It is a band which has blended friendship and music since it was formed in a Norfolk village way back in 1886.

And it is one which has given great pleasure to generations of people, raising so much money to support charities and good causes, at the same time.

There are few places better to listen to Cawston Band than ancient Blackfriars Hall in Norwich, part of the only surviving intact Dominican Friary complex in the land.

They will be putting on a special concert, featuring a tribute to the music of Queen, on Friday October 21, to raise money to help support a visit of sheriffs from across the country to the city next year.

The story of the Cawston and District Silver Prize Band is one we can all be proud of. It is well respected across the country as a high-profile and first-class brass band.

While other bands have come and gone Cawston has continued to change with the times, attract talented musicians, and go from strength to strength.

More than 26 men and women from across Norfolk are members of the band, which is based at the St Faith’s Centre at Horsham St Faith, and is East Anglia’s “Champion Band.”

They were one of the first Norfolk bands to have performed at the Royal Albert Hall and have also played at Crystal Palace and Wembley. In 2016 the band won the London and Southern Second Section and was placed sixth in the National Championships at Cheltenham.

I have been chatting to cornet player Phil Green, who has been a member of the band for no less than 50 years.

“We were out carol playing one night and walking round the village, enjoying a mince pie and glass of sherry from residents on the way,” he said.

“Then we got to a house which was dark. We played away waiting for some lights to come on. Nothing. Then one of us was about to knock on the front door. There wasn’t one. It was a haystack!”

Then there was the time, half-way through a solo, that the musician lost his false teeth! He carried on of course!

The reason they are playing to support the Norwich Shrievalty is that Phil is a great friend of former Sheriff and Norwich Trafford Arms landlord, Chris Higgins, who is helping to organise that special visit of sheriffs from around the country next year.

Tickets for the concert on Friday October 21 starting at 7.30pm at Blackfriars Hall, Norwich, cost £10 and are available at www.thehallsnorwich.com/whatson or by calling Chris on 07990 952912.