A BRASS band in the North-East has been given a three-year sponsorship deal.
Tavistock Leisure chairman Russell Foster announced the deal for Chester-le-Street Riverside Band last week.
The announcement was made at the reopening of the refurbished ballroom at The Roker Hotel, in Sunderland, where the band played throughout the evening.
Band chairman Tom Moffat said: "At a time when so many ex-colliery and industrial brass bands have gone out, or are going out, of existence, this is a great example of a regional company coming in to help secure the tradition and history of brass bands in our area."
The band has been in existence since 1877, formed as Pelton Fell Methodist Brass Band, then as Pelton Fell Colliery Band, then Newcastle Brown Ale Band for 27 years until three years ago when they assumed their current name.
The band came second in The North of England Brass Band Championships at Darlington, qualified for the first time in their long career for the National Brass Band Finals at The Royal Albert Hall on October 15.
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