The City of Birmingham Brass Band are returning to the Lake District to take part in the Light the Lakes event for the charity COPS (Care of Police Survivors) this year, and we’d be delighted if you would join us. Light the Lakes is a huge event that ran for the first time in 2012, whereby groups from all over the country ‘buy’ one of the 214 Wainwright Peaks across the Lake District and then walk to the top of their peaks for 3am and light blue flares in memory of the lost officers. Last year, we decided to join the event for the first time, and played a small concert in Rydal Cave before taking a band to the top of Loughrigg Fell, where we played as the flares were lit. Looking across the lakes in the darkness and seeing flares for miles around is truly magical! The following day we played a massed band event at Brathay Hall to help raise money for the charity. We had players representing eight bands from across the country! This year The City of Birmingham Brass Band & Friends will be returning to Loughrigg, this time with the Speakman party. They are walking in memory of Don and Jonny Speakman, who were father and son. Both were police officers. Jonny died aged 33 when he swam out to sea and saved the lives of 5 children caught in a rip tide. He managed to save the lives of the children but didn’t have the strength to get himself back to shore. His father, Don, was involved with COPS for many years and walked Light The Lakes every year. He died 2 years ago, aged 72. His ashes are buried at the top of Loughrigg. We think this personal link with the group will make it even more special this year! The family are delighted that we will be joining them, so we need to make sure we do Don and Jonny proud! We will return to Brathay Hall (overlooking lake Windermere) the following day, to celebrate the walk. There will be food trucks, entertainment, and more massed band music. This year we want it to be bigger and better. We are looking for whole bands, sections of bands or individuals to join us for some or all of the event. Ideally, we want 100 players present at Brathay Hall on Saturday afternoon! If you’d like to take a group to play on an alternative peak, let us know and we will help and offer as much support as we can. The event is free but donations to the charity are welcome! The walk itself is relatively easy but is weather dependent. Most players last year stayed in the Ambleside area, a lot stayed at Rydal Hall, where there are hotel rooms, glamping pods and traditional camping. (But there are plenty of other places for people to stay)