Vodafone award boost for Scout band project

Vodafone and the Bradley Stoke Journal are pleased to announce that the 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group’s ‘marching band project’ has been selected to receive a £1,000 Vodafone Community Connection Award, following the call for nominations in our September magazine.

Winning the award means the Scout group will be able to begin practice sessions for its own marching band from January next year, with the eventual aim of taking part in the town’s annual Remembrance parade and other community events in Bradley Stoke, such as the community festival and carnival.

Speaking after the winning nomination was chosen, Sophie Merritt, Sales assistant at the Bradley Stoke Vodafone store said:

“We were pleased to receive such a good number of deserving nominations for our local Community Connection award. I’m delighted that the money is going to a project that will benefit the wider community in Bradley Stoke, as well as enabling the Scout group’s members to take part in a new activity.”

The money will be used to purchase drums and trumpets for the new band, which will be coached by Richard Shepherd, a Beaver Scout leader who is a qualified music classroom teacher, and another leader who is also a music teacher.

Katherine Robinson, Beaver Scout leader, commented:

“We’re very grateful to have been selected to receive this award from Vodafone. We were really enthusiastic to start this project, but didn’t have the resources to do it. This money will enable us to finally get the project off the ground.”

The Scouts have already received support from the 37th Kingswood Drum Corps and there are plans for members of that highly successful marching band to mentor some of the novice players in Bradley Stoke.

Vodafone’s Community Connection Awards, launched in 2014, have already made a difference to more than 45 local communities across the UK. Selected by local Vodafone staff and aimed at supporting local causes, the awards have been used to help support everything from new equipment for soup kitchens and day centres for the elderly to helping people with disabilities take part in sporting activities.

Photo: Representatives of the Scout group are presented with the award at the Vodafone store in Bradley Stoke. L-r: Richard Shepherd (assistant Beaver Scout leader), Ajit Deb & Sophie Merritt (Vodafone sales assistants), Joy Harrison (Scout group assistant treasurer) and Katherine Robinson (Beaver Scout leader).

This article originally appeared in the November 2015 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.