Vale of Belvoir band presents charity cheque at annual Christmas bash
A fundraising Vale of Belvoir band has rounded off a busy year by presenting a cheque for hundreds of pounds to a local charity.
Members of the Belvoir Big Band, which is based in Harby, made one of its annual donations to the ‘Healing Little Hearts’ charity, this week.
The charity is a global organisation founded by Dr Sanjiv Nichani OBE, a consultant paediatric intensivist for the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre and Leicester Children’s Hospital.
A cheque for £400 was presented, at the band’s Christmas ‘Fuddle’ at Harby village hall, to Dr Nichani and Lesley Mistry MBE, the charity’s lead nurse and trustee.
The organisation uses voluntary medical staff to help children in poorer countries around the world where there are neither the skills nor facilities to deal with heart conditions.
The Belvoir Big Band’s ‘Fuddle’, is a pre-Christmas event held every year for friends and family of the band – they play some music and socialise with their guests while enjoying festive food and drink.
The band celebrated their 10th anniversary at the beginning of 2025 and has had a busy year, appearing at various shows and fairs throughout the summer season.
Their first performance of the year was at the Sheriff’s Shindig in Melton Market Place, culminating in appearances in Grantham’s Guildhall Arts Centre theatre and in the Daybrook Baptist Church concert, in Nottingham, last month.
The band supports charity and fundraising events throughout the are and, with 28 members, they are a truly big band, playing an eclectic mix of music including swing, blues, jazz, big band standards, film music and rock ‘n’ roll.
Reflecting on what it means to be part of the band, its chairman and drummer, Andy Antony, said: “The band enjoy playing together and also supporting charities and worthwhile good causes without any personal financial gain.
"It is the music and helping those in need that is important.”
The band will be performing at various venues in and around the county in 2026, including an appearance at Melton Theatre in October 2026 in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
Go to www.belvoirbigband.co.uk to find out more information about the band.