OKEHAMPTON College Big Band?s appeal for funds to help send its young musicians on a proposed trip to Hong Kong received the thumbs down from Okehampton Town Council last week. Last Monday?s meeting of the policy and resources committee turned down a request for a grant made by the College Big Band, to help towards the cost of taking up an invitation to tour Hong Kong this autumn. During the ten day tour, the band would play a number of concerts in English-speaking schools and public venues and have been holding fundraising concerts since spring to make the trip possible. Chair of the committee Cllr Charles Letchford said the committee could not make a grant to the group as the trip would not be of direct benefit to the wider community of Okehampton, beyond those set to go on the exciting trip. He said the band were not looking for money to buy new equipment or to help them to survive, but for a trip to play thousands of miles away from the town. Cllr Tony Leech said the Big Band were ?wonderful ambassadors for the town? but it was a difficult question whether this venture could be supported under the town council?s grant aid rules. Cllr Sheila Gregory said it was ?so sad? the council could not support the application. ?It will be for the benefit of the younger member of the community. It is not a holiday, they will be promoting Okehampton,? she added.
