Helena took up brass playing so she could do GCSE music and got hooked on banding, attending different band rehearsals everyday of the week. Her first area contest experience was with Dronfield band in 1996 before moving to First section Darley Dale band in 1997, then taking the principle cornet seat in 1998 leading the band to the 1st section national finals in Dundee in 2003.

 

Opportunity arose to take the flugel seat at Bakewell band in 2004 and after a few years of contest success, Helena decided to further her experience and head to Yorkshire and the North West. The next few years she played for Frickley South Elmsall, Meltham Mills, Poynton, Strata, Blidworth, Newstead and Unite the Union.

 

For 15 years Helena has held the flugel seat at Masson Mills band playing under some top class MD’s and gaining a wealth of experience along side helping raise over a million pounds for the bands charity, Challenge Derbyshire.

 

Helena joined Blidworth band in September 2024.