Prestigious competition to be hosted in Edinburgh for the first time
The UK’s finest pipe bands will quickstep to the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, this July for what promises to be a spectacular day of piping, drumming and traditional Scottish music fun for all the family.
Tickets are on sale now for the RSPBA (Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association) UK Pipe Band Championships, an event by the Royal Highland Centre, and will take place on Saturday 12th July.
The event serves as both a showcase of musical talent and a celebration of cultural heritage and will thrill audiences with performances, workshops and world-class bands.
Musicians of all ages will be taking part in the competition, and bands are encouraged to sign up https://rspba.org/admin/fees/
This is the first year that the UK Championships have taken place at the Royal Highland Centre, Scotland’s largest indoor and outdoor venue. A family friendly event, children under five will go free and the event is dog friendly.
Plenty of delicious food and drink stalls will be on offer, to make it a full day out for everyone. Car parking is available, but we encourage those travelling locally to get the Tram or dedicated 98 Lothian Bus service.
Mark Currie, Director of Venue, Royal Highland Centre, said, “Whether you are a fan of Scottish culture, a musician or just looking for a great family day out, the UK Pipe Band Championships has something for everyone, and we are thrilled to be working in partnership with the RSPBA on this event for the first time.
“Royal Highland Centre has always been dedicated to providing a platform to homegrown organisations, like The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, for example, and so we couldn’t be prouder to be hosting their UK Championships.”
Colin Mulhern, Chief Executive of the RSPBA said, “This event is a celebration of the dedication and artistry of pipers and drummers from across the UK, and we look forward to welcoming bands and audiences from near and far to our new venue at the Royal Highland Centre. Tickets are on sale now!”
For more information and to purchase tickets please see here.
A retired legal secretary was among the first in line when the vaccination centre at the Royal Highland Centre opened its doors for the first time yesterday.
Elizabeth Anne Kirk, 68, from Linlithgow, was given the vaccine at the first of the vaccination centres on the site.
She said: “I’m very excited. I haven’t been going out much recently so I feel more relaxed having had the vaccine, although I’ll still be very careful. The whole process has been easy and well organised and the staff are very friendly, which is important. There really is nothing to worry about.”
The newest mass vaccination centre, the third in Lothian, is in the Members’ Pavilion which has nine vaccination stations available. It will be capable of vaccinating more than 1,000 people every day, seven days a week.
It will initially be staffed by vaccinators from NHS Lothian, before the British Armed Forces staff the centre for around two weeks.
It will revert to the NHS vaccinators after more training and inductions are carried out to boost the ranks.
David Small, Director of Primary Care Transformation and executive lead for the vaccination programme, NHS Lothian, said: “It is very exciting to see a new mass vaccination centre open, especially one that is being supported by our colleagues from the British Armed Forces.
“The swift opening of this venue will allow us to increase our capacity across the Lothians and allow us to start vaccinating 65-69-year-olds sooner than we expected.
“I’m incredibly proud of all of the work and effort done by our teams to get this venue up and running. It has taken a lot of work, but we are now seeing the delivery of this lifesaving vaccine to thousands of people across Lothian.”
Teams have been working hard to transform the events venue into a centre capable of vaccinating hundreds and thousands of people each day.
This is the first of two vaccination centres planned for the Royal Highland Centre. A second larger centre is expected to become operational in March.
Alan Laidlaw, Chief Executive of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, said: “We can think of no greater use for our facilities at the Royal Highland Centre than to support the national vaccine programme.
“As an event venue attracting upwards of one million people each year and home to Scotland’s largest outdoor event, the Royal Highland Show, we are hopeful that the mass roll out of the vaccination will see the safe return of events in 2021.”
People aged between 75-79 and those most clinically vulnerable will continue to be given appointments to be vaccinated by their GP, while those aged between 70-74 and 65 to 69 are being invited into these mass vaccination sites and smaller community venues for their injections.
Smaller community clinics will deliver vaccinations in the local area for people with complex needs or who, for other reasons, absolutely cannot and would not be expected to travel to a mass centre.
Mr Small added: “We have already vaccinated the vast majority of the first groups to be prioritised, including frontline health and social care staff; care home staff and residents and people over the age of 80.
“More than 90,000 people have already had their first dose of the vaccine.
“Our message is clear – for this programme to be successful we need to vaccinate as many people as we possibly can. This will help save lives, provide protection and allow us to get back to normal.
“When you receive an appointment, I really would urge you to keep it, even if it is at a centre which is not closest to your home. Attending your appointment is the most important thing you will do this year.”
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggssaid: “NHS Lothian now have everything in place to really ramp up vaccination efforts.
“I welcome the use of our armed forces to speed up vaccinations and help overcome Covid-19. It is clear that everyone is on board for getting people vaccinated as fast as possible and this bodes very well.”
Advice for attending vaccination centres
Patients are asked to stay safe by following the Scottish Government guidance currently in place, by wearing a mask and maintaining physical distancing as they travel to and from vaccination centres across Lothian.
Parking will be available around some venues and public transport operators are all following Scottish Government transport guidance for safe travel.
Please arrive on time for the allocated time on your appointment letter. Arriving too early can cause unnecessary queues.
When you arrive, make sure to wear a mask and bring your appointment letter with you to avoid any unnecessary delays.
The vaccination programme is one of three critical ways we are all working together to beat this virus, along with the testing programme which helps prevent its spread and the rules in place that we all know to follow. These three planks form our route out of this pandemic.
