Rachel started playing cornet when she was 9 years old in Penryn, Cornwall. She worked her way up to front row cornet in the very successful Penryn School Band and Saracen Brass but decided the cornet wasn't for her and found the Euphonium to be much more her style.

She also played with Cornwall Youth Brass Band from age 11 until 16 and enjoyed success at the National Festival of Music for Youth with them culminating in playing at the School Proms in the Royal Albert Hall.

After moving away to Art College in Exeter in 1989 she took an 11 year break from banding before joining Lympstone South West Telecoms Band as Solo Baritone and playing in the Royal Albert Hall again in the Millennium year National Finals in 2000.

A move to the darkest depths of Devon meant a change again and she joined both Northlew Silver Band and Hatherleigh Silver Band in 2003. She took another break after the birth of her daughter but returned to the band in 2012. She runs her own Graphic Design consultancy, Chameleon Studio.

Eleanor moved to Hatherleigh in 2010 and enjoyed listening to HSB marching past her house. A year later she took up the band's offer of an instrument loan and tuition and joined the band.

She has previously played viola in symphony orchestras and tenor and bari sax in swing, show and student bands and now finds brass banding a lively and fun experience.

She has enjoyed the challenge of learning to play a brass instrument at a slightly older age...! She is a full time vet too!

Becka joined HSB in 1980, she has played Tenor Horn, Euphonium, Bass Trombone and is now settled on 2nd Baritone. Becka loves going to rock concerts, she is a Catering Assistant and is currently doing a degree in History. For a good number of years Becka was the Band Secretary and she was also a member of the committee. She is now Contest Secretary.

Major Ed Keeley (retired) recently returned to the UK after 8 years in Dubai with the Army Band Service.

We are very lucky that he wanted to come and play with the band and stands in as MD when needed. Most importantly, Ed has taken over the training band and offers private lessons and also group lessons at school.