‘No event or donation will be too small’ for Sidmouth Town Band, which is asking for support to fund its £500,000 bid to move to a new HQ.

The group plans to relocate to Chapel Street’s United Reform Church (URC) and hopes residents will continue their decades of support with ‘coffee concerts’.

Long-time collaborator Val Howels touted the idea of asking residents to host events for their friends and family, or to entertain a wider audience.

“This could take place in your own home or a larger venue, with a selection of music, poetry, prose, dancing, sketches, holiday slides, a magician’s show or a talk about your favourite hobby,” she said. “No performer is too young or too old to take part and no event or donation is too small. All support will be gratefully appreciated by this award-winning band, which has served Sidmouth and its surrounding locality tirelessly for over 150 years.”

The band has outgrown its current hut in Woolcombe Road and hopes to relocate to the town centre URC.

The premises could give it somewhere to rehearse and store its instruments – plus somewhere for it and others to perform. The asking price is £350,000. Modifications could cost £150,000.

Anyone interested in holding a coffee concert can email Val at valhowels@uwclub.net