Royal visit to Dingwall Academy and Keltic Seafare
HRH The Princess Royal paid a visit to Dingwall yesterday (1 October) to the delight of the Academy pupils and staff who were outside to welcome her as the helicopter she was travelling in landed of the sports pitches behind the school. She was met by the Lord-Lieutenant Mrs Janet Bowen and then pipers Sara Dicarlo and Euan Gill lead the guest of honour from the landing site to where all the S5 and S6 pupils were lining the route to the front of the school building.
Before starting the school tour accompanied by Head Teacher Karen Cormack, Head Boy Frank Fraser and Head Girl Donna MacKenzie, HRH stopped to enjoy the school Ceilidh Band perform their specially composed tune of welcome entitled, “Corona Celtica”.
The tour started in the community library with Head Librarian Jill Meredith introducing the library staff before taking HRH to meet young children enjoying a story time session. She was then able to meet members of the library’s book club as well as having time to chat to some of the people who regularly make use of the library facilities.
The next stop was to meet teacher Rachael Merrell who was joined by Siobhan O’Hara and Iona MacMillian from the Teenage Cancer Trust to talk about the fundraising activities Dingwall Academy has been involved in. As part of the Trusts’ “The Shun Burn”, sun awareness campaign, pupils took part in a competition to design and make whacky sunglasses and HRH enjoyed seeing the young people parade around the room modeling their handiwork.
HRH was then taken to the small gym where teacher Sheena Park introduced her to Ross Cowie from the Heartstart Lucky2Bhere Charity. Ross and fellow trainers Pam Gowie, Peter White and Donnie Ross were busy training a group of pupils on how to carry out defibrillation. Ross also took this opportunity to present the school with a second defibrillator pack. There was then time to see young people dancing and playing badminton before HRH was introduced to the school House Captains, Theodore Meddle; Josie Fraser; Erin Haslam; Connor Ross and Matthew Sutherland.
The guests were then taken upstarts to the Social Subjects Department to meet the young people who are taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme, including a group of girls who have just completed their Silver expedition. There was then time to learn about the schools Rural Skills course from teacher Sharon Tullis who was joined by farmers Stephen MacKenzie and Peter Hingston before the visitors popped into a 5th year class being taught by the Faculty Head for Social Subjects, Sandra Reid.
It was then on to the art department to meet staff and pupils who have taken part in the Mercat Cross design competition in association with Dingwall CARS project. HRH spent some time chatting to the pupils about their designs and the new skills then had learnt following some stone masonry workshops that were run as part of the project. The craft theme was continued with a visit to see pupils taking part in a wood workshop before spending some time chatting to young people in the technological studies room.
The visit to Dingwall Academy ended outside with a tour around the new school garden area which is getting into shape thanks to teacher Susan Swallow and all the community volunteers who are working with the young Diggers gardening group. After guiding HRH around the site the young garnders invited her to mark the visit by planting an apple tree. After a vote of thanks by the Head Teacher, HRH was presented with a posy by the youngest pupil, Kelsie Ross. To the sound of the bagpipes, claps and cheers HRH then thanked everyone and waved goodbye as she made her way to the waiting car.
The next part of the Dingwall visit took place at Keltic Seafare (Scotland) Ltd which supplies premium quality Scottish shellfish across the globe. HRH was welcomed by Directors Laurence Watkins and Alasdair Hughson who explained that since the business was established in 1992, the company has steadily grown to become Scotland’s number one live shellfish supplier providing hand dived scallops, creel-caught langoustines, lobster and crab to customers in London, Paris and around the world.
HRH was taken on a tour of the premises with Managing Director Ben Murray and had the chance to chat to members of staff involved in the processing of the products. With a turn over last year of over £5 million, the company’s export sales have increased by 1,633 per cent over the past six years.
The Princess was then introduced to Directors Mrs Marian Watkins and Ailsa Thomson, Chairman David Horn and Operations Manager Stephen Forgie in the warehouse. Representatives from The Highland Council, Inverness Chamber of Commerce, HIE, SCDI, Highland Opportunity and the Easter Ross Federation of Small Business as well as some fishermen and all the staff then gathered to watch HRH present the company with their Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. After giving a short speech congratulating everyone, there was just time for children Chrisitan Forgie, Amelie Thomson and Hope Murray to present a posy before HRH unveiled a plaque to mark her visit.
The four hour visit to Dingwall then came to an end as HRH and her party departed for the airport.