Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Stadia alive with sound of music
Judith Tonner Monklands’football stadia hosted a pitch-perfect fundraiser as they reverberated to the sound of bagpipes during a musical tour of the SPFL.
Stuart McMillan MSP – who represents Greenock & Inverclyde and is the“parliamentary piper”at Holyrood – played his way round the homes of each of the country’s 42 senior clubs.
His first local stop on the five-day Pipeathon was to the home of Airdrieonians at New Broomfield; followed by the short trip to Albion Rovers’ground at Cliftonhill.
On hand to greet him in Coatbridge were two familiar faces from the Scottish Parliament – SNP colleague Fulton MacGregor, the town’s MSP, and Central Scotland Labour member Elaine Smith. She said:“It was a pleasure to welcome Stuart to Coatbridge.
“It’s important we encourage piping as a fun and skilful activity for young people across the area, and associating it with football helps with that.
“Bagpiping plays an important role in our local heritage – North Lanarkshire schools’pipe band were nominated at the Scots traditional music awards last year having also had success in the world championships,
“We’re all pleased to see Stuart is using his talents to raise awareness and funds for a number of worthy causes.”
The Pipeathon raised £3000, to be shared by Cash for Kids, Clydeside Action on Asbestos and the Andy Adams Fund, while the MSP will also be boosting the total with an auction of signed football tops next month.
Mr McMillan’s challenge started at the home of his constituency team, Morton, and finished at Hampden, with the two Monklands stops featuring on the final day just ahead of his trip to the national stadium, home of League Two outfit Queen’s Park.
He posted on Facebook:“Thanks very much for a great welcome from Colin Rutherford and Airdrie FC – what a fabulous stadium and a pleasure to pipe there.
“I would like to thank both the chairman and chief executive of Albion Rovers for coming along to welcome me, and it was great to see the local kids being coached as part of the community activity.”