Busy, busy, busy!16th May 2013 WYFRS band has has a busy start to 2013 having already completed a number of concerts and private events. The first three concerts of the year were at Bradford Cathedral, Morley Town Hall, and Ashton Town Hall in March and April. All were charitable performances, with the band keen to build on last years fundraising success. In early May the band performed alongside West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service personnel at a charity ladder climb outside Marks and Spencer at the new Trinity shopping centre in Leeds. The band provided entertainment to the passing crowds whilst firefighters from WYFRS climber the equivalent of 20 times the height of the Empire State Building! The event raised a phonemenal £3,500 for the Fire fighters charity. Most recently, a group from the band also performed for the graduation of more than 150 Young Firefighters at the WYFRS training centre and HQ in Birkenshaw. The young people carried out a number of fire drills in front of their
family, teachers, head teachers and senior fire service officers at
formal graduation ceremonies and have now completed a Level Two BTEC qualification in Fire and Rescue Service in
the Community. After the event Assistant Chief Officer Dave Walton commented that the band had helped make the evening special for the graduates, who in turn should all be proud of contributing towadrs making West Yorkshire safer. More information on young firefighters can be found here.  2012 is WYFRS Band's most charitable year ever, raising £15,000 for worthy causes!23rd January 2013  The band participated in a number of concerts and events throughout 2012 which all contributed to the band raising in excess of £15,000 for worthy causes. Of the £15,000 raised, around half was raised directly by the band or it's members at events which the band hosted or led, and the other half from events which were hosted by others, which the band played an instrumental role in. The fundraising highlights of the year were the Help for Heroes concert in April, in memory of Neil "Tony" Downes and the inaugural Tunnel to Towers march in October, which saw the band march 5Km including a stretch through the Rotherhithe Tunnel (pictured). Andrew Field, The band treasurer commented: "Whilst the band itself relies on donations to survive, it's so important that we do as much as we can to contribute to the wider community. The band has every right to be proud of its achievements in 2012, it's been a record year for fundraising and it's all down to the dedication and hard work of our members". The largest benefactors were The Firefighters Charity and Help for Heroes, with other charities such as The Royal British Legion, The MS Society, The Jane Tomlinson Appeal and the Stroke Association also receiving donations. NYFRS Charity Concert is a resounding success18th December 2012 The 44th annual North Yorshire Fire & Rescue Service Christmas Concert was one of the best ever! The concert on Sunday night saw the WYFRS Band featuring alongside a selection of other performers who put together a truly magnificent variety performance which went on to raise an estimated £7,000 for the Fire Fighters Charity. The event featured NYFRS Pipe Band, Robin Bier, The Fisher Singers and street dancers from Freedom Performing Arts all coming together in a massed finale alongside the WYFRS Band and Corps of Drums. One of the highlights of the show was the WYFRS Corps of Drums performing to a Beyonce and Britney compilation, in black light, with the dancers from Freedom. The event organiser Bruce Reid said "This has been one of the most spectacular events we've seen at the Royal Hall and the money raised for the Fire Fighters Charity is superb". More photos from the event can be viewed here and a video of the drum display can be seen here.  Band smash £3000 fundraising target!4th December 2012  WYFRS were proud to take part in the inaugural UK Tunnel to Towers run in London back in October. The band marched the full length of the 5km route in full ceremonial attire and completed the run in just over 1 hour and 9 minutes. Following on from the fun run, the band's members have been busy collecting sponsorship in from all the generous people who sponsored them. The final tally has now been collated and the band raised a phenomenal £3120 - every single penny of which has gone to a number worthwhile charities all listed below. Andrew Field, the Band Treasurer said, "The band has never undertaken a project like this before, and to have delivered such an outstanding result is amazing. We'd hoped for £3000+, but it was an ambitious target!". He went on to say "2012 will be the most charitable year for WYFRS band and I'm really looking forward to publishing the results on the band website in early 2013" The charities who the band raised money for were:       and a local child, who suffers from Alexander's Disease. The band would like to thank our event sponsors who helped make it possible for us to attend the Tunnel to Towers event:    WYFRS Band perform the November 11th Ceremony at the Menin Gare in Ypres.12th November 2012  The band are once again extremely proud to have represented the UK fire services at the annual remembrance ceremony in Ypres Belgium, The band's Chairman, Brain Robson, said. "It is a real privilige to the WYFRS band to honour fallen comrades of the great war at the Menin Gate." At the band's 4th appearance at the Menin gate, they appeared alongside representatives from their colleagues from The band of the Volunteer Fire Service of Lubartow, Poland and the Bridgewater Fire Department Band of Nova Scotia, Canada. Musical Director, Lee Whitworth said, "We're delighted to have been able to include our friends in such and important and significant event" Following the main service at the gate, the band then conducted a ceremony at the Canadian Monument, where Chief Fire Officer of Bridgewater Fire Department, Wayne Thorburne laid a wreath and paid tribute to the fallen Canadian soldiers. The last post was played by President of the BFD Band, Laura Allen. Tunnel to Towers24 September 2012The Band of the West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service has now launched their fundraising campaign for their forthcoming "Tunnel to Towers" march. We will be marching and playing  along an incredible 5km route accompanying some 20,000 fun runners along the way. For more information on the fabulous event please visit our Tunnel to Towers information page. More importantly, please sponsor the band!!! A weekend away15-16 September 2012In glorious sunshine yet again, the band welcomed racegoers to the 2012 St. Leger Stakes race day at Doncaster Racecourse on Saturday. This is always a fun event, playing for the crowds as they arrive before marching on the track to kick off the day's racing.  Following the races it was down to central London and an overnight stop before the National Firefighters Memorial Service on Sunday morning. Forming up just South of St. Paul's Cathedral the band led a parade of standards to St Bartholomew's Church for a remembrance service and then back to St Paul's to lay wreaths at the National Firefighters Memorial. WYFRS Band was joined by The Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service Corps of Drums and Fire Service pipers from across the UK. Armed forces day.
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