The Fenland Piper

Bagpiper for hire in Peterborough, Cambridge, Northampton and surrounding areas...

With over 15 years' experience playing the Great Highland Bagpipes, I am available to hire, adding that extra special touch to your event. I have played at events, big and small, from an intimate weddings of just 6 guests - including myself - to leading over 100 pipers and drummers into The Barclay Card Arena for the Birmingham Military Tattoo. I have also led local pipe bands in the past and won bagpiping competitions all throughout my youth, and I have appeared on the local BBC news and BBC radio numerous times throughout my career.  

High Quality Events

My most popular bookings include:

  • Weddings
  • Funerals
  • Birthday parties
  • New Years Eve
  • Burns Nights

I offer both set and bespoke services to accommodate your every need with prices starting from as little as £150*. 

Please contact me to discuss your event and I will be happy to assist you. Be assured that you will receive a top quality performance and exceptional customer service when you book me as your dedicated bagpiper. 

 

*Please see "How to Book" for more information about my prices. 

 

Although I am based in Whittlesey, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, I often travel further afield for bookings.

I am available to play the bagpipes anywhere in Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, and Leicestershire and beyond.

Bagpipes in style - uniform

As a "Johnstone", it is only suitable that I wear the Johnstone tartan kilt! With the kilt, I wear a shirt and tie, a green Harris tweed jacket and waistcoat, a sporran, ghillie brogues (shoes), hoes and flashes (woolly socks with the decorative ribbons to hold them up), and a glengarry hat, as you can see in the photo above. I pride myself on looking smart for all events I play at.

History: How it began...

My Dad came down from Scotland when he was very young to live in the Peterborough area along with his brothers and sisters. As a result of his heritage, I was brought up listening to a lot of traditional Scottish music: particularly the accordion (Jimmy Shand), and the bagpipes...

Most of my family are not particularly musical, but my Dad used to play the piano accordion when he was younger, as well as aunty Catherine, and uncle Brian played the bagpipes for a while. 

When I was aged 8, I went on a family holiday to Scarborough and my parents gave me £20 to spend on whatever I wanted. After seeing my uncle Brain play the practice chanter once when I was very young, I decided that on this holiday, I wanted to use my money to buy a practice chanter so I could learn the bagpipes. I cannot quite remember why this idea came into my head at this particular time as Scarborough is hardly Scotland! 

Once I got my practice chanter, I then decided it was a bit harder than it originally looked and only revisited the practice chanter when I was aged 10 after my parents saw an article in the local newspaper of the a pipe band offering lessons for beginners. After contacting the band and having lessons through the band on the practice chanter, and eventually progressing onto the full set of bagpipes, I entered piping competitions and continued to improve, winning many awards, medals, and trophies during my teenage years.

Since then, I have continued to play the bagpipes at all kinds of events all over the country!