REMEMBERING OUR FRIEND COLLEAGUE AND RESPECTED BAND MEMBER

Newport band is sad to announce the passing of one of its longest standing members.

It is with great sadness that on the 12th of December 2020 we announce that Clive Robert Giles the bands 2nd trombone player sadly lost his long battle with cancer. 

Clive has been a stalwart of Newport band for 25 years and throughout those years has sat in many a seat from Bass to Baritone, and helped many bands who were in need for concert and contests.

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Apart from family he lived for music and Brass banding in particular and would have happily gone to rehearsals every night of the week if he could have. He would go as far as getting off the plane from Spain and going straight to band practice and any holidays were booked around band contests. Clive loved the fact that his children Heather  and Chris also played. After retiring from the Royal Mail he became a peripatetic brass teacher for Gwent Music Support Service. He was very happy when one of his grandsons started to play the cornet and enjoyed going along to his lessons when he was well enough.

Clive and his family have been associated with Newport Borough Brass Band for around 25 years. Clive was the band treasurer and until recently conducted the Junior Band and despite being so ill he even played in the area contest back in February (the last time the band were able to perform before the pandemic). He absolutely loved the band and was so proud of everything we have achieved in recent years.

Throughout the years Clive had also been a member of the TA band, Crosskeys Silver band, BTM band and the South Wales Police Band. He would also encourage his son Chris to play drums in various rock/pop bands and would often go to show his support at various gigs and be an unpaid roadie.

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He loved family holidays and particularly spending lots of time out in Spain with his wife (who he was married to for 43 years), playing table tennis, going for walks, meeting up with their many friends, pub quizzes and he even managed to track down a brass band.

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His other loves were his three Grandsons Finn, Archie and Jonah (who thought he was the best Grandad in the world), gardening, DIY and football, in particular Newport County. Until recent times he was a regular supporter at the ground. 

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A true gentleman with a heart of gold, he will truly be missed around the stands and band room our thoughts are with his family and friends at this truly difficult time.

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