Purchasing 3 sets of Bagpipes

Dear Friend of the Pipes,

I am fundraising on behalf of the Caledonian Piping Club, Saltcoats.

Our main aim is to teach and continue the furtherance of our traditional national instrument - the 'Great Highland Bagpipe', within our Locale and beyond.

We strive to offer the best tuition available and to allow each learner to be the best player we can make them.

IF YOU DON'T PUT ANYTHING IN - DON'T EXPECT TO GET ANYTHING BACK !! –

It is a mantra that often gets repeated, by myself, at all our practices!

Many of our past players have gone on to excel in the world of Pipe Bands, and we are fortunate to have players who have gone on to play in every RSPBA Grade - from 4 up to the highest - Grade, 1 in our short existence.

We celebrated, not so long ago, the 20th Anniversary of our small Group. We may be small - but we are big in Heart, Ambition and Commitment.

Not only have we taken the Group to Italy (twice !), but we have had players play in France and Spain at various Celtique Festivals.

The Group were all personally introduced to the Queen at Balmoral (2015) and have played on the esplanade at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo (2007).

We have marched down Princes Street, Edinburgh, on the Marie Curie March (twice).

Our biggest 'claim to fame' has to be our flagship - Festival of Juvenile Solo Piping Competition, held annually each October, in which we regularly achieve a total of 250+ entries - on a day of excellent piping from the ‘Cream’ of Scotland’s youngsters, (all under 19yrs !).

Unfortunately, this Event is also a constant reminder of our Co-Founder, Colin McCallum, who was tragically taken from us - way before his time (age 51yrs) - leaving a wife and two young children. It is a safe bet to say, that with all the volunteers (our friends) we have around us and the level of competition we have - Colin would have been in his element!

We also organise a solo piping event in conjunction with the Ayrshire Music Festival – in a competition confined to the local pipers from Ayrshire, held each March.

We started our ‘Outreach Primary School Project' - at Stanley Primary School, Ardrossan, in February 2018. We are delighted with the progress of the 'Original Starts' - who are now all standing with us at our practices - playing their pipes alongside us! Having moved on from Stanley, we are now teaching in Hayocks Primary, Stevenston & St. Anthony’s Primary, Saltcoats, and it spurs us on to see such enthusiasm for our National Instrument and the pleasure that it can bring to thousands – known instantly – all over the world!

Mainly because we are a small Group, our finances are limited. The pipes we are using have been on loan from an Organisation called ‘Scottish Schools Piping & Drumming Trust,’ who do a sterling job in getting Groups such as ours prepared for the cost of a new set of bagpipes – by giving us three years to get started. Our loan period ends in July 2023. So we are looking for any small donation you can afford to help us in our goal of perpetuating the sound of the ‘Great Highland Bagpipe’ - in continuing to be heard as often and as far & wide as we possibly can.

As well as this ‘Go Fund Me’ page – the Group is also organising numerous other fundraisers, over the next year, in a bid to raise the £6000 total we require for all the sets of pipes.

Thank you in anticipation of your generosity

Gerard McClumpha

Leader, Caledonian Piping Club