Betteshanger Colliery Welfare Brass Band, based in Deal, has achieved an extraordinary and unprecedented milestone in its long and proud history. On Sunday 22 March, the band travelled to Stevenage to compete in the London and Southern Counties Regional Championships, successfully defending their title and being crowned Third Section Champions: a third consecutive win at the regionals.
Under the expert musical direction of Mike West, whose commitment, discipline, and musical leadership have been central to the band’s success, the players have spent months tirelessly preparing their performance of The Howarth Suite — a challenging and expertly crafted 13‑minute work. Their dedication and precision shone through on stage, securing yet another remarkable victory.
This achievement is the latest chapter in an extraordinary comeback story.
After nearly a decade away from contesting, the band returned to competition in March 2024 in the Fourth Section. Against all expectations, they were crowned champions at the London and Southern Counties Regional Finals, earning a place at the National Finals in Cheltenham later that year. Their winning performance secured automatic promotion to the Third Section.
In March 2025, Betteshanger once again rose to the occasion, becoming Third Section Champions at the regional finals and earning a second consecutive appearance at the National Finals — where they went on to achieve an impressive second place nationally.
Now, in 2026, the band has completed an unprecedented hat‑trick of regional championship wins, reaffirming their status as one of the most successful and rapidly rising brass bands in the region. Their latest victory means they will proudly represent the London and Southern Counties region at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, to be held at the York Barbican in September 2026. The band is determined to continue their upward trajectory and hopes to return home with further national silverware.
Band spokespersons described the atmosphere as “electric” and the achievement as “a testament to the hard work, resilience, and passion of every member.” The band also praised MD Mike West for his unwavering leadership throughout their exceptional journey. As well as winning the best Musical Director on the day, our bass section stood out to adjudicators, Steven Mead and Andrea Price with reports highlighting their “deep sea” bass section as crucial to their victory, marking them as the best bass section in that division.
Betteshanger Colliery Welfare Brass Band wishes to thank its supporters, community, and families for their ongoing encouragement and looks forward to making them proud once again on the national stage.
Thank you so much for supporting Betteshanger Brass Band. Your generosity helps us represent our area with pride and continue our journey toward musical excellence. We are grateful for your help and look forward to making our community proud on contest day.
With thanks from all the band members, Betteshanger Brass National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.
Show your support for this GoFundMe https://www.gofundme.com/f/road-to-york/cl/s…
Betteshanger Colliery Welfare Band 