Charlie, his Pop Ian, and the City of Maitland Pipes and Drums performed at Burton Automotive Hunter Valley Steamfest last month.

Ian Innes moved to Australia from Scotland over 50 years ago to play bagpipes. He is now the Pipe Major in the City of Maitland Pipes and Drums and shares the Scottish Culture with the local community.

The band practices each Friday evening and are always looking for young members. Four years ago, Ian thought his seven year old grandson, Charlie, might like to come along to a performance with him.

When asked how Ian got Charlie involved, he said ‘We had a small kilt, and I said “Well Pop is playing today if you want to come along, so we got him dressed up in a white shirt and a kilt, and he’s learning to be a drum major”‘.

Charlie was a natural and became the youngest drum major in the country. It seems the rest was history because Charlie, now 11, loves to perform with his Pop and their new aim is to get his six year old sister Olivia involved.

‘I just like being part of it and having a role’, Charlie said.

The grandfather and grandson duo will be soon heading off the Drum Majors Competition in Aberdeen in July with Charlie competing and Ian cheering him on.

If your community group would like to get involved with Steamfest in 2020, please email [email protected].