ALTNAVEIGH MEMORIAL PIPE BAND
Charity No: 103819 TRUSTEE REPORT
2023 - 2024
Address: C /O 63A Ashgrove Road, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1Q
Trustees: Paul Liggett (Chairperson)
William Hanna Alexander Hanna William Nummy Linda Wilson David Hanna
The purpose of the charity is to build confidence and improve musical knowledge and understanding enabling all to take a more active role in the community in which they live. It should enable people of all ages to engage in musical and social activity, thereby learning new skills and affording them the opportunity to further develop interaction within the community. The main beneficiaries of this purpose are the people living in the greater Newry area although the work of the band impacts throughout Northern Ireland.
Aims and objectives:
To promote greater awareness of Ulster Scots culture essentially amongst young people as follows:
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Promote interest in Highland Scottish Bagpipe via Pipe Band music / musical traditions within the Island of Ireland and overseas;
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Preserve the existing repertoire belonging to Scottish Pipe Band music; 3. Develop the genre through the production of new work and encourage its continued enjoyment and acceptance primarily within the whole population of Northern Ireland, but extending to the whole Island of Ireland, Mainland UK and overseas to Europe and the North American Continent.
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Encourage people of all ages and gender to develop their instrumental / musical knowledge, skills and talent.
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Provide face to face tuition and distant learning in the instruments and other relative skills and competencies;
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Establish a community based initiative in co-operation with other relevant organisations to promote the activities of the Band and any constituent bodies or groupings in furtherance of the above objectives.
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Provide or secure the provision of educational and/or recreational facilities or services.
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In 2023-24 the Band continued to deliver on their long term tuition and development programme in Ulster Scots drumming and piping with the objective of sustaining and developing the Ulster-Scots culture and identify within our community. Students will thereafter be afforded the opportunity to compete annually in Pipe Band competitions across Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland & Nationally / Internationally & to participate in Ulster Scots related events throughout the year.
In 2023-24 band's activities continued to develop, due mainly to an increased membership and the opportunity to contest in additional competitions as are organised by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association and / or The Irish Pipe Band Association.
In 2023-24 the Band entered and competed in a total of 24 events as follows:
| 2023: | |
|---|---|
| 3 June: | Mid-Ulster Pipe Band Championships |
| 10 June: | United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships |
| 18 June: | Altnaveigh Sunday – Annual Memorial Parade |
| 12 July: | Twelfth July Parade, Newry & Loughbrickland (Co Down) |
| 13 July: | Royal Black Preceptory Annual Parade, Newry & Scarva |
| 29 July: | Scottish Pipe Band Championships 2024 - Dumbarton |
| 5 August: | Heart O’ Down Pipe Band Championships |
| 12 August: | Ulster Pipe Band Championships |
| 19 August: | World Pipe Band Championships 2024 |
| 31 August: | Annual Black Saturday Parade |
| 2024: | |
| 20 April: | Co Down Indoor Full Band Contest |
| 18 May: | United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships |
| 25 May: | Co. Fermanagh Pipe Band Championships |
| 1 June: | Mid-Ulster Pipe Band Championships |
| 16 June: | Altnaveigh Sunday – Annual Memorial Parade |
| 29 June: | Antrim & Newtownabbey Regional Pipe Band |
| Championships | |
| 6 July: | All Ireland Pipe Band Championships, Donabate, Dublin |
| 12 July: | Twelfth July Parade, Newry & Gilford (Co Down) |
| 13 July: | Royal Black Preceptory Annual Parade, Newry & Scarva |
| 27 July: | Scottish Pipe Band Championships 2024 - Dumbarton |
| 3 August: | Ulster Pipe Band Championships |
| 10 August: | Heart O’ Down Pipe Band Championships |
| 17 August: | World Pipe Band Championships 2024 |
| 31 August: | Annual Black Saturday Parade |
In 2023-24 four new members joined the band with Trustees encouraged by the progress they have made in not only their musical knowledge but also their social interaction with all other members of the band.
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The band continues to develop its partnership arrangement with two bands as in Tyrone's Ditches Pipe Band (a band about ten miles away) and the Schomberg Society, Killkeel.
The activities of the band have impacted on a wide variety of people within the wider Newry area and beyond. All of this work is undertaken without remuneration, and it is important to note that the contribution being made by the many volunteers within the organization has been substantial.
The trustees are pleased that the band has been able to demonstrate increased learning of the skills involved in performing on the Great Highland Bag pip e and a number of Drumming Disciplines - while at the same time developing social and communication skills of all members, especially those who have joined recently.
The trustees are content that the band's finances are in order and there are no debts outstanding; there are no reserves.
In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity's purposes and provide a d i r e c t benefit to the beneficiaries and the communities at large.
Paul Liggett Chairperson
19 August 2024
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