HADDINGTON and the surrounding areas are being celebrated in a calendar created by the town’s pipe band.

Photographs for the 2018 calendar show the band ‘playing’ in a series of well-known locations throughout the town and at nearby spots.

Photographer Nick Callaghan created the images, with the calendar officially launched last Saturday at the Loft Cafe, which also stages an exhibition of the 13 photographs until after Christmas.

“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.”

Iconic 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 too.

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.

Mr Bruce added: “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.

“We are extremely grateful to them 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.”

All funds raised from the calendar will be used to pay for tuition, instruments, uniforms and other initiatives.

The calendar will shortly be on sale for £5 at shops, libraries and other outlets – including the Loft – locally, and at haddingtonpipeband.co.uk