Ringwood Pipe Band

New Year 2002

8-13 February 2002 Nice Carnival

International Show Parade have done us proud and invited us back to this huge carnival. A great start to our new year.

  Our year so far (2001)....12 December 2001

17-24 December 2001 Sicily

Donny MacLeod, one of our key pipers, has sorted a trip to Sicily. 7 of our band are attending. All found. Well done Donny.

Sunday 11 November Poole Armistice Parade

Our annual remembrance engagement saw us parade a big band. We wore our bonnets to add a wee bit of spendour (it wasn't raining!).  Very impressive.  After we broke with tradition as Irene, our Social organiser, invited us back to her home for some lunch and a beer or two. Excellent day. Thanks Irene.

Monday 5 November Lewes, Sussex Bonfire March and Fireworks

The town of Lewes of the centre of England's fireworks with major displays all over the town.  Once again we led the main Cliffe Bonfire procession. Firey, Firey Night!

Invited back next year.

Saturday 13th - Tuesday 16th October Oliveto Citra (Salerno, Italy)

A short notice trip which was magic for all.  We led the festival of Italian folk groups through the streets.  We also played in the piazzas' and the local church. On the main day we performed on stage for the local dignitaries and the people. Everywhere we went, the people were wonderful and treated us like stars. They were so warm and kind, making the trip a memorable and pleasurable experience.

We also managed some ad hoc playing in the restaurants where we ate, including the restaurant where all the folk groups had met to eat.  They loved us and the afternoon was again made even more memorable, when guest piper P/M Ron Paterson of Reading Scottish did some Highland Dancing.

Our thanks to Lorena & Fulvio at International Show Parade and to Alfonso & Raph in Oliveto Citra..

Saturday 6 October "The Highland Spirit" Tattoo

BIC Bournemouth

The final tour venue and Bournemouth International Centre was packed with another wonderful audience. The biggest of the tour. They sang and waved their flags once more and cheered loudly as we left.  A tour end drink in the bar was well received by all.

Sunday 16 September "The Highland Spirit" Tattoo 

The Anvil, Basingstoke

The best accoustics in the land. This took place during the week of the US disaster. A collection was held which raised £819.  With tax breaks this amounted to £1020. The lone piper - our own P/M Iain McNeill, played "Flowers of the Forest".  Woodfalls Brass Band played "America the beautiful" as their evening hymn and one minute silence was held as a mark of respect.  A wonderful audience waved flags and sang and also gave a thunderous send off as every performer waved and left the auditorium to "The Black Bear".  sadly, the Anvil is too expensive to hire so we are unlikely to be able to return in 2002.

Sunday 9 September "The Highland Spirit" Tattoo 

Portsmouth Guildhall

The start of the Tattoo Tour 2001 and once again, the band featured as part of the massed pipes and drums.  First time with the Woodfalls Band and we all had to exit stage each time to clear the stage for the next performers.  Great audience and great  start to the tour.

Saturday/Sunday 1/2 September Great Dorset Steam Fair

Another 2 dayer for us and steam to combat! This was our first visit to this biggest of all steam rallies and once we survived the traffic jams, loved the atmosphere.  Reports back to the organisers have ensured a return next year.

 Saturday 25 August Highcliffe Castle Scottish Gathering

A return booking and another fine day with Bournemouth Caledonian Society, Bournemouth RSCDS and the local Highland Dancers.  

Sunday 29 July Swanage Carnival

As usual, a very well supported event by the public and the band. A glorious hot day meant shirtsleeve order.  The long march was completed successfully and ended with, what has become, the annual band barbecue.  41 members and guests remained for this event and a great time was had by all.  Some even had a swim afterwards!

Friday 27 July Salisbury Races

This was a historic occasion for the Pipe Band.  Our first appearance at the racecourse was crowned with the last race on the card being named "The Ringwood Pipe Band Stakes".  Our friends and relatives were all allocated members enclosure passes and a great night was had by all.

Our thanks to Jeremy Martin, Clerk of the Course, at the Racecourse, for setting up the occasion.

Saturday/Sunday 21/22 July Netley Marsh Steam & Craft Show

Marches through the crowds and a weave through the exhibitors was the order of both days.  The show is so busy and there is so much noise with all the steam vehicles that this is the only way to be heard and remembered! The playing outside the beer tent is always well supported!

