Kilmarnock “Walks to the World’s” for mental health charity

While ranking with the worst of times, the coronavirus crisis has brought out the best in many pipers and drummers around the world through acts of charity and kindness, and now Grade 3 Kilmarnock of Kilmarnock, Scotland, are making the best of a cancelled season with a fundraising “Walk to the World’s” project.

Each member of the band will walk, cycle or run 24 miles, the distance from the band’s practice venue to Glasgow Green, the site of the World Pipe Band Championships that would have been staged on August 14-15.

The campaign will begin on August 10th, in sync with the beginning of the Piping Live! festival, also hugely disrupted by the pandemic.

The band is accepting donations August 1st to 16th through the band’s Facebook page, with all money going to “Beautiful Inside & Out,” a Kilmarnock-based charity for young people who need mental health help, as well as the families of suicide victims. In addition to therapy sessions, Beautiful Inside & Out facilitates music, drama and play therapy.

According to the band, members will be undertaking the challenge on their own, socially distanced, near their own homes, from Dumfries, through Kilmarnock and up to Blantyre.

“We really want to make something positive out of this season, which has been a total write-off,” said Kilmarnock Pipe-Major Paul Warren. “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 lockdown.”

“We wanted to do our bit to raise awareness and support a local charity that is addressing this need head-on.” – Kilmarnock Pipe-Major Paul Warren

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

“We wanted to do our bit to raise awareness and support a local charity that is addressing this need head-on,” Warren continued. “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.”

Kilmarnock placed fourth in Grade 3B at the 2019 World Championships. The band in 2018 launched its EPIC teaching program, providing free instruction in the East Ayrshire region of Scotland.

Nonprofit pipes|drums has made a donation to the project.

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