Footballer tackles piping

For a bagpiper, Jeremy Brockie makes a heck of a good footballer.

The Wellington Phoenix player was on hand last week to check out the Wellington Red Hackle Pipe Band’s new kilts and to give piping and drumming a go.

Brockie is an ambassador for the For Everyone Charitable Foundation, which gave the Tawa-based pipe band $4865 for new kilts.

‘‘He gave piping a go but it was a bit beyond him,’’ Red Hackle member Angus Campbell said. ‘‘He was game, so full credit to him.’’ The band had always worn Black Watch tartan but the mills that wove this tartan were now closed, Campbell said. The newly created Red Hackle tartan represented another chapter for the group, he said.

‘‘It’s about us moving on and the Red Hackle tartan is very similar to the older tartan we had. We’re really glad to have the new kilt, thanks to the [ For Everyone] foundation.’’

The Red Hackles’ membership continues to grow – it is about 50 now – and they are inside the top 20 pipe bands in the country. There is also a development band for newer members.

The band will compete in Grade 3 at the nationals in Nelson in March and be a part of the region’s WWI commemorations next year too.

The For Everyone foundation, founded by Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Ali Williams, helps fund projects that cost $5000 or less. Go to foreveryone.org.nz.