Grant to keep New Addington steel band on the road
A New Addington based steel band has won a £5,500 grant from a charity.
The Croydon Steel Orchestra, which meets at Fairchildes Primary School, Fairchildes Avenue, once a week was presented with the cheque by representatives from the Jack Petchy Foundation.
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ON THE ROAD: The Croydon Steel Orchestra will use the grant to help buy a new minibus
The cheque was presented at a special ceremony at the school at 4pm on Wednesday.
Now the group, made up of 60 members aged between 10 and 40, will use the money to put towards a new £13,000 minibus.
Every year the band play hundreds of concerts across Croydon and London.
Venues include Fairfield Halls and busking in Trafalgar Square.
Currently they are rehearsing for the National Champion of Steel Panorama Competition.
It will see the band battle it out against around eight others from across the country in Hyde Park on August 23.
It comes ahead of their appearance at the Notting Hill Carnival on August 24 and 25.
Jo Hussey, manager of the band, said: “It's fantastic to get this money from the Jack Petchy Foundation.
“We made a bid for the money and now we can use it to put towards the cost of our new minibus which we will use to ferry the band around to events we play at.”
Last year the band won the National Junior Panorama Competition. It saw 40 of the steel band's members aged between 11-18 beat off competition from four other bands across the country to win the trophy.
6 Comments
by Paul, New Addington
Friday, July 25 2008, 1:08PM
“Well done to everyone involved with Croydon Steel Orchestra.
As Matt said, whats done is done, lets all move on, and see what is being acheived by having this band in New Addington.
The children (youths for those that dont like being called children) have something positive to do, they are not running riot, or causing trouble, they are doing something that they are obviously proud to be doing.
Congratulations to all who run the band and all that perform with the band..”
by Matt, new addington
Friday, July 25 2008, 12:56PM
“Never mind about negative comments. Whats past is past. Look to the future!!! Well done to the band and everyone concerned. Such a pleasant change to see what the youth of today CAN achieve if they are given the chance. Well done all and good luck in the coming competitions.”
by Tony, a dad from woodside, Woodside
Friday, July 25 2008, 12:46PM
“Dear Mrs Lockwood. I was one of the people that witnessed the "so called" attack on your husband, and from what I saw, the reason your husband was shouted at, is because he was verbally aggresive to another parent, and was threatening to 'go in' the hut and shut them up. He was stopped from doing just that, by the other parent, due to the fact there were a number of children in the hut, and the parent feared for the safety of the children. Therefore, I think the parent concerned should be applauded, as he had the childrens safety and welfare as his main concern.
I also would like it to be pointed out, that Mr Lockwood, illegally gained entry to the school grounds, as the gates are electronally controlled, and he forced one of the pathway gates, snapping the welded bracket that was holding it to the wall..
The band DOES NOT practise on weekends in general apart from normally one weekend where they hold a large BBQ for all the band members, family, friends and people living nearby.”
by Anon, New Addington
Friday, July 25 2008, 10:51AM
“I think that this is fantastic news, my son currently play's in the school band and after all there hard work and dedication they put into there music i think they deserve to get the grant.”
by A guest player, Croydon
Friday, July 25 2008, 10:27AM
“Funny though, you didn't complain when your daughter and sons played in the band. And please don't try to deny this because I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH YOUR DAUGHTER and played in the same group.
And I would also like to set the record straight about your husband being "verbally abused" last year.
He came over, shouting and screaming his face off and ACTUALLY TRIED TO ATTACK ONE OF THE MEMBERS AND HAD TO BE HELD BACK!!!!! Please, if you are going to make yourself known in this manner, at least have the decency to post factual comments!!!”
by lisa lockwood, new addington
Wednesday, July 23 2008, 6:44PM
“where have u got once a week from? i live a cross the road from where they pratice and it is every afternoon and night up till 11pm and on sat and sunday day of rest. it gets so loud we have to shut our front door and shut our windows. last year it was so loud we had to go over to ask if they could shut the windows and one man told us to f--k off and went for my husband”