Community spirit is alive and well
There was a fantastic turnout for the 65th annual Braemar Day celebrations in Blairgowrie on Saturday and local residents and visitors enjoyed a packed programme of events and entertainment at the Wellmeadow.
Months of preparation and hard work paid off as hundreds of people enjoyed a full day of fun, which started with a parade led by the Rattray Junior Drum Corps and Coupar Angus Pipe Band.
Local groups, clubs and organisations – including the Brownies, the 2006 Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Football Club youth team and Cornerstones Nursery – took part in the parade from the Royal British Legion Scotland clubrooms to the Wellmeadow.
And, in recognition of this being the 65th year of Braemar Day, the organising committee handed out 65 balloons to participating youngsters, as well as inviting special guests from popular children’s television programmes to join in as well.
Following the parade, Blairgowrie and Rattray Citizen of the Year, Lisa Hilditch, officially opened the day’s celebrations.
Welcoming everyone to the Wellmeadow, Lisa, who runs all the Brownies and Rainbow groups in Blairgowrie and Rattray, said: “The fact that this event is now in its 65th year is testament to the hard work and dedication of the committee and the community and the volunteers that come together to make it such a success each year.
“I would like to thank the committee, which consists of just six women, for their hard work and dedication to this event throughout the whole year. It is much appreciated.”
Dance groups including Let’s Dance, the Linda Grant School of Dance, the Gayle Duncan School of Dance, the Linda Tosh Dancers and Flings and Things – which includes former Blairgowrie High School pupil Rachel McLagan – all performed.
Singers and musicians performing included Heather Tweddle, Karen Arnold, Rebecca and Jordanne, Callum and friends, and Sam and Sinead.
The market stalls and demonstrations run by a number of local clubs and organisations, including the 2006 team from Blairgowrie and Rattray CFC, the Brownies and Rainbows, Angling for Youth Development, the Wee Coffee Shop, Warpweftweave Studio, gluten-free tasty treats from Alison’s Kitchen, Bonnie Beasties and a pop-up art studio, all proved popular.
There were also performances from Josef Lawrence and the Hypocrites – a young indie rock band from Perthshire – and Timeless, a fourpiece alternative rock band comprising members from Dundee and Blairgowrie.
Up-and-coming band Stop The Rain, from Perth, headlined the day, bringing the celebrations to a close just before the Blairgowrie and Rattray Young Person of the Year, Becky Moran, lit the spectacular fireworks display to mark the end of the day’s festivities.
Braemar Day committee member Helen Breen said: “It was a great day. The Wellmeadow was full for most of the day, which was fantastic and makes it all worthwhile.
“There were a couple of showers of rain in the morning and at teatime but it didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits which is the main thing.
“On behalf of the committee, I would like to say a massive thank you to all our sponsors, to Ewan MacGregor for compering the day’s proceedings – Perth and Kinross Council who helped tidy up the town on Sunday morning – and everyone who supported this event, either by performing, taking a stall in the market, or coming along on the day and putting money in the collection buckets to help us fund the event.”
Councillor Caroline Shiers was one of the many present and said: “Yet again, we saw the community spirit alive and well in Blairgowrie and Rattray.
“The amount of work put in by the Braemar Day committee and all their volunteer helpers was huge and really paid off with very happy crowds of locals and visitors.
“In the 65th year of Braemar Day celebrations it was great to see that the spirit of the event had been captured in the programme.
“Well done to the committee and all those local businesses and individuals who contributed financially to making the event happen.”
The committee is already planning ahead for next year’s Braemar Day celebrations and would love to hear from anyone who has any ideas on what could be included in the programme, or who would like to take part either performing or by taking a stall.
Contact Helen Breen on 07963 579964 or Hayley Nicoll on hayleynicoll22@ hotmail.co.uk
• See pages 20 and 21 for more pictures.