Helena started playing with her local 4th section band, Bolsover Colliery aged 10 on 2nd Horn. She moved to Pleasley Colliery Band on the Front Row (and a better choice of instrument!) at the tender age of 16. Wanting another challenge by moving up a section (and another instrument!) she moved to Kirkby Colliery on Flugel.

Not content with staying in the 3rd section she joined the Ireland Colliery Band in Chesterfield on Flugel in 1985 and enjoyed lots of success in the 1st section! During her time with Ireland she was also heavily involved with setting up their youth band in 1993, which became a great success! 17 years later, a new challenge presented itself to Helena, and she joined Carlton Main, immediately playing in the British Open (2002).

Not only did Helena play in Colliery bands, but she also worked in the Coal Industry (not certain if she was a miner though?) from leaving school, working her way up to become Public Relations Manager for the Midlands & Wales region. This was a happy time until, like nearly everyone else involved in the industry, she was made redundant in 1993.This presented her with another huge challenge – so she took the easy (!) option and retrained as a music teacher. Consequently, she is currently Associate Head of the Creative Arts Faculty at Shirebrook School in North Derbyshire.

Back in the Brass Band world, Helena has had lots of success in the contest field, gaining prizes in all of the sections. Her best result (before joining Frickley) was winning the 2nd Section National Finals twice! Along with this she was also instrumental in Ireland Colliery winning the 1st Section Mineworkers contest.

Unfortunately, Helena is a lifelong Man Utd. fan (another one that doesn’t live in Manchester!) and her all time hero is Bobby Charlton. She enjoys mountain biking (only on flat roads), knitting and riding pillion on her husband’s motorbikes! Amazingly, she only mentions her husband Roy, who actually sits next to her on 3rd Cornet, right at the end!