Convener’s welcome 2012
At the time of writing this welcome to the Nairn Games the weather has been a bit unpredictable.
I hope this afternoon, like the past couple of years, we are again blessed with warm sunshine for our annual gathering.
I can hardly believe 12 months have passed since the last race was run, the last pipe tune was played and the last presentation was made.
But no sooner does the bunting come down and our fantastic team of council staff have packed away the equipment when the cycle of preparation begins all over again for my hard working committee who meet regularly over the winter months to ensure, as best we can, that everything is in place to make
Games Day in Nairn another special day for you to remember.
We try to remember everything but sometimes things do go awry – and little
details are forgotten. I wonder how many in the crowd noticed the Lion Rampant was missing from the grand parade to the Links from Viewfield. Well it was. A tick went down in the must-do box for this year’s 135th games so hopefully the proud Scottish
emblem will be fluttering again at the head of the massed pipe bands.
As Convener it is my pleasure to welcome you all – whether your journey has
been short or long – and I hope you enjoy the afternoon of competition which
has been the highlight of summer in Nairn now for well over a century.
For the benefit of visitors in the crowd today I can tell you that it is a
time of year when families from Nairn have a ‘hamecoming’ for a celebration.
We always enjoy a day out at our beautiful links which when bathed in
sunshine and in all its splendour is one of the most spectacular Games
settings in Scotland with its fantastic location on the shores of the Moray
Firth.
I would remind everyone of course that The Nairn Games are unique in that
they are the only free games in Scotland. The only seats that are paid for
are those inside the arena fence and that income of course goes towards
offsetting our not inconsiderable costs.
The committee depends on the generosity and goodwill of the public and many
local businesses who generously support us by sponsoring the various events.
By making donations when we send out collection pails round the arena during
the course of the afternoon you can also contribute.Not forgetting of course
our Friends of Nairn Games who pledge their support with an annual donation
of £10. (Details about joining Friends of Nairn Games can be found elsewhere
in the programme).
To you all can I give you our heartfelt thanks for helping maintain the
Games tradition and we continue to receive invaluable support both
financially and in kind from our main sponsor Macallan whisky who supply
some of their finest malt for prizes and hospitality.
Big events such as these do not just happen. They involve months of planning
behind the scenes and to my loyal band of committee members for the work
they do during the winter months we owe a great debt. But we also
acknowledge the work carried out on our behalf preparing the Links and
clearing up after the Games by Highland Council’s TEC Services staff, our
Games officials who ensure the athletics programme runs smoothly and in
accordance with S.A.L. rules not to mention our dancing and piping judges
who oversee their competitions and Nairn Road Runners who are responsible
for organising the Half-Marathon which continues to grow in popularity.
One of the most popular innovations to the Nairn Games of recent years has
been the parade of the massed pipe bands and I would like to take this
opportunity of thanking all the band members who travel from as far afield
as Caithness in the north to Aberdeenshire in the east and Skye in the west.
It is the biggest massed bands parade at any Games in Scotland and we know
from speaking to people how much pleasure the spectacle of the bands
marching on to the arena means to everyone. We thank them all again for
their attendance here today and hope it will continue to be a feature at
Nairn for many years to come.
To the athletes, pipers and dancers I wish you the very best in all your
endeavours today and I am sure we can all look forward to another memorable
gathering.
Sandra Ross,
Convener.
Email: info@nairnhighlandgames.co.uk
The Macallan Nairn Highland Games Committee
Chieftain: Lord Cawdor
Convener: S Ross
Committee Secretary: S Farrell
Treasurer: G Forbes
Athletics / Entries Secretary: S Ross
E.Mann, T.Marshall, R.Wilkinson, Cllr L.Fraser, L.Rutter, D.Morrison, H.Allison, D.Wilson, M.Oag, L.Macaulay, D. Prior, J. Dolan
For more information you can contact:
General Enquiries
Call Gordon Forbes on 01667 452422
(For trade stances phone HC Ward Manager on 01667 458511)
Pipe Band Enquiries
Call Lyn Rutter on 01667 451075
Half Marathon
Call Alister Stewart on 01667 462173