Coronation fun leaves strong community legacy for Buckie area communities
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COMMUNITIES across the Buckie area showed they knew how to party with coronation celebrations aplenty.
From Saturday, May 6 to Monday May 8 all sorts of events brought young and old together to mark King Charles and Queen Camilla's big day.
Civic pride was very much to the fore in Portknockie when the local community council held a Coronation Big Lunch event at the McBoyle Hall and McLeod Park. In addition to some tasty food a packed programme of events featured live music from local music group The Cool Jam Cats, a chocolate tombola, face painting, exotic animals, bouncy castles, a fancy dress parade with prizes and a bottle stall among the many attractions.
A National Lottery grant of £2900 made all the difference, said Portknockie Community Council chairman John Going.
"The grant allowed us to do all this without having to ask anyone to pay.
"We were very keen to involve everyone and that people wouldn't be excluded.
"The jubilee event we did last year went very well so we thought we'd do something similar this time around. It really did go very well with lots of people coming.
"The whole village came together, providing the entertainment and the helpers, we had a really good day."
Meanwhile in Fochabers, a good time was had by all over the Sunday and Monday, where the main event on both days was a Recycled Summer session in the Public Institute organised by Fochabers Village Association (FVA). The two sessions followed a pop-up shop style event featuring good quality, pre-loved items with people invited to come along and help themselves. In addition there was a coronation-themed stall for children and refreshments were available.
Over at the Bellie and Speymouth Church on Sunday it was time for the younger members of the community to celebrate with a Messy Church Coronation Special.
Liz Rennie, from the FVA, said: "It went very well and the team are just delighted with the way it worked out.
"We were thrilled to have such generous donations from the local community; there was a real mix of items such as clothing, gifts, baby items, games and household goods.
"On Sunday we couldn't believe it when we opened up and there was a big queue waiting outside. Indeed there was a queue as well on Monday when we opened.
"It was really hectic on the Sunday with a very good vibe about the place. We had a strawberry tea in the Christie Room, which was very popular, and the children's craft area provided a nice, quiet place.
"On Sunday we were delighted to welcome Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Moray Zara Gordon-Lennox, accompanied by her husband Angus, who brought a donation of beautiful posies from the Gordon Castle Gardens. She joined us again on Monday when she volunteered with us for a while."
Monday, May 8 was The Big Help Out, a nationwide event as part of the coronation weekend which sought to create a legacy of volunteering and community spirit, goals Mrs Rennie felt the Recycled Summer had proudly embodied.
She continued: "We held a similar event in December and many people asked us if we were going to do another.
"We felt that it really embodied the aims of The Big Help Out with the whole community supporting each other and encouraging people to come along and volunteer.
"It also focussed on the sustainable side of things which has become so important in these times of economic crisis."
She added that donations over the course of the two days amounted to a very healthy £477 which will be ploughed back into the community.
The coronation celebrations in Buckie were rounded off with an indoor street party in the Fishermen's Hall, which followed on from the well-attended Blast from the Past event held on Saturday featuring a memorabilia exhibition which ran alongside a wartime food experience as well as a hearty sing-a-long to some timeless classics. Over the two days the sum of £1270 was raised for Clan Cancer Support Moray and Oaks Elgin.
Visiting the Saturday event was Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire Major Maurice Gibson MBE DL while on Monday Andrew Simpson, the Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire, popped by.
Joining in the coronation fun on Monday were the service users at Coastal Creations in Buckie when they held an indoor street party. In addition to a lovely tea party they enjoyed fund games of pin the diamond on the crown and royal bingo.
Many of the service users dressed up in regal attire for the event.
The charity supports adults in the local community in a number of ways, including craft work, small gardening projects, music and Makaton signing.
Over at Portgordon nursery, the kids got into the party mood by making and decorating their very own royal palace.
