Making Music 'Green Award' Winners

Inaugural winners of the Making Music Award for Sustainability

Derwent Brass has been announced as a winner of one of this year's Making Music Awards.

Now in their fourth year, the awards from the UK's largest membership organisation for leisure time music groups were presented by their President, composer Debbie Wiseman OBE.

Derwent Brass claimed the 'Making Music Green Award' in recognition of the way in they strive to lead the way for sustainability within brass banding. They launched six sustainability pledges in 2022, selected to have a meaningful and measurable impact on their day-to-day operations, and have since made a wide range of changes to improve their environmental sustainability.  

The awards panel consisted of Rhiannon Harrison (Chair of Making Music), Alice Nicolay (Senior Officer, Arts Council England), Barbara Eifler (Chief Executive of Making Music) and Harriet Laidler (Project Administrator at Making Music).

In response to the award, Derwent Brass stated: "Thank you so much to Making Music for the opportunity and well done to all those who were shortlisted! Every group that entered has done something to improve the world we live in, and with that collective attitude, sustainable strides can be made."

They added: "We look forward to sharing more with you all some of the things we have been doing to make meaningful long-lasting change and achieve this recognition. Lastly, congratulations to Making Music for their continued enterprise and for bringing this all new and much needed award in 2023 — we are honoured to be the first recipients and wish you the very best for its continued success in the future."

Speaking about the awards, Barbara Eifler, Chief Executive of Making Music, said: "The benefits of leisure-time music groups to their participants and their communities are now well-recognised, and these awards give us the opportunity to celebrate their achievements and share their stories with a wider public. Once again I have been bowled over by the variety and quality of these nominations and delighted we are able to shine a well-deserved spotlight on them."

Also highly commended was Maldon Orchestra, an organisation much smaller organisation than Derwent Brass, but it too, has thought about all the practical aspects of its activities. The group methodically analysed its carbon footprint and where and how it could be reduced in small but practical ways which can be copied by many other groups. A shining example of what can be done by a small volunteer-led group with limited resource.

As part of winning the award, Making Music have planted a Hornbeam tree in the National Forest in the name of Derwent Brass.