Club of the Week: City of Tauranga Pipe Band offers newcomers bags of fun

The City of Tauranga Pipe Band at last year's national championships. Photo / Supplied

The family that plays together stays together is a saying that really connects with members of the City of Tauranga Pipe Band.

Angela Kell, one of the band's tenor drummers and the club's publicity officer, said joining a pipe band was a "great" activity for families.

"The City of Tauranga Pipe Band is a very social fun group and we have a number of families involved with our club, that includes my three children," Kell said.

"My daughter Conor Hendry, who is 25, is the newly elected president of our club and my 18-year-old twin sons Ronan and Duncan are both side drummers.

"Our members range in age from 10 years to 60-plus, and come from all walks of life."

Kell said the band's pipe major was Warren Aitken and membership included bagpipers, side drummers, tenor drummers and bass drummers.

"We have about 40 members, with up to 30 making up our Grade 3 competition band. We also have a parade band as well as a few associate members," she said.

"We have members who are well into their 70s and 80s, and in addition to our regular competition commitments we also play at local parades and events."

That included Anzac Day commemorations, local Christmas parades, and the Cancer Society's Relay for Life fundraising event.

The City of Tauranga Pipe Band also takes part in the Central North Island competition series each year which culminates in the New Zealand Championships in March. The national contest attracts more than 50 pipe bands.

The City of Tauranga Pipe Band has a rich history. It marked its 100th year in 2014.

Originally the Tauranga Scottish Society Pipe Band, the band had its first parade at the Tauranga Athletics Highland Games in December 1914 under Pipe Major WG Brown.

In 1948, the band won the open street march at the NZ Pipe Band Championships and in 1963, after Tauranga Borough attained city status, the city bestowed the band with the title City of Tauranga Highland Pipe Band to later became City of Tauranga Pipe Band.

Kell said today there had been a resurgence of interest from younger people wanting to join pipe bands and quite a few band members were under 25.

"We are always looking for new members and offer free tuition to both adults or children who are keen to give it a go," she said.

Band members meet once a week but some members can be seen practising on the Tauranga waterfront on Thursdays from 7pm.

• For more information email tauranga.pipeband@gmail.com.