The Sands Band

Christmas is just round the corner and the Band is celebrating the festive season again at one of our favourite venues, the Fell Church in Grange.  It's at 49 Grange Fell Road, GRANGE-OVER-SANDS   LA11 6AN.   If you haven't been in, take this opportunity as it's a gem.  We shall be playing at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday 10 December for about an hour, and there will be refreshments too.  Admission is free but if you've enjoyed the music please do make a donation to the church.   And why the bells?  Well, to learn more about them, come to the concert!  

With the nights drawing in we all need some Winter Cheer to drive away the cold and the dark.  And in the Sands Band we've got some to share!  Come along to our concert on Friday 28 November, 7.00 p.m. at Grange Methodist Church and you can find some too.   Admission is free - no tickets needed - but donations towards the church redevelopment fund would be appreciated.   

  Join the Sands Band and caller Dave and bring your dancing shoes to the CEILIDH on Saturday 4 October at 7.00 p.m., at the Allithwaite Community Centre.  Together we shall be raising money for "Beyond FGM - saving girls from FGM".  Tickets £10 on the door.   You will have a great evening - and your contribution will make a real difference where it is so desperately needed.  See you there!

It's still Summer in Grange-over-Sands.  It must be, because the Sands Band is playing for a Summer Fair.  It's on Saturday 20 September at Bridge House Residential Home, Flookburgh, LA11 7JS and we are playing from 1.00 to 2.15 p.m.  Do come along and help us help them to raise money for a new Summer house.  You see?  If it's a Summer house it must still be Summer!  QED. 

Sands Band has nominated August as Transport Month!  So far we've taken you to the station and the car show - now we're going paddling on Lake Windermere.  Well, not literally.  We're playing for the Windermere Paddlers for Life ceilidh at Allithwaite Community Centre, LA11 7QJ, on Saturday 23 August.   Dave, our caller, will teach all the dances.  All you need to do is to bring some food for a Jacob's Join, some drinks for yourself, £10 per person for admission (children free) and you are all set for a grand evening out.  You can reserve tickets in davance from dave@daveandjean.co.uk or paddlersforlife@gmail.com   Proceeds will be shared between Windermere Paddlers for Life, and Water Aid.  Doors open at 7.00 p.m. so get your dancing shoes on!  

  Whether it's the Runaway Train or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - or even the Rail Replacement Bus service - we have transport to delight you this Summer.   First up are train tunes (and lots more besides), at Kents Bank Station on Saturday 2 August.  We shall be playing during the afternoon at the Friends of Kents Bank Station Summer fete.   Or if your preference is for road transport, we shall be at the Classics Over Sands car show the following weekend on Sunday 10 August, starting around 1.45 p.m.  That's on the Memorial Playing Fields, Yew Tree Road, Grange-over-Sands.  (see: https://classicsoversands.org/)     See you there!   

  No, it's not a refresher course on the alphabet.  It's an invitation to the Allithwaite Bowling Club ceilidh at the Allithwaite Community Centre on 26 July 2025.  Come and join the dancers keeping on their toes to music by Grange-Over-Sands' very own Sands Band.  Don't worry if you have never been to a ceilidh before.  Dave Rogers, our caller, will explain how it all works and will call the steps for every dance. All the details you need are on the poster.  Do come along - it will be fun! 

Well, maybe we are getting a bit ahead of ourselves but we are really looking forward to playing springtime music at the Fell Church in Grange including - you've guessed it - the May Song!  We shall be there on Wednesday 7 May at 2.00 p.m.   Do come along if you can.  The Fell Church, 49 Grange Fell Road, GRANGE-OVER-SANDS   LA11 6AN.  Free admission! If you haven't visited the Fell Church before you are in for a treat.  It's a gem!  Discover its history and soak up the ambience as you listen to our spring programme.  There will be an opportunity afterwards, should you wish, to make a donation to the church.  

We're optimists in the Sands Band and we think the end of February is (well, almost) the beginning of Spring!  So come and join us for a Spring ceilidh on Friday 28 February at Grange Methodist Church, 6:30 to 9:00pm.  Light refreshments will be provided.  No tickets and no set charge – donations welcome.  All dances will be called; no experience or partner needed, just a willingness to have fun, join in or simply enjoy listening to the music . Grange Methodist Church is a brilliant venue for ceilidhs and loads of other events, right in the town centre.  Sadly, the building is in need of major renovations and these are not cheap.  So the proceeds from this ceilidh will go towards the church's "Open for Community" building redevelopment fund.  Please be generous.  Dance, have fun - and GiftAid your donation if you can! 

That's what one of our Christmas songs says, and it's true!  The Band is busy bringing Christmas cheer to Grange-over-Sands and round about - and to you too if you are able to join us.  Dates for your diary: Wednesday 11 December, 10.00-11.00 at the Fell Church, Grange Fell Road,  LA11 6AN Saturday 21 December, 11.00-13.00 at Levens Hall, near Kendal, LA8 0PD If you are lucky enough to be a member of Grange U3A you can also hear the Band at the Grange U3A monthly meeting, on Tuesday 17 December at 10.15 a.m. in the Victoria Hall, Grange-over-Sands. We shall be decked out in our Christmas jumpers.  Spoiler alert - see the photo!  We look forward to admiring yours too.

 Good news!  You are all invited to a ceilidh in Cartmel Village Hall on Saturday 26 October.  Dancing starts at 7.00 p.m.  The Sands Band will be playing, with our brilliant caller Dave.  You don't need any experience - just come along and enjoy it. Proceeds from the ceilidh will go towards campaigning against female genital mutilation in rural Kenya.  It's a really important cause so please join us in supporting this work. Tickets are only £10 and you can buy them on the door.  If you have any queries or need more information please ring Cath Holland on 07796-121226. We look forward to seeing you on 26th!

 Join Sands Band and Dave the caller for a family ceilidh on Friday 30 August at Allithwaite Community Centre, 7-10 p.m.  Together help us raise money for fantastic charities Water Aid and Paddlers for Life Windermere.  Tickets are £10 (accompanied children free).  Bring some food to share and your enthusiasm to dance.  No experience is necessary - Dave will explain what to do.  For tickets and further information contact Dave (dave@daveandjean.co.uk) or Julie (julie58mason@btinternet.com).   We hope to see you there!  

   Saturday 18 May was the perfect opportunity for the Band to play not just "Sunny afternoon" but also plenty of our favourite cheerful music for May time.  The sun shone all afternoon and a great time was had by all at the Friends of Kents Bank Station's summer event.    If you were there, we hope you enjoyed the music.  And if you'd like to hear us again, have a look at our "Book the Band" page.  We do ceilidhs and other events in and around Grange-over-Sands and the South Lakes.  We'd love to hear from you!