Wantage Silver Band’s 50-year history in the town celebrated at Vale & Downland Museum

Wantage Silver Band is being celebrated at the Vale & Downland Museum and a new exhibition was officially opened by Wantage mayor Angela Dunford on Saturday, March 1.

The display features photos and videos from the organisation’s archives, items such as uniform and music as well as lots of information so you can find out more about WSBs 50-year history in the town.

“Our opening event really was a brilliant occasion for WSB and we're so proud that our community can now learn more about the history of the organisation when looking around this very popular museum,” said trustee and player Sam Wynne.

Wantage Silver Band is quite possibly the largest organisation of its kind in the country and the band are keen to do more and more to cement its place in the community.

While music in schools is on the decline nationally, this isn’t the case for brass band music in Wantage with WSB membership at an all time high.

This ‘museum project’ started around a year ago after Sam opened a conversation with museum curator Suzie Tilbury and her colleagues who welcomed the idea of creating an exhibit to celebrate the band’s history with open arms.

"It's been lovely to work alongside Wantage Silver Band to produce this display,” Suzie Tilbury explained. “Wantage is very lucky to have such an excellent band as part of our community and it's great to be able to share its history, activities and achievements with our visitors."

This couldn't have been executed so successfully without the help of Margaret Hanlon, Ann Chadwick, Eileen Sykes and Gareth Coulson who pulled everything together for the exhibit. This included photos, text, items, uniform and of course musical snippets which are played whilst people are viewing this area in the museum.

“Creating the display was no mean feat, but the superb team at the Museum, headed by Suzie, patiently provided guidance, expertise and reassurance throughout the process, for which we are very grateful. Suzie said that Wantage is lucky to have the Band; we are so fortunate to have the Museum. It's been a pleasure!” said Ann Chadwick.

Wantage Silver Band is an amateur brass band organisation, based in Wantage. The organisation currently comprises nine bands, possibly making it the largest brass organisation in the country. ‘Wantage Band’ is in the prestigious Championship Section and performs and competes all over the country. The band is proud of its large setup including three contesting bands, non-competitve Community Brass, three learner bands, a big band and percussion academy.

For more information about WSB visit www.wantageband.org