Musicians from the Glasgow-based centre of piping excellence are delivering tuition to children as young as five. This is helping to encourage youngsters to take up the bagpipes – widely recognised the world over as Scotland’s national musical instrument.

The initiative has been a runaway success with classes delivered weekly at Netherholm Community Hall during school term time.

Netherholm Hall was created five years ago with support from Thenue Housing.

Funding to pay for the tuition and equipment has generously come from the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo “charities’ board”.

Now the National Piping Centre through its Youth and Communities Team is planning to roll out the idea to two other city communities – in Ibrox and Pollokshields.

The overall aim is to promote a love of bagpipes to a whole new generation of budding musicians by creating a space for young people to develop skills for life, engage with music, interact with an international community and build a sense of belonging and achievement.

The National Piping Centre chose Castlemilk for this community endeavour after one young local boy Lealand Urquhart – now aged 10 – started taking Zoom lessons via the Cowcaddens venue. This persuaded the Centre to consider Castlemilk in the belief that other young people his age would be keen to participate.

Up to 14 local children now attend each week at Netherholm and have begun by learning how to play the chanter which is the beginner instrument for the bagpipe.

Lealand said: “I love the pipes and coming to the sessions every week. It’s great fun and I’m learning a lot.”

Accomplished pipers Ailis Sutherland and Emma Hill deliver the tuition and are impressed by the enthusiasm shown from the kids.

Ailis Sutherland said: “It’s very moving to finally see Castlemilk Piping Club up and running. I started teaching Lealand over Zoom when he was six years old, and over time, I began to realise the great progress he was making with the chanter and how much enjoyment he was getting out of it.

“There is the real possibility here of becoming full-time musicians, teachers and holding sector positions as long-term goals. However, most importantly, young people in Glasgow are gaining access to an artform which is rewarding and exciting on a day-to-day basis in their very own communities.

“The National Piping Centre has the mission of ‘enriching lives through piping’, and this project certainly enacts that.”

Rosie Robertson of Thenue Communities, the charitable subsidiary of Thenue Housing praised the National Piping Centre for thinking of Castlemilk for its admirable work in the community.

Ms Robertson said: “Learning to play the bagpipes has caught the mood of our young residents and they are enthusiastic about the free tuition being offered. We applaud the willingness of the National Piping Centre to reach out to communities like ours.”