A national music trust has issued a call to arms in the hope of using Scotland’s national instrument as a tool to give a new lease of life to deprived children throughout the country.
Dismayed by the lack of schools offering pupils bagpipe tuition, the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust has launched a Bagpipe Amnesty appeal in an attempt to gain second-hand pipes for children whose parents cannot afford private piping tuition.
The trust itself was set up in response to the fact that “the vast majority of pupils” are not given the opportunity to learn to play the instrument.
After spending up to two years learning on practice chanters, young players would generally progress to learn to play the full instrument which can cost hundreds of pounds.
People are now being encouraged to hand in their unwanted pipes to drop off zones located at fire station depots throughout Scotland.
Revealing that the trust would provide free tuition to more than 1,000 Scottish pupils should the amnesty be a success, trust chief executive Alexandra Duncan said: “Piping and being part of a band can develop a wide range of life and employability skills including teamwork, individual and shared achievement, discipline, commitment and self confidence as well as musicality.
“It is a shame that the vast majority of our young people are not offered the chance to learn our national instruments in schools.
“Our last two campaigns show that young people who are members of pipe bands go on to positive destinations.
“We want to appeal to people who may have an old set of pipes in their loft or under your bed.
“Or you may have stopped playing them because of ill-health or inherited some that you don’t use.
“Please donate them to the Bagpipe Amnesty and help change young lives for the better.
“We’re hoping that more local authorities in Scotland offer tuition in Scotland’s national instrument.”
Donated instruments that need some work carried out to bring them back to life will be refurbished free of charge by Wallace Bagpipes.
Blackness Road Fire Station is supporting the appeal and donations of pipes can be made between today and February 14.
People wishing to donate can call 0808 281 9405 to find their nearest station or find out more information on all aspects of the bagpipe amnesty from www.sspdt.org.uk.
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