Where there’s muck there’s brass!

It was a musical first for a Household Waste Recycling Site when West Chiltington’s Silver Band paid a visit to Billingshurst’s Household Waste Recycling Site (HWRS) this July.

The 30 minute visit to Billingshurst HWRS formed part of the bands centenary celebrations, which saw them journey through local villages playing on–board a 1964 Southdown open-top bus.

Viridor Waste Management, who operates 11 HWRS on behalf of West Sussex County Council, gave financial support to the band’s bus tour, and allowed them to stop at the site and play to members of the public. The 25-piece band made up of Cornets, flugel horns, tenor horns, baritone, euphoniums, trombones and tubas treated listeners to several well known brass band tunes including Liberty Bell, Bugler’s Holiday, Colonel Bogey and Sussex-by-the-Sea.

Area Manager for Viridor, Val Hiley said “Our experience of brass normally only extends to the recycling of scrap metal, so it’s lovely to see everyone enjoying the music of a real life brass band.”

West Chiltington’s tenor horn player, Julie Best said “As well as celebrating our 100 year history we’re also raising money for our chosen charity The Chestnut Tree Children's Hospice”

“Thanks to Viridor’s generous sponsorship of our Centenary Village Bus Tour we’ve raised £440 for the hospice”