Housebuilder’s donation latest community support for fire struck Bo’ness band

A Bo’ness band, whose hall was severely damaged by fire, has raised around £18,000 to date thanks to the generosity of the local community.

A Bo’ness band, whose hall was severely damaged by fire, has raised around £18,000 to date thanks to the generosity of the local community.

The Kinneil Band Hall was badly damaged by the blaze back in June, and since then members have received tremendous support from groups and individuals within the local area.

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Their fund received another welcome boost this week as local homebuilder Miller Homes donated £750 to the band.

The donation is one of the first corporate contributions to the fund.

Arthur Mann, strategic land director for Miller Homes, said: “The Kinneil Band is well known across the area and we were sad to hear of the damage to the band hall at the beginning of the summer.

“We are pleased to be able to award the Kinneil Band with this donation adding to the local support offered by the people of Bo’ness to this long-established group.

“Organisations like the band are important to the community and we are only too happy to contribute towards keeping the band winning silverware across the UK again.”

Robert Doherty, Kinneil Band secretary welcomed the kind donation.

He said: “We are grateful to Miller Homes for this donation and thank the local community for their continued support.

“The band has raised approximately £18,000 since the fire and are welcome to any other offers of support from local businesses in order to secure a place to practice during the months ahead and rebuilt the band’s home.

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“We welcome any other support to secure instruments and other items associated with the youth band.

“For the meantime we have secured premises to allow us to continue to rehearse and operate as a band through Falkirk Council.”

Kinneil Band was founded in 1858 by the miners of Kinneil Pit and those employed at Wilson’s Kinneil

Iron Works in Bo’ness.

They have had considerable success over the years, with the band qualifying for the Cheltenham First Section National Finals in March this year and claiming a top ten finish at the Senior Trophy in May.

As a result of the fire an entire music library housed in the building has been lost forever as have priceless documents, trophies, instruments and other memorabilia, some of which dates back 160 years.

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