Stewarton Learning Partnership Bands Family and Friends was officially launched this evening at the Stewarton Academy Bands Summer Concert. This new initiative aims to raise at least £4000 each year to support the instrumental learning of band members from Primary 6 and 7 bands through to Junior and Senior Band.

The scheme was set up by the Stewarton Band Support Group who are working in partnership with East Ayshire Council to provide quality instrumental tuition to as many pupils in the Stewarton Learning Partnership as possible in order that the success of the band system, which has been established over 20 years, might continue.

The first £4000 raised is required to fund tuition so that far more children can benefit from free instrumental learning during the day time. This money will supplement that already provided by East Ayrshire Council and that which they hope to raise through a grant application to the Scottish Arts Council.

Everything raised beyond that will be used to enhance the learning experience of band members. In particular it would be used to subsidise residential band weekends and possibly concert trips such as those to Italy and Florida which the Senior Band have undertaken in the past.

Anyone who wishes to support this scheme can do so via the Band Support Group website.