Brass on the Mind

20/11/2025

Just because players in your band turn up and are surrounded by other people, doesn’t mean they don’t feel lonely…..

Yep, you read that right…

It’s common for people in organisations, like bands, to feel lonely and isolated even though they are surrounded by others.

I get it, I’ve felt it too - and that sense of loneliness and a lack of connection is a huge driver for poor mental health.

Plus, these feelings can be heightened around the festive period.

So please 🙏🏼 as we spend more time together in our bands over the thousands of Christmas gigs we will collectively give in the next few weeks, take a moment to check in with EVERY member of your band. Don’t just assume that because they are busy or surrounded by friends, family or colleagues that they don’t feel lonely or disconnected because what’s going on for them.

Check in… it’s that simple. Ask what they have going on and have an intention to listen to them. Just knowing someone is willing to listen can change so much for someone.

No one should ever have to feel lonely, especially in our bands

Thank you 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Tabby x

09/11/2025

We Will Remember Them

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”

Thank you to every band and bandsperson who today takes part in the most important event of the year.

Our bands play such an important role in Services of Remembrance.

07/11/2025

07/11/2025

An important reminder for banders on these long, dark winter nights.

I know of many people (ina md out of bands) who don’t feel safe at night in the dark. They feel more vulnerable walking alone to their car, or locking up the bandroom late at night. They won’t go out after 5pm or go for a run like they normally would before or after work.

Yes, they are mainly women, but not exclusively women.

I also know how vulnerable I felt a few years ago in those exact moments following my experience with some online harassment and stalking from someone in bands, which is why I want to share this reminder with you now. The moment one of my fellow players asked if I was OK getting to my car is a moment that has stuck in my mind and made me feel so much safer.

Full disclosure though around that time I was at a contest and didn’t go to join friends in the pub because I’d got delayed helping someone and didn’t want to walk by myself. So I drove home instead where I could feel safer.

I don’t want anyone to feel like that. So let’s work together and keep people safe.

Let’s make everyone in our bands feel safe.
Let’s take a moment to check in with each other.
Let’s set aside anxious feelings where we can.
Let’s just be kind and caring when we can be.

Situations where we don’t feel safe can hugely influence our mental health. So let’s work together to make things safer and easier where we can in order to protect the mental health of our brass band musicians.

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Please consider signing-up for the FREE Certificate in Brass Band Mental Health & Wellbeing course.

With a mission to train 1000 mental health and wellbeing leads in brass bands by 2027 we are well on our way, but we need you.

Why not learn more and become a wellbeing lead yourself for FREE?

If you are connected to brass bands and want to learn more you can enrol in the CPD accredited Certificate in Brass Band Mental Health course for FREE at

www.brassonthemind.co.uk

01/11/2025

“Really helpful, great resources and covers such a wide range of mental health and wellbeing topics. Thank you :)”

🙏🏼Great feedback from a recent learner on the Certificate for Brass Band Mental Health & Wellbeing course.

🎺💚 Thank you 💚🎺

With a mission to train 1000 mental health and wellbeing leads in brass bands by 2027 we are well on our way but we need you to please sign up, spread the word and be a contribution to supporting and protecting the mental health of brass band musicians.

… and you can do it for FREE.

Why not learn more and become a wellbeing lead yourself for FREE?

If you are connected to brass bands and want to learn more you can enrol in the CPD accredited Certificate in Brass Band Mental Health course for FREE at

www.brassonthemind.co.uk

Click on the button to go to the learning platform, select the brass band course and access for FREE. 🙏🏼🎺

Why not get signed up over the weekend and start making a difference?

We need more people to be aware of how to protect mental health so we can keep our bands healthy 🙏🏼💚

18/10/2025

Huge thanks to Tom and Chris from the podcast That's Not Banding for their big support and mention of Brass on the Mind and supporting the protection of mental health in brass bands.

We’re going to hold them to that promise of doing the course! 😜

All the free resources and free music are at www.brassonthemind.co.uk

•⁠ ⁠Cheltenham recap•⁠ ⁠London preview & rule change•⁠ ⁠World Mental Health Day•⁠ ⁠Professor David King•⁠ ⁠TNB All Star Band - The BassesPaypal Donation...

17/10/2025

Please join us in saying congratulations to founder of Brass on the Mind, Tabby Kerwin, who yesterday gave her first ever TEDx talk at tedxteesside to a sell-out audience and standing ovation.

Tabby’s talk was titled “Widowhood Made Me Happier” and touched on the duality of emotions and importance of choosing happiness and acknowledging everything we feel.

It was grounded in her professional psychology work and personal experience around growing with grief, protecting mental health and PERFORMING at your best and the story centred on her late husband Simon, who many of you will have known through his music, playing and conducting in brass bands.

Since Simon’s death in 2018, Tabby has kept his legacy firmly alive in brass bands making his music and educational books available for FREE as well as making mental health protection and awareness training for brass band musicians available for free, with a mission to train 1000 wellbeing leads in brass bands by 2027.

This amazing achievement of being selected and delivering a TEDx talk will further highlight the important of Tabby’s work and mission to change the conversation around mental health (not just in brass bands but the wider world) and we can’t wait for you to see it when it goes live on the TEDx online platform shortly.

Whilst we know the wonderful euphonium player Matthew White gave a super musical showcase performance at a TEDx event several years ago, we are wondering if Tabby is in fact the first person in the brass band community to have delivered one of these global talks? We think she may be, but regardless, it’s a huge achievement and our whole team was proud of her when she presented yesterday 🙌🏻



Tabby Kerwin
Mode for.

10/10/2025

Wishing all the bands travelling to the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall a safe journey and enjoyable performances.

Look after yourself and each other 💚

09/10/2025

Tomorrow (10/10/25) is World Mental Health Day.

So why not make this week your reminder to sign-up for the FREE Certificate in Brass Band Mental Health & Wellbeing course?

With a mission to train 1000 mental health and wellbeing leads in brass bands by 2027 we are on our way!

Why not learn more and become a wellbeing lead yourself for FREE?

If you are connected to brass bands and want to learn more you can enrol in the CPD accredited Certificate in Brass Band Mental Health course for FREE at

www.brassonthemind.co.uk

03/10/2025

🎺PAID VACANCY🎼

Call for applications for paid musical director role.

Launched in 2023, the Cumbria Youth Brass Band (CYBB) brings together a community of young brass players aged 8–25 from across the county.
In 2026 we are competing for the first time at the Youth Champs in Birmingham. We are looking for a motivated and supportive musical director to lead our young players in this next part of their journey.
With the support of Drum and Brass, the Royal Northern College of Music Engage programme, and a network of local brass bands, CYBB offers young musicians a chance to connect, grow, and perform at an exciting regional level.
Please click for job description and application form (here)
https://forms.gle/26qWjjfe233vRwsL8