TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Friday December 9, 1994

Ten years of following in Footnotes’ footsteps

Campbeltown’s answer to all those other dance group you’ve ever heard of celebrates its tenth birthday with a concert at the Grammar School next week.

The Footnotes dance group actually owes its roots to an after-school group started at Campbeltown Grammar School in 1979 by PE teachers Morag Martin and Alison Millar. But in 1984 it was a shame to exclude dancers from the group simply because they had left school and Footnotes, as we all know it, was born.

Since then the group has gone from strength to strength and at the moment has 32 dancers.

From the beginning Footnotes staged their own concerts and took part in many others as guests.

The group have been keen fundraisers and over the years have supported a number of charities, including the RNLI, the Christopher McSporran and Elizabeth Cook Appeals, Auchinlee minibus, the Campbeltown Kiosk Project, the Campbeltown Hospital Hydrotherapy Bath Fund and the local branch of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

Outside Kintyre, the group’s fundraising activities have helped the Southern General

Special Care Baby Unit, Cancer Research and the Children’s Hospice Appeal.

Footnotes’ performances have not been restricted to Campbeltown: they have also performed in Mid Argyll and Oban. Nor have they restricted themselves to dancing, as they have regularly taken part in Accent Players’ pantomimes and school musicals, acting and singing.

Until recently, in conjunction with the local Rotary branch, they organised and staged the Good Citizen Award Concert during Festival Week and always tried to provide a colourful – and noisy – float for the Festival Parade.

The girls also work closely with the local branch of Rotaract and became involved in the annual Round Table Walks.

There have also been trips of a different sort to see shows such as Cats and Torvill and Dean’s ice show.

Over the years the group membership has changed constantly but a few founder members are still on the go. Mairi McKinnon (Robertson) and Tracy Millar (Colville) can easily be recognised from the early photographs and not long after them came Rhona McGregor and Ailsa Colville.

The longest serving member is, of course, Alison Millar. But Alison feels the time may have to come to ease off a bit. She explains: ‘From the beginning, we have worked very much as a group, sharing responsibilities, from the dancing choreography and costumes through all the administrative and organisation aspects.

‘I suppose my main function has been to nag – sorry, encourage – and motivate the dancers. Occasionally, enthusiasm wavers but not for long.

‘I recognise the work and dedication of the group, especially the older dancers who have been with us longest.

‘Often, the young are criticised for their lack of commitment and caring but, throughout, these young people have displayed a very positive approach.’

The birthday concert at Campbeltown Grammar School on Wednesday night will include Footnotes themselves, members of Campbeltown Brass, Mugsy’s Revenge, the Kintyre Schools Pipe Band and singer/guitarist Lynsey Wardrop.