Three events in three days over the weekend, starting with Buxworth Lights on Friday evening.
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On Saturday, the Christmas Trees Festival at Holy Trinity Church. This festival gets bigger every year, which is fantastic, but the downside for the Band is that the more trees there are, the less space there is for us.  

The band are in there somewhere.  And Father Christmas is in his grotto through the Vestry door on the left.

Definitely an occasion for our Christmas Jumpers!
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without The Twelve Days, with the Band in full voice on Five Gold Rings.
Well done Holly playing the solo line of In The Bleak Midwinter, totally alone and unaccompanied at the start, and a beautiful counter melody for verse three.

Many thanks to Alan for helping us out in the cornet section, much appreciated.

Off to Brierley Green on Sunday for the Church Carol Service.  Three members of the congregation are also in the Band which makes this occasion extra special occasion, even if it does put them under pressure performing in front of their home crowd. As well as playing tenor horn, Ray was also doing a reading.  Helped by a few drops of Rescue Remedy, he rose manfully to the challenge.

As usual, the Band is very busy over the festive season, with twelve engagements in the diary.
First up, is Furness Vale Christmas Tree Lights on Friday 24th November. A fine, dry night but cold. A few carols outside for starters, then into the warmth of the Church Hall for some more.

Then home for a brew and put on more clothes ready for the start of Christmas in Whaley Bridge, where the forecast for a crisp but very cold evening was spot on.  Although we well needed our extra layers when playing outside as the tree was lit up.....

....... but way over dressed for the market in the Mechanics afterwards.
​  Time to strip down to Christmas Jumpers.

.Band's day off on Sunday, then on to Chinley on Monday evening.  The road was closed to traffic at Squirrel Green for the lighting of the tree, and just as well as there was huge crowd.  Then round the corner into St Mary's Church for more Christmas celebrations, rounded off by the The Twelve Days of Christmas Chinley Style, lead by Minister Foday with his usual enthusiasm.

Whaley Bridge turned out in force to pay their respects on Remembrance Day, despite the rain.
Even though the rain didn't start until the service began, the Band all arrived fully kitted out in waterproof jackets having seen the forecast. 

As the Band struck up with The Standard of St George, the parade of Brownies, Guides, Scouts, Cubs and other young people climbed the hill up to the the War Memorial and the Service got underway. It is always very moving when the names of the fallen are read out, and the Last Post, played by Laurie this year, signals the start of the Two Minutes Silence. And another respectful moment as Holly laid our Wreath on the steps of the War Memorial. 

There were 17 players in the band this year, the most we've fielded on Remembrance Day for several years.  Thanks, of course, to our own players, and to Clair, Lou and Alice for joining us. And also to Paul for his first engagement with Whaley Bridge Band - which meant there were 4 (FOUR!) trombones on parade.
​How amazing is that!

And by the look on her face, even Sheila can hardly believe it. But yes, it is true!