Kirsty Jones (Photo: Stuart Coleman©2013)
After a break of 36 years, it’s back. Friends of Diggle Band Club (F.D.B.C.) have, this week, officially re-launched the ‘I dig Diggle’ slogan.
In 1977, Sliver Jubilee Year, Diggle’s then youth club leader, Kath Airey, brought out an “I Dig Diggle” t-shirt for youth club members to wear on their float at the Oldham and Mossley carnivals. Local carnivals in the 70s were huge with processions reaching over a mile long.
All the youth club members wore the t-shirts as they paraded through the streets of Oldham and Mossley. They were so well received that, following the carnivals, everyone in Diggle bought one.
At a recent meeting of The F. D. B. C., there was a discussion about ‘promoting pride in the village’. Several ideas were bounced around but the old slogan had been forgotten until someone suggested “digging Diggle”. Chairperson for the group, Kirsty said, “As soon as it was mentioned almost, unanimously, everyone jumped up shouting, what about ‘I Dig Diggle’ from when we were kids?”
A week later, a conversation cropped up on Facebook, instigated by F.D.B.C. and ex-youth club members and, as a result, the Friends Of Diggle Band Club contacted Kath to ask if they could use the design. She said she was delighted that the group wanted to bring back the slogan and the vintage design.
Since the idea was mooted there has been a growing demand for the t-shirts. Kath Airey said, “I’m not surprised, people are very proud of their village and their roots. Once a Diggler always a Diggler”.
If you would like to get your hands on an ‘I dig Diggle t-shirt’, contact Diggle Band Club on the Friends of Diggle Band Club Facebook page or contact the club directly on
T-Shirts are from £8 and are available in all sizes. They will be on-sale at this year’s Diggle School Fete & the Yorkshire Day Festival.
Kirsty Jones and Kath Airey (Stuart Coleman©2013)
Friends of Diggle Band Club would like to thank Phil & Jo Grundy @ Simply Signs who have done the artwork. The original design had to be re-tweaked as it showed a man with a ‘fag’ in his mouth (not very PC these days).
I dig diggle love it, where can I get the t-shirt and is there anything round table can do?
I think it’s a great idea, hope fellow Digglers join in and order a t-shirt.
Really glad to find out that the ‘I Dig Diggle T.Shirt’ will be available after all these years, I remember the logo quite well as my Mum was a Teacher at Diggle School around the time it was invented & the ‘logo was the talk of the village & beyond ! Hope the T.Shirt’ sell well, mine is ordered already. Does anyone remember the ‘DIGGLE ROCK’ Confectionary we once had many years ago at one of Diggle School’s fetes, that was also really exciting at the time although not to good on the teeth.
Hi all! You can order t-shirts at the Band Club, the first batch will also be on sale at Diggle School Fete, Sunday 30th June. We’ll be selling them in the bar and at future band club events. Any round table support is welcome.
Many Thanks
Tom, on behalf of The Friends of Diggle Band Club