Cinderford Band 2025 Trustees Report
CINDERFORD BAND – CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Monday 5[th] January 2026
Dear All,
Firstly, I would like thank all band members/friends/family and volunteers for all the hard work that was put in throughout 2025. Brilliant work once again by all.
The band went to the Torquay WEBBA Regional Championships in March, and as you know we came a fantasJc 4[th] place, just narrowly missing out on a prize placing. A huge improvement in the playing of the band on the contest stage, and increases our standings ensuring that we stay up in the 2[nd] secJon for 2026. We want to go one beOer for sure and to win it and get ourselves into the 1[st] secJon again striving the band onwards with conJnued commitments.
With Steve’s conJnued leadership and improvements as our MD, the band conJnues to radically improve together as a team with rehearsal aOendance being at the forefront of this and commitment. Thank you, Steve, and everyone, the feedback and the results have proved this.
The Academy Band and new starters conJnued to be a big focus for the band in 2025, and as we know they will be the band’s future and beyond. However, numbers had tailed off through the year. Something that we need to address. All feedback and ideas were being implemented from our Academy members in 2025. However, we are sJll lacking volunteers to help out, which needs to be addressed moving forward if we are to succeed.
We had a good concert year with both bands (not as much as in previous years) but including old and new venues like the Coleford FesJval of Brass, and new ideas like the remembrance concert that was held for example in November being a great success. Thank you, Jon, for arranging the concerts/events.
The band entered the Wychavon Brass Band FesJval entertainments contest on 1[st] November in Evesham. Something that we have conJnued to parJcipate in over the years. The band produced some excellent playing and hard work from everyone which resulted in a fantasJc 2[nd] place. A great programme Steve! We also won the best soloist (Derick Kane – Euphonium), plus our fantasJc percussionist winning the prize also. What a successful day, and we to aim for win it in 2026!!
The band conJnued with its awards night with a different format for many years later on in the year, and this proved to be a major success at the Belfry and may the dinner and awards night conJnue annually. Seeing the young players receiving the awards makes it all worthwhile. Thanks to everyone involved.
We are always trying new ideas and moving with the Jmes (please more ideas needed). The year ended with the Christmas concerts/carolling period which were very well aOended and the band working with the community as always. Something we can improve on regarding the carolling for 2026.
An excellent great Christmas concert finished our concert year with both bands playing a brilliant part at a packed hall, the biggest in years! It was great to see our new youngsters also playing. Thank you to everyone for the great efforts/sacrifices that you have made once again.
To ensure our conJnued success, communicaJon is paramount for everyone. Work/Health reasons/Family etc is always hard. Please conJnue to communicate what you can/cannot do with engagements in plenty of Jme to help us find replacements if needed.
DonaJons to the band were excellent in 2025, but we cannot just rely on this. The band requires to be selffunded, and we aim to put new ideas in place to raise much needed funds.
Ian Tomlins - Chairman
Anthony Murrell Treasurer January 11, 2026
Treasurer’s Report 2025 Accounts
The band has had a good year financially with closing bank balance of £21748 versus £18658 last year. This £3090 improvement is largely due to £764 allocated funds from the £5984 Build Back Better Grant the band received from Gloucestershire County Council plus increased concert income £451, increased Subscriptions £320, increased Gift Aid £907, Contest prize £350 and increased Academy Band income of £783 with reduced expenses unfortunately offset by reduced donations. The £2224 reduction in donations was expected as we received a one off £2000 donation for a wedding last year. Essentially everything remains stable and reasonably balanced.
Concert income of £4226 includes £262 carried forward from 2024. Taking this adjustment into account, concert income was £3964. Our challenge for concerts going forward is to get better quality engagements with increased fees.
The band received a Build Back Better Grant of £5984 from Gloucestershire County Council. These funds have been used to restore instruments for the senior band. We still have allocated funds to spend of £764 on music and Polo Shirts for the Academy Band. We also had a Euphonium restored at a cost of £1536
I am pleased to report that the majority of members still make their monthly donations and we are now seeing the full benefit and incremental gift aid flowing through into our 2025 accounts.
Finally, I/we thank everyone for their generous donations (both Private and Corporate); the band is lucky to have such loyal and supportive patrons. I thank band members for their donations and Rob Hume for auditing our accounts.
CINDERFORD BAND TREASURER’S REPORT - 2025 ANNUAL ACCOUNTS
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