TWO well known Forest of Dean brass band enthusiasts have been presented with certificates to mark 50 years of service.

Jim Cooke, at present the musical director of Berry Hill Band, started his career with Lydney Town Band and played a number of instruments ranging from soprano cornet to euphonium, and when required, the bass drum on Remembrance Parades and at carnivals.

He held a wide range of administrative posts in the band, and during his time as chairman accepted from Alan Dearden, managing director of local company Lydmet, the articles of sponsorship, changing the band's name to Lydmet Lydney Band.

During the 1980s with the band at a low ebb he was appointed bandmaster and subsequently musical director, when with the help of a small core of senior members the band began a re-building programme with an introduction of beginners' classes.

The band was soon on the contesting circuit, and from this restart now enjoys a solid position in the First Section.

In the 1990s, after 40 years' service, Jim was made a life member. He then accepted and still holds the position of musical director of Berry Hill Band, but he is always willing to help out any band as conductor or player and he looks forward to continuing with "banding."

Brian White first became involved with brass bands when his father, then playing with the Parkend Band, gave him a cornet and introduced him to Bert Edmunds and Albert Higgins. They sat him alongside Neville Edmunds, a renowned local cornet player.

He then joined Berry Hill Band in 1948 and remembers vividly getting up at 4.30am to travel to the area contest in Exeter on an old Bristol Tramways bus.

A foundryman by trade, he moved from Cannop on his marriage to Valerie in Lydney, where he joined the Brico company, now Federal Mogul.

At the foundry he met Jim Cooke who persuaded him to play with Lydney and he has been connected with them ever since.

He has held a number of administrative positions and was instrumental in obtaining the sponsorship of the then Lydmet company to support the band. Without this help the band would not have survived to this day.

He has watched over the band during their progress from fourth section to championship section.

Brian has two sons who started with the Lydmet Lydney band and who have since moved on to progress their careers.

Eldest son Andrew is musical director of the Oldham Band in Lancashire and Kevin is musical director of the Bendix Band in Bristol.