COMMUNITY SPIRIT! BIKERS HELP EVACUEES WITH CLEAN-UP
THEY say there is nothing quite like a disaster to bring people together.
And community spirit was very much in evidence in Ballater, where neighbours and strangers pulled together to help the most vulnerable – and even raised a glass for the bells.
Among volunteers from across Royal Deeside and further afield were Wullie Inglis and others from the Brothers in Arms motorcycle club, who pitched in to help out in any way they could.
His wife Gillie opened up the Army barracks to house the evacuees and effectively became disaster relief
‘Had a sing-song to
Auld Lang Syne’
coordinator, organising the volunteers and ensuring everyone is getting what they need. She said: ‘The community spirit is great.’
Meanwhile, an impromptu Hogmanay party was organised in a bar at the barracks filled with donated bottles of wine, as locals welcomed in 2016 with traditional singing and dancing.
Mr Inglis, 43, said: ‘We opened a free bar for the residents who were there. We saw in the bells, had a bit of a singsong to Auld Lang Syne and a bit of a dance. Just tried to keep spirits up.’