We are a community youth brass band based in Dreghorn. Our youth brass band plays at various events each year e.g. community concerts, school events, festivals, Christmas carolling. We also provide free or low cost after school music lessons and equipment for young people. We have c. 45 members in our groups. Young people who participate in our bands and our audiences obtain mental well-being and educational and personal development benefits from musical activity. Our members come from schools all over North Ayrshire (we have c. 10 schools represented).

Any funding obtained would go towards our uniform costs and supporting attendance and National Youth Brass Band of Scotland courses.

Our young people have yellow hoodies which identifies us at concerts and festivals and gives us an identity and encourages team behaviours. Although we pass hoodies down we need to replenish the sweatshirts regularly as they wear out and young people grow. We are requesting funds for 25 hoodies to replace worn out ones and replenish stocks.

Several of our young people are members of the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland (NYBBS). We actively encourage participation as it supports musical and personal development. The band provides a small subsidy for members attending of the residential summer course each year. The courses last one week and are expensive. In 2024 we had 7 young people attend the course and the band provided a £100 subsidy, however parents / families provided most of the cost. We hope to increase attendees in 2025 (we are estimating 8) and we’d like to provide a larger subsidy and also remove finance as a barrier to any young person attending. Part of the requested amount will go towards our subsidy fund for attendees.  NYBBS residential course has master classes, small group practice and full band rehearsals to provide the opportunity for some serious music making for the students while ‘extra curricular’ events take place too. Culminating in an end of course concert. Almost 200 students took part during 2024 and we’d love to increase the North Ayrshire representation. Costs breakdown : Uniform - hoodies    25 @ £18 = £450 NYBBS attendee subsidy  8 @ £60 = £480 Total £930 Additional NYBBS subsidy costs to be provided from band funds / other fundraising.   

As a club we are always trying to improve the opportunities available to the children however we are constantly coming up against financial barriers due to the rising costs of hiring pitches, referee fees, coaches education and general equipment. We are currently raising money to take the team to a football tournament in Barcelona during the easter holidays 2025 which is a 5 night stay including 4 days of football for the children. This is a great opportunity for the team to socialise and have a weekend with their family and friends whilst playing competitive football. Some of the boys in the team have never been abroad so this is a huge opportunity for them and being accepted for this grant would help us reach our target ensuring that no boy misses out due to the cost for their family. If successful with this grant we would use the money to cover the cost of the tournament entry which is £140 and the cost of the bus to transfer the boys from the hotel to the tournament each day which is £675