For far too long our news broadcasts have carried details of the plight of people fleeing their homelands in search of food, warmth and safety.How terrible we say to ourselves, something should be done but then we get back to our settled lifestyles.But one member of the City of Chester Band decided there was something she could do: she would go and give some of her time.Dental Surgeon Donna Jackson is currently working in a professional team visiting a number of the refugee camps in Greece during the last two weeks of September.Donna answered an appeal issued by UK Charity “Dentaid†(http://dentaid.org/ ) which for over 20 years has sent teams of dental professionals to more than 70 countries where there is a real shortage of professional dental care.

The need for professional dental care was highlighted by the charities Red Cross and MSF whose workers observed that many people were unable to eat because of painful dental problems.Neither organisation had the equipment or expertise to solve the problem and so “Dentaid†was called in.

Donna had to go through a lengthy bureaucratic procedure during which her personal and professional accreditations were checked by a Greek voluntary organisation; the refugee camps in Greece are subject to strict military control in order to safeguard the refugees’ wellbeing.Having met the requirements Donna paid for her own air fare and was then told that only hand luggage could be taken with her in order to make space for dental supplies and equipment.And within the hand luggage Donna had to include surgical scrubs, loupes, batteries and masks besides clothing.

At the camps Donna and her colleagues are visiting dental units are set up in old shipping containers or in tents inside warehouses.In one blog Donna noted that some refugees had evidence of good dental work in the past, with crowns and bridges “… a legacy of the safe, prosperous life they used to have.â€

Many of the patients have been Syrians.Within a day Donna and her colleagues can visit more than one camp.In one camp the last patient of the day was a little boy who had a tooth extracted.Dentists noticed he showed signs of a mild form of epilepsy (petit mal).Fortunately, Donna records in her blog: “We managed to catch the medics before they left the camp for a few days.Hopefully, he will be sorted out but we will never know.â€

Next week Donna Jackson will be back at band practice joining in preparations for the City of Chester Band’s forthcoming engagements and contest at the end of October.Just one of the Band.

Donations to Dentaid may be made c/o of their web site: http://dentaid.org/ .

Attached are some photos of Donna and her colleagues at work in Greece.

Today, Band members Alix and James marry and the City of Chester Band is delighted to be taking a part in their wedding ceremony and celebrations. Congratulations to the happy couple!

There will be no rehearsals on Monday 29 and Wednesday 31 August. Next rehearsal: Monday 5 September.

A warm welcome awaits brass banders coming to study at Chester University this autumn.Players of all instruments are welcome, particularly cornetists.The City of Chester Band (3rd Section) is based close to the city centre and rehearses on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 20:00 to 22:00.Our MD, Ewan Easton MBE, (Principal Tuba with the Halle Orchestra) is taking the Band on a journey of improvement, encouraging members to concentrate upon the basics of good playing and reading.See our Facebook pages and our web site: https://chesterbrass.uk/ for further information about the main band and the City of Chester Training Band.

There will be no rehearsal for the Main Band this evening. Our next rehearsal will be on Monday 22nd.

Note for Social Media – 10 August 2016

The City of Chester Band notes with sadness the death of its President, the 6th Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor KG OBE TD DL.

Financial assistance from the Westminster Foundation proved invaluable to the Band in amassing 10% of the money necessary to form a bid for aid from the National Lottery in 1997.The bid was successful and it enabled the Band to acquire a new set of instruments, which are still in use today, and to carry out some improvements to the Band Room.

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July Player of the Mth award for July goes to Zac for his hard work and his drive in helping the band sound.

The Most Improved Player award goes to Janet for throwing herself wholeheartedly into learning the Bb Bass

At the City of Chester Band we don’t just rehearse music. We learn to spin plates, too. Spinning the plate is our MD’s approach to improving basic techniques. We’re lucky to be working with Ewan Easton MBE, Principal Tuba with the Halle and Tutor in Tuba at the RNCM, and we’d like to invite more cornet players to join us on a journey of improvement. Commitment to attending rehearsals and gigs on a regular basis is as important as your sound and playing ability. If you want to find out more about plate-spinning and the City of Chester Band (https://chesterbrass.uk/) then please contact Kirsty Blain ([email protected]) or Kate Harland ([email protected]).

No rehearsals during the week beginning 25 July 2016. Main band rehearsals will resume in August but on an ad hoc basis, depending upon the number of members available. Training Band rehearsals resume on 12 September 2016. The next joint rehearsal will be held on 19 September at St Luke's, Huntington.

On Sunday 3 July the City of Chester Band, led by Matthew Birkett, gave a performance on the bandstand in Shrewsbury's Quarry Park and, for once, the weather was ideal. The event was tinged with some sadness as we said farewell to Sophie Wilson, who after 12 months touring the UK and working in Chester for a while, is returning to New Zealand with her cornet. During the afternoon's performance Band Chairman, Paul Donoghue, presented Sophie with a gift from the Band. After the performance a number of the Band adjourned to The Boathouse for a farewell drink with Sophie. All associated with the Band wish Sophie all the best for the future.