ALAN COLLARD

Third Cornet 
Band Historian

Life Member
Honour Wall

 

The fourth of 5 siblings, and younger brother of Life Member Bruce Collard,  Alan has been a member of the Dandenong Band since 1965, and previously held the position of Principal Cornet for 20+ years, but in recent times has enjoyed  2nd & 3rd cornet roles, letting the younger players do the "hard work" on the front row.

 

Alan first learned to play over 70 years ago on Euphonium at Rushworth, and changed to cornet shortly after, and upon moving with the family to Melbourne in 1951, joined (with brother Bruce) and played with Northcote City Band (12 months) and Coburg City Band (12 years), before joining Dandenong RSL & Citizens Band in 1965.
 

Retiring in Dec. 2001, after 47 continuous years with the same Company in the Plumbing and Air Conditioning industry,  Alan lives with his wife of 55 years (at 2019),  Joy, and is proud father to Mark, Neil & Wendy, and grandfather to 4 grandchildren, Ashley (b.1999), Joelle (b.2003), Bailey (b.2007) and Devon (b.2012) .

 

Alan enjoys escaping to their 25ha "country estate" of over 40 years, "The Block" (God's own country), in the Strathbogie Ranges at Terip Terip / Caveat,  whenever he can.
 

Besides "The Block", Alan's other interests are gardening for elderly neighbours, gardener and maintenance man for his Church, and an ongoing involvement with "TreeProject" since 1991 (growing trees for farms). This involves around 6-8 months growing from seed and raising approx. 500 native seedlings each year, he is also a "trainer" of volunteer growers, plus a species photographer for the website database. In his 'spare time", Alan is also involved in family history, research and recording, which he has taken over from Bruce, due to his ill-health, and includes convening the extended family annual reunion.

 

As an "octogenarian", Alan is looking forward to many more playing years with the Band.