Second donation is music to the ears of Wetherby Lions and the bandsmen of the North of England
Wetherby Lions has received a boost for the second year running from housebuilder Taylor Wimpey Yorkshire with a £350 donation to support this year’s Drovers’ Day.
The annual event sees brass bands parading through the town of Wetherby for several hours, competing in ‘The Drovers’ Brass Band Hymn and Marching Contest’.
Last year, 20 brass bands took part, with Crofton Silver crowned the winners, while more than a thousand people turned out to enjoy the music.
The competition remembers the days when, for over 200 years, tens of thousands of cattle were walked by drovers from Scotland to markets in the south via Wetherby. This year the contest is taking place on Sunday, June 14, at Wetherby Bandstand.
Last year, the housebuilder donated £500 to help Wetherby Lions buy a new gazebo for the club, which had its inaugural outing during the 2025 Wetherby Drovers’ Day.
Martin Doxey, spokesperson for Wetherby Lions, whose motto is ‘We Serve’, said: “We are very grateful to Taylor Wimpey for their continued support. This year’s Drovers’ Day is shaping up to be another hugely enjoyable day for everyone involved.”
Fellow co-host, and chair of the bandstand trust, Rob Gray, added: “It’s the only occasion when we can literally encourage participants to blow their own trumpet to herald the success of the event!
“We are expecting around 20 brass bands to compete this year and the day should provide some stunning music for everyone to enjoy.”
Sam Evans, Sales and Marketing Director at Taylor Wimpey Yorkshire, said: “This event is a major milestone in Wetherby’s calendar, and so we were pleased to be able to support the incredible work of the Wetherby Lions once again. We wish all the bands good luck on the day.”
Taylor Wimpey is currently building in the town at Swinnow Park, off Racecourse Approach, which will deliver more than 760 new homes, with a mix of two, three, four, and five-bedroom properties, with some designated affordable.
Sam added: “Taylor Wimpey strongly believes in supporting the communities in which it builds, which is why our team was keen to support Wetherby Lions once again.”