Scottish Co-op Band's year ends on a high note!

The Scottish Co-op Band has ended the year on a high note with the news that the band's sponsoring groups, Scottish Co-op and Co-op Funeralcare, have agreed to provide additional funding for the year 2009.

Iain Howie is the Band's Representative with the Co-op Groups and is the man who has been instrumental in securing the additional funding following a lengthy period of negotiation with the Co-op management.

Iain commented  " This funding, in addition to other secured funding streams, has secured the band's long term stability. I would wish to express my thanks to the Co-op for their continued sponsorship, especially in these difficult times, and also to band members Iain Chisholm, Ewan Millar and the current band administrator, Robin Basu for their support in our negotiations.

The decisions reached to bring in Russell Gray for the West Lothian Challenge and Michael Fowles for the Scottish Open have proved popular choices with the band and we look forward with optimism to Russell conducting the band at the Scottish Championships"

The news of the additional funding provides a fitting climax to the band's year which has seen it pick itself up from a disappointing start in the Scottish Championships in March.  The securing of a base in the east end of Glasgow, the victories in the West Lothian Challenge and Scottish Open competitions and now the announcement about funding have all combined to give the band much hope and encouragement for the new year ahead.

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