STANNARY Brass Band bids a fond farewell to three of its younger players as they move on to new pastures.

Finlay Kirkman, Eleanor Eastman and Tom Cotter have been members of the band since they were in primary school and are now moving on to university and the Armed Forces.

Finlay, a bass trombonist, is off to the University of Kent to study a military history degree, with the aim of a career in the military.

‘Playing in the band has allowed me to grow in confidence and ability as a bass trombonist and become a more well-rounded individual, meeting so many new people along the way,’ said Finlay.

‘I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the members of the band who have made the experience so enjoyable and who work so hard to ensure that the band functions all year round.’

Eleanor started playing cornet aged 6 and joined the training band. Since then she has achieved a grade 8 cornet and started playing French horn in 2015, achieving grade 8 a year later.

‘After a couple of years of training, then youth band, I moved up to senior band playing third cornet and over the years I have worked my way up to solo cornet. I also play solo cornet in Devon County Youth Brass Band,’ said Eleanor.

‘The time has come for me to leave the band as I have got a place in HM Band Royal Marines playing French horn. This is something I could never have even dreamed of without Stannary Brass Band and its musical director Peter Jones.’

Tom is going on to study live sound technology at university in the hope of pursuing a career as a sound engineer.

He started his journey learning the trombone in the beginners section of the band and also began to regularly play drums and percussion during band training sessions. After a few years Tom progressed to the senior band on percussion and soon found himself on the drum kit, where he stayed until the age of 18.

‘In that time the band has helped me improve my skill and given me many fond memories,’ added Tom.

Band chairman Steve Gray said: ‘All members of the band wish Finlay, Eleanor and Tom all the very best for the future. They will be missed.’