My introduction to brass bands occurred whilst I was at secondary school in Farnham at the age of twelve. The school wanted to start a brass band and I turned up wanting to play the drums. I was given a cornet instead and attended lessons at school on Saturday mornings until I left. When I was about 13 I joined the (then) Aldershot Brass Ensemble and learned a lot from the army players and conductor, George Prior, who went to a lot of effort to get the small group built up into a good local band. The same band is now Alder Valley Brass. I had to leave the band at 19 when I joined the police but kept up a little bit of practise at home using my own trumpet. Then, one August I went to the Grayswood fete with my wife and her family. Haslemere Town Band was there and I got talking to my wife's uncle, Eric Venton. Eric was the band secretary and had been on at me since he first met me to join the band. At the fete, I was 'invited' to play by the conductor. The solo cornet player, upon hearing this, vacated his seat and made for the beer tent, pushing his cornet at me as he went. I hesitated a bit but my mother in law pushed me into the seat. I have been with the band since that day in 1972. Since then, I have played most instruments in the band, with the exception of drums and trombone. The band over the years has changed in size, with fewer players now, but generally sounding much better. The amount of effort taken to sustain the organisation year on year has also increased, with the committee working hard all year to keep things going. With any luck I shall be able to continue for a few years yet......