There is a small piece of Scotland living and thriving here on the Isle of Wight – in the form of the Isle of Wight Scottish Fiddlers.

The Isle of Wight Scottish Fiddlers is an open access community group dedicated to raising money for good causes, whilst giving its members an opportunity to enjoy playing the traditional fiddle music of Scotland and other countries. The group is almost entirely self-financing and does not charge for performances or travelling expenses when playing at concerts across the Isle of Wight.

Formed in 1986 by ex-pat Borders Scot, Jack Ellis, with the simple aim of bringing together a few people who might enjoy playing Scottish fiddle music, the present group is about twenty members strong.

After the success of their first concert in the Autumn of 1986, the band has featured on local TV, and played at many venues, including the Millennium Dome, Medina Theatre, Appuldurcombe House, Freshwater Memorial Hall, Osborne House, Ventnor Winter Gardens, Ventnor Botanic Gardens, the Quay Arts Centre, Barton Manor, Quarr Abbey, and numerous churches and village halls. They have also given concerts in Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall, and even played out at sea on board the Paddle Steamer Waverley during a storm!

Through their numerous concerts the Isle of Wight Scottish Fiddlers have raised thousands of pounds for good causes on the Island including; the RNLI, Macmillan Nurses, Cancer Research, the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, countless churches and local community organisations, as well as for overseas projects in England, Iraq, Kosovo, Romania, Uganda, the Ukraine, and others.

Members span the generations and come from a wide variety of backgrounds, all sharing an enjoyment of traditional fiddle music and the conviviality of membership. It is a mark of the friendliness of the group that members who have flown the nest often come back and play whenever they are on the island.

NOTE:   Whilst young members are particularly welcome, it is a requirement that all minors under the age of 16 are accompanied at all times by a Parent or official Guardian.