THE Royal Walk in Whitecraig on Saturday has been described as “a day to remember.”

The sun shone for the procession, which was led by Gala Queen Casey Allan, who attends Whitecraig Primary School, and Gala King Jordan Prestage, from Whitecraig and a pupil at The Cove, Dunbar Primary School.

The village gala was cancelled for the second year running due to the Covid-19 crisis.

However, Whitecraig gala team was keen to mark the occasion in some way and decided to go ahead with a Royal Walk for 2021.

Twenty-nine children made their way around the village, accompanied by piper Matt Sinclair.

Local residents were asked to stand at their gates clapping and cheering as the procession went by.

Becka Macdonald, of the Whitecraig gala committee, said: “We all had a great day. The sun was shining and the children loved it. It was the first time we walked through the village all waving our flags and it was a day to remember. The villagers came out to cheer us on and the bowlers from the club stopped their game and shouted a big hooray as we walked passed. It was great community spirit.”

A gala garden competition with a cash prize on offer, judged by local MSP Colin Beattie, was also enjoyed.

The winners were: 1 Leona Holmes and Grace Smith with Dreamworks; 2 Lennon O’Neill for Pirates of the Caribbean; 3 Emma Henderson’s Harry Potter theme.

Becka said: “Outstanding effort went in to the gardens this year and it was lovely walking round the village to see them all.”

She added that the entertainment in the local park after the walk had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 safety.

She said: “Not the right things were in place for it to happen. It was a plan I quickly put together as we entered into Level 1 the week before and I thought it would be OK to have a small thing for the rest of the children in the village.

“I’m just happy the 29 children in the Royal Court got the go-ahead with the walk and they had a fantastic day. Hopefully next year we can organise our usual gala celebrations.

“We would like to say a big thanks to our piper Matt Sinclair, guests Councillor Colin McGinn and Colin Beattie, our parent volunteers, committee members and the villagers for making the children have a memorable day.”