Award winning Sevenoaks-based ‘Band Without Boundaries’ helps those in the community who face disadvantages and social isolation

Eight years ago in Sevenoaks, two groups of people met for the first time. They were local musicians and people with learning disabilities. Out of their shared love for music ‘Band Without Boundaries’ (BwB) was formed.

Since then BwB members have met monthly at Amherst School in Riverhead to develop their own arrangements of jazz standards and to compose their own original pieces.

There are now more than 30 players in the band and the membership has been broadened to include more people from the community who face disadvantage and social isolation.

The band performs at least once and year and has recently won two awards including the Sevenoaks District Council Community and Voluntary Award for Equalities Champion.

On 9 November BwB was one of the bands performing at Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells (see photographs) to raise funds for the band and for Musicians Without Borders. BwB played to a full house and raised more than £5000.

BwB comes under the umbrella of the locally-based Arts Without Boundaries charity and it’s chief executive Sue Marlow said: “The concert at Trinity Theatre was a great success. When the band finished playing, the audience shouted for more and we were described as absolutely brilliant and so inspirational.

“We are very excited about all the opportunities and plans we have for 2020.

“Arts Without Boundaries is also pleased to announce that we have received funding through Kent Community Foundation and from The Gatwick Foundation Fund to support our core project – Band Without Boundaries.

“We are very grateful as this will enable us to run a further eight sessions of our award winning project!”