Help Us Save Our Historic Building!

Scottish heritage or not, we would all be the poorer for being without our local pipe band. Led by Pipe  Major David Andrew, they are a keen and highly skilled group who provide their services to perform for a  number of community events throughout the year.

However all is not well in the local pipe band world. The iconic and historic pipe band rooms, complete  with a Graeme Mudge Mural, located next to the river in the Palmerston Road precinct next to St  John’s, the Gisborne Daycare Centre and former Plunket, Hearing Association and Girl Guides buildings, is sadly in need of refurbishment and has previously suffered from flooding events putting precious band equipment at risk. The building is owned by the pipe band, but sits on Council owned land. The bands major ongoing expenses are the lease and rates paid to the GDC, even after graciously receiving an annual rates rebate.

The band receives koha for some performances along with donations from time to time (tax deductible due to charitable status), however each year the majority of funds raised come from the efforts of cutting and selling selling firewood with members often joking that they are a "firewood collective" that  operates a pipe band as a side-line activity.   To date the band have already spent over $5,000 of hard-earned money getting a geological engineering report on the bandrooms, which advises that the building needs to be raised on new piles.

“Our long term  objective would be to have our centrally located bandrooms fully renovated with a good kitchen and  bathroom facilities” says Band President Scott McSloy. “As well as providing a better facility for the  band we would then be in a position to offer the rooms out to other groups to use for a small contribution enabling the band to be self-funding. We have applied to the major Trusts for funding but find ourselves in a catch 22 situation with the trusts reluctant to fund single use buildings, but not being able to attract  other users without first renovating the building."

The re-piling alone will cost over $30,000 and to bring the building up to a standard where it can be used other groups a total of $150,000 would be required.

The band is also always keen to hear from anyone interested in learning to play the Bagpipes or Drums.  Members donate their time to offer free tuition to new comers, with an annual lerner subscription costing  just $60 a year. "Learning the pipes or drums does take dedication“, explains Pipe Major David Andrew.  "There is no instant success such as you get playing a video game. You have to put in the work, but if you  do, you can get a lifetime of pleasure and comradeship through playing your instrument".