Swimming with dolphins, a dream in progress

A PIPER and drummer will be playing in the city centre to raise money for a teenage girl with a rare genetic disorder.

Friends Iain Kerr, 46, and John Park, 56, from Loanhead will be playing at the National Gallery at the Mound, as well as going round city pubs, over the coming weeks.They are supporting Natalie Humphries, 16, from Danderhall, who suffers from the rare Rett Syndrome. This is a neurological disorder, which mainly affects girls, and leads to learning and physical disabilities.

They hope to help her achieve her dream of going to swim with dolphins.Mr Kerr, who is a friend of Natalie's grandmother, Tess, said: "We've already raised around £400, but we hope to raise more by piping and drumming around Edinburgh."Our local darts team was holding a fundraiser for Natalie, and we asked her granny if there was anything we could do to help.

We decided that it was a really good cause to support. We'll be going out at weekends and playing at our usual haunts in Edinburgh and passing a bucket around." The friends both work at Braid Hills Golf Club. They are planning to raise funds for the Children in Need campaign next month.