Haddington Pipe Band's 2027 calendar heads around the world

A small-town pipe band calendar has become something of a global tradition. Haddington Pipe Band has launched its 2027 calendar, titled Let Us Play: A year with Haddington Pipe Band, and copies are already heading to supporters around the world.

The band first produced a calendar in 2011, and it has been published every year since 2015. As well as being popular in Haddington and across East Lothian, it is sent to Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, India, the USA, Malawi and across Europe. Alastair Bruce of the band said a lot go to France because of the band's connections there.

The calendar was unveiled at The Loft in Haddington by Provost John McMillan, an honorary member and former chairman of the band, with an exhibition of photographs from the calendar on display.

This year's images were taken by photographers Nick Callaghan, Daniel Hogarth, Garry Menzies and Emma Orphant. Among them is a photograph of the band at Edinburgh Castle, where it played for the first time earlier this year. Others show piper Davie Paterson at Gullane beach, drummer Tara Murray at Haddington's bonfire night and Davie Leckie running off with Haddington Rugby Club's ball.

The calendar costs £8.50, and the money raised goes towards instruments, uniforms, tuition and other initiatives that allow the band to perform and play its part in community life.

Alastair said making the calendar is something the band looks forward to every year, describing it as an enjoyable process that everyone in the band gets involved in, and thanking the photographers who give their time to it.

In Haddington, the calendar has become a way for the band to share that life with friends and former residents wherever they now live.

For a fundraiser that started more than a decade ago, it has travelled a long way, and it makes a thoughtful Christmas gift for anyone with a connection to the town.

To buy a calendar or find out more about the band, contact Haddington Pipe Band through its social media pages.