Sun shines on glorious Fochabers gala day
DESPITE early forecasts to the contrary, the sun blazed down on Fochabers gala day as the community joined with visitors in an afternoon of fun.
The square was once again the focus of events on Sunday, July 30, the culmination of three days of festivities in the village organised by the dedicated team at Fochabers Village Association.
A parade of vintage tractors and classic cars down the High Street got Sunday afternoon under way in style, with the Jean Carr Challenge Hill Race under starter's orders shortly after that.
Taking the tape in the race was Andrew Jones in a time of 00:40:00 with the first female runner home being Jessica Howarth in 00:46:46. Category winners were: 1st Senior male – Andrew Jones; 1st Senior female – Jessica Howarth; 1st Veteran male – Malcolm Lang, 00:42:55; 1st Veteran female – Carrie-Ann Ward, 00:48:53; 1st Super Veteran male – Martin Duthie, 00:44:20; 1st Super Veteran female – Jane Barker, 00:47:40.
In the square the curtain was raised on a whole host of activities for all the family, including a bottle stall, raffles, the wheel of fortune, candy floss, bowling, putting cricket, a fitness display by Friskis and Svettis and ducks in the fountain, to name but a few.
The gala barbecue was also fired up to feed the hungry.
Musical entertainment in the second half of the afternoon was provided by Andy Layton James.
There were a few changes to this year's gala day, as gala committee chairwoman Liz Rennie noted.
She said: "We're all just delighted with how things went.
"The forecast earlier in the week didn't look too good but in the end we had a day of smashing weather and the gala was very well attended.
"It was great to welcome back the vintage tractors and, for the first time, Elgin 63 Car Club and their collection of classic cars. We'd also like to thank them for providing marshals to help us with traffic calming.
"Unfortunately we didn't have Buckie and District Pipe Band with us this year, who've become something of a tradition at the gala, but we were delighted to welcome piper Joe McAllister from Aberlour Community and District Pipe Band who led the opening parade down High Street and played some solo sets.
"For this year's gala we shifted things about a bit in the square to freshen it up.
"We were delighted with the response to the fundraising duck race, with 300 ducks sold, and we also had a good quiz night and tombola.
"All proceeds from the gala events will be ploughed back into groups and organisations serving the local community."
The gala's profits amounted to a hefty £6500, with £2000 being raised from the duck race, tombola, strawberry teas and quiz and the rest from the Sunday events. The bottle stall and barbecue raised £1000 each on the day.
Mrs Rennie went on to pay tribute to this year's Gala VIPs, Milne's Primary pupils Chloe Campbell and Max Sidney. Their crowning on Friday, July 28, marked the official opening of the gala festivities followed by the tombola at the Public Institute.
Bellie Church hall and gardens played host to a strawberry tea and children's activities on the Saturday afternoon while later the same day attention turned to the Murrayfield Bridge where the duck race will be under starter's orders.
That evening the gala quiz taxed those little grey cells over at the Public Institute.
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