Sun shines on Picnic
Good turnout for event
Organisers were delighted with another good turnout for Rattray’s popular Picnic in the Park on Saturday.
The fun day in Davie Park, now in its fifth year, is organised by volunteers from the Loon Braes Parknership and saw lots of entertainment for all the family, including a barbecue, bouncy castles and various stalls including the Scottish Woodland Skills Centre and bird table making.
A range of local groups and organisations had information stalls at the event, including the Strathmore Centre for Youth Development (SCYD), who helped marshall the event, Wisecraft, Blair in Bloom, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Perth and Kinross Council’s child protection team and alcohol and drug partnership.
Betty Marshall and a team of volunteers ran the barbecue, selling burgers and hot dogs to raise funds for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.
And Betty’s husband, Pat, and granddaughter Kallice Gracey were also raising funds for the charity at the event with a range of ABF merchandise.
There was also a football tournament at Davie Park, organised by Gavin Tolmie, one of the coaches with the youth section of Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Football Club (BRCFC), and performances by talented youngsters from the Linda Grant School of Dance.
Katrina Whyte from the Loon Braes Parknership was one of the organisers of the fun day.
She told the Blairie: “It’s been another great day with a great turnout and great weather!
“The local community has really made this afternoon and has come out in force to support us, which is great.
“I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who came along and enjoyed the fun day. It is so nice to see so many people enjoying the park and a great day was had by all.
“Thanks also to everyone who has been involved in putting the picnic together again this year, it was another great community effort.”
John Corrigan, community capacity building worker at Perth and Kinross Council, was at the event.
He said: “What a lovely day it’s been! There has been a great atmosphere and Katrina, the Parknership and SCYD have done a wonderful job organising everything.
“It is good to see the park busy and folk coming here and enjoying it and making the most of this fantastic asset which is right on our doorstep.”
Gavin Tolmie from BRCFC added: “It was great to be part of the Picnic in the Park for a third year and it was another great success for the youth football teams in the town.
“We had around 30 youngsters playing in the tournament and it was great to have our girls’ team involved for the first time this year.”
Operations manager for SCYD’s events team, Aaron Cannon, said: “Volunteers from SCYD were running the control point and first aid station for the event as well as supervising the inflatables, the stocks, and the crazy golf.
“It is great to be part of Picnic in the Park again this year, it is a great community event and it is good to see such a good turnout again.”
Staff and volunteers from Wisecraft were at the event to raise awareness of a new initiative they have called ‘Branching Out’ which teaches people basic DIY skills that they can use in their daily lives.
Volunteers from awardwinning environmental group Blair in Bloom were offering ‘grow your own pizza’ kits, comprising basil seeds, compost and a recipe, for donations towards the efforts of the charity.
Chair of the Blair in Bloom, Helen McCann, explained: “We are hoping to encourage children and parents to grow herbs by highlighting just how simple it can be.
“It has been a lovely day with good weather and it is nice to see people enjoying themselves in Davie Park.”
The Loon Braes Parknership are looking for more volunteers to join their committee. The group meets for a couple of hours a month and looks at ways to ensure the park is looked after for the benefit of the community. For further information, contact Katrina on 07860 431967.
• See today’s centrespread for more pictures from the event.