Fundraiser a success musically and financially

We are delighted to announce that Saturday’s Afternoon at the Movies concert was very well supported, ticket sales raised £730.00 and has been sent to Children in Need as part of the annual BBC appeal. The concert featured two of our soloists, with Ross Thompson playing the xylophone solo On the track and Kate Medley playing the trombone solo The Acrobat. The Open Band also performed for the first time under the direction of Sara Stokes, our principal cornet, who took over the baton in September. They added to the theme with, amongst others, Pirates of the Caribbean and Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang. Thanks go to all volunteers including Alaisdair who compered the concert and, of course the band’s musical director Philip Devine who prepared the repertoire with the Senior Band. In a break with tradition our red jackets were replaced by a selection of coloured tops!

We will remember them.

Before we launch into the Christmas season, the band will once again support the Royal British Legion with their Act of Rememberance on Horsefair Green in Stony Stratford. As well as accompanying the hymns during the service, Sara, our principal cornet will play the Last Post and Reveille around the two minute silence. Sunday 9th November 2025 at 2.45pm.

Olney Phonebox

The following article was written for the Phonebox magazine but did not appear in full

OLNEY BRASS brought their summer season to a close with their annual visit to Emberton Fete. eturning annually for almost 40 years it would seem that they love a brass band in Emberton. hether it be in the churchyard for Bangers and Brass, in the pub car park for their beer festival, in the village hall for the Senior Citizen's annual Christmas lunch or in the street for the long lamented Street Fayre. It was the last of a dozen summer engagements which started back in May when we played at the Denton VE day celebrations. Each of the events can be seen on our website under the Engagements Tab which also lists our upcoming events. Hopefully you have managed to hear us at some point and we thank you for your continued support. When you read this you may have already been to our Afternoon at the Movies concert in St Peter and St Paul, on Saturday 1st November and you can now anticipate the Festive Season and our Melodies and Mince Pies concert which takes place in the church on Saturday 13th December 3 - 5pm. Once again we will be playing around the streets as the big day approaches.

More recently the band has moved into its new home at Lovat Fields Residential home, Willen, they have a lovely space for rehearsals and it means that all three of our bands can now rehearse in the same hall as well as being able to store some of our equipment and open our rehearsals to interested residents. We still feel a special tie to Olney and it is a long term goal to find a rehearsal, storage space (with parking) in the town that we could call 'The Home of Olney Brass' we would love residents to be able to pop in during rehearsals and hopefully be inspired to join our Beginner or Open Bands, or to help complete our line up in the Senior Band if you are an experienced player. If any readers have ideas for this please do not hesitate to get in touch. You may be interested to know that in the 1890's the band rehearsed in the British School building on Weston Road. Please do use our website for updates and information, we have recently added an archive feature, and although this only starts in the 1970's as (Stantonbury Brass) it is hoped that we can eventually add details of Olney Silver Band.

Last Post and Reveille

As usual we are grateful to Sara, our principal cornet player for sounding the Last Post and Reveille. Sara attends the Great Brickhill service in the morning and then leads Olney Brass in

their playing at Stony Stratford a job she has been doing splendidly for over twenty years. The Last Post is sounded to honour those who have died in military service, marking the end of the day’s activities and serving as a tribute to the fallen. Following a period of silence, Reveille is played to signify the start of a new day and to celebrate the lives of those who have served.

Thoughts turn to Christmas

Our main funding raising season begins shortly and we are already looking forward to starting in

Olney on Thursday 28 November when the town will be promoting local traders with their Late Night shopping event. So, if you just can’t wait to hear your favourite carol pop along and make a request. Don’t forget to join us for our annual Christmas Concert - details opposite.