The joy band has been run by ABF for ten years. All members of the band are functionally varied.

- The business has been dependent on the financial support we received from the municipality, says Anders Berling, ABF Hässleholm, Business Manager, and continues:

- The interesting thing is that it was the municipality that initially wanted us to start this business.

"Delight people"

Now the financial support has been withdrawn, which makes it impossible to continue the Joy Band. For Ulric Adelborn who plays bass, the band has meant a lot.

- It's emotions. You can give friends hugs and play nice music. And to please people, he says.

Mats Nordgren, who is the musical leader of the band, thinks it is sad that the band is closed down.

- For these participants it has become a big part of their identity that they are in the band. It is very sad that it is closed down, even for us leaders, it has been such a joy to come here, says Mats Nordgren.

Choose between student associations and leisure centers

The reason why the municipality now chooses to withdraw all financial support for all student associations is, according to Winnie Aronsson (L), chair of the cultural and leisure committee, the poor economy. Before 2020, the Cultural and Leisure Committee received a savings condition where they had to save SEK 9.5 million.

- We had to either withdraw support for study associations or support for leisure farms. Then we thought the most important thing was that the bad economy would not hit the children, says Winnie Aronsson (L).