We all bring different strengths and experience to the table and we’re united by a love of traditional music and performing at all manor of parades and galas. In many ways the band is a close nit family.

Our Band

Band Leadership

Pipe Major Danielle Haworth

I’ve been playing the bagpipes for over 20 years, having first joined the Accrington Pipe Band in 2005 at the age of 8. From the moment I picked up the pipes, I never looked back. The band quickly became a second family to me, and it’s been a privilege to grow up within its ranks. Over the years, I've progressed through the band, being promoted to Corporal at the age of 15 in 2012, and later to Sergeant at the age of 24 in 2021. These roles helped shape my leadership style and gave me a strong foundation for the responsibilities I hold today. A key part of my development came from the extra practice sessions I had with former PM Trevor Stokes. Every Thursday evening, I would go to his home for lessons. Those sessions not only strengthened my piping skills but I also built a close personal bond that grew into a warm, grandfather–granddaughter like relationship. His guidance and support played a huge role in shaping me into the piper and leader I am today. 
In December 2022, I took on the honour of becoming Pipe Major of the Accrington Pipe Band, with 2023 being my first year serving in the role. I am proud to be the bands first female Pipe Major in it's history, as well as the youngest Pipe Major, taking on the position at just 25 years old. Leading this band is not only a privilege but also a continuation of a legacy that means a great deal to me. One of the things that makes my role even more meaningful is that my mum also plays in the band as a tenor drummer. Sharing performances and practices with her is something I truly treasure, and it reflects how deeply rooted the band is in our family life. As Pipe Major, I’m committed to supporting every member, developing our musical quality, and ensuring we continue to represent Accrington and our history with pride. I look forward to guiding the band into the future while honouring the tradition that first inspired me all those years ago.

Drum Major Francis Hartley

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A person in traditional Scottish Highland dress playing bagpipes.

Pipe Corporal Thomas Pickup

I joined the band back in January 2017 as a complete beginner. I was 14 at the time and have grown up in band, slowly increasing my playing ability through hard work and dedication spending many long hours on practicing  the various fiddly movements that make pipe music so distinctive and unique. 
In recognition of this dedication and hard work I was appointed Pipe Corporal in July  2024 as my 21st birthday  present from the band. Since then, I have mostly been responsible for teaching pipes within the band and also run the additional Thursday night sessions as well as being the bands historian.

Drum Sergeant Laura Brooking née Shorrock

I joined the band in 2009 when I was just 19 years old, having never played the drums before. My dad Ian was already a  piper in the band. He hoped I would follow in his footsteps, however, I was drawn to the drums instead. I joined largely because of him, and before long both of my sisters joined as well. My uncle later became a drummer too, meaning there were five members of the Shorrock family in the band at one time. At that point, very few girls played the snare drum, largely due to the weight of the instrument, but I was determined. I practised hard  and through dedication, hard work, and my clear passion for drumming I earned my corporal stripes in 2016 when I was 26 years old. Still, I wasn’t finished there, in 2021 at the age of 30 I achieved my Sergeant stripes and began building and leading the drum section. Since then, I have spent time every week working with all the drummers—tenor, bass, and snares brushing up on core skills, teaching beginners, supporting current members, and tackling complex beatings, always pushing the drum section to improve and become the best we can be.

Pipers

Man in traditional Scottish Highland dress playing bagpipes at a parade or celebration.

Andy Wild

A woman dressed in traditional Scottish attire, smiling and holding bagpipes, wearing a tall feathered hat and a tartan sash.

Belle Marynissen

Brian Jeffries

A person dressed in traditional Scottish Highland dress, including a feather bonnet and a tartan kilt, holding a bagpipe, at an outdoor event.

Dale Grindrod

A person dressed in traditional Scottish Highland dress, playing bagpipes outdoors.

Gordon Smith

Ian Shorrock

Person dressed in Scottish traditional attire playing bagpipes outdoors

Kirian

Paul Burns

Richard Moir

A person dressed in traditional Scottish attire, including a kilt and a sash, holding bagpipes, in front of a wooden-paneled wall.

Tom Collins

A young man in a military uniform wearing a glengarry hat with a black and red diced band, smiling outdoors.

Tom Dillon

A man dressed in traditional Scottish military uniform with medals and patches, wearing a tartan sash and a Glengarry cap, standing outdoors in front of a building.

Former Pipe Major Trevor Stokes

Drummers; Snare(S),

Tenor(T) and Bass(B)

Chloe Heywood (S)

A young woman dressed in a Scottish military-style uniform, wearing a tall black feathered hat with red and white checkered band, smiling, holding drumsticks, at a parade or outdoor event with other similarly dressed individuals in the background.

Holly Shorrock (S)

Melaine Pearson (S)

Richard (Dickie) Brooks (S)

A man in traditional Scottish attire holding drumsticks, wearing a black jacket with silver buttons and a black and red checkered sash, outdoors with greenery in the background.

Rob Newton (S), frequent guest player

A woman dressed as a Scottish piper, wearing a tall black fur hat with a red plume, glasses, and traditional tartan attire, holding a snare drum in a park with greenery and a small waterfall in the background.

Elizabeth (Liz) Haworth (T)

A person wearing a traditional Scottish military uniform, including a tall black fur hat and kilt, playing a snare drum at an outdoor event with people in the background.

Louise (Loopy) Addison (T)

A young person in a green uniform with a red poppy and a square necktie, standing outdoors with a blurred background of a wooden fence and pink flowers.

Kate Nicholson (T)

Kevin Cunliffe (T)

A man dressed in traditional Scottish military attire, including a black hat with red and black feathers, a tartan sash, and a dark uniform with white accents, standing outdoors with a cloudy sky and tents in the background.

Rob Cunliffe (B)

A man dressed in traditional Scottish Highland dress playing a large bass drum with the words 'Accrington Pipe Band' on it.

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