As anyone who has ever learned the bagpipes (or the parents of children who have) knows, it’s a notoriously difficult instrument to master. Not just a case of playing a tune but ultimately adding in the airbag and in the case of Gordon’s pipers, marching as well! In addition, it requires good co-ordination as well as hand-eye and a formidable memory for the music! It is also a notoriously loud instrument so understanding neighbours are a must! So for her final swansong, Gordon’s Bursar Susan Meikle, who retires this Summer after 11 years, has decided to take on her biggest challenge, that of learning the pipes! Since last November, she has been discreetly learning to play the chanter (the part of the bagpipe used to create a melody), under the expert eye of Senior Pipe Major Iona Scotson. Now Mrs Meikle is producing recognisable tunes!  The reason for learning the pipes is she wants to leave a lasting legacy in the form of a set of them (or two!) for the iconic school Pipes and Drums Band. So, she has set herself the challenge of passing the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board Level 2 examination (there is no Level 1). Mrs Meikle explained: “Throughout my 11 years working at Gordon’s School, I have admired and supported our student Pipe Band. Its main focus is to lead the eight School Parades each year, one along Whitehall,  but they are involved in so much more, playing at many Surrey civic, community and private events, at Wembley, Windsor Castle, with Army Pipe Bands, this year competing in ‘the Worlds’, Glasgow.  This takes commitment, teamwork and determination. While I am unlikely to progress to bagpipes, let alone manage to both play and march at the same time, I can appreciate some of the challenge of starting to learn and along the way, raise sufficient funds to purchase another set of bagpipes, maybe two.”

Sponsoring Mrs Meikle would encourage her to practise and hopefully pass the examination and who knows could lead to a new hobby in her retirement? Please follow this link to sponsor her https://www.justgiving.com/page/smeiklechanter