A band of four 17-year-old A-level students from Woodford Green has recorded their debut single after receiving a £1,600 Toyota Community Fund grant, facilitated by local Toyota dealership Hills of Woodford.
The band, called The Displacements, formed in May 2024 and is made up of Trinity Catholic High School students Brandon Crisp, Ella Bashford, Leo Praseuth and Jay Praseuth. The grant funded new microphones and sound equipment, raising the quality of live performances on the school’s new stage. Their debut track, Bring Me Back, is now available to stream on Apple Music.
The application was made by band manager Ella Rose, also a Trinity Catholic High School student, who chose Hills of Woodford because of its proximity to the school, its ties to the local community, and its history of hosting community events. Since coming together, the band has been rehearsing after school and performing at local venues including the Horse and Well pub in Woodford Green.
The band also shot an official music video for Bring Me Back, featuring a Toyota Aygo X Hybrid, filming around local landmarks including Woodford train station and the Hills of Woodford dealership itself. As all four band members are still learning to drive, they drove the car on private land under supervision during filming.
Band manager Ella Rose said: “It was a natural decision to include the car in our video, given the funding partnership and we actually wrote the song with the Aygo in mind. We hope it’ll connect with young people like us who are learning to drive or thinking about getting their first car.” In a neat postscript, Ella Bashford has since passed her driving test and has test driven a Toyota Aygo herself.
Nahide Crisp, Group Sales and Marketing Director for Hills of Woodford, said: “It felt like a natural fit to bring together the school, the band and Toyota through a shared sense of community, by providing funding that directly benefits the school. We wish The Displacements every success in the future and we’re proud to have helped them on their musical journey while supporting the school’s music provision for the benefit of all its students.”
The Toyota Community Fund supports charities and schools across the UK, with local good causes nominated by Toyota and Lexus centres to receive grants of up to £2,000. Since the fund launched in 2011, more than £1.62 million has been distributed to community initiatives aimed at improving quality of life and the environment.
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In this article: Trinity Catholic High School, Woodford Green, Toyota, Woodford Green, Apple Music. Generated by Wikidata Schema Link Builder.
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