Milnthorpe Steel Band Chairman’s Report 2022/ 2023
Welcome to the AGM. It’s nice to see so many familiar faces here and to welcome our newest members. We are growing at a rate of knots and our band now has the largest number of members that we’ve had for many years.
It is also nice to report that the majority of our pans are now being played in all sections, which I think is probably a first.
This year has been a busy one with many gigs ranging from birthdays through garden parties and car shows to very important weddings!
It was a great pleasure to play at Charlotte and Mark’s wedding and what a great day and evening it was. The change in weather proved just what an adaptable team we are, having to move from a lovely pitch outside by a fountain to a very cosy room inside, after moving all the furniture which was set up for the wedding breakfast, and which only just accommodated our pans, players and one very large white dress! Thankfully there were a few hotel staff, and guests, who downed tools to help us. I don’t think it was specified on their contracts of employment.
A small band played at the memorial concert dedicated to Andy Whitfield, our Harry, at the Williamson’s Monument in Lancaster. It was a fantastic location and a wonderfully musical occasion where many of the audience, including Harry’s wife, came outside to dance to the tunes which had originally been arranged by Harry himself. It certainly lifted the mood of the occasion and we had many expressions of thanks and appreciation.
This was one of the few occasions where we had to restrict our band numbers. Unfortunately this is sometimes the case due to there being limited space available at the venue and we hope you all appreciate it does cause a problem choosing which players will represent the Band. We would take every available player if at all we could. Obviously with a smaller Band we need to ensure we produce the best sound possible so difficult choices have to be made on who to include in each section and some players are inevitably disappointed.
We had some very sad news this year with the death of Jacqui Evans one of our most joyful and colourful members. She had such a sense of fun and could be relied on to keep us all smiling and we will miss her.
We have had to deal with all the weather conditions England could throw at us this year – wet rain, hot sunshine, gusty winds and last but not least - snow.
Once again in Hawkshead, Milnthorpe Steel Band delivered on their booking, and some. Unfazed by a foot and a half of snow, having snowball fights galore, buoyed on by hot toddies, soup, gingerbread and other delicacies we pulled together as a team when we got well and truly stranded overnight. The community were amazing. The vicar and his wife went above and beyond to make our unscheduled stop over as warm and comfortable as possible and put up 18 of us, one lovely family with two girls and yet more people and a dog. Band members helped make sandwiches for other people who were stranded in the church, and all in all we had an interesting time.
The Vicarage floor was a bit hard, and Charlotte’s well chosen heater went off in the night but even with the hourly and half hourly chiming of the clock in the Hall we all slept better than a lot of other people and were very grateful to be fed and watered so generously.
I am certain the Vicar was pleased to have gained a fantastic piano player(Rosie) for the hymns and an experienced lesson reader (Graeme) at his morning service which would otherwise have been a bit quiet in the congregation department. Some lovely memories made and tales to tell.
Great driving once again from Charlotte who eventually got us home safely. Thank you Charlotte for all you do for us organising and driving the vans which are growing in size to accommodate all the equipment we need. Your day is always much longer than ours and we very much appreciate it. I don’t know if we can top last year for experiences but in 2024 bookings are starting to come in and there is the possibility of a carnival restarting! The only problem is we will have too many drums to fit on one lorry. Wonder if they’ll let us have two…
Well that just about wraps up one more fabulous year with a great bunch of people. I am looking forward to another year of fun and new experiences and new tunes courtesy of our wonderfully patient musical director Steven who always goes the full mile or rather many more miles than that for us. Thank you Steven for everything you do. We are a better band for having you with us and our progress is regularly commented upon by our audiences.
Also big thanks to the rest of the Committee who work hard behind the scenes to keep the band running smoothly even when there may be difficult decisions to be made.
I must say a big “ Thank You” to Christine Garside who is stepping down as Vice Chair and Trustee. She has been a great asset on the Committee and has, asSocial Secretary, arranged some very enjoyable meals out. We also wish her well in her new job at Hannafins.
As always thanks to Mike Leyland for putting us up in the warehouse and, hopefully, providing some lorries and drivers this year.
