WOE Bandsman’s Festival Bugle – Cancelled

It is with a very heavy heart that we have to announce that the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival planned for Bugle on June 20th 2020 is cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak. We felt it necessary to take this decision in keeping with the latest government advice regarding public gatherings and feel we have a duty of care to protect both the elderly and those that have underlying health conditions. This, coupled with the most recent advice from Brass Bands England which states that bands should not even be rehearsing together for the foreseeable future has made this an easy decision to make. Our contest is unique and steeped in tradition. It is also a social highlight of the banding calendar for many and I can assure you that those of us that are involved in the smooth running of this event are devastated that this action has had to be taken. I would like to take this opportunity to thanks our major sponsors for their continued support and wish them well for the coming months that are sure to be very difficult from a financial standpoint. For the record, our 2021 contest will hopefully take place Saturday 19^thJune 2021.

Ian Powell (Secretary West of England Bandsmen’s Festival)