Big Massive Thank You

I would personally like to say a Big Thank You to Andy Dickson and Matt Haddock.

I am Frances Dickson, Andy Dickson’s daughter. I play the flute in the band, and am also a Trustee on the Management Committee.

Nene Valley Community Band is based in Northamptonshire in the East Midlands. It has been running since (?), and has grown into what is now a thriving wind band with 48 players, with new members joining all the time.

Andy is the Chair of Nene Valley Band and also one of the band's Alto Saxophone players.

Without the tireless voluntary work he puts in behind the scenes, there really would be no band. Andy is always thinking of others, helping them, welcoming new members, organising rehearsals, raising awareness of the band, making concerts and performances happen, down to setting out chairs and generally flying around like a mad person, overseeing everything and setting everything up to make sure band rehearsals go smoothly every Monday evening.

Matt is the Musical Director and Conductor of the band. We, as a band would not have got this far without his strength and the boundless energy and infectious enthusiasm he brings to each and every rehearsal. Not to mention his fabulous dress sense, with a stunning array of colourful suits and shirts.

He is always so patient and welcomes and encourages anyone with any ability into the band. He has driven us to take on music we never thought we could play, and built us into a far more confident, more able band, willing to take on challenges we would never have thought possible. It is essential to him and to all the band, that we will always remain a non auditioning band.

Making music isn’t just about a group of people having fun, it’s about making something the whole community can share and benefit from. About getting someone’s foot to tap and a smile to spread across a face, a sense of connection to a time, a place and to one another.

We are currently setting up a Young Musicians Scholarship Fund, to help primary school age children through the financial barriers which might otherwise stop them from being able to learn a musical instrument.

The band has grown and continues to grow because of the enthusiasm, excitement and positive energy that Matt and Andy spread, and we hope that this will mean that we will be able to give more and more people the chance to develop their musical abilities.

We would love to thank them for all they do for the Nene Valley Community Band, we couldn't run it without them!