Anglia Youth Band
From Sawiki
About Anglia Youth Band
The band was formed as the Eastern Counties Youth Band on 18th September 1981 at Thetford, where the band still reherses. The first bandmaster was Bernard Rayner who led the band for many years. When Bernard retired the baton was passed to the bands principal cornet, Matthew Peek. He was ably assisted by Rachel Stollery. When the Salvation Army re-drew the boundaries of the divisions the band became the Anglia Youth Band. In 2003 Gareth Craik became Matthew's Assistant BM. Gareth has now entered the military and made music his career.
Festivals have been presented throughout East Anglia as well as such places as Bristol Citadel, Newport Isle of Wight, Atherstone, Liverpool, York, Nottingham, Blackpool Nuneaton, Leigh on Sea & Wrexham. The band has been privaleged to play in the Royal Albert Hall in London and represented the Eastern Counties during the International Congress, marching with thousands of other Salvationists down the Mall to Buckingham Palace.
Further afield the the band has traveled twice to the Channel Islands, once to L'Islet Corps on Guernsey and to St Hellier Corps, Jersey. There have been several campaigns in Europe. The band visited northern Germany playing in Brunswick, Kassel and Hanover. A second visit to Germany saw the band play in Frankfurt and Weisbaden.
We have undertaken campaigns to Teneriffe and Majorca. Though a seemingly affluent and popular holiday destinations, the Salvation Army is involved with community and social projects. The Salvation Army often does not enjoy the full support of the government as it does in most of Western Europe and often meets resistance and suspicion. The band visited the islands to raise the profile of the Army. Both tours allowed the local SA to conduct outreach work which is often difficult for them to do otherwise.
