Become a partner

 

Context

In today’s troubled times, after two years of restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a war raging on our doorstep, in Ukraine, and in a vast number of conflict zones throughout the world, “Peace” is not just a word to bandied around to make the headlines or to pay lip service to a notion which is often meaningless, as one person’s peace can often be at the expense of another person’s well-being.

Peace, in reality, is a coming together of peoples who, at first sight, do not necessarily have very much in common, it is an acceptance of what makes us different, and a celebration of what makes us one and the same, irrespective of origin, belief, orientation or gender.

 

It was in this spirit that the Fianna Phádraig Pipe Band, one of the country’s oldest pipe bands of Irish heritage, founded nearly 75 years ago, in 1948, in Benchill, Wythenshawe, is seeking to hold “United Pipers for Peace Manchester 2022” over the weekend of 17th to 18th September 2022.

 

The Fianna Phádraig Pipe Band is a 35-strong formation of pipers and drummers most of them of Irish descent, with parents, grand-parents and great grand-parents hailing from the Emerald Isle. Many ancestors of the current membership made the ultimate sacrifice in conflicts both in Ireland and in Europe. Indeed, certain members remember family members who fell fighting for opposing sides in the early 20th Century.

 

About the Event

We plan to welcome 6 overseas pipe bands to Manchester, one from the Netherlands, three from France, one from Germany and one from the United States who, alongside the Fianna Phádraig Pipe Band and 17 other pipe bands from the North-West, will make a statement of peace and harmony between former enemies.

 

“United Pipers for Peace” was founded, in 2016, in Amiens, France to remember the fallen soldiers and civilians of the Battle of the Somme, on the centenary of this most bloody of engagements. Once again, in 2018, “United Pipers for Peace” commemorated the end of World War I. On both occasions, Amiens pipe band The Samarobriva Pipes and Drums, founders of the event, brought together over 400 pipers and drummers from all over Europe, from all sides of the conflict, in a celebration of reconciliation, crying in unison “Never Again!”.

 

“Never Again” … “The war to end all wars” … With hindsight – always the most comfortable of positions – one might say they were naive, headstrong. In truth, the soldiers, often young men and boys, truly thought they were putting an end to war. For this, for the wounded and for those who made the ultimate sacrifice, we owe them our eternal recognition and we are duty-bound never to stop crying “Peace, Now!”.

 

Having commemorated the wartime fallen, it is now time for United Pipers to Peace to focus its efforts on Peace, and an Irish-Manchester Pipe Band is honoured to be the first to make the call, playing host to up to 20 pipe bands, comprising several pipers and drummers.

 

Wythenshawe’s Fianna Phádraig Pipe Band, founded in 1948, has decided to organise United Pipers for Peace Manchester 2022, which will take place on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th September. This will be the event’s first foray outside France, uniting pipe bands from the United States, France, Belgium, Germany, alongside bands from our own region and from further afield. In all, we plan to play host to 20 or more pipe bands, comprising some 400 pipers and drummers.

 

Details and scheduling of the event

 

Saturday 17th September

 

Performances throughout the afternoon by up to 20 pipe bands (tbc) at various iconic locations all over Manchester City Centre, including the Cathedral Gardens, the Shambles, St. Ann’s Square, Exchange Square, Canal Street.

 

Sunday 18th September

 

Grand pipe band parade the length of Deansgate, finishing at Manchester Cathedral for a multifaith service led by the Dean of the Cathedral of Manchester.

 

After the service, ceremony of commemoration, with wreath-laying and massed band performance in and around the Cathedral Gardens, notably alongside the Memorial to the victims of the Arena bombing.

 

The parade will be the biggest pipe band parade to be held in Manchester for decades.

 

What can you do for us?

To put it bluntly, we are asking you to help us fund this event. We have to pay for accommodation, meals, local transport and other expenses of the participating pipe bands, as well as publicity, advertising, printing and marketing, venue hire and security.

We propose a three-tier partnership programme.

Bronze Partner: donation of £500

Silver Partner: donation of £1000

Gold Partner: donation of £1500 or more

 

What can we do for you?

Bronze partners:

All Bronze Partners will have their logos printed on tier three of a series of banners which will be displayed prominently at the various performance venues throughout the city centre and during the Saturday evening party.

Representatives of Bronze Partners will be invited to take part in the various aspects of the weekend’s events: multi-faith service at Manchester Cathedral, wreath-laying ceremony at St. Peter’s Square, Official Welcome by public and church officials and local dignitaries, performances throughout the town centre and Saturday evening party.

Bronze partners will also have their logos and presentation of their companies on a half- web page (up to 250 words and two images or graphics) developed especially for the event (logos and presentations to be provided by each partner).

Bronze partners’ logos will also be printed on tier 3 of all posters and other literature published for the event

 

Silver partners:

Silver partners will be entitled to all the above benefits, including tier 2 positioning of their logos and a full web page (up to 500 words and four images or graphics) dedicated to their company.

They will also be entitled to a free performance by the Fianna Phádraig Pipe Band at a corporate event of their choice in Manchester (subject to availability) during a period of 12 months following the date of United Pipers for Peace Manchester 2022.

 

Gold partners:

Gold partners will be entitled to all the above benefits, including tier 1 positioning of their logos and a double web page (up to 750 words and six images or graphics) dedicated to their company.

They will also be entitled to a free performance by the Fianna Phádraig Pipe Band at a corporate event of their choice in Manchester (subject to available) during a period of 12 months following the date of United Pipers for Peace Manchester 2022.

 

Help us spread the word

We appreciate that companies receive partnership requests from organisations all the time. The plain truth is that you cannot write a cheque for everyone. We know and understand that. But why not help us in other ways, such as opening your address books and selecting a few names of friends or acquaintances from other companies who may wish to partner our event? Anything you can do to contribute to the success of this crucial event will be gratefully appreciated.

 

One event over one weekend is not going to change the world, but if, together, we change one person’s outlook on friendship between peoples, we will have contributed, in our own small way, to the ultimate victory of peace over conflict. A cause well worth supporting, each in their own way, for our children, our grandchildren and the generations to come.

Let’s not miss this opportunity to “give peace a chance”!

 

Media Coverage

The event to be covered by the media (currently awaiting confirmation from BBC, ITV, Manchester Evening News, The Irish Post and Irish World).

Although we cannot guarantee specific media coverage for partners, we will endeavour to obtain visibility of company logos etc.

 

Should you wish to become a part of this important and prestigious event in our great city of Manchester, please contact us on 0161 818 6032 or info@fiannaphadraigpipeband.org or info@irishpipebandmanchester.com.