BURNESIDE Brass continue their festive fixtures tomorrow night (Friday, December 19, 7.30pm) with a concert staged as part of Kendal Parish Church's third Charity Christmas Tree Festival.

Under the guiding hand of musical director Laurie Johnston, Burneside Brass has had a busy schedule in the run up to Christmas with umpteen performances. Still to come (as well as the Kendal Parish Church concert) are performances at the Bird Cage, in Kendal town centre on Saturday, 10am-3pm, Kendal Parish Church carol service on Sunday (December 21, 6.30pm), Kendal ice rink on Monday and Tuesday, December 22/23 (noon) and the Castle Inn, in Kendal, also on Monday, at 8pm.

Burneside Brass Band was formed in March 1993 by Bill Turton and Peter Crawford, after a chance conversation in Burneside village post office.

Since, it has grown into one of the region's brass heavyweights having many successes in competitions far and wide. In 2012, the band qualified for the National Finals in Cheltenham for the first time; the outcome of that, coupled with other successes, has resulted in the popular ensemble being promoted to the third section in the national brass band ranking tables.

The band rehearse each Thursday, 7.30pm-9.30pm at Burneside Cricket Club.

Meanwhile, the Christmas Tree Festival runs until Sunday, December 21 (Friday, 4pm-7pm, Saturday, 11am-6pm and Sunday, 3pm-5pm) providing a spectacular sight with 40 trees supporting local and national charities all of which are individually decorated and on display in the grand surroundings of the Kirkland located church. Diane Letheren, festival coordinator, said: “Last year £4,500 was raised for the charities, which we hope to better this time.”