Inverurie celebrates the Jubilee in style
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In the run up to the largest street party in Aberdeenshire which was held in Inverurie on Sunday as the cumulation of a series of events in the town, the local community got into the spirit of the once in a lifetime event.
At the Bennachie View Care Home in Inverurie a fantastic Jubilee display was created at the entrance to the care home by handyman Sandy Pratt and his family.
Sandy has created regular displays at the home for the last few years, but is retiring this year so he pulled out the stops to go out with a bang.
Residents also took part in a special street party barbecue and spent time making decorations for the event.
Over at the Garioch Heritage Centre a Jubilee jukebox was one of the highlights at the family fun and games day.
Loaned by Garioch Heritage society member John Jessiman this quaint instrument was playing pop records as clearly as it must have done 70 years ago.
It soon had folks from the very young to the jubilee aged hopping and a-bobbing around, though the youngsters needed some dance lessons from the grandparents!
For the gadget-minded John said that half the fun of his possession was restoring it to working order.
He was able to bypass the originally instructions on the box- Six plays for a quarter, two plays for a dime or one play for a nickel.
The rest of the room was full of vintage board and card games -jigsaws, dominos, snakes and ladders which fairly took a trick with the youngsters and hula hoops for the more energetic.
Good gardening weather helped to attract a large number of visitors to the Mens Shed community allotments at Souterford in the town on Saturday.
Since the Mens Shed acquired a large acreage of unused land and divided it into allotments and a community farm, they have further divided it up into 'parcels' making 22 plots outside, 17 around the Mens Shed headquarters and 24 in the poly tunnel.
All were snapped up before you could day 'Monty Don' with nine families now working the site at the community farm.
Mens Shed advisor Henry Wilson has been delighted by the response from the public.
"You could say Covid actually helped in one respect," he said.
"Folk were tired of sitting at home during lock-downs and were anxious to try a new hobby.
"Television gardening programmes helped too showing how rank beginners as well as the more experienced could benefit greatly from having their own wee plot".
Saturday's visitors were a mixed bag of folk - some complete novices seeking advice, some more experienced after a few tips.
The community aspect was working both ways.
One visitor Pauline Fishburn from Port Elphinstone had a shed-load of gardening paraphernalia left by her late husband which she offered to the Mens Shed who were happy to accept it and pick it up,
On Sunday itself Inverurie town centre was heaving with happy folk, residents and visitors for Sunday's Platinum Jubilee street party.
There were a mix of interesting stalls to visit, the pipe band played and a host of musicians took to the stage.
Garioch Heritage Society members and volunteers were amongst the many who were kept busy at their stall offering games and completions.
Inverurie BID manager Derek Ritchie said: "A huge thank you to the thousands of you who came to our Jubilee street party with We are Inverurie - BID!
"Everyone had a fantastic time and this event will live long in our memories.
"From our key partners like Inverurie Rotary, Royal British Legion, Inverurie branch and Inverurie Community Council to stallholders, to food vans and to the public, we hope you loved it as much as we did."
Nearby in Rothienorman a full programme of activities from concert pieces, bothy ballads, highland dancing, and a big range of games and activities for the children as well as a photographic images exhibition from days gone by were on offer; a great time was had by all those who attended.
Around 400 people were in Rothie for the afternoon's festivities, whole family groups had picnic tables laden with food and beverages ready to party.
A curtain Sider was used to provide a stage for performers and musicians to give their all to entertain an enthusiastic audience.
The highlight of the day was the attendance of Rothienorman's oldest resident at the age of 103, Elsie Duncan was applauded with an acknowledgement of her longevity by being named Rothienorman Queen of the Day.
Resident and local councillor Alistair Forsyth said: "A big thanks go to the organising team and their hard work for a successful day's entertainment."
