The SSPDT Music Enterprise Award

Helping young pipers to earn their first set of pipes, and build skills for work and life

The SSPDT Music Enterprise Award is a framework that helps pipers raise funds, in enterprising ways, to buy their own set of pipes.

In doing so, young pipers build work and life skills such as teamwork, preparation and planning, ability to communicate professionally, taking initiative, and managing finances.

A local mentor supports the young pipers, and collects evidence of the skills that they learn and harness during the Award.

Pipers can take up to 18 months to complete the Award.

Once a young piper owns their own set of pipes they are set for a lifetime of music-making and enjoyment beyond school years.  Pipers who are students will be able to help fund their studies using the skills they learn during the Music Enterprise Award.

Who can take part in the Music Enterprise Award?

Young pipers can take part in the Award if:

• they don’t own a set of pipes;
• and if SSPDT is supporting their local pipes and drums project through grants or bagpipe loans.

There are two ways that a young piper can engage with the Music Enterprise Award:

1. Pipers who are borrowing SSPDT’s pipes through the charity’s free Bagpipe Lending Service, can raise £500, and keep their set of borrowed pipes. The SSPDT will ‘gift’ the balance of the value of the pipes to the piper.
2. Pipers who would like to raise funds to buy a set of pipes of their choice can use the Music Enterprise Award as a framework to do this. In this case, they must raise the full value of their target set of pipes.

For more information, take a look at the handbook which pupils taking part in the Award will be working to:

SSPDT Music Enterprise Award Handbook

Once signed up for the Award, pupils will be given their own printed handbook. Local mentors will be provided with additional guidelines and information.

To arrange a conversation with someone from SSPDT about the Music Enterprise Award, please contact [email protected]