GIGGLESWICK and Settle Brass Band celebrates 50 years of making music this month.

The band was formed in 1952 when Giggleswick and Settle brass bands amalgamated, and today's musicians have a busy year planned to mark the anniversary, including a special concert on Saturday March 16.

They will also be playing at local galas, horticultural shows, church concerts, barbecues and carol concerts, as well as being involved in celebrations for the Queen's golden jubilee.

The first recorded event of the Settle band was Thursday August 10 1854 at North Craven Horticultural Society Flower Show, but it is thought to have been going long before this. During its time it has been a town band, a temperance band and a militia band.

At some point, Langcliffe band amalgamated with the Settle musicians, while bands also used to exist in Austwick, Ingleton and Bentham.

"The Giggleswick and Settle Brass Band is a local band which takes pride and enjoyment in supporting local events and celebrations in the Settle and Craven area," said band spokesman Susan Manson.

"The band is keen to expand on the variety and type of events that it is involved with locally to build on this tradition and towards this end has a wide variety of events planned for 2002 as its anniversary year."

From its beginnings, the band has been part of the living cultural heritage of the Dales, providing music at events all around the area.

"Its history is bound up with the people and events of the Giggleswick and Settle area," said Susan.

There are a number of families represented in the band with some children and grandchildren of original members now playing. They include George Wilson and his children Mandy, Kevin and Jonathan, father and son Dennis and Steven Howarth, father and sons George, John and Roy Ball, and grandfather, son-in-law and grandson Frank Clark, Keith and Kevin Maltby. Brothers David and Duncan Robinson are band members too.

The quality of the band has been recognised by its prize winning performance last year at the Kirkby Lonsdale Brass Band competition, where Giggleswick and Settle took first place overall.

There are currently 23 active playing members who practise and play on a voluntary basis. As part of its ongoing commitment to excellence, the band is keen to encourage young players to join and learn a brass instrument.

To this end, it recently gave instruments on long term loan to Giggleswick and Settle primary schools and the band is currently fundraising to buy more instruments to donate to local schools.

Bandmaster Dennis Howarth said: "We need to create new interest otherwise there will be nobody to carry on the band."

The band is now conducted by Ben Tierney and Roy Waite, but for many years the man behind the baton was Squire Firth, who is believed to be the group's longest serving conductor. The president is Joan Farrer, secretary is Frank Leighton and the treasurer is Sylvia Maltby.

The anniversary concert on March 16 will showcase an extravaganza of brass music with something for all tastes. It will feature guest soloist Derek Southcott, who is sponsored to appear by FH Ellis, of Settle. Mr Southcott is principal trombonist with the Sid Lawrence Orchestra and has played with the Black Dyke Mills Band and the BBC Light Orchestra among others.

The event takes place at Settle's Victoria Hall starting at 7.30pm and tickets, available on the door or from the Victoria Hall from March 12, cost £5, £4 for concessions and £3 for children. There will be refreshments and a raffle.