Dunning Community Trust
Dunning Festival Weekend - June 2006
Friday 2nd June to Sunday 4th June 2006 saw a magnificent spectacle of true community spirit, fun and extravagance.
It all started in October 2005 on a cold, rainy Saturday morning at Mary Ritchie’s house. What went from the thought of a one evening event soon extended to a complete weekend with imaginative and enthusiastic suggestions.
Shortly after that meeting the sub committee of the Dunning Community Trust for the ‘Festival Weekend’ was formed - even in the depths of wintery December evenings, marquees were being booked and caterers confirmed, June being a prime time for weddings!
Excellent news filtered though to the committee that the Community Trust had been granted a lottery funded grant from Awards for All which would make a huge impact on the events and the final total.
Much effort was being put into securing raffle/auction prizes and with each meeting the Festival Weekend got closer and seemed to be coming on well. There was one thing that seemed to keep cropping up on the Agenda and that was the entertainment license. There were lots of hoops to jump through and red tape to get past but the combined experience of the team was always on the case and with just one week to spare everything was in place.
The magnificent marquee
When the marquee started to go up, nerves kicked in - too late to cancel now! Never had the weather forecast been watched so closely!
A black tie ceilidh dinner/dance was the first event of the weekend. A three course meal was followed by ceilidh dancing and a grand auction – even the gavel was sold off! No doubt the complimentary Pimms on arrival and dram of Bells or perhaps the wine supplied by Sandy Kinross encouraged the bidding!
Festival Committee: Shona Ferguson, Carol Dorsett, Ailsa Fossett, Mary Ritchie, Louise Nowell, Ang Armstrong and Elspeth Pentland.
A night to remember and, No1 magazine photographer, Simon McEachran (www.eachportrait.co.uk) was on hand to capture the ladies on film for the next issue – Scotland’s equivalent of OK!
The cat walk with an expectant audience
The Saturday morning saw the marquee being transformed into a fashion show venue complete with catwalk from Horsecross. Flowers from the tables the night before so beautifully arranged by Zenka Howie still looked amazing and gave the ‘runway’ a unique and professional look.
A packed audience of about 200 were greeted with a glass of Pimms or Highland Spring water and gave generously to the raffle, hoping to win one of the wonderful prizes on offer. They were treated to a very professional display by local ‘models’.
Ted Dorsett ... to the ready with the Pimms...'like the waistcoat.'
Jane Graham, Festival Committee and Penny Wither ready to greet the Fashion Show Audience.
The models had previously visited local shops to have their outfits put aside for them – Sam Thomas, Austin Reed – both of Perth and Milton Couture of Auchterarder generously allowed their stock out of the shops.Hair stylist to the stars, John Gillespie spared two of his fabulous team to help with the finishing touches with the hair. Make-up was expertly applied by Nicola Hall of Virgin Vie and handbags and accessories provided by Apinya.
Rachel Sneddon, bride Patrick Salvadori, bridegroom with Lucy Ross and Jenny McVeigh flower girls.
Claire Richards modelling ' evening wear'
Louise Nowell handing out the raffle prizes and Ang Armstrong, Fashion Show Announcer for the Day.
Another change to the marquee for Saturday night - this time for a jazz evening with tombola, stovies, oatcakes and a display by Jackie Nicolls dancers to ‘All that Jazz’ and more. Dancing continued until midnight to Harry Morrison’s jazz band. Beer and wine supplied by the local Spar shop.
Sunday was family day in the park and marquee, with about 1000 people enjoying craft and art displays, bouncy castle, wellie boot throwing, junior 4x4, story telling and much more. There was even the chance to do the gay Gordons to the Perth and District Strathspey and Reel Society - Pimms, a hog roast, Orkney ice cream and the first of the seasons strawberries from Leadketty went down well in the brilliant sunshine.
Whipping up the parachute at the Sunday Fun Day
The Magician keeping children .... parents and grandparents amused !!!
I love to be inside
‘Splash’ Vouchers for the Raft Thrill Adventure on the Tay at Aberfeldy, donated to the Festival Weekend by Peter Syme were on sale during the weekend and added greatly to the funds.
The final event in the marquee was a well attended community church service on the Sunday evening.
The weekend was a truly remarkable effort from such a large number of volunteers from a village with a real community spirit.
As for moving forward …….. well, watch this space!
