A military band tour, which is taking place to raise funds for Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland, has been compelled to reschedule one of its arranged concerts due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, which was due to begin its tour at Hamilton Town House on 3 April, will now play at the same venue on 17 September.
The tour, which is entitled ‘Walking With Oor Ain Folk’, will see the Band perform four concerts this year with the new theme of Scottish folk music from the west lowlands (Burns Country) to the Western Isles, the Highlands, the East of Scotland and the Scottish Borders. The Band will visit Hamilton (17 September), Livingston (2 October), Montrose (16 October) and Hawick (17 December).
Gordon Michie, the Head of Fundraising at Poppyscotland, said:
“We have taken the decision to postpone the 3 April performance of ‘Walking With Oor Ain Folk’ as we have a duty of care to keep our supporters as safe as possible from the threat of the coronavirus and minimise any risk associated with attending large events. With the support of South Lanarkshire Council, and the SCOTS Band, the concert will now take place at Hamilton Town House on Thursday 17 September 2020.”
Following the rescheduled concert in Hamilton, the tour will continue as planned with performances at Livingston’s Howden Park Centre on 2 October and Montrose Town Hall on 16 October. It will culminate with a special festive concert in the Hawick Town Hall on the 17 of December. Tickets are £15 full price and £12 for concessions. The Band will be joined by Hawick folk musician and songwriter Alan Brydon.
The Band is one of the 22 Regular Army bands and is based at Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh. It comprises 45 talented musicians who are also serving soldiers and it is a symphonic wind band with the additional capability of a Ceilidh band. The main role of the band is to support the Army, the State and Ceremonial occasions that occur within Scotland.
It also performs all over the world. In recent years, the Band has travelled to Hong Kong, New Zealand, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany and Canada. Every year, it performs at the world-famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo in front of sell-out crowds at Edinburgh Castle during the capital’s Fringe Festival.
Notes to Editors
· For further information and all media enquiries, please contact David A. Findlay, PR Manager at Poppyscotland, on 079797 35611, or email at d.findlay@poppyscotland.org.uk.
· Pictures are free to use. Where appropriate, please credit: Mark Owens/Poppyscotland.
· The schedule for the tour is as follows:
o 3 April – Hamilton Town House
o 2 October – Livingston Howden Park Centre
o 17 September – Hamilton Town House
o 16 October – Montrose Town Hall
o 17 December – Hawick Town Hall
· Poppyscotland provides life-changing support to the Armed Forces community. Money raised from the Scottish Poppy Appeal and Poppyscotland’s year-round fundraising enables them to deliver support to members of the Armed Forces community in Scotland by providing tailored funding and assistance. The charity also funds services in advice, employment, housing, mental health, mobility and respite. Please note that we are known as “Poppyscotland”, and not “PoppyScotland” or “Poppy Scotland”. For more information, please visit us at: www.poppyscotland.org.uk.
