The Band was formed by Mike Booty - who is still Chairman and Musical Director - in 1974. The Band has raised many thousands of pounds for charities and regularly gives around thirty concerts each year. The Band has twice played and been presented to to HRH The Princess Royal, once in the Royal Albert Hall. It has performed ‘Tubby the Tuba’, narrated by the late Roy Castle and performed in Europe on many occasions winning third prize in an International Music Festival in Valkenburg, Holland. The Band was presented with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2006. It has toured Germany five times, most recently in July 2000 and the Far East, Singapore, Borneo and Thailand in August 2008.

The Band is completely independent, the only major source of Band income are the two events held each year solely for this purpose (the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ concert and a Christmas concert).