John Kirkbride takes a look at the Whit Friday Band Contest in Saddleworth (illustrated with cartoons by the late Jack Kirkbride, former cartoonist for the…
View More The bands play on: Whit Friday contests in Saddleworth
Tag: Whit Friday
Saddleworth streets lined as Whit Friday 2025 gets underway
THE annual Whit Friday walks across the villages are underway. Hundreds of locals of all ages have stepped out for the popular event. Banners are…
View More Saddleworth streets lined as Whit Friday 2025 gets underway
Illustrated talk on Saddleworth Band Contest by Historical Society
SADDLEWORTH Historical Society invites the public to its upcoming lecture, “A History of the Saddleworth Band Contest,” an illustrated talk by Robert Rodgers, set to…
View More Illustrated talk on Saddleworth Band Contest by Historical Society
Support needed to secure ‘bumper year’ for Greenfield Whit Friday Brass Band Contest
ANOTHER bumper year is expected for Greenfield Whit Friday Brass Band Contest – but organisers are calling on the support of locals and partners to…
View More Support needed to secure ‘bumper year’ for Greenfield Whit Friday Brass Band Contest
New Whit Friday trophy for Dobcross Youth Band thanks to generous Dronsfields
A SPARKLING new Scouthead and Austerlands Whit Friday band contest trophy will be presented to Dobcross Youth Band thanks to the generosity of local company…
View More New Whit Friday trophy for Dobcross Youth Band thanks to generous Dronsfields
Wet weather does not dampen Saddleworth’s Whit Friday spirit
“I’VE BROUGHT a change of clothes in case the rain doesn’t stop,” said one band member as it looked like being a rather Wet Friday.…
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Whit Friday spirit as churches step out across community
Images by Saddleworth Independent, Matt Horton, Hannah Aylett and Andrew Rudder THE wet weather could not dampen spirits as churches across Saddleworth took to the…
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Saddleworth braces for Whit Friday festivities: traffic restrictions list
BANDS from up and down the country – and even abroad – will march the streets of Saddleworth once more for the Whit Friday Band…
View More Saddleworth braces for Whit Friday festivities: traffic restrictions list
Volunteers urgently needed to secure Whit Friday Band Contest in Grotton
VOLUNTEERS are urgently being sought to ensure this year’s Grotton Band Contest on Whit Friday can go ahead. Grotton Brass Band Committee has put out…
View More Volunteers urgently needed to secure Whit Friday Band Contest in Grotton
Appeal for new members of a Saddleworth community group
A SADDLEWORTH community group is appealing for new members to come forward and give it a youthful injection. Rob Knotts has stood down as chair…
View More Appeal for new members of a Saddleworth community group
Save the date – Whit Friday brass band contests to return to Saddleworth for 2024
BANDS from up and down the country – and even abroad – will march the streets of Saddleworth once more for the Whit Friday Band…
View More Save the date – Whit Friday brass band contests to return to Saddleworth for 2024
Community-spirited volunteers wanted to help run Dobcross Whit Friday events
COMMUNITY-SPIRITED volunteers are invited to get involved with the running of Dobcross’s Whit Friday events. The Dobcross Whit Friday United Effort’s committee has filled its…
View More Community-spirited volunteers wanted to help run Dobcross Whit Friday events
Churches raise hundreds for good cause on Whit Friday
LOCAL churches helped to raise hundreds of pounds for the Saddleworth branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL). The final total from this year’s charity…
View More Churches raise hundreds for good cause on Whit Friday
Future of Whit Friday contest under review as complaint made
A WHIT Friday Brass Band Contest organising committee admits it is reviewing whether to keep on going as it complains over this year’s event. Those…
View More Future of Whit Friday contest under review as complaint made
Welsh wonders make Whit Friday history in Saddleworth
THE sweet sound of brass music is still ringing through the air after another amazing Whit Friday Brass Band Competition. Bands from all over the…
View More Welsh wonders make Whit Friday history in Saddleworth
GMP Saddleworth team praises Whit Friday celebrations
THE Saddleworth & Lees Neighbourhood Policing Team joined the festivities of the renowned Whit Friday celebrations. The team’s participation added an extra layer security to…
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Saddleworth walks it way on a wondrous Whit Friday
HUNDREDS of people from Saddleworth came together as the area marked Whit Friday with annual walks. And they were joined by some foreign visitors, who…
