. Manufacture of the remaining two has commenced; they need to be treated, primed and undercoated before installing can take place.

18^th February 2014 - ANDY HARRINGTON

It is with great sadness that Shanklin Town Brass Band announces the passing of our very good friend, Andy Harrington, Solo Trombone player and acting Chairman with Tilbury Brass Band. seen pictured below.

Having an active involvement in many bands in his local area, as well as our own, Andy was widely regarded as one of the truest, loyal and compassionate bandsmen around and he will be truly missed by all that knew him. Andy defined what true bandsmanship was about but to many he was also the most true and loyal of all friends.

Our thoughts are with Andrew's family at this difficult time and we extend our condolences to them.

Malcolm and Karen Lewis said, "He was a great person who really enjoyed playing with and conducting us last year. This is very sad and we will miss him dearly."

7th December 2013 - SURC PACKED OUT FOR Christmas CONCERT

Shanklin's United Reformed Church was filled to bursting point for the band's annual Christmas Concert, with many people having to sit upstairs in the balcony area.

The audience enjoyed a varied programme with songs ranging from traditional carols, such as 'O Come All Ye Faithful' and 'Hark The Herald Angel Sing', to the Andrea Bocelli song 'Time to Say Goodbye'.

Solo performances included the theme from the film 'Moon River', performed from memory by our principal cornet player Kevin Noble, and the hit song 'A Winter's Tale', beautifully played by our Flugel Player Peter Monk.  Our award winning Horn Section performed 'Angels From The Realms of Glory', our trombone section headed up the song 'Santa's Little Helpers' and there was of course a bass solo, which this year was the perennial Christmas favourite 'Frosty the Snowman', ably performed by Ryan Jones.

Shanklin Town Youth Brass Band opened up the second half, playing three numbers; 'Mary's Boy Child', 'Silent Night' (which included a solo by 8 year old Sophie Warner on the Eb Soprano Cornet) and an up beat arrangement of the carol 'Hark The Herald Angels Sing'.

Audience members were enthusiastic in their praise of the concert and are looking forward to seeing the bands again!

4th December 2013 - Chalet restoration: Installation of Entrance Side Guttering

The facia board on the main entrance side of the chalet has been fully repaired; with new boards where needed installed and painted.

Consequently, this gave us the opportunity to install the guttering, meaning that the chalet now has completely brand new guttering.

22nd November 2013 - Chalet restoration: Installation of Seaward Side Guttering

The much needed repairs to the seaward side facia boarding have at last been completed and they've been painted.

Today, with the weather on our side (for once!!), we took the opportunity to install the new guttering - and very nice it looks too.  This will now prevent the rainwater from going on to the woodwork on that side of the building.

The facia on the main entrance side of the building will be receiving attention next.  New boards have been manufactured by ourselves and they have been, treated with preservative and primed. They just need to be undercoated and then they'll be ready for installing - followed by the new guttering.

19th November 2013 - James' garden wins an award

The memorial garden at St Mary's Hospital to our much missed young cornet player, James Sparks, tonight won an award at the Island's NHS 2013 Awards Ceremony

It won the Supporting Excellence in Healthcare (Behind The Scenes) award as sponsored by Allocate Software and recognised the amount of hard work put in by the staff of the Children's Ward, together with some willing volunteers, to make the garden such an enjoyable and relaxing place for the children (and staff!) on the ward

6th November 2013 - Chalet restoration: All The New Posts Are In

The last of the new posts has been installed on the seaward side of the chalet, meaning that we have now made and installed six new posts ourselves, as well as various other items of woodwork.  The metal brackets connecting the new beams to the ones supporting the balcony have been been refurbished and put back with new bolts.

The new guttering has at last arrived and once the much needed repairs to the facia boarding have been completed and they've been painted, the guttering will then be installed.

18th October 2013 - Chalet restoration: Four New Posts Are In

We now have four new balcony support posts in on the seaward side of the chalet, with three of them connected by new beams, which we manufactured ourselves, across the top, which in turn have now been connected to some of the main beams supporting the balcony on that side of the building.

Progress by the small band of dedicated volunteer workers, although slow, is looking good.

New guttering for the building is on order and once installed will certainly alleviate some of the problems the building has been having.

27th September 2013 - Chalet restoration: The First New Post Is In!

We have successfully installed a new balcony main support post!

At last following weeks of hectic activity by a few dedicated volunteers, supervised by our MD Malcolm Lewis, the first of the replacement balcony main support posts has been successfully installed.  We have manufactured a total of six new posts ourselves and with those complete we can now turn our attention to installing the rest of the new posts, as well as other areas of the seaward side balcony woodwork.

Watch out for further updates!!

23rd August 2013 - Opening of James' Garden

We lost a much loved young cornet player, James Sparks, four years ago at the age of 17 after a life long battle with Cystic Fibrosis. He was a regular visitor to the children’s ward at St Mary’s Hospital, Newport, for sometimes long periods of treatment.

After his passing, his parents Christopher and Yvonne made a gift to the Children's Ward at St Mary's, which has been used to help establish a garden in his memory and after a lot of hard work and planning this was opened on 23^rd August by the actor Melvyn Hayes who now lives on the Island (he starred in one of James' favourite programmes, the BBC comedy 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum').

