Life membership honour for Riverside’s ‘band mum’

Congratulations to cornet player Gillian Reid who has been awarded a life membership medal by the Scottish Brass Band Association in recognition of her decades of involvement in the brass band scene as a player and administrator.

Gillian has enjoyed a lifetime of involvement in her musical pastime, and now gives back to help nurture the next generation of young musicians at the Riverside Youth Band in Inverclyde. She has become a member of the organisation's management team, and still gets her cornet out regularly to sit alongside young players during the band's weekly rehearsals in Port Glasgow.

She was presented with her medal at Riverside Youth Band's summer concert, with members of her family surprising her during the presentation - including daughter Abbie, a former member of the band, who travelled from Dingwall especially for the occasion.

Reflecting on the evening, Gillian commented: "Receiving the SBBA life membership award is a memory I will treasure, as it involved my family and my favourite thing – brass banding. To begin with, I was a little confused and surprised, and definitely overwhelmed - but I'm enormously grateful. 

"Brass banding wasn't very cool when I was younger, but that never bothered me. I enjoyed the challenge of trying to put together all the components of the music including the notes, dynamics and effects."

Gillian started lessons in 1981 at Brediland Primary and played with Paisley Youth Band and Brediland Brass before moving to Johnstone Silver Band in the early 1980s, where she served as an active member for more than 30 years.

When her daughter Abbie came along to Riverside Youth Band in 2018, Gillian immersed herself in the life of the organisation, which welcomes young brass and percussion players from Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and beyond.

"Brass banding is an important part of social history and that is important to me, coming from a family of socialists. I have made friendships which have lasted for decades, along with so many special memories - and lots of laughs along the way,” she said. 

Duncan Galbraith, chairman of Riverside Youth Band, commented: "We're grateful to Gillian, who has remained involved in the organisation after her daughter left school, and now plays a key role in Riverside's management team, combining her professional experience with her lifelong love of music.

“Not only that, Gillian has become a 'band mum' to so many players in the band, and we hope she will continue to be involved for years to come."