Haddington Pipe Band is to launch its 2018 calendar this Saturday (21 October) morning, with the theme of this year’s photographs – all taken by local photographer Nick Callaghan – being ‘Celebrating Haddington and Our Local Area’.

The calendar will be launched at the Loft Cafe, which will stage an exhibition of the 13 photographs until after Christmas. Among those at the launch will be Robert the Bruce and the Provost of East Lothian, John McMillan.

The photos feature band members ‘playing’ in a series of well-known locations both in Haddington itself and at nearby spots.

“We have a second strapline on the calendar which is ‘The band people play’,” said Alastair Bruce, chairman of the band’s board. “We’ve interpreted ‘play’ pretty broadly, so in some photos we are playing pipes and drums, while in others band people are surfing, rowing, fishing and birdwatching, among other things.”

The Haddington locations include St Mary’s kirk, the Nungate Bridge, St Mary’s Pleasance and the River Tyne at the Victoria Bridge, while Seacliff Harbour, the Flag Centre at Athelstaneford, Butterdean Wood, Aberlady, Bolton Kirk, Amisfield Walled Garden and Fidra Island all feature.

The calendar also commemorates, in one of the shots, Robert the Bruce’s presentation of a charter to the burgesses of Haddington in 1318 – an event that will be widely celebrated in the planned Haddington 700 celebrations next year.

“We were helped for this photo shoot by the re-enactment group the Strathleven Artizans, and we’re delighted to say that they – including Robert the Bruce – will join us at the launch and will be presenting the band with a copy of Bruce’s Great Seal,” said Alastair Bruce (no relation!).

“We are extremely grateful to the Strathleven Artizans and delighted that we’ll be joined at the calendar and exhibition launch by King Robert. We are also very grateful to the many businesses who have sponsored the production, and, of course, to our superb photographer Nick Callaghan: the quality of his work is there for all to see in the calendar and exhibition.”

The calendar will shortly be on sale for £5 at various shops, libraries and other outlets – including the Loft – locally. It can also be purchased online by emailing calendar@haddingtonpipeband.co.uk.

All funds raised from this calendar will be used to pay for tuition, instruments, uniforms and other initiatives which help the band to develop and make a positive contribution to the town and the community.