Ampleforth’s first Female Pipe Major 2022

By Mr Solomon Middleton, Current Parent

It was when Kimi was around four years old that we were driving through the grounds of a castle on the Isle of Skye that she suddenly heard the sound of bagpipes playing. There stood a man in kilt playing the pipes and we later learned it was the owner of the castle and he did the piping daily. Kimi was in awe of the piping and immediately and loudly said from the back of our car: “Mummy, Daddy, can I have a set of Bagpipes.” At the time we smiled and said “No, they are hard to play” and just thought it was a funny thing to hear from a tiny daughter.

The years went by and when Kimi was 10 years old, Bagpipes came back into conversation. By the age of 11 Kimi had her first chanter and was kicking out many tunes prior to her first lesson at the College with Bryan Robinson on 9 September 2016. Her ability to learn was impressive.

Kimi took part in her first competition 5 March 2017 coming in third place at Ampleforth. Even when she was at Ryedale School prior to joining the College, Kimi was involved with the Ampleforth Pipe Band, playing for open days and for the Scottish Pipe Band Championships and taking part in many other piping events.

Kimi has enjoyed being part of the Ampleforth Pipe Band and gets along very well with its members. The atmosphere is good. She’s proud to have represented Ampleforth College.

Kimi is in St Bede’s House and now in Year 13 having joined Ampleforth College in Year 9 from Ryedale School. Ampleforth has really helped Kimi’s education and also her bagpiping. She is in her last year at Ampleforth and is doing five A levels. Whilst at Ampleforth Kimi has been busy – she has played for the school in various sports and even made team captain in girls’ squash for a short while. She has taken part in chemistry competitions and the Maths Olympiad, was awarded Physicist student of the year in 2020 by York University and in 2020 she achieved over 100 Ampleforth Points for going above and beyond expectations.

Kimi never stops stating how fortunate she is to be at Ampleforth College and has achieved so much academically while at the school. To have had the most beautiful countryside to see daily, along with the squirrels and rabbits running around in the grounds - nothing can compare to the beautiful mists and glorious sunsets in the Valley, which she often talks about. She knows it will, one day, be greatly missed when she has to move on, but Ampleforth has engraved precious memories on her mind for years to come. At this school Kimi has made some very special friends - it has definitely enhanced her life.

Here is a list of some of Kimi’s piping events:

• Open Days and Parent’ Days at

Ampleforth College and

St Martin’s Ampleforth over the years • Houghton-le-Spring street feast

Tattoo 2017 /2018 • Terrington Hall remembrance service 2018 • Aysgarth school display 2019 • St Martin’s Ampleforth Sports

Day 2019 • Compass for life in

Edinburgh 2019 • Canonizations of John Henry

Newman 2019 • She was the Lone piper at

Ampleforth Armistice day 2019 • Harrogate compass for life 2019 • St Cecilia’s Concert Solos 2019 • Farleigh school Xmas concert 2019 • Terrington Hall “Burns night” 2020 • Lister care home for retired soldiers 2020 • Piped for her Uncle’s Funeral procession who passed from

Covid 2020 • Residential home in Boston

Spa 2020 Made pipe sergeant 2021 • Ampleforth CCF dinner 2021 – 2022 Made Pipe Major 2022 • New starters concert 2022 • HM the Queen’s death ceremony Ampleforth 2022