Hall Royd Band

'The Bandroom' Radio Programme

We had a great evening last Friday night. It was great fun to be recorded and interviewed. The band performed brilliantly considering the pressure of only having one chance to play each piece. I am in awe with our soloists, Claire, Heather, Mary, Pete and Andrew. Thank you for an ace performance. And also thank you to Claire, Andrew, Pete, Graham, Ronnie, Vivienne, June, Mary, Heather and of course Elsa for delivering some great interviews. Click on the link below to the show on Chapel FM.

Link to the show

Again a big thanks to Andrew Fake for interviewing and announcing and Phil Driscoll for all the recording and technical stuff. :)

Concert at Saltaire Methodist Church.

It was a great pleasure again to playing again at the wonderful Saltaire Methodist church, in aid of the ZEM project (Zimbabwe Education Mtapa)

We raised £300 for the charity.

A great performance from Claire with Sugar blues, and also brilliant playing from Heather and Mary P in the Shepherds song. A big thankyou to David for playing Memory.

Clifford addressed the audience with a poem of remembrance in with segued into a minutes silence and then into a powerful and emotional rendition of Hymn to the fallen.

I think though the performance of the night was Dame Shirley....no wait dame burley chassis (aka Pete) for his bravery of dressing up and playing hey big spender.

Remembrance service, Brookfield Memorial gardens, Calverley.

A big thank you to the magnificent eight who performed for this event.

A massive thank you to David Harney for playing the last post and reveille twice.

New band Pictures:

Can I have this opportunity to thank Helen Bowness and Charlie for taking all the new pictures of the band at the rehearsal for the Saltaire concert. See Below a selection.

St Blaise Day:

A big thank to all who played at the industrial museum in Bradford. It was a most interesting day with all the wool exhibitions and historic fair. It was also a big honour to share the stage with the Bradford voices choir.

This looks to be now an annual event, another excuse to get knitting. :)

Hall Royd Band at Christmas.

Every year the band have a busy schedule over December below are examples of our endeavours to bring peace and happiness to all at Christmas time.

It all started in November playing at the Wheatfields Hospice in Headingley, Leeds. Supporting their charity event for Marie Curie.

The it was what I call Super sunday, where we first play at the Reindeer run charity event for epilepsy action. This occasion was wet underfoot with glimpses of blue sky. We do play Rudolph the red nosed reindeer a lot at this event. We also had santa paying with us and a brave sole wearing shorts!

Then we played at Calverley Methodist church and their Christmas service in the park. Playing by the swings and slides is very tempting each year.

To finish the day was the concert come service at Cottingley town hall. And has usual was a wonderful evening. With the Long carols, Great congregation and the wonderful Yorkshire tones of the lay preacher Peter.

We then helped turn on the Christmas lights at both the St Lukes Hospital, Bradford and the Bradford Royal Infirmary. Many thank to those who gave their time for this event.

A small group then performed at the beautiful 'Light up a life' service in the Light shopping centre on the Headrow in Leeds. This event is to remember those who are no longer with us at Christmas time.

It was then onto Bingley Parish Church, to support the Lady lane school for their Nativity. And as usual the school performed brilliant as did the band. (Though it is a test of patience, due to the long breaks between carols).

Two nursing homes were visited, Wellington nursing home, Shipley and Mill View in Bradford. This was a chance for some of our learners to shine and they did us proud.

The second sunday of Advent means we perform at Bolton Villas. It is always a pleasure to play at a very warm atmosphere. Many thanks for the turnout for the band was overflowing the stage.

By this stage people do start to lag energy. But somehow we carry on.

A small but competent group whizzed down from Bolton villas to play for the homeless centre in Bradford, I hope our carols shined a little light for all who use and run this facility.

Baildon carols was next in which we played in front of over hundred people again spreading the Christmas message across Baildon.

The carol train on the Keighley and worth valley railway this year was depleted by the icy weather afternoon. But the band, choir and brave punters carried on the event with gusto. And as usual a great time was had.

The cosy Candlelight Service at Northcliffe church had a lovely atmosphere for the 3rd Advent sunday of the Month.

We then delighted saltaire with our Playing carols and looking at the Living advent calendar in the windows of the different houses. I advise to go and see them all over the Christmas period. Again we had a wonderful following and big band. Really proud of all the learners who came to this one.

The feeling of we are nearly at the end of our busy month came across as we did the small royd band concert at the fox pub in Shipley. More money was raised for manorlands at this event, thank you to all that played.

Our final event was on Christmas eve at the Mill Hey pub in Haworth. We had an appreciated audience and played various carols we would not normally play.

A massive thank you to all who helped in any of this years events.

Can I wish all the Members of Hall Royd Band old and New, Friends and followers, a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.