As we launch our new website, I wanted to take a moment to introduce one of the phrases that sits at the heart of Crofton Music Trust: “Brass Banding Without Barriers.”
It’s a phrase that means a lot to me personally.
Over the years, the word “inclusion” has become a huge part of my life, particularly as a parent of a child with additional needs. But if I’m honest, I’ve often felt that inclusion can sometimes become more of a tick-box exercise than something truly built into the way organisations operate day to day.
When Crofton Music Trust became a registered charity, I found myself thinking more deeply about what genuine inclusion could actually look like within our own corner of the brass banding world.
For us, “without barriers” is about more than simply allowing people through the door. It’s about creating an environment where people feel comfortable once they arrive. Somewhere they feel safe to learn, grow, make mistakes and build confidence.
We want to create a space where beginners feel just as valued as experienced players. A space where people from different backgrounds, ages and abilities can learn together without fear of judgement.
Brass banding has such a rich community history, particularly in working-class areas like the one I grew up in. Some of my own earliest experiences of music came through banding and looking back now I realise just how powerful that access was. As children, we didn’t question whether opportunities belonged to us. They simply did. That feeling of belonging can quietly shape confidence, aspiration and identity in ways we don’t always recognise at the time.
I believe banding still has the power to do that today.
At Crofton Music Trust, we’re still learning and evolving, because genuine inclusion is never really finished. We care deeply about building something thoughtful, welcoming and sustainable for the future.
To me, “Brass Banding Without Barriers” means preserving the warmth, community and tradition that makes brass banding so special, while also asking how we can open those doors wider for future generations.
Because music should feel like something people can belong to, not something they have to earn the right to enter.
Kate
Founder of Crofton Music Trust