| NEWS Updared 30/04/04 PUBLIC CONSULTATION On Friday afternoon a representative of SFLFB held a meeting with both the Fermanagh Trust and Diversity Challange, in a bid to secure funding and help to enable us as a Band to carry out a public consultation in the local area to see how We as a Band are perceived by others. At this initial stage it seems that both groups are very keen to work with us on this project.. Another meeting has been arranged to formalise the bid. COUNCIL ACCEPTS PROPOSALS As reported earlier in our piece on our meeting with the local council, in relation to us receiving funding to purchase equipment yo enable us to marshall our Parades more efficiently, We are pleased to inform you, that the Council have accepted our proposals and plans are in place to finalise the proposals. As expected, the Council will not be seen to support one side of the community or the other, so this equipment will be held by them and will be availabe to everyonr in the local community holding an event that requires marshalls. We are awaiting formal confirmation on exactly how much equipment will be purchased and when it will be avaible for use. We will keep you informed. APOLOGY In relation to our article printed on this website last weekend, regarding Fermanagh Bands participating in Sligos St, Patricks day celebration, We would like to take this opportunity to apologise wholeheartily to all those concerned. For some reason, unknown to us, the information passed on to us was falsified, and not just on one occasion. The individuals concerned with the passing on of this information, obvioysly have their reasons for falsifying it. We as a marching Band have absolutely no problem whatsoever with Bands from our Protestant tradition participating in St. Patricks day celebrations. It is our fundamental human right as Protestants to do so. Indeed, it was our Band who leant some of our instruments to one of the Bands participating in the parade. Our problem would be with any Band who accepted an invitation to an event such as this, knowing they would have to compromise on who and what they are. That would be completely unacceptable. We are glad that the Bands in question are in the same line of thinking as ourselves on this matter. Being one of the most respected marching Bands in Fermanagh and now being the highest profile marching Band in Fermanagh, We have a reputation to uphold, and We dont want to see that reputation undermined. Likewise We certainly dont want to undermine the reputation of other marching Bands in our County. In the future, as in the past, all information passed on to us, will be checked thoroughly before being made public on our website. In this instance We didnt deem it necessary to do so because of the individuals concerned. WE WERE WRONG. Once again We would like to apologise to all concerned and We would like to take this opportunity to wisj all of the Bands concerned a very prosperous marching season in 2004. . BAND MEETS WITH LOCAL COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE On Tuesday 16th March, SFLFB met with the Community Relations Officer for Fermanagh District Council. Also present at the meeting was the Community Affairs Officer for the PSNI. The meeting was set up in a bid to discuss the possibility of the local council arranging for some funds to be made available to our Band, to enable us to secure a future for our Culture in Enniskillen, by helping us purchase equipment needed to organise and marshall our Parades in the town in a more professional manner. The meeting was very positive and frank and both representatives were keen on the ideas put forward by our Band. It was the first time either of the groups had been approached by a group such as ours and they were suitably impressed by our positive and forward thinking attitude to our Parades. Throughout the meeting it became quite clear of the misrepresentation there was in relation to Loyalist Flute Bands. By the end both the council and the PSNI were made aware of some hard facts and they now know that We as a Loyalist FB will be tackling this misrepresentation and both groups have pledged their support to us in this task. This is support and help that We as an integral part of the local community, are entitled to, and We are going to make sure We get it. A report of our proposals is being compiled and will be discussed at the next Council Meeting. Whether or not the Council deem us necessary for this funding has yet to be seen. We will keep you informed. |
 |