The Dodworth Colliery M.W. Brass Band is one the oldest Bands on record being formed in 1836. Following the closure of the local colliery sponsorship from British Steel enabled the Band to move forward and the ensuing few years were the most successful in the Band's history; the Band rose from the 2nd Section to become 1st Section National Champions in 1990 and were promoted to the Championship Section. Unfortunately the Band fell on hard times after losing its sponsorship and it folded in the mid 1990s. It was reformed in 1997 as a junior Band and for a number years was content just to entertain at local events.

In 2004 with the appointment of a new young musical director - Eliot Darwin, the Band decided to enter the contest arena again after an absence of almost 10 years, and so the Band took to the stage at Bradford for the 2005 Yorkshire Area Contest and were thrilled by achieving a Third place.

The year of 2006 was to prove very eventful for Dodworth and Eliot. Once more the band went to the Yorkshire Areas and fuelled by our placing the previous year and a lot of hard work the Band became Yorkshire Area 4th Section Champions, then became Tameside Open Champions and rounded it off by becoming Fourth Section National Champions.

2007 saw promotion to the Third Section where the Band became Yorkshire Area Champions once again, and once again Tameside Open Champions in the Third Section. After a disappointing appearance at The National Finals that year where the Band came 6 th , Dodworth went on to compete in the ‘Wilkinsons' sponsored Northern Open Championships taking first prize in the 3 rd section

Dodworths first outing for 2008 was the Butlins Mineworkers Championships and newly promoted to the Second Section we obviously wondered how we would cope in a higher section and we were delighted by a Second place. This gave us a good boost of confidence to go to The Yorkshire Areas in March but the 7 th place didn't seem to reflect our performance on stage or the feedback from the audience.

As well as the successes on the contest stage Dodworth have also had a number of significant events over the years since its association with Eliot as MD. An acquaintance of the band – Nigel Horne (who incidentally introduced the Band to Eliot when we were without MD in 2004) needed a recording of an arrangement of his of the “Ash Grove” which was to be used as incidental music for the “River Cottage” series with Hugh Fearnley Whitingstall and Dodworth rehearsed and recorded the music for broadcast on Channel Four.

Other recordings and broadcasts were to follow for the BBC in 2006 and 2007 when we were invited to perform at the annual BBC Radio Sheffield Christmas Carol Concerts.

So all in all its been an eventful last few years for Dodworth and Eliot and its been down to hard work and commitment from both sides that seems to have paid off so far, Rehearsals at the Band room continue to be very well attended and we hope to continue to make Brass Banding interesting and exciting to both our audience and players.