JIMMY WRIGHT
(More news from Owen Nash)
Jimmy's funeral will take place next Tuesday 22nd January at St Pauls Church, Ashton Road, Oldham, at 1.00pm, followed by internment at Hollinwood Cemetery, Limeside Road, off Hollins Road, Hollinwood and later at the Bridgewater Hotel on Manchester Road (entrance in Chapel Road). If you are in contact with any of Jimmy's friends please pass on this message.
ROY BENTLEY
Owen has spoken with Doreen Bentley (Roy's wife) and she has asked him if he would arrange for some pipers and drummers to play at the funeral. If you are attending the funeral, would you please wear your kilt/uniform and if you play pipes or drums would you please bring your instrument. It is envisaged that we will play "Green Hills and The Battles O'er" escorting the cortege from the main road into the crematorium. Peter Doyle will then play "Flowers of the Forest" as the coffin is carried into the Chapel.
JIMMY WRIGHT
More sad news I'm afraid: I've just heard from Owen Nash that Jimmy Wright ( Side Drummer, Oldham Scottish, West Yorkshire Fire Services Etc) passed away last Friday night. I'll post more information as soon as I hear it.
ROY BENTLEY
Roy Bentley passed away peacefully this morning in hospital this morning (6th Jan). He was about 81 and had been suffering from lung cancer for some time.
Roy was the lead drummer for Mount Carmel Pipe Band for many years.
Prior to that he was the Drum Major of the Prince Charles Edward Pipe Band.
Friday 18th January 2008 at 2.15 pm at Manchester Crematorium, Barlow Moor Road, Manchester. M21 7GZ
Funeral Reception at The Hough End Centre, Mauldeth Road West, Chorlton, Manchester. M21 7SX
Map for the Crematorium and The Hough End Centre (see map attached to this post)
Family flowers only.
In memoriam donations to: The Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester. M20 4BX. Cheques made payable to "The Christie Hospital" reference: for the Radiation Department and In memory of Mr Roy Bentley. Or visit www.christies.org/makedonations.html
Please let us know if you can attend the funeral and reception by email or by telephone, so that the necessary arrangements can be made.
(Reply to roy.bentley90@ntlworld.com)
ALBERT VERNAL
News has just come in of the sudden death today of Albert Vernal, a long-serving tenor drummer in Chorley Pipe Band. Known to all as Bert, he
has been an active member of the band since the 1960's, to my knowledge - (maybe even earlier). He was 75.
EASTER SCHOOL 2008
THE COLLEGE AT CARBISDALE
In 1953 The College of Piping ran a School at Carbisdale Castle in Sutherland.
55 years on, The College has now joined forces with The Ross and Cromarty Pipes and Drums School to run what we hope to be an annual Piping and Drumming School at the Castle.
The School will take place next Easter between March 23 and March 29, 2008. It will offer intensive instruction by world leading pipers and drummers from The College and will also offer the opportunity for participants to achieve certification through The Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board.
The School is open to all ages and to pipers and drummers of all levels of skill from beginners to competition players, from solo players to band members. Each student will be placed in a class of 8 to 10 students within their level of experience and skill.
Optional classes are planned to be offered in such as piobaireachd, reedmaking, pipe band techniques, and bagpipe and drum maintenance. Nightly lectures and recitals are offered by the instructors demonstrating prize-winning piping and drumming. There will also be presentations on some interesting history about bagpipes and drums and piping and drumming.
Formal Registration for the School will be on the afternoon of Sunday, March 23 and the course will then commence the next day until Friday, March 28. On the Friday evening there will be a Piping and Drumming Concert in the Great Upper Gallery of the castle and the course will then finish at lunchtime on Saturday, March 29 after the presentation of certificates to participants.
The Tuition Fee plus Bed and Breakfast at the castle will be £325.00 for adults with a £25.00 reduction for juniors for a great week of piping and drumming with some of the world’s best piping and drumming instructors, together with the opportunity to gain PDQB qualifications.
The Easter School, 2008 has its own dedicated website at
The College at Carbisdale.
For anyone without access to the web then please contact Paul Turner, Business Manager of The Ross and Cromarty Pipes & Drums School, who are handling the Registrations on behalf of The College of Piping. Paul can be contacted on 0780 339 8426.
NEW PIPE BAND
Henderson Caledonia Pipe Band has just received official notification of their registration with the RSPBA and so are now a member of the N.W. England Branch.
VACANT POST
At their recent AGM, Terry Blake stood down as Pipe Major of Chorley Pipe Band. The band is now looking for anyone who would be willing to take up the post.
For more details, please contact Alan Gagan on 01257 241128 or the Chairman, Gareth Scott on 01772 465069.