A RYEDALE band has invested in a state-of-the-art ventilation system for its rehearsal room.

The Swinton and District Excelsior Band is one of only six bands in the country to have the £8,600system installed to improve ventilation in the building following the covid pandemic.

Band Secretary Stephen Popham said: "While the system has cost the band a lot of money for a small organisation like ours, we feel it is a small price to pay for the safety of our present and future members.

"This virus is not going to go away overnight so this will make our rehearsals much safer for everyone once restrictions are relaxed and we are allowed back into the band room."

Installed by Torr Engineering of Grimsby led by Gary Ornsby, solo baritone player with the Foss Dyke Band of Lincoln, the system is manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

It draws 1,000 cubic metres of fresh air into the room per hour at the same time removing the same volume of stale air from the room through existing vents in the outside wall.

In the winter the air being drawn in is warmed and in the summer it is cooled through a heat exchanger so not only will the system aid ventilation it will also help to maintain a comfortable temperature within the room.

Stephen said: "We are proud to say we are currently one of only six bands in the entire country to have this system installed making ours one of the safest rehearsal rooms around.

"Our thanks go out to Torr Engineering not only for a superb job of installing the new system but also for keeping the mess in the band room to a minimum.

"Also our thanks go to Peter Snowball of Slingsby for all the electrical work and Alan Brisby of Norton for the joinery work."

Established in 1936, Swinton Band is currently running socially distanced rehearsals on Monday evenings in the Milton Rooms in Malton, while the training band is rehearsing Friday evenings in Amotherby Village Hall.

The band has about 25 playing members in the main band with a learners band of around 20. Members range in age from primary school pupils to some in their 70s and 80s.

Stephen added: " We are especially keen to recruit an experienced Solo Baritone player along with Solo or Bass Trombone players but any experienced players will be very welcome as will anyone wanting to join our training band to learn to play or who may have played in the past and would like to start playing again."

Contact Swinton Band on 01653 696417 or e-mail secretary@swinton-band.com