Packed programme for Ardgay Golden Jubilee
A Sutherland community is celebrating a milestone anniversary with a packed programme of events next Saturday, May 17.
Ardgay and district is marking 50 years since it became part of Sutherland in a major local government reorganisation. The area was previously in Ross-shire.
Deputy Lieutenant Christine Mackay, an Ardgay resident, has organised the Golden Jubilee celebrations with the support of the Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust (KoSDT) and community members.
Ardgay and District Community Council provided funding to cover the costs of the celebrations.
Mrs Mackay said: “It’s a grand opportunity to celebrate the village and the people of Ardgay now and from over the years.”
She also thanked the community council for the funding.
Events will be centred round the village’s Drovers Square and Ardgay Public Hall, where there will be children’s games, stalls and a bouncy castle.
The celebrations will begin at 11am with a flag-raising ceremony by the Lord-Lieutenants of Sutherland and Ross-shire, Major General Patrick Marriott and Joanie Whiteford, and a performance by Sutherland Schools Pipe Band.
There will be a craft fair in the village featuring local craftspeople. Pupils from Gledfield Primary School will be selling seedballs and crafts they have made.
Jason Ubych, curator of Tain and District Museum, will be holding storytelling and folk tale sessions in the hall,where there will also be an exhibition of Ardgay in the 1970s with artefacts from the Tain Museum and Highland Archive Centre.
Exhibition organisers are appealing for people to share their memories and photos of Ardgay by email to fiona@kyleofsutherland.co.uk.
The “Balnagown stones” will also be featured as part of the event - the inscribed stones formed an arch in the old Balnagown Hall and have recently been unearthed from storage.
Plans to incorporate them into a bench to be placed in one of three locations around Ardgay will be on display. Members of the public will be able to vote for their favourite design and site.
There will be plenty for children to do on Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17, with a scavenger hunt, history hunt and nature trail around Gearchoille Woods.
A colouring competition is being run for pupils at Bonar Bridge and Gledfield Primary Schools.
All primary school children will receive a commemorative Ardgay 50 medal.
In the evening there will be a free family ceilidh from 7pm with a raffle and hot food.
