Kilmarnock Pipe Band Walks to the Worlds in aid of Mental Health Support

Kilmarnock Pipe Band have suffered this year as everyone has with the cancellation of their full competition season due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Band practices were cancelled from March and the group have been meeting online for weekly quiz nights to stay in touch and check in with all their members. They have also been participating in the 25 push ups for 25 days challenge on Facebook to promote awareness of PTSD and Mental Health.

Saturday 15th August should have been the final and ultimate competition of the year, the World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green, commonly referred to as the Worlds, in which Kilmarnock won 4th place last year in their grade (3B). This year, they have decided to do a fundraiser Walk to the Worlds where each member will walk, cycle or run 24 miles the distance from their practice venue at Kilmarnocks Grange Academy to Glasgow Green. The bands Walk to the Worlds will begin on Monday 10th August, which would have been the first day of Glasgows Piping Live Festival and conclude on Saturday 15th August the Worlds. As with everything covid the band will be undertaking this challenge on their own, socially distanced, near their own homes, from Dumfries, through Kilmarnock and up to Blantyre.

They have also decided to split the donations with the charity Beautiful Inside & Out which is a Kilmarnock based charity which deals with mental health, young people, and helps the families of suicide victims. Aside from therapy sessions, they also facilitate music therapy, drama therapy and play therapy, and do a lot of online support.

Pipe Major Paul Warren said We really want to make something positive out of this season which has been a total write off. We are increasingly aware through the band, our teaching project and stories we hear from others that mental health is a really serious and ubiquitous issue, particularly with the struggles of the current lock down. We wanted to do our bit to raise awareness and support a local charity that is addressing this need head on. We wanted our members to know they can always reach out to us if they are struggling. The band is a family unit and we are always here for each other.

Suicide is one of the main causes of death in Scotland, with two people dying by suicide each day. More than 100 people died by suicide between 2011 2018 in East Ayrshire.

Pauline Moriarty, the founder of Beautiful Inside and Out said: The covid 19 pandemic has seen a significant rise in the number of referrals and so the support given through this incredible venture with Kilmarnock Pipe Band, is crucial in helping us to save lives, as well as improve lives. We are so very grateful to [the band] for this support. Knowing that we are saving lives means that all of our pain is not for nothing.

Donations are open from 1st-16th August so please give what you can to support the bands efforts and to support this wonderful and much needed charity.