'Phenomenal' support as Portchester Volunteer Marching Band to conduct first show after TS Tenacity shut down
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Cadets were jumping up and down with excitement when the band was saved
Passionate musicians in a newly formed marching band will be conducting their first performance after being shut down.
The Portchester Volunteer Marching Band will be launching on Sunday (May 31) by holding a D-Day 100 commemorative event. It was a long journey to get to this point after the original group TS Tenacity, operated by the Nautical Training Corps (NTC), was shut down on March 24.
Operations Director Caz Taylor said the support from the public has been phenomenal. She told The News: “We were originally part of the NTC, but due to an operational decision unbeknownst to me, they closed TS Tenacity down. The cadets all said to me ‘Caz can we all stay together, we don’t want to go anywhere else’.
“I listened to what the children wanted and it’s exactly what we’ve done. We have kept them all together and opened a whole new band.”
TS Tenacity previously performed at various community events in the Portsmouth area over the years, including Portchester Gala and Paulsgrove Carnival. The NTC is a uniformed youth organisation that operates marching bands for cadets aged 8 to 18 across the country. Ms Taylor, who was in the NTC for 43 years, had to scramble to try and get new instruments, uniforms, and funding to be able to keep the group together. Roughly £5,500 was raised in their aid.
“We’ve always performed at Portchester remembers and Psalm Sunday,” she added. “A lot of us only knew of us as TC Tenacity, and others didn’t know about the NTC. The amount of support we have got has been phenomenal. The musicians are so excited for their first performance. I had to make sure everything was in place and I could pull it off before telling them about it, with every legal piece of paperwork needing to be done.
“We had to raise money for all the new instruments. We were left with no instruments, no nothing. The donations have covered new equipment and uniforms. When I eventually told the children, they were running around like headless chickens and shouting ‘you’ve done it! You’ve kept us together!’”
The first performance will take place at St Mary’s Church within Portchester Castle. Ceremonies will mark the launch of the band at 1pm, with the commemorative performances happening an hour later. The group has grown to 15 musicians alongside other volunteers.
Ms Taylor, who’s father Malcolm Burgess served in the RAF and NTC, said she feels proud to have kept everyone together. She added: “Anyone from all walks of life can get involved. Whether they can play music or not, or have a disability or not, it doesn’t matter. We can teach them and do whatever we can. We take on all ages. They can be 90-years-old if they want to come and play a triangle or a tambourine. It’s for the public and anyone can get involved.
“A band is more than instruments and rehearsals - it’s about people, connection, and creating something powerful and uplifting together. For some, this will be a place to grow in confidence; for others, it’s about belonging. It’s about bringing music into the heart of the community. This isn’t just about launching a band. It’s about friendships and creating something special from the ground up, with people who have a shared passion for music and building something the community can be proud of.”
The organiser said despite doubting herself, the band came together and everything slotted into place. “It went from zero to 100 within weeks,” she said. “I couldn’t believe we were there and doing it already. It’s not just me that’s done it, it’s the whole team who have worked week in and week out to get ready for this D-Day 100. That was our aim and we needed to be ready.”