Gala Day at Juniper Green
There was no missing the Gala sign at the start of the village as gala week approached
Three hundred years of an existence has to be celebrated somehow and at the start of gala week a sign appeared at Gillespie crossroads heralding the start of gala week from 2nd - 9th June. Nor, could you miss the announcements around the village during that week that something big was about to happen on gala day itself.
The village prepared with decorations and many houses and shops were dressed up with balloons and streamers.
Gala parade and fair notice on the railings outside the hairdresser's shop at the corner of Baberton Avenue and Lanark Road
Many houses and shops like the Post Office decorated in advance of the gala day parade
A beautiful coach and horse were hired for the occasion to transport the royal party around the village. The queen's champion checked out the horse before the parade started its journey around the village.
The royal court comprised queen, champion, herald and lady-in-waiting.
So, the climax of gala week was on Saturday 9th June around 10.30am when the Colinton and Currie Pipe Band led many of us round the village and down to the School Fair. This has not been the best of summers but June 9th was sunny and warm, the only Saturday in June that could be so described. It was so appropriate that it was the Colinton and Currie Pipe Band that led this ter-centenary parade as they had done so many times in the past. The band itself is celebrating 120 years of history and remains one of the oldest unattached pipe bands in Scotland.
The royal party came next in their horse-drawn coach with local teachers Karen Noble and Ingrid Donaldson enjoying the fun with their pupils.
The royal party in the coach with senior teachers Karen Noble and Ingrid Donaldson at the start of the parade
Behind them in the parade were the 31st Edinburgh scouts who with all the scouts throughout the UK have one hundred years of their own history to celebrate this year too.
Next in the parade came the Rainbows with their leaders.
Then, the drama group with the 172nd Edinburgh group of Beavers behind them.
More of the village scouts followed with the 172nd Edinburgh group.
One of the real stars of the parade was Tommy Notman's well-kent coal lorry which had just passed its MoT in time for the parade.
And, perhaps there were another two hundred young people and their parents in the parade.
Another fine feature was the band at the end of the parade provided by those schoolchildren publicizing the Global Schools Link that Juniper Green have with a school in South Africa.
The crowds outside the old school on Baberton Avenue watched as the parade sets off.
The Global School Link banner with the police car at the back just in the picture bringing up the rear of the parade
The parade went along Belmont Road and up Juniper Avenue.
The parade then turned left onto the Lanark Road which was fully closed for the occasion.
The police close off the main road and leading at the front make it safe for the pipe band to come down Lanark Road
One more left turn brought the parade back onto Baberton Avenue and hence to the school.
Cliff Beevers (chair of the JG300 Steering committee) welcomed everyone to the gala fair on behalf of the school and thanked all those who had participated in the gala parade.
Cliff reminded the audience of the major achievements in the career of the day's special guest: he took the snooker world by storm in 1990 when he became the youngest winner of the World title going on to win 7 World titles in all, 8 maximum 147 breaks in major competitions and nine times the World number one all of which are records in the modern era of snooker. Cliff then introduced Juniper Green's famous old pupil Stephen Hendry.
The gala fair was then opened by Stephen Hendry who briefly recalled his school days some thirty years earlier.
Fun-runs, a talent contest, beat the goalie and tours of the Old School were all on offer during the day.
Ex-schoolteacher Mrs Evelyn Whitfield volunteered to take folk on a tour around the old school.
Displays and stalls at the new school entertained us and lightened our purses in a very good cause! In fact, in excess of £6,000 was raised for school funds.
Those who had any energy left by the evening piled into the Village Hall for a family disco.
The Gala week is over but Juniper Green 300 continues! There will be a Gardens Open Day on August 12th from 12.30pm to 4.30pm. See you there!
You can watch some of the event at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rRUzFyDtx0.