The RSPBA should be in no doubt about the concern out there as regards the ‘Missing Majors’ and band sizes. The comments keep coming in to PP. Unfortunately the recent ones are all anonymous, so of course the impact is lessened. People complain of the lack of transparency at the Association then they correspond anonymously! I think they believe their band will suffer if they go public with their thoughts….

A contact of mine called Mike Croft is putting together an exhibition in the Meffan Institute, Forfar, on the history of pipe bands in the area. He is a former drummer in the Forfar Burgh Pipe Band, writes Tom Peterkin  In its day, it was a pretty good band rising through the grades to Grade One – probably in the 1960s. Although I did not play with the band, he has been…

Welcome back everyone and I hope you all had a good New Year break. First off I want to congratulate my old mucker Robert Barnes on being awarded the BEM in HM The King’s New Year Honours. No one deserves recognition more than Barney. He’s been teaching kids in Fife and generally contributing to the Kingdom’s piping for 50 plus years. He is what we call in Scotland a ‘lad…