Saturday 14 July Stockbridge Carnival

The rains held off just long enough for the band to complete our march and arena. Both very well received. Sadly, the skies then opened and the afternoon fete was ended through flooding. 

Saturday 7 July Bulford Fete (Salisbury Plain)

The Village fund raiser was extremely successful and after marching through the streets the arena display was well received. They have already earmarked us again for next year.  After the engagement the band were invited to the home of our friend Iris Welsh. Iris laid on a splendid Barbecue for us - beautifully cooked by Les the local "Chef" who has just been awarded an MBE by HM Queen. Thank you Iris and congrats to Les.

Sunday 17 June Weymouth Military Veteran's Parade

A marvellous procession of thousands of military veterans and vehicles.  We were proud to lead a section of veterans and do a band display later in the day.  A letter of thanks from the organisers mentioned glowing reports from the veyerans. We are booked again for next year!

Sunday 3 June Sheiling School 50th Anniversary

A hot day and our usual season opener. We were pleased to be invited to take part in the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the school.

Saturday 5 May P/M Robert Pearson Memorial/Celebration 

& Fund-raiser for the "Friends of the Tivoli " Wimborne, Dorset

A huge turn out. As well as the Ringwood Pipe Band past and present, we had representatives from Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset.  Our thanks to these friends for helping make Bob's memorial a special day.  The massed band marched through the streets of Wimborne and then performed our arena display for the "Friends of the Tivoli Theatre".  They raised well over £2000 with our help.  A "Ceilidh" took place afterwards and a programme of entertainment by Fiona Darroch (Gaidhlic singer), Bournemouth Caledonian Society Country Dancers, P/M Ron Paterson (Reading Scottish) and our own pipers and drummers  was well received.  Some moving speeches to suit the time fulfiled all our hopes for the day.

Sunday 22 April "The 3rd Scottish Tattoo at The Royal Albert Hall"

Once again the band were invited to play a major part in this prestigious event - the largest outside Scotland with 400 performers and a packed Royal Albert Hall in London.  P/M Iain McNeill acted as Deputy Senior P/M when Senior Pipe Major Roger Huth was absent with the Highland Dancing.  He worked the massed bands hard to help achieve an excellent sound. This paid off at the evening performance.  Drum Major Virginia M^cLennan assisted Senior Drum Major Joe MacDonald and the two D/Ms made sure that the formations were executed precisely on the night.  Leading Drummer at RAH was our own D/Sgt David White. He managed to create a very effective drum section by bringing together the variety of styles.  Well done David.  A great night for the band and our key players.

Sunday 8 April "Cranford Mini Bands" Competition

Again the band made its return to this competition.  Sadly the number of bands entering this one have declined since our last visit.  We hope to see a larger entry next time.  A good day and the drum section performed well under D/Sgt David White's supervision.

Sunday 25 February "Cranford Quartettes" Piping Competition

Newly elected Pipe Major Iain M^cNeill entered two quartettes and it was good to see the band back competing after some years away.  No prizes this time but good learning says Iain and a few tips picked up from others.

Sunday 4 February 2001 "The 5th Wessex Tattoo" City Hall, Salisbury

Once again we launched the script for the Scottish Tattoo at The Royal Albert Hall "The Highland Spirit" to our packed audience in City Hall.  We were joined by The Band of the Hampshire Constabulary, Fiona Darroch as "The Highland Lady" and Ghaidhlic singer, John Scott as "Robert MacGregor" and Scottish Singer, Reading Scottish Pipes & Drums and some guest players, The Wessex Highland Dancers, Bournemouth Caledonian Society, Southsea Reel Club and Marilyn Watson's Bournemouth Branch RSCDS.  Irish Dancers were supplied via Boyle O'Dowda Irish Dance Academy.  The Scottish Dance band was Ian Muir & Craigellachie and Olivia M^cLennan played her Scottish Small Pipes.

The band funds benefited greatly from the weekend.

Saturday 3 February 2001 "Music of the Celts" City Hall, Salisbury

2 x 20 minute spots of band and soloists to a packed City hall audience. Our fellow performers were "Anao Atao", the foremost Cornish/Breton Group, Le Chridhe (all members of Sin E a very well known group) who played Irish music and supported Fiona Darroch with her Scots Gaidhlic songs.

Ian M^cLennan 

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