Gala Day fever sweeps town

Taking place on Saturday (August 6) this will see the area outside The Link and New Town Hall transformed into a FREE fun factory, commencing with a grand procession from Fleming House car park.

This will snake its way via Central Way and the Tesco roundabout, led by Gala Queen-elect Sophie Hinshelwood plus princesses Bethany Towrish and Olivia McGlade. Kilsyth Thistle Pipe Band will be on hand to provide a stirring soundtrack to the proceedings.

Sophie’s coronation will take place at 12 noon with Provost Tom Curley doing the honours, followed by a varied programme including live music and dance until 4.30pm. This will involve acoustic sessions, Indian dance, Zumba, cheerleading and baton twirling.

Cumbernauld Community Forum has spent a year organising the event which marks a revival for a town-wide gala day, formerly an annual fixture in Cumbernauld which countless locals treasure memories of.

Last year this increasingly high-profile organisation decided they would like to bring it back - and the 2010 event was widely judged to be a soaraway sunshine success.

Chairman Billy Lees said: “This action-packed gala day has become a real festive occasion in Cumbernauld.

“We can promise this year will be even bigger and better than ever before.“

Billy added: We’ve got loads of brilliant performers plus games and activities for the whole family – with some extra surprises thrown in.’’

Meanwhile it emerged that the event has been partly funded by a very generous donation from Scottish Water’s local operation.

This is the second year that the organisation has made a contribution to the event – and staff presented forum members with a very welcome cheque for £1000 last week.

Director Donald MacBrayne said: “We’re delighted to continue supporting the Cumbernauld Gala Day.

“Our recycling plant at Deerdykes is part of the community, providing much needed local employment for residents of Cumbernauld, and we are glad to give something back by donating to events like this.”

Local groups represented will include Take Heart For Haiti, which is attempting to raise $250,000 towards a hospital in the ‘quake-hit Caribbean country.