Scottish Co-op Band's busy schedule

Following a disappointing result at the All England Masters International Championship at Cambridge in May, 2008 the Scottish Co-op Band have bounced back with a busy period of activity.

On 1st June, 2008 the band took part in the first semi-final of the West Lothian Challenge Competition at the Regal Community Theatre in Bathgate and progressed to the final after beating off the challenge of Unison Kinneil Band. The Co-op, under the direction of Russell Gray, was awarded 195 points by adjudicator Peter Roberts and will now go forward to the final on 22nd June, 2008 where it will meet the Whitburn band who were the winners of the second semi-final which took place at the same venue on 8th June, 2008.

On the morning of 8th June, 2008 the band, under the direction of Archie Hutchison, recorded a programme of music for radio at the Henry Wood Hall in Glasgow and it is anticipated that the programme will be broadcast at a later date in the year.

Immediately the band had finished the recording it travelled to New Lanark where it took part in the Robert Owen Celebration Day at the New Lanark World Heritage Site. The band was one of a number of different groups which provided entertainment for visitors,  and performers included an accordionist and piper, a barbershop quartet, and members of  the Clydebank Dance School.

This event was one of a series of concerts which the band has been giving and which has been organised in conjunction with the Co-operative to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the death of Robert Owen. On this occasion, the band presented a programme of light music under the baton of Raymond Tennant.

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