For the first time in 30 years, Staines Brass went on tour over the last weekend in July and what a tour it was - with the band enjoying a fantastic time in Tenby, with some stunning weather.

Travelling from their bandroom in Surrey, Staines Brass visited the Welsh homeland of their MD, Gareth Trott and Band Manager, Emma Elliot-Smith and had an absolute blast!

Basing themselves in the stunning Stackpole National Trust resort in Pembrokeshire, they undertook engagements in both Tenby and Swansea.

Saturday, July 27 saw them play at St Mary's Church in the centre of Tenby, with local brass band Pontarddulais Town Band and their fantastic junior academy, Brass@Bont. Staines Brass played a Welsh set in the first half comprising of music from Welsh composers such as Gareth Wood, as well as their MD arranging some traditional Welsh numbers. Staines Brass finished the first set with a fine rendition of the Arutjunjan Trumpet Concerto by their amazing guest soloist, Alan Thomas, Principal Trumpet of the London Mozart Players and a member of Septura.

In the second half Staines Brass premiered their David Attenborough set ‘Our Planet’, composed by the band’s MD, which beautifully tells the story of our planet and highlights the fragility of our world using audio clips of Sir David Attenborough to bring this to our attention and highlighting the need for us to preserve our world.

On Sunday, a lifelong dream of their Band Manager was achieved when they played a short concert on Tenby Bandstand.

A location to die for and a trek up the hill carting percussion kit, music and chairs that nearly did just that for the band, but it was all absolutely worth it.

A brilliant bandstand with unbelievable views and an appreciative audience which just kept growing throughout the morning. Staines Brass have been doing some historical digging and it appears that a Band has not performed on Tenby Bandstand since around the 1990s, so this was a truly amazing accomplishment and one which will stay with the players for some time to come.