1979 onwards
In 1979 the then Chief Constable Brownlow decided a band would be formed. Initially, funds could only supply 12 instruments, and Derek Ashmore was appointed musical director. The band consisted of Police Officers, Cadets and Special Constables and performed mainly at Police and Civic events. Early photographs show the band participating in events at the Central Methodist Hall, Victoria Street, Sheffield, Sheffield Lord mayors Parade and an event at Barnsley Civic Theatre, featuring a group called the “Barnsley bucket bashers”. In 1989 the band made its first foreign trio to Swabish Gmund, Aalen, West Germany, as part of the Barnsley twin town scheme. Here we joined the Aalen Police Band at various regional concert venues. In 1990 our German friends’ visited South Yorkshire, and the bands performed jointly in front of Her Majesty the Queen at the official opening of the Metrodome Centre. Since then, the band has made another return journey to Germany and played at various locations, including the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, York Minster with the Normandy Veterans Parade, Clifton Cathedral, Bristol. The band has played for virtually every member of the Royal Family, including a windswept performance of happy birthday to (formerly Prince) King Charles at Sheffield Airport. Loyd Grossman sampled the band's music during a live appearance, and the band rarely seems out of the media spotlight.
Since 2005
In 2005 the band celebrated its 25th anniversary with a hugely successful concert at Elsecar Heritage Centre, featuring the band in all its roles of a concert band, marching band, corps of drums and heraldic fanfare trumpeters. The concert raised over £1000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity.
In the autumn of 2005, the Malta Tourism authority engaged the band to perform across Malta, culminating with daily performances at the 2005 Malta Military tattoo.
Two weeks later, the band combined with the West Yorkshire Police Band and marched through the City of London at the Lord Mayors Show.
2006 saw the band focus its activities on community-based events, and we support local charities, churches and voluntary groups to raise essential funding. A rewarding trip to London saw the band perform at a holiday club to 400 Orthodox Jewish children. Many had never experienced live music before, and the audience of 4-15-year-olds sat spellbound.
2007; Highlights included entertaining the capacity crowds at Doncaster Racecourse for the Grand St. Ledger racing event. The fanfare team took centre stage to 35,000 spectators and appeared live on Channel 4 racing.
The band integrates closely into the local community, and many players are no longer Police Staff. Apart from serving Police Officers, we have complemented occupations including solicitors, nurses, teachers, accountants, students, doctors, administrators, engineers, mechanics, steel erectors, telecommunications specialists and technical experts. The Police officers work in traditional local policing teams, Roads Policing and Control rooms. All give their time freely to rehearse twice a week at Rotherham Police Station. The band provides tailored musical performances for any significant event, and its fanfare trumpeters can herald the most prestigious events. The band competes successfully and, in January 2007, was promoted to the Yorkshire Area 1st section, a ferociously competitive brass band competition. The band's main work continues to provide high-quality music with messages to the communities of South Yorkshire.
The band appears with the kind permission of our PCC and Chief Constable.
