BLAC History
Creating History
Yess!! We did it!! The BLAC Awards, the Royal Air Force and all the attendees on the night made history on Sunday 30 October 2022 – a first in 103 years! You can read here a copy of the beautiful email which we received from the RAF.
The RAF Squadronaires Music Band
The Royal Air Force Music Services (RAFMS) was established in 1918 by Sir Henry Walford Davies and comprises three Regular Bands, a Salon Orchestra and a Reserve Band. Based at RAF Northolt and RAFC Cranwell, RAFMS provides optimum musical support for the Royal Air Force in order to enhance public perception, support State Ceremonial and achieve influence to further Defence and National interests.
The origins of the Royal Air Force Squadronaires can be traced back to 1939 when many of London’s professional musicians were recruited into the Central Band of the RAF. Amongst these iconic musicians were trombonist George Chisolm, vocalist Jimmy Miller and clarinettist Harry Lewis who later married the late Forces’ Sweetheart, Dame Vera Lynn – an association the band has been proud to honour to this day. They were the featured Big Band on the 2017 Gold Certified album ‘Vera Lynn 100’, the house band at her 100th birthday tribute concert at the London Palladium, and on the 2020 top 40 album ‘Vera 1917-2020’.
World Renowned
In their early years, the RAF Squadronaires gained a reputation for versatility and flair, soon developing a distinctive style that rivalled many American bands. This reputation continues to this day with one of their proudest moments coming in 2010 when the Band reached the top ten in the UK’s album chart with ‘In the Mood’, and when, in 2018, the Band travelled to Washington D.C. to share the Strathmore Hall stage with their United States Air Force counterparts, the famed Airmen of Note.
The Band are regularly featured on television with appearances at events such as the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance, most recently collaborating with Sir Tom Jones.
RAF Musicians perform around the world to represent the proud heritage of the RAF whilst demonstrating their musical excellence. Together with supporting local communities and Service charities, Musicians connect with and mentor thousands of children through annual school concert projects and youth outreach workshops. Alongside musical duties, Musicians are regularly deployed on operations in support of troops around the world, and as part of the Government’s response to the Coronavirus crisis, were mobilised to support public services across the UK.
Ellisse A
Spotify verified artist Ellisse is a 16 year old musician and singer song-writer. She is also a music scholar at a prestigious school in Hertfordshire. She began playing music from the age of 6 on her trusted recorder, and now she plays 6 instruments including her voice – she taught herself the saxophone at the age of 10yrs old. She has a real zeal for music.
The youngest of two siblings, Ellisse is extremely close to her family, and as a singer-songwriter, she is a verified artist on not only Spotify but also on other major music platforms including Apple Music with her self-penned original music.
Ellisse enjoys reading, drama and acting and last year she appeared in the popular BBC music show ‘Got What It Takes?’.
Ellisse has performed in the world-renowned Westminster Abbey and recently performed in the Scholar Cantorum at Evensong in the esteemed Waltham Abbey Cathedral.
As well as being a brilliant musician, Ellisse has taken her GCSE’s and she has been awarded a 6th form Academic Scholarship to study her ‘A’ Levels and is a member of The London Youth Choir, St Paul’s. Now, as if all of the aforementioned was not impressive enough, Ellisse is a School Ambassador and a Young ‘WoCiP’ (Women of Colour in Policing) influencer!
The road ahead is extremely vibrant for this young lady!
Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE
Baroness Doreen Lawrence was awarded the OBE for services to community relations in 2003 and was subsequently made a life peer in the House of Lords in 2013. She has won praise for her tireless dedication to community, anti-racism and other causes close to her heart and in 2014, she was named the most powerful woman in the country by the BBC. Her spirit, resilience and demand for a better way have genuinely changed an institution at the core of British life.
Following 22 years as the Founding Trustee and President of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, she stepped down to establish the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation where she is continuing to provide a legacy of hope and change, by supporting community cohesion, and connecting marginalised young people with opportunities for education and career advancement.
Big ‘Thank You’ to all!
“If everyone does a little, no one has to do a lot.” Charles Harper
