Have the SPF at the ready as the temperatures are meant to get warm this weekend. Let's keep our fingers crossed for blue skies and sunshine as we reach closer to being halfway through 2024.
It may only be the first week of May but we have told how a Helensburgh charity has been praised by inspectors, showed how ponies are improving the lives of the town's care home residents and revealed how aid worker has been honoured as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in global health.
But what was happening in and around the town 15 years ago this month?
The primary three pupils at Rosneath Primary School hosted a Roman banquet. The youngsters marked the end of a study topic on the Romans and how they lived by dressing up in togas and wearing headdresses and lucky charms they had made themselves. Parents and friends were invited to join them and to dine on dates, grapes, vine leaves, raisins, olives, cheese flat bread as well as the rather charming “stuffed dormice” and “roasted rats”. The entertainment took the form of readings and a song. (Image: Newsquest)
Helensburgh man Kevin McCrea has very generous friends who helped him celebrate turning 40 and raised £1,005 for the Queen Mother’s Hospital neo-natal unit. Kevin held a fancy dress party to celebrate his milestone birthday and all his friends joined in at the Commodore Hotel. Instead of presents Kevin asked for donations for the hospital and he and wife Kerry organised a raffle. The couple’s youngest son, four-year-old Charlie, was born eight weeks prematurely and they owe his life to the neo-natal unit staff. (Image: Newsquest)
In the week when Helensburgh Dorian Choir celebrated their Diamond Jubilee Bygone Burgh featured this photograph from a Dorian Choir concert of the past. Included in the photo are several well-known faces including Walter Blair and the late John Widdowson. The only information that was attached with the photograph is that the people pictured were “Dorian Choir Principals”. (Image: Newsquest)
Would-be Naval reservists were treated to a taste of life on the waves at a Faslane training event. Royal Naval Reservists (RNR) from around Scotland and Northern Ireland turned out to showcase the service to prospective recruits. More than 100 reserve servicemen and women from the RNR’s three bases at Rosyth, Glasgow and Belfast, gathered at the Gareloch to lead the training exercise, based between HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane and the Army’s Garelochhead Training Camp. Would-be recruits were treated to a spell at sea in the Mine Hunter HMS Walney, as well as witnessing activities including lifeboat survival drill, physical education and weapons handling. (Image: Newsquest)
A group of Helensburgh dancers performed for royalty on the beautiful tropical island of Hawaii before stealing the show, and most of the medals, at the island highland games. The 15 dancers from the Margaret Rose School of Dance, their teacher Margaret MacInnes, family and friends spent a week in Hawaii and charmed the locals. The girls danced at a memorial service for Princess Capiolani, took part in and danced on the KHON2 News programme and then competed throughout the two-day Hawaii Highland Games. (Image: Newsquest)
More than 150 people packed the Victoria Halls for Helensburgh and Lomond Community Spirit Awards. Special guest at the ceremony, organised annually by the Helensburgh Advertiser and the Rotary Club of Helensburgh Garelochside, was Rangers manager Walter Smith who presented the prizes. One lucky finalist includes a younger self of tennis hero Gordon Reid receiving his Sports Person of the Year award. (Image: Newsquest)
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