Thank you all for your continuing help and friendship. You make our band one of the best places to be and provide a brilliant support network for each other throughout the year, and not just whilst we are practicing or performing, and I for one am proud to tell people I belong to Milnthorpe Steel Band.
Lindy Brough February 2024
Milntho Steel Band ditsre for Year 5" Februa 2023 to 4 Febru* EXPENDITURE Facebook Advert Ineome a dEx INCOME 2024 Holk¢r Spring Fair Totsl of payments for band clothing Payment for Lynne Cook's uniform IPenrith Lions Club gig payment Milnthorpe Coronation gig payment IHolgates I,'amily day payment | 70° Birthday Party .'P¢nrith Agricultural Sh(w payment Teddy Bears Picnic payment c.ollection Teddy Rcarfs Picnic including £1.90 from petty ¢ash Kendal Rum Fesiival The Cars'fhe Star payment Wmdemiere Hotel gig FY4ymcnt i Ovcr Sands Car Show payme ', Kendal Torchlight Yment £350.00 £1 o.(K) £497.80 l Band clothin8 oNlers Website H05ting (Equiphasej Pan Insurance & Public liability Van Hire for Penrith and Holker £350.00 Fuel for Penrith and Holker ,£511.45 £20.00 £66.00 ', £885.73 £350.00 £350.00 1£31.58 £21.20 £3(Xl.00 Extra mileage charge for U3A gig Van Ffire for MilnthorFe Corimaiion ,, £70.(M) Fuel for above £8.59 £350.00 £i(xi.00 £1 00.00 Wcbsite maintenance (Equiphase) Van Hire for Holgates &70th £350.00 ,' Fuel for above ', £5(K).00 . ,Van Hire for Penrith ond Flolker £350.00 ,Fuel for alx)ve £350.(K) ivan Hire for TB pi¢ni¢ & Rum ,restivaI £140.00 £18.02 £168.00 £36.68 Balance from Hawkshead collection £10. Fuel for aix)ve £19.05 Von Hire for Grange Cor Show , ruel for aknve £88.1 £15.79 ', Waterpr(K>fpan covers . Van Hire for Winderniere £60.(KI £88.00 Fuel tor aix)ve .j£14.08 Van Hire for Torchlight Fuel for Torchlight ivan Hire for Charlolte's wedding Fuel fur aErt)ve Stordge boxes Van S.liTr for Memorial Serrfi¢e £18.70 £84.00 £9.00 £80. uel for above raccbook advert Van Flire for Hawkshead £23..18 £10.00 £88.00 1 £29.08 ruel for Hawkshead Open Microsoft 365 IOfficg1 £4.677.80 ,'TOTAL F.XPENDI i UK 'ID'I'AI. INCOMF.
Plus IAcome of W77AI - £11124 Min4$ Exnditre of £2,969.08 - £8.03&16 CF.INB 4° FEBRUARY 2024 IS 36.16 ntbor Steel Band ash for the ear P Februa 202.110 4" Febrna Balance frnm 4 Febrna 20 ig £96.41 2024 IINCOME EXPENDITURE '.FlowerslChocolates for Band Member i Flowers and c8rd for Band Member ,' Sale of CD at Holgates Make up Teddy B¢aVs Picnic Collection to £IIM) ,Order of Thumb Screw Bolts , Second Order of Thumb Screw Bolts ',lknnation at Amblesid¢ Sale of CD'S *'lorchlight tknnation at Harry's Rememberance Service Xm&8 Present of Ivhisky for Mike Lcyland .' WahOuse Staff Xm&% CIK)colatcs Collection at Ilawkshead (£10 in bank) £8.50 £8.74 £1.90 1£10.74 £9.59 £30.00 £10.00 i£29.IKI 1£6.00 Totsl £iIO.(M) I £T4.47 B•l¥Dre of Petty CAsh on 4 Feb 2023 was £WK41 Income of £110. £21KA41 Minu Expt4diture of £74.47 £131.94 Bal ofPe Cash on 4° Feb 2024 is £131.94 TOTAL AMOUNT F BAND ASSETS ON 4TH FEBRUARY 2024. .16 +£131.94 = £8 168.10 PL Material Assets 8IOD nd Ini¢11&e0s items Open Microsoft 365 {Officel