Brass band in Godalming since 1937
Update on Thursday 17 June 2021
Our main band rehearsals have started back successfully at two larger, temporary, venues and the band is looking forward to playing at the summer’s bandstand concerts. Rehearsals are operating under strict COVID-secure rules, per Brass Bands England and DCMS guidance, with social distancing, spacing, temperature checks, masks, bell covers etc to ensure we keep our players safe.
It looks as if bandstand concerts and other events will go ahead this summer despite restrictions not being lifted entirely, so we’re working with event organisers to ensure that these operate under the same COVID-secure rules and guidance in place for our rehearsals.
Update on Friday 2 April 2021
With Government and Brass Bands England guidance likely to begin permitting youth bands to rehearse as an extra-curricular activity from 12 April, the Godalming Youth Band is preparing to restart rehearsals from this date according to the latest advice. The advice and necessary precautions are being reviewed by the band committee, and our musical director is in touch with parents as we work together to have the band back together safely.
Godalming Band is beginning online rehearsals from April in preparation for a later restart of in-person rehearsals, which is currently expected to be in May. The first performances are being organised by Go Godalming in June, subject to restrictions being lifted. This is all very much provisional, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed to be playing again this summer!
Update on Friday 15 January 2021
No rehearsals or events are currently planned due to the current third lockdown, however the committee continues to work towards securing venues for an eventual restart of rehearsals and activities.
Update on Thursday 5 November 2020
With the reintroduction of national restrictions and a second lockdown, no rehearsals or events are currently planned. We hope to revisit this in due course from December.
Update on Wednesday 14 October 2020
Our band has unfortunately been in a state of hibernation for much of 2020, since we stopped rehearsing together in March. During this time we’ve put together a number of group videos recorded from our own homes with both the youth and senior bands, which we hope you’ll enjoy.
Since updated guidance from the Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) and our national body, Brass Bands England in August, we’ve been looking at how we can safely restart our activities.
The Godalming Band committee and trustees have prepared plans to run rehearsals for our youth and senior bands in a fully COVID-secure manner, according to the restrictions and best industry guidance available, and are looking to start this in the autumn of 2020. As you can imagine, there are a large number of changes to our usual rehearsals, from accommodating social distancing, to implementing Test and Trace, through to how we work with our venue to ensure members have as little contact with each other as possible.
A thorough risk assessment has been prepared specific to COVID-19, which is in addition to our general risk assessments for rehearsals, and in addition to our venue’s own assessment and precautions. Mitigations have been put in place for the risks identified in this process. We will also be keeping up with the latest developments at both the national and local level to respond and adapt appropriately to any changes in the situation.
More details will be announced to our members directly about when and how we’ll start rehearsals again, but we hope to be running again in a limited capacity over November and December of 2020. If this is successful, we hope to then look at how the band - or limited numbers of us - can play around the town over the Christmas period.
Please do keep an eye on our Facebook page and this page on our website for the latest information. We hope to see you all again soon.