Northwood Headquarters Volunteer Band

Blue Band Article Spring 2006

It is summer 2005, Dave Wright and his wife Sharon are enjoying a barbeque with the Brinkworth family. Over a ‘small’ night cap the conversation inevitably moves on to work….

Dave: “Why don’t you come and do a concert with Heron Band?”

Steve: “That’s a great idea, when?”

Dave: “How about Christmas?”

Steve: “I’ll put it to the band, see what response I get”

…that was it, the wheels were set in motion for a joint concert with HMS Heron Band. We were to perform together in Concorde Hall in the Fleet Air Arm Museum on the 8^th December. Dave and I met and discussed a programme of music and he took me to the venue to do a quick recce. I was immediately impressed with the plan to use the undercarriage of Concorde as our auditorium, and with the acoustics of the hall, very volunteer band friendly if you know what I mean. I returned to Northwood and told the band the details of the concert. Everyone was excited at the prospect of doing a full concert with another band but some were a little worried about the amount of new music involved.

The packs were put together and over the next few weeks each rehearsal was dedicated to the unfamiliar music. Every member of the band worked extremely hard but sometimes it was difficult to imagine the end result when you were trying to rehearse The Gael with 4 flutes, 5 clarinets and a tenor sax!

We set off for Somerset on Wednesday 7^th December, the plan was to rehearse with Heron band that evening and then stay overnight to do the concert the following day. When we arrived in Yeovilton, Northwood band were immediately impressed with Heron’s band room, “They can leave everything set up!” someone exclaimed. I should explain that here in Northwood we rehearse in a small theatre and have to set up before each rehearsal and de-rig on completion.

The joint rehearsal went well and then it was off to the sports club for a joint social, well what else did you expect? It was great to meet up with old friends and also to make some new ones.

The following day we took advantage of our day off and spent it Christmas Shopping in Clarks Village. Well most of us went shopping, some just went to sleep in Starbucks (see picture). Later in the afternoon we went to set things up at the venue. As we were unloading the wagon I noticed that the number of people helping was decreasing, when I went to investigate I found half a dozen members of the band in the flight assimilator having sweet talked the operator into a free ride.

After setting up, sound checks and an evening meal it was time for the concert to start. Dave opened the concert and as I listened from the back of the hall I was very impressed with the sound the band were making. In my limited time as a VBI I had never heard a volunteer band sound as good as this (maybe it’s time for draft!). By the interval the organisers were already talking about having the bands back for next years concert. (Click here for photos)

On behalf of Northwood Band I would like to thank CSgt Dave Wright and all the members of the HMS Heron Volunteer Band for allowing us to perform with them that evening, it was truly memorable.

We arrived back in Northwood in the early hours of the morning but there was no time to waste as the band were to perform at the Officers Mess Christmas Ball that evening. It was a bit like coming off Horse Guards or MFM and then playing in a small 24 piece band. After the previous nights gig it was strange reverting to a 14 piece band but everyone, as usual, raised their game and performed well.

The run down into Christmas then started in earnest with the unit Carol Service (where there were more people in the band than in the congregation!) and the annual PJHQ review. Everyone went off for a well earned Christmas break after a band social at a local restaurant on the band fund.

The New Year dawned and it was time to put the carol books away and get out the music from north of the border as 2 Burns Night Suppers loomed on the horizon. Both went well performing with two different sets of pipers and dancing girls to boot!

The band made its annual pilgrimage to the Mountbatten Festival of Music for the Thursday performance accompanied by other personnel from Northwood HQ. The band service must be congratulated for an excellent concert which is still being talked about in the corridors of power here.

The following week 3 members of the band joined another annual pilgrimage, this time to Cologne. They all seem to have enjoyed themselves but Dave, you owe me a flute player because you broke mine!

That’s about it from Northwood except to note some changes in band personnel. At Christmas we had to say a fond farewell to Pilot Officer Alisa Rebbeck and LWTR Adam Lappin. However in the last few months we have welcomed the following into the fold: Ash Charteris (flute), Greg Wiley and Simon Hughes (Cornet). We also welcomed back to the band Sqn. Ldr. Richard Aldhous (Bass) but no sooner had he joined us he was sent to Afghanistan for 6 months – ‘what one hand giveth, the other hand taketh away!’

See you at the festival…