Brief history
I joined the band in 1983 and desperately wanted to play the side drum as I played the drum kit at school but unfortunately I was to small. So a blower I became. I can remember my very first practice and I was given a purple bugle bag. At the time I thought it was pretty cool but looking back I'm not so sure. Rosie taught me to play the bugle who is the daughter of Brian Davison, our President. I worked up from the Junior Band into the Senior band on the bugle winning various cups and trophies at Annual Reviews and band inspections.

When I was just knee high to a grasshopper in the band I always wondered what the person at the front with that stick was doing. They seemed to get a lot of attention and applause for throwing it around and spinning it round their necks. Rather dangerous I thought but that didn't stop my interest. I decided that I wanted a slice of the action and became the Drum Major of the band. I absolutely loved being the DM and I was most definitely in my element. In my time I won many trophies including back-to-back titles at The Royal Albert Hall and The Kent County Youth Band Championships. But in 1996, my last year as Drum Major I became TYMBA National Class Champion and Drum Major League Champion. At the age of 25 it was time to pass on the mace and some words of wisdom. Steve Spicer was the chosen one and lucky for me he has gone on from strength to strength winning many Drum Major trophies and has combinated in him becoming 2007 TYMBA League Champion Drum Major.

I then went onto become an instructor with the band and I now work closely with Martin, Sarah and the other instructors on the creative, visual and marketing side of the band.

Highlights

• Supreme National Champions at the Albert Hall
• Being the Best Drum Major in the UK. Something I shall definitely tell my kids.
• Leading the band in Belgium
• Foreign trips to Denmark, Belgium and Paris, Ireland
• Seeing the band back where it belongs in the National Class
• Watching the band members faces when they win. Gets me every time
• Seeing Steve Spicer become TYMBA National Champion Drum Major

Lowlights

• Throwing my mace and watching it miss by an inch the windscreen of a VW beetle in Belgium. You should have seen the drivers face.
• Confusing currency with currency. If you ever get to meet me I shall tell you the story but I want it known that it wasn't my fault.

Away from the band
I'm the Creative Director of a recruitment advertising agency. I also enjoy spending time with my family, socialising with friends and basically having a good time.

Personal long term objectives for the band

• Taking the band on tour to America
• Changing the bands uniform