News

Pre RSPBA AGM and Branch Meeting Sunday 4 March 2007, 1.00pm
Skean Dhu Hotel Dyce

Dear All,

Due to the cancellation of the Management Committee Workshop, the time of the Branch meeting has been brought forward. 1300hrs instead of 1400hrs. Hopefully this time change will allow band representatives from further a-field, more time to travel home, especially if the weather breaks for the worse.

I would hope to see a large turn-out for this very important meeting. Any changes to the RSPBA constitution, affects us all. So, it is always better to be wise before the fact than after. Basically we cannot argue or disagree with a point once it has been passed. Obviously it would be in your best interests to attend this meeting and have your views heard. If you have any items for discussion, please forward them to Mrs Allan no later than 24 February for inclusion on the agenda.

RSPBA. AGM. will be held on Saturday 10th March in The Quality Hotel Glasgow. Can I remind you, the Branch will finance two members of a band to attend, travelling by train. If arranged in advance there are cheap offers e.g. Friends and family and Apex.

Can I also remind those of you who have not yet advised our Secretary Mrs Allan of your E.mail addresses? Please do so as soon as possible. We would like to think we are making best use of the resources to hand. This leads to best practice and saves you and the branch money at the end of the day. If you wish, you can E.mail them through the web site. Also remember to download your entry forms for the Mini Bands and all the local contests

I would like at this time to take the opportunity and convey my congratulations to all who participated in the Quartet’s at St Machar. It was great to see and hear such a large turn-out with the weather the way it was.

Yours Aye

Bill Barclay
Chairman

Elgin & District Pipe Band have organised a Piping & Drumming Workshop to take place in the town from Friday 16th to Monday 19th February 2007. With a host of tutors, the event will culminate with a public concert on the Monday afternoon at Elgin Town Hall.

Workshops will be held in Pinetree Church, led by:

Piping
Trevor Dear
Brian Donaldson
Donald Armstrong
Katie MacKenzie
Steven Young
Neil Selbie
David Patterson

Drumming
Douglas Caldwell
Nicky Gibson
Scott Niven
Alasdair Dowling
Harry Orlandi
Marlene Wilson

All levels and beginners are welcome (age limit of 10 years + unless pre-arranged), and cost is only £5.00. Participants should bring a packed lunch.

Piping and Drumming equipment and maintenance materials will be available to buy, along with plenty of advice from our experienced tutors.

Please contact Elgin PB secretary Christine for more details on 07824369733 or christine.stewart2 at homecall.co.uk

Many thanks to all who took part in the pipeathon on 25th Jan 2007. The world record attempt has not been verified - I expect this will take a couple of weeks yet and I will update you asap. Regardless of this, we raised a huge £2866.25 for CLAN between the bagpackers in Markies and the collections which took place as the pipers played.

8 hours and 6 mins was the total playing time, no mean feat in those temperatures.

On behalf of the Westhill Academy CLAN group, a HUGE thanks to all who took part.

These include : -

Barry Evans (Grampian Police Band)
Cameron Cox (Bucksburn / Westhill Acad)
Andy Reid (Highlanders - 4 Scots)
Gemma Coutts (Kintore Band/ Kemnay Acad)
Darren Craigmile (Kintore Band/Kemnay Acad)
Marie Chapman (Towie Band)
Sandy Rodger (Towie Band)
Kelly Anderson (Towie Band)
Sandra Bain (Towie Band)
Eddie Stuart (Towie Band)
Phylliis Mavor (Towie Band)
Linda Grant (Towie Band)
Caitlin Drummond (Alford Acad)
Ally Gillies (Alford Acad)
Matthew Booth (Alford Acad)
Christian Gordon (Alford Acad)
Alasdair MacDonald (Alford Acad)
Nicky Martin (Grampian Police Band)
Cameron Park (Grampian Police Band)
David Wright (Bucksburn/Westhill Acad)
Kyle Bremner (Oldmeldrum Band/St Machar Acad)
Craig Cuthbertson (Culter Band/Westhill Acad)
Ross Muckersie (Culter Band/Westhill Acad)
Kirsten Sharpe (Buchan/Westhill Acad)
Rikki Evans (Grampian Police Band)
Katie McGarva (Rubislaw Band)
Julie Rennie (Rubislaw Band)
Callum Cruickshank (Rubislaw Band)
Michael Sangster (Rubislaw Band)
Graham Thomson (Rubislaw Band)
Catherine Stanton (Rubislaw Band)
Robert Greig (Rubislaw Band)
George Milne (Rubislaw Band)
Scott Brown (Rubislaw Band)
John Lawson (Rubislaw Band)
Eilidh MacDonald (Portlethen Band)
Stuart Martin (Portlethen Band)
Callum Lawrie (Buchan).

If I have missed anyone from the list it means they didn't sign the record sheets - if this is the case can they please contact me at dawnie.lynch@virgin.net and I will rectify this.

Many thanks are also due to our officials for the day. These were -

Sgt Major Simon McKenzie (Army)
Florence Allan (RSPBA NoS Branch)
Colour Sgt Kevin Forsyth (Army)
Sgt Alex Simpson (Police)
Gordon Townson (Chairman of the Diced Cap)
Captain Kevin Pope (Army)
James Coutts (Chairman, Kintore CC)
Alex Carnie (Police)
Sgt Emmerson (Army)
Ian Dallas (Piping Instructor - Aberdeen City Council).

There has been lots of coverage in the press, and pictures are available at www.westhill-academy.net

A bag was lost at the event - if anyone has mistakenly picked it up please get in touch!!

Once again - thanks for all the support!

Kind regards,

Dawn

Hi folks,
Some of you will be aware that a group of senior pupils from Westhill Academy have been working hard to set up a series of fundraising events for CLAN (Cancer Link Aberdeen & North). They have planned a week of activities for the week beginning 22nd January, one of which is going to be a "Pipeathon".

This is due to take place on Thursday 25th January on St Nicholas Street in Aberdeen (or as we better know it - outside Marks and Spencers!). We are going for a Guiness World Record! I don't think this has been done before, so we'd like to make a really good effort. Could you please let all your pipers (pupils/friends/colleagues etc) know about it, and ask them on my behalf if they would come along and take part? We are going for about 8 hours of (continuous) playing, but will split it into shifts to ensure that nobody does themselves an injury!

All are welcome, beginners to experts, primary school pupils to adults.

Anyone who wishes to take part should contact me directly on 07971285057 or at dawnie.lynch@virgin.net and I will give all the details.

There should be plenty of press there so this will be a good publicity opportunity for any of the players/bands who participate.

Many thanks,
Dawn Lynch

Local Indoor Contests
Quartets 10th Feb St Machar Acad Confined to Branch Bands
Mini Bands 24th March
Solo P&D 3rd Nov

Local Outdoor Contests
Turriff 3rd June
Aberdeen 17th June
Inverness 21st July
Mintlaw 19th August

Major Contests
Scottish Dumbarton 19th May
British Ballymena 23rd June
European Inverness 28th July
Worlds Glasgow 11th Aug
Cowal Dunoon 25th Aug