Editorial: Important work continues through the winter months for loyal orders and marching bands

​The curtain may have fallen on the traditional parading season at the end of the summer, but for many, membership of the loyal orders is most certainly an all-year-round activity.

The general public's perception of the loyal orders is heavily influenced by the sights and sounds of parades, when members wear their regalia and walk respectfully behind marching bands through towns and villages across NI, often making their way to and from a place of worship.

Of course, the flagship dates of the parading calendar - such as the Twelfth, Scarva Sham Fight, Relief of Londonderry, and Last Saturday - draw the biggest crowds and get all the headlines, but there are hundreds of much smaller parades throughout the summer months. None of these events would occur without planning, preparation and fundraising - and all of that takes place behind the scenes at monthly meetings, much of it during the "quieter" winter period.

The loyal orders also perform an important function during these colder, darker months by offering a vital social outlet for members. In addition to regular meetings, many lodges and preceptories organise events such as big breakfast fundraisers, table quizzes and Christmas dinners, and these help to build community ties and reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, particularly amongst elderly members.

Likewise, the hard work doesn't stop for NI's vast marching band network - they might not be “on the road” every weekend, but band practice continues, with winter being the perfect time to train new recruits and learn new tunes.

As the year heads towards a conclusion, there is still time for one more major loyal order parade - the Apprentice Boys' Shutting of the Gates commemorations in Londonderry on the first Saturday in December.