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Status
Received: on time
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Income
£71.7K
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Spending
£78.3K
Public benefits
• To have a confident, competent membership with the ability to engage constructively with all levels of society. The benefit of this is that bands have the confidence to say what they do and why they do it and then be able to communicate this to other communities regardless of race or religion. • To promote through music the history, culture and
marching heritage of bands and organise events such as concerts, parades, discussions and talks that further the objectives of the Forum members. The benefit of this is to break down barriers and show what bands are about, Londonderry Bands Forum has done this in the last few years from performances or debates in; Christmas Gala Concert, New Gate Fringe Festival, All Ireland Fleadh, Siamsa Sraide Street Festival, Walled City Tattoo, Pan Celtic Festival, Halloween & St Patrick's Day • To develop a programme to enable people to understand and deal with issues of cultural difference, racism, sectarian, prejudice or conflict. The benefits includes engagement with schools and now teaching 174 children per week as well as engagement in Derry City & Strabane District Council Cultural Quarter which sees us teaching nearly 1000 people about band culture and music in July every year especially from Catholic Maintained schools • To gain acceptance and equality by challenging all prejudice, preconceptions, misconceptions and negativity of bands through education, honest dialogue and positive engagement. The benefit of this is to let people know about the bands and challenge negative stereotypes leading to more engagement and a shared future • Our volunteers will develop their own skills through communications, organising and co-ordinating activities of the organisation. The benefits build up the constituent base and leads to more community development. • Through providing a range of activities to improve the general health and wellbeing of members and volunteers. This includes physical and mental health and general wellbeing. The benefits are demonstrated easily with our objectives whereby we have identifiable objectives such as breaking down barriers, have a confident membership, engage in cross community work and we are capable of carrying these out. It can be hard to demonstrate these as if we are performing at an event the crowd can give feedback but we are unsure of the long term attitude would be from playing at a cross community event for example however as long as we keep doing these we are telling people about bands and can try and bring different communities together we are demonstrating benefits to our work. We don't see any harm as we are trying to benefit the bands community to be confident and competent with the ability to engage constructively with all levels of society. We are trying to promote bands using their history and their musicality and using this to deal with issues of sectarianism, conflict and racism. We are hoping to break down barriers and gain acceptance which helps benefit the whole community as people know why bands parade. Charity beneficiaries will be the whole community. We aim to give opportunities and training to young people associated with marching bands as well as giving opportunities to play at events across Northern Ireland and further afield including the likes of the Walled City Tattoo, All Ireland Fleadh. The Bands Forum aims to break down barriers, negative stereotypes and preconceptions about marching bands and if we continue to do this through performance, workshops and debates with all communities there will be more acceptance and as a result everyone will benefit from our charity. The Londonderry Bands Forum has created a Marching Band Activity Sheet and held numerous workshops which has allowed us to take our unique expression of culture into the schools system. This then creates discussion and debate which we hope gives a greater understanding to all communities about each other’s thinking on sensitive subjects. All programmes, wages etc are paid for by funding to help the charity carry out it's purpose to break down barriers, communicate, cross community events etc. No private benefit to any of the trustees or staff.
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
The aim of the Londonderry Bands Forum is to use the marching band scene to build relationships across all communities while at the same time challenging misconceptions and preconceptions through education and dialogue. We aim to build relationships and capacity among the band community and make them an important facet of public life while also
being a soundboard for civic issues. The objective is to take and present marching bands and the marching band music and culture to everyone in a positive, entertaining form and show the negative press is a stereotype of the movement and not a true reflection of the quality leadership, musicianship and skill which is involved. Strategic Role • Involved with Regional work with marching bands across Northern Ireland through the Confederation of Ulster Bands • Development of six regional cultural hubs around Northern Ireland working through the New Decade, New Approach deal as well with working with NIO, DFA. Educational Outreach • Teaching children music theory and teaching B Flat Flute and others for the duration of the project • Cultural Quarter with Derry City & Strabane District Council with outreach especially in CMS Schools Performance • Christmas Gala Concert partnered with Feile, Streets Alive, Urban Villages and other community groups in the city • New Gate Fringe Festival • All Ireland Fleadh • Siamsa Sraide Street Festival • Walled City Tattoo • Pan Celtic Festival • Halloween • St Patricks Day Support for Local Bands • Health & Wellbeing - fit to march walking group, online fit to march competition • Mental Health - training such as Safetalk & mental health first aid • Employment support and training - helping band members with qualifications in order to find work Advocacy and Civic Issues • Meeting with Political groups • Maiden City Accord - code for parading • Toolkit for bands - governance advice • LBF led to formation of North West Cultural Partnership
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science
Who the charity helps
- Children (5-13 year olds)
- General public
- Interface communities
- Men
- Mental health
- Older people
- Parents
- Unemployed/low income
- Voluntary and community sector
- Volunteers
- Women
- Youth (14-25 year olds)
How the charity works
- Advice/advocacy/information
- Arts
- Community development
- Cultural
- Education/training
- Volunteer development
- Youth development
