Crewe Brass is a second section competing brass band in the North West area and are well known throughout South Cheshire and beyond. They have a history going back forty years.

They were formed when the North Midland Co-operative Society sponsored one of the best youth bands in the country - South Cheshire Young Brass - and included players from the United Co-op Youth Band.

Their first home was the old Co-op Buildings in Mill Street. From there they moved to Bold Street in Sandbach, another Co-op building and then back to Camm Street Gym.

When the Co-op withdrew their sponsorship, the band became known as Crewe Brass and moved to Shavington Primary School where they have rehearsed for five years.

The COVID pandemic has hit the band very hard and as their facilities were shared with a school, they were no longer suitable under COVID regulations. In stepped the Crewe Heritage Centre.

Crewe is famous for a number of things, Crewe Brass, Bentley Motors, Crewe Alexandra FC and of course trains and Crewe Brass are finally coming home.

They will shortly be moving to the Exhibition Hall at Crewe Heritage Centre on Vernon Way in Crewe to use the premises for rehearsals and as their band in residence.

Rehearsals take place on a Friday evening and there is a busy schedule of contests and concerts. The band is also a very social one and has massive links with the HSS Accordion band in Crewe's twin town of Bischofsheim, Germany, where they have visited twice.

They also have strong links with the Band of Liberation in Leiden, Holland and the Last Post Society in the Town of Ypres, Belgium where a tour is in the planning stage, post COVID, they also have strong ties to bands on the Isle of Man where a tour is in the offing.

A representative from Crewe Brass said: "It's fantastic that the band is coming home, we're actually only 1,000 yards from the band's first band room in Mill Street, and to be welcomed into the Crewe Heritage Centre is a real life saver.

"The facilities are second to none, they are fully COVID Compliant which is the first priority, and the hall is acoustically brilliant for the band and will help us climb the table and gain promotion again.

"A big thank you goes to Cheshire East & Crewe Town Council for matching us up with Crewe Heritage Centre.

"We can't wait to play at the events that the Crewe Heritage Centre put on; they have been so welcoming and super friendly, we couldn't be happier to be coming here."

Matt Pithers, Musical Director, Crewe Brass said: "This mutually beneficial partnership with the Crewe Heritage Centre and Crewe Brass is a fantastic opportunity for both organisations.

"The space and flexibility of Crewe Heritage Centre offers us many options going forward. We hope to be able to host concerts as well as rehearse in what is a fantastic and currently underused venue.

"I for one am very excited for the evolution of Crewe Brass and this move is one of many exciting plans beginning to come to fruition."

Gordon Heddon, Chairman, Crewe Heritage Centre, said: "I am very pleased indeed to welcome Crewe Brass to the Crewe Heritage Centre. I believe it will be a very productive association for us both.

"I understand the band are also very pleased with the acoustics in the Exhibition Hall. We look forward to the band performing during our large public functions."

For further information relating to Crewe Brass please visit: Facebook, Instagram and their website.