East Coast Elite History

In 1998 East Coast Elite Brass & Percussion Corps was created from the original 1st Cleethorpes Boys' Brigade / 2nd Cleethorpes Girls' Brigade whose origins date back to 1952.

The original concert band took part in the Boys' Brigade National Finals and won the overall championship in 1981.

The Corps still have some of the original instruments which are maintained and used for concerts and carols during the winter months. However, during the early 1990's the band changed from Concert style instruments to forward facing specialist marching instruments.

Some of the most remembered highlights from this era were winning the National Contest Class at Wembley Arena in 1993 where the band played Farandole from L'Arlesienne and in 1996 taking the Championship Class title at the NIA in Birmingham.

The now independent youth organisation serves the whole of the North East Lincolnshire area and has through the years enabled hundreds of young people to take part in the great musical activity.

One of the finest events undertaken as this unit was leading the Main Street Parade at Disneyland Paris in May 1998.

The latest achievement was winning both the 2008 British Youth Band Association Division 2 League and the National Finals in October 2008 thereby promoting the Corps to Division 1. In 2009 we were placed in the top league 3rd.place

The Corps retains some of the key original values of discipline, leadership and individual achievement creating an overall strong team ethic.

Since 1998 the Corps has regularly taken part in British Youth Marching Band Association national competitions always in either Division 1 or 2

Programmes for the last 6 years are as follows:

2003 - A New Generation - BYBA Division 2
2004 - Pirates - DCUK "A" Class
2005 - The Journey Home - BYBA Division 2
2006 - The Messenger - BYBA Division 2
2007 - Reflections - BYBA Division 2
2008 - From Heaven Above - BYBA Division 2
2009 - 'Year' BYBA Division 1.