Porthleven Town Band began back in 1866 and has been providing music for the community ever since. From local traditions like the Torchlight Procession to playing outside the Harbour Inn on a Sunday evening, the band has become a staple of the village it is proud to represent, in Cornwall and further afield.

As a registered charity, the band exists solely as a result of fundraising and your kind donations. There are, however, a large number of expenses that go into running the band:

Instruments. We provide every band member with their own instrument so they can learn to play for free. We have four basses in the band which typically cost upwards of £7,000 each, not to mention the cost of insurance which is approximately £900 a year.

Our practice space. We spend at least three nights a week in our band room so it is vital to our continued musical improvement, the provision of free education, and the cultural contributions of the band. Unfortunately, this has led to increased utility bills and insurance. Without this space, we would arguably be without a band, so it is integral we continue to fund the building where future band members will learn to play their first notes.

Contesting. Twice a year we represent our village in the SWBBA Championships in Torquay, with the goal of improving our rank within the third section. This involves the purchasing of new music, often new equipment like percussion or mutes, and a coach to the venue which costs anywhere from £700-£1,000+.

Uniforms. With at least 30 players going to the contest and travelling uniforms at £47 per person (£33 per hoodie and £14 per shirt) it costs the band nearer £1,500 to represent our village with pride in these clothes, both at home and away.

Tuition. We provide free tuition for Bandbuilders (our beginner group), as well as Porthleven Community Brass (our training band) and Porthleven Senior Band. This obviously costs money and means that without your generous donations we would have to incur a fee. Providing free musical education to the people of the village and beyond is one of the things we are most proud of and hope to continue in the future.

These are just a few of the expenses that go into the running of our band. We also have to buy music, cleaning products for our band room, and various other equipment like music stands and valve oil.

Without your donations, we would struggle to exist as a musical charity and are eternally grateful for your generosity. Thank you for supporting us in the provision of free musical education for the people of Porthleven and our musical endeavours.