Stroud Red Band led the annual London May Day parade on Sunday. The event dates back to the 1890s and this year saw it return after a two-year break due to the pandemic.
Starting at Clerkenwell Green, the parade made its way to Trafalgar Square with the Stroud band leading the way.
“The original Big Red Band was started in London in the 1980s and took part in the parade for many years,” said Jeremy Green of Stroud Red Band.
“I was part of that band and when I moved to Stroud around six years ago I suggested to my friend Mark Coldrick that we should set up a band here. This was the first time we’ve been to London and it went really well.
“We’ve got around 40 people on our list and can regularly turn out 20 – 25 people at short notice. We’ve outstripped the London band which has sadly fallen on hard times, but we were joined by 10 of their members at the parade.”
You can hear the Red Band in Stroud this Saturday, May 7th, heading the Stroud May Day parade from the Sub Rooms at 11am.
