Diana Raphael's association with the Avonbank Brass Band stretches back more than half a century. Here, with Gerry Barnett, she looks both back over the years and forward to her hopes for the future...

IT all started when Diana was 11 and envious of her sister Dierdre learning to play the cornet and brother Wellesley being taught how to play the trombone. She wanted to join in, and when a third cornet player was desperately needed for a contest she was given a chance.

"I learned the third cornet part of Rule Britannia off by heart, although I could not even play correctly up the scale," she said. "Added to that, the cornet was not very good and had elastic on the valves to help pull them back up when pushed down, I really must have been keen to have stayed the course."

Now she realises that her parents must have been very special to have tolerated three children all learning to play a brass instrument at once, with bedlam springing to mind. Though her brother did not stay the course and took up rowing, the sisters both played in Avonbank Band for many years.

"One of my earliest recollections of playing with Avonbank was going to Fairford, playing in a contest and receiving an award for being the youngest player taking part," Diana said. "At some contests we were sought out by photographers because Avonbank was not only a Youth Band but had so many lady players, quite unusual in those days - Dierdre Huxley, Marilyn Mace, Ann Lane, Jean Hemming and me."

Diana was very fortunate to be made a member of the National Youth Brass Band and went on courses until she was too old to be a member - at 17.

Avonbank grew from strength to strength. "Playing at fetes and garden parties was great, playing carols at Dumbleton Hall provided a truly Dickensian setting and considerably warmer than when we playing carols in the streets of Evesham collecting for Barnados children's home at Sutton Coldfield.

"Perhaps the biggest influence on my learning to play," she said, "was during Sunday evenings when some of us would go to Avonside Infirmary and would sing and play two hymns and say a prayer in each ward. The patients appreciated it and I presumed they would not notice the mistakes."

Playing at the Royal Albert Hall at the Methodist Church Conference with Steve Race as compere/conductor and Norman Wisdom topping the bill she rates one of the most prestigious concerts that Avonbank band have ever played at. "I can still recall the thrill as we opened the concert with a rendering of the then very popular Dam Busters March and the audience realised what we were playing and clapped loudly, a magical moment that I will always remember," she said.

Her entire youth revolved around Avonbank Brass Band and even when she went to live in Scotland when she got married she joined Renfrew Borough Band where she was made very welcome, particularly as she was the only woman in the Band.

"Avonbank Band gave me a base of friends that have lasted a lifetime and a lifelong love of brass bands and its music," she said.

"I managed to play until I had my son Robert, but with a husband, three

children and a business to help run I had to cease being an active member."

For many years Diana and her husband Sam were strong supporters and took their turn on the rota of people who organised the bingo in the Public Hall, which raised a lot of money for Avonbank Band. During her year as Mayor of Evesham she was able to contribute £3,500 to the band from her charity fund.