County band Boobs and Brass plays its way to BBC award!

The band was born in 2006 when cornet players Jane Nichols and Margaret Betts decided to call on all the female players they knew for a “one off” charity concert.

That first concert, raising £5,000 for charity, was such a success that all the players asked for another event to be organised.

Since then, it has not stopped and now there are three groups of players across the UK – the `midlands` group, the `up north` group and the `down south` group – about 600 members in all.

To date, the pink-jacketed ladies have raised in excess of £200,000 for charity – the main benefactor being Breast Cancer Now who have received £170,000 for breast cancer research.

The remainder has helped charities including the Alzheimer`s Society, Prostate Cancer UK, Macmillan, Marie Curie, Crazy Hats, Help for Heroes, British Legion and a number of local churches.

A spokesman said: “At least 20 playing members have suffered with breast cancer and they, together with the more fortunate ladies, enjoy getting together to raise funds, whilst doing what they love – making music.

“The group and everyone connected with it, prides itself on its ability to co-operate: there is no such things as `politics` and `egos`. Undoubtedly, the greatest single contribution that each player, conductor, supporter and helper makes is that they do it at their own personal expense, driven by one common aim – to raise money for researching a cure for breast cancer.”

The award was presented to the band at Delph, one of the venues of the Saddleworth Whit Friday Marches, by Frank Renton, presenter of Listen To The Band on BBC Radio 2.

Visit www.boobsandbrass.com for more about the band.