One of James great interests was railways and trains.  His enthusiasm inspired the theme for the garden.  As you enter the garden you start a train ride through the countryside to the sea.  The garden shed has been painted and has become the ticket office, which bears his name, with a platform outside.  Street artist Tony Trowbridge has spray painted a train on one of the walls, together with a unique Isle of Wight poster. Garden plants in seaside colours take you to the beach and into the sea.  There is even a seagull which ‘flies’ over the ticket office.  The garden furniture and umbrellas complete the colourful picture. The waste ground is now a delightful area for everyone to enjoy outside the confines of the Ward.

Pauline Martin, Ward Clerk on Children’s Ward said, “The time and commitment given by staff has been magnificent.  Their determination to see the project through, together with the donation from James' parents has enabled us to create a vibrant living memorial to James."

Before cutting the tape Melvyn gave an excellent speech about the project and Melvyn Hayes called “A wonderful memorial to James.”

The Hospital Executive came and shared in the lovely occasion and the Shanklin Town Brass Band, of which James was a keen member, played some of his favourite tunes, including the Great Escape, a tune he used to whistle whenever he left hospital.

The garden has transformed a rather dull yard space off the children’s ward and is now a beautiful quiet space for relaxing (when the helicopter is not landing just over the wall!).

10th July 2013 - Work Starts on the Chalet

Work has, at last started on the renovation of the outside of Rylstone Chalet. The pictures below show the amount of work ahead of us.

Following the receipt of a grant from the Foyle Foundation, we have bought some timber and are now able to start the restoration of the seaward end of the chalet.

All the posts supporting the balcony at this end will need to be replaced and Malcolm (pictured below) is shown here making the first one.

8th June 2013 - YOUTH BAND RAISES FUND FOR BAND

The Youth Band held a 'Sponsored Blow' at Rylstone Chalet, playing for FOUR HOURS from ten in the morning until two in  the afternoon, to raise some funds for the band, whilst an open day was held for the chalet.

The award winning youngsters (and some adult helpers who were also keen to take part), pictured above at the end of their performance, played a wide variety of numbers ranging from marches to traditional brass band pieces to film and television themes. 

Members of the public could, in return for a donation:

• Choose a particular piece for the band to play.

• Conduct the band themselves.

• Or just sit and listen, which very many people did.

Some members of the band took turns it in playing other instruments - while some even had a go at conducting, finding out that it's not as easy as it looks!!

28th April 2013 - SUCCESS AT SCABA CONTEST

Crawley Results Are In

In a very hard fought SCABA Spring competition, which took place at The Hawth Theatre, Crawley, both the Youth Band and the Senior Band came away pleased with their performances.

The Youth Band was pleased to have won their section, with a quite inexperienced band; some of the players were playing in only their first or second contest.

They achieved:

The Senior Band, playing Olympus, came 2^nd out of 6 bands with a solid performance, beating some bands that are nationally in higher sections than we are.

30th September 2012 - youth band success AT SCABA CONTEST

Our Youth Band took part in the SCABA Autumn Contest, held at The Hawth in Crawley, Sussex - and like the Spring Contest

29th April 2012 - youth band STORM TO VICTORY AT SCABA SPRING CONTEST

Our Youth Band once again took part in the SCABA Spring Contest, this time held at The Hawth in Crawley, Sussex

- and THEY WON!!!

12^th November 2010 - ANDREW PAYNE

Andrew, a former helper with the band, sadly passed away at St Mary's Hospital, Newport at the age of 84 after losing his battle with ill health.  He was a very popular non playing member who helped the band tremendously.  Shanklin Town Brass Band would like to offer its deepest condolences to Andrew's family.

At Andrew's funeral Malcolm Lewis, the band's MD, gave a short tribute to him.

"One nice sunny afternoon at a band concert, Andrew answered our plea for help on band nights (e.g. making the tea!)

Andrew was a very private man, we did not know his age until the first time he went into hospital.  Making the tea soon extended to other things, Andrew and  myself built the reception area at the bandroom.  He also built the acoustic ceiling screens in the bandroom to improve the sound, which he did on his own.  His willingness to help ended up with him on the Band Committee where his views and ideas were well respected.  In fact, he won the Chairman's award in 2003 for all his hard work.

Andrew was our caretaker to the building; he would hoover, paint and change any lights that needed changing.  He was always there to let any visitors in and show them around.  He would also travel with the band to contests in Brighton, Folkestone and Torquay.  He also travelled to London for the three consecutive concerts we did at Westminster Abbey.

Andrew was always the first one at band on band nights and if you crept in you would hear him playing on the xylophone or glockenspiel and even the drum kit.  So much so, if we were short of a percussionist Andrew would always be willing to help on the bass drum or cymbals.  If he knew the words, he would join in and at times he would even whistle, especially to the Great Escape!

The band will always be grateful for Andrew's hard work in our early years.  It was his hard work and encouragement that helped the band to prosper."

28^th June 2009 - James Sparks

See separate page for more details

James Sparks pictured above receiving the Best Youth Instrumentalist trophy
 from John Williams, Chairman of the Southern Counties Amateur Band Association.
James played the Repiano Cornet