North West brass champions Middleton Band strike victory at Whit Friday contests

Tuesday, 24 June 2025 08:28

By David Murphy

Kicking Whit Friday off at The Bush, Droylsden

Middleton Band's winning year continues as they make history with multiple contest wins, setting their sights on national finals.

Middleton Band, this year’s North West 2nd Section Champions, has added to its remarkable run of achievements by making history at the renowned Whit Friday Band Contests and Hebden Bridge March Contest.

The band, based in Middleton, took part in the Whit Friday contests on 13 June, performing at multiple venues across Tameside, a key fixture in the UK brass band calendar. In a field of fierce competition, Middleton Band stood out by winning prizes at four of the eleven contests they entered. Most notably, they clinched the title of Tameside Overall 2nd Section Winners, a first in the band’s history.

The success didn’t end there. Days later, the band travelled to West Yorkshire where they performed at the Hebden Bridge March Contest. There, they were awarded Best 2nd Section Band, reinforcing their status as top contenders in their class.

Stephanie Coward, band manager, shared her pride: “What a year we have had so far, winning the 2nd Section North West Regionals, Tameside Whit Friday contest Overall 2nd Section winners for 2025 and Best 2nd section band at Hebden Bridge March Contest. These results are a testament to the hard work and dedication from our players and musical director.”

Middleton Band is looking ahead to the National Finals in Cheltenham this September, and preparations are already underway. To support their trip to the nationals, the band has launched a fundraising campaign.

Donations to help Middleton Band represent the North West on the national stage can be made via their GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/43a39eb0 More updates and information about upcoming events are available on their Facebook page.