Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue
Concert Band
How It All Started
Our Origin:
Formed in 2009, through the integration of Lincolnshire Concert Band and the Fire & Rescue service.
Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue was, for many years, associated with a brass band. Over the years, they struggled for players. Our then Musical Director, Brian Newland, has the idea to amalgamate the Concert and Brass bands to form a new 'Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue Concert Band (LFRCB)' that you see today.
While the band members of LFRCB are volunteers from all walks of life, we all wear the uniform of the Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue Service with a great deal of pride.
Prior to the Concert Band's association with the Fire & Rescue Service in 2009, our roots trace back to 1972 when the band was born as 'The Lincolnshire County Military Band'.
Twinning:
In 1969, the City of Lincoln started a twinning with Neustadt an der Weinstrasse in Germany. This relationship remains strong today and our band has maintained a twinning with the Neustadt band for over 50 years now.
We keep in regular contact with our friends from www.musikverein-diedesfeld.de (MVD), having visited them in May 2025. We most recently welcomed our friends from the Neustadt band to Lincoln in June 2026, where they joined us in performing at the Lincolnshire Show.
Marching Band:
In 2016 the band developed into a marching band alongside being a traditional concert band. Since making this decision, we have been able to take part in range of high profile events:
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The Armistice Day Ceremonies at The Menin Gate, Ypres, Belguim
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Parades through Central London for the National Firefighters Memoral Days.
We also perform at the Lincolnshire Show every year in the main ring and around the event grounds.
As not all of our Concert Band members wish to march, we have since expanded our Marching Band to include members of LFRCB as well as other musicians from local bands and communities.
We have a huge range of repertoire that we've slowly added to since 1972. It's not often that a piece requested isn't in our library and every year we buy new music to increase our variety.
With weekly rehearsals and a variety of engagements throughout the year, all we ask of our band members is their commitment and dedication to producing quality entertainment whilst keeping the fun of music alive.
Our Musical Director
- Richard Joyce
Being born into a Salvationist family, Richard developed a keen interest in music from a very young age, being given his first instrument – a cornet – at the age of five. A couple of years later they were brave/foolish enough to give him a mouthpiece. It is from this that his life-long love of music really began, and continues to this day.
Aged 6, he took up the Clarinet, progressing quickly and by the age of 12 had completed all his Grade Exams. He also continued to play brass – Eb Bass by this time – with the Salvation Army Junior Band but was to focus mainly on his Clarinet playing and at 15, he achieved a Performer's Diploma from the Royal College of Music. Soon realising that his professional future would be in music, he joined the RAF as a Musician in 1984, becoming Principal Clarinetist with the world-renowned Central Band from 1989 to 2010. During this time, he performed as a soloist on the stage of many of the UK's finest concert halls, and on BBC Radio 3.
Whilst undergoing Continued Professional Development in RAF Music Services, he began to take a keen interest in conducting, and in doing so gained a Professional Diploma in Musical Direction in 2005.
Richard is married with two daughters (and a much-adored Flatcoat Retriever) and has a keen interest in photography, hill-walking and motorcycling.
Band Members
Flutes:
Karen Walker
Anna Staples
Chrissy Crawford
Chelsea Page
Ginette Towers
Moira Bilton
Oboe:
Alan Walker
Bass Clarinet:
Caroline Walker
Bassoons:
Natalie Hutchinson
VACANCY
Clarinets:
Emily Gillies-Loach
Marie Caldwell
Sarah Sherratt
John Dawson
Callum Hold
Victor Harrod
Jules White
VACANCY
Tenor Horns:
Rosie King
Lucy King
French Horns:
VACANCY
Alto Saxophones:
Sam Towers
Laura Kelsey
Emily Nelson
Jenny Reynolds
Helen Reast
Rachel Button
Bill Clark
Tenor Saxophones:
Yvonne Neilson
Alan Smallbones
Steve Barnett
Baritone Saxophones:
Terry Coffey
Helen Wallhead
Cornets/Trumpets:
Ryan Newland
Jane Burton
Emily Donovan
Kathy Coulson
Ben Pearce
VACANCY
Euphoniums:
Leanne Barnard
Tom Finney
Tubas:
Alastair Kirk
Phil Dunkley
Trombones:
Kathie Hammond
Deborah Pollard
James Kirk
String Bass:
Mike Lock
Percussion:
Ian Simpson
Lou Thornton
Keira Walker
2026 Committee Members
Chairman:
Vice Chairman:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
Band Manager:
Band Manager:
Asst Band Manager:
Safeguarding:
Social Media:
Non Committee Roles:
Uniform: Lou Thornton
Ryan Newland
James Kirk
Moira Bilton
Sarah Sherratt
Alastair Kirk (Concert Band)
Sam Towers (Marching Band)
Kathy Coulson
Chelsea Page
Emily Gillies-Loach (Webmaster)
President & Vice Presidents
President of the Band:
Chief Fire Officer
Mark Baxter
Vice Presidents:
Mr Brian Newland (Retired Musical Director)
Mr John Herrick (Retired Chief Fire Officer)
Mr David Ramscar (Retired Chief Fire Officer)
Mr Patrick Vaughn
Mr David Gratrick
Mrs Sheila Kirk
Mr Terry Coffey