In the latest of our Your Gazette profiles, we spoke to Paul Morgan, chairman of Thurrock Marching Brass:

Q: What do you love about Thurrock?

A: I was born in Thurrock in 1965 and grew up here, along with my brothers and sisters. Just beforemy tenth birthday I joined Thurrock Drum & Trumpet Corps, which changed its name to Thurrock Marching Brass in 1979. Thurrock was tremendously supportive of the marching band at the time. There was a sense of community that was genuinely interested in seeing youngsters develop and achieve.

Q: What has kept you here?

A: In a word, family. In a working career that has seen me take on assignments across the worldand live in the USA, South Africa and Europe, as well as in South Yorkshire and Hampshire, I returned to my roots and have settled only one street away from where I was born and within close proximity of my parents.

Q: Howdo you see the future for Thurrock Marching Brass?

A: It really is an organisation made up of members from the community and is for the community.

Promoting all that is good about Thurrock is an important part of howwe teach, and we will continue to grow and to provide a platform for youngsters across the borough and surrounding areas with world-class tuition, low-cost involvement and extensive achievements, regardless of experience.

Q: Howdo you think other parts of Essex see Thurrock?

A: They see our determination to succeed and to achieve, especially when united together as a community, which is incredibly powerful when mobilised. That, together with the vast development investments that have been secured here.

Q: What involvement with the community does Thurrock Marching Brass have?

A: School fetes, carnivals, local community events, our Ockendon Remembrance Parade and other community engagements form a large part of our calendar and that will continue. By supporting the community, we hope it will continue to support us.

Q: What is your favourite bit about the Gazette?

A: Its diversity of voice for the community is extremely wide, and together with its accessibility through a number of different channels makes it a really wellsupported news source. I like the honesty of reporting, and the fact it has moved to promote more positive stories from the borough.

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