CALL FOR STRATHCLYDE POLICE TO GUARANTEE FUTURE OF PIPE BAND

CALL FOR STRATHCLYDE POLICE TO GUARANTEE FUTURE OF PIPE BAND

Speaking ahead of his Members Debate this evening in the Scottish Parliament on the future of the world famous Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, West of Scotland SNP MSP Stuart McMillan, a piper himself, has called on the Chief Constable to guarantee the future of the pipe band.

The pipe band, one of the leading pipe bands in the world could be disbanded as a result of internal re-organisation within Strathclyde Police.

Commenting Mr. McMillan said:

“Scotland is the home of bagpiping and with the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band facing uncertainty, I hope all elected representatives will support this campaign to preserve a prominent feature of our Scottish cultural heritage.

“The threat to the pipe band has been looming for months and now that the competition season is over until May 2010, even more pressure has been placed upon the band.

“The fact the band won the fight to compete at the 5 major competitions last season just shows that the management of Strathclyde Police can listen to legitimate arguments and I would urge them to listen again.

“The pipe band are an institution with a proud heritage whose players are civilians as well as serving police officers.

“In this year of Homecoming, the idea that an icon such as the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band are threatened beggars belief.

“The serving officers already spend 86% of their time doing direct police duties which is up from the 65% in 2007. Playing in the band offers a different face of the police as well as it being a fantastic recruiting tool. I am surprised the senior management do not recognise this.

“If the pipe band were a football club, then would be akin to Chelsea. Nobody in their right mind would want to disband Chelsea as they provide a lot of enjoyment to many people. Why disband a Scottish cultural icon that does likewise across the globe?”