View More Saddleworth walks it way on a wondrous Whit Friday
Dobcross Youth Band performs special show for Trevor
WHIT Friday came early to one much-loved Dobcross man as the village’s band went to him to perform. Trevor Platt is no longer able to…
View More Dobcross Youth Band performs special show for Trevor
Best of brass returns to Saddleworth for Whit Friday contests
A FAMILIAR sound will return to the streets of Saddleworth this year – the sound of brass band music. The event, dubbed as ‘The Greatest…
View More Best of brass returns to Saddleworth for Whit Friday contests
Brass magic returns to Uppermill
ELEVEN years of Brass Fest will be marked with a fantastic concert on Saturday, June 3. The concerts, organised by Champion Brass, take place each…
View More Brass magic returns to Uppermill
Delph donates to Ukrainian Appeal
DELPH churches and the community dug deep to raise £558.31 on Whit Friday for Christian Aid’s Ukrainian Appeal. St Thomas’s and Delph Methodist churches walked…
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EXCLUSIVE: Rolling Stone Sir Mick Jagger pays secret visit to Whit Friday
EXCLUSIVE A GLOBAL music superstar ‘performed’ a Whit Friday solo spot in Greenfield to the most select of audiences. And the Independent can now confirm…
View More EXCLUSIVE: Rolling Stone Sir Mick Jagger pays secret visit to Whit Friday
Blue plaque unveiled to mark 100 years of Greenfield Whit Friday Brass Band contests
A NEW blue plaque has been erected on the front of the King William IV pub to mark 100 years since the first Greenfield Whit…
View More Blue plaque unveiled to mark 100 years of Greenfield Whit Friday Brass Band contests
Wonderful Whit Friday: Celebrations return after Covid pandemic
FLAGS and banners flew high and brass bands rang out as church Processions of Witness returned to Saddleworth’s villages for the first time in three…
View More Wonderful Whit Friday: Celebrations return after Covid pandemic
Sound of brass returns to Saddleworth with Whit Friday band contests
THE sound of brass rang around Saddleworth as the popular Whit Friday Band Contests returned for the first time in three years. The event, dubbed…
View More Sound of brass returns to Saddleworth with Whit Friday band contests
Delph Donkey Scarecrow Trail returns to raise funds for Ukraine
A HOST of eye-catching and creative scarecrows are lurking around Delph waiting to be spotted. The creations are in place as the popular Delph Donkey…
View More Delph Donkey Scarecrow Trail returns to raise funds for Ukraine
Cash boost for community Whit Friday groups
NEW manager Kia Myers has been busy on community duties since taking over at Tesco Greenfield. And thanks to the generosity of his customers, a…
View More Cash boost for community Whit Friday groups
Successful start to year for Dobcross Silver Band
DOBCROSS Silver Band are hitting all the right notes this year, securing second place in the Regional Area Qualifiers in Blackpool followed by top spot…
View More Successful start to year for Dobcross Silver Band
Call for community support for Whit Friday walk in Greenfield
COMMUNITY support is needed to help ensure the popular Whit Friday church walk can go ahead this year in Greenfield. The churches’ morning walks return…
View More Call for community support for Whit Friday walk in Greenfield
Volunteers needed to keep Uppermill band contests going
THERE are 138 years of history for Uppermill Whit Friday Band Contest – and new volunteers are needed to make sure that can continue into…
View More Volunteers needed to keep Uppermill band contests going
Top brass! Queen’s honour for Whit Friday Band contests
AROUND 150 volunteers from the 11 contests in the Saddleworth and Oldham group of Whit Friday Band Contests celebrated their success as winners of the…
View More Top brass! Queen’s honour for Whit Friday Band contests
Band-tastic! Autumn Leaves contest huge success!
IT’S too early to confirm if there will be an Autumn Leaves brass band contest encore next year. But Greenfield’s inaugural musical party in the…
View More Band-tastic! Autumn Leaves contest huge success!
Whit Friday spirit alive in Saddleworth
WHIT Friday celebrations and band contests were officially cancelled for a second year – but locals kept the spirit of the day alive with their…
View More Whit Friday spirit alive in Saddleworth
Definitely not brassed off! Whit Friday group recognised with Queen’s Award
ORGANISERS of Saddleworth’s annual brass band spectacular can blow their own trumpets and bang the drum in celebration of receiving royal approval. Saddleworth and Oldham…
View More Definitely not brassed off! Whit Friday group recognised with Queen’s Award
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