We are only halfway through May and people in Helensburgh and Lomond stayed up to watch the spectacular light display of the Aurora Borealis. The warmer weather is now creeping in and holidaymakers have begun.

But what was happening in and around the town 15 years ago this month?

In the May 14, 2009 edition of the paper, we reported people in Helensburgh gearing up towards some fun day events, a much-loved opticians celebrating their new store and a soldiers mum organising an event to remember Helensburgh's heroes. 

Whose faces do you recognise in the photos below?

Helensburgh Advertiser: Plans for the third annual Churchill Fair in the square were well under way and the Met Office promised a ‘BBQ summer’ the organisers stayed positive for a scorcher to pack the crowds in. The community fair, held at Churchill Square, Churchill Estate, Helensburgh, attracted 3,000 visitors the previous year. Guests came along for a fun-packed day of entertainment, beginning around 11am and continuing late into the evening at the Drumfork Club. It is expected there would be many attractions for children, including a huge Gladiator bouncy obstacle course, birds of prey, fire eating jugglers and farm animals. For the tiny tots, Fun First was back with story time games and visitors will also be able to meet the hardworking Strathclyde Fire Brigade, Ministry of Defence Police and the MoD police dogs.Plans for the third annual Churchill Fair in the square were well under way and the Met Office promised a ‘BBQ summer’ the organisers stayed positive for a scorcher to pack the crowds in. The community fair, held at Churchill Square, Churchill Estate, Helensburgh, attracted 3,000 visitors the previous year. Guests came along for a fun-packed day of entertainment, beginning around 11am and continuing late into the evening at the Drumfork Club. It is expected there would be many attractions for children, including a huge Gladiator bouncy obstacle course, birds of prey, fire eating jugglers and farm animals. For the tiny tots, Fun First was back with story time games and visitors will also be able to meet the hardworking Strathclyde Fire Brigade, Ministry of Defence Police and the MoD police dogs. (Image: Newsquest)

Helensburgh Advertiser: An escort job with a difference fell to the crew of Helensburgh lifeboat as the giant Canadian canoe, Spirit Dancer, was paddled into Rhu on an epic voyage to Orkney. Skippered by the Canadian adventurer Chris Cooper, Spirit Dancer took a journey from Glasgow, round the West coast of Scotland, to Orkney — and Rhu was one of her first stops. Having spent a stormy night at the Unit 23 Skate Park in Dumbarton, the crew were able to make the 11-mile paddle to Rhu in rather better conditions and were met by the lifeboat.An escort job with a difference fell to the crew of Helensburgh lifeboat as the giant Canadian canoe, Spirit Dancer, was paddled into Rhu on an epic voyage to Orkney. Skippered by the Canadian adventurer Chris Cooper, Spirit Dancer took a journey from Glasgow, round the West coast of Scotland, to Orkney — and Rhu was one of her first stops. Having spent a stormy night at the Unit 23 Skate Park in Dumbarton, the crew were able to make the 11-mile paddle to Rhu in rather better conditions and were met by the lifeboat. (Image: Newsquest)

Helensburgh Advertiser: Helensburgh folk turned out in force despite the bad weather, for the annual Christian Aid Fayre. Each local church had a different stall, laden with goods to tempt all tastes — books, toys, cakes, jewellery, flowers and plants — and a most successful ‘recycled gifts’ stall filled with a range of things which people had received but never got round to using. The fayre raised over £1,500 and marked the start of Christian Aid Week which in Helensburgh involves a house-to-house collection, primary schools football and netball tournaments, a sponsored swim, street collection, bag-packing and soup and cheese lunches.Helensburgh folk turned out in force despite the bad weather, for the annual Christian Aid Fayre. Each local church had a different stall, laden with goods to tempt all tastes — books, toys, cakes, jewellery, flowers and plants — and a most successful ‘recycled gifts’ stall filled with a range of things which people had received but never got round to using. The fayre raised over £1,500 and marked the start of Christian Aid Week which in Helensburgh involves a house-to-house collection, primary schools football and netball tournaments, a sponsored swim, street collection, bag-packing and soup and cheese lunches. (Image: Newsquest)

Helensburgh Advertiser: Optician Helensburgh Eyecare opened their bright new premises with a party. After 40 years on East Clyde Street, the Burgh firm, now owned and run by optometrist Michelle Beavers, moved to the more central position at the corner of Sinclair Street and East Princes Street. And to celebrate the move they entertained their customers and guests that day to fizzy wine, Bucks Fizz and nibbles.Optician Helensburgh Eyecare opened their bright new premises with a party. After 40 years on East Clyde Street, the Burgh firm, now owned and run by optometrist Michelle Beavers, moved to the more central position at the corner of Sinclair Street and East Princes Street. And to celebrate the move they entertained their customers and guests that day to fizzy wine, Bucks Fizz and nibbles. (Image: Newsquest)

Helensburgh Advertiser: Signaller James Brown from Helensburgh, was awarded the coveted Royal Signals White Helmet Motorcycle Display Team helmet as one of nine new riders to qualify for this year’s squad. The team of 25 volunteer British Army soldiers from the Royal Corps of Signals tour Britain from April to September each year performing on their trademark British Millennium Triumph 750cc motorcycles in a range of stunts including the ever popular fire jump. To make the team James had to undergo an intensive two-week selection process against 16 other applicants followed by a six weeks training programme, before finishing with a two week show training programme where the riders practice their performance up to four times a day come rain or shine.Signaller James Brown from Helensburgh, was awarded the coveted Royal Signals White Helmet Motorcycle Display Team helmet as one of nine new riders to qualify for this year’s squad. The team of 25 volunteer British Army soldiers from the Royal Corps of Signals tour Britain from April to September each year performing on their trademark British Millennium Triumph 750cc motorcycles in a range of stunts including the ever popular fire jump. To make the team James had to undergo an intensive two-week selection process against 16 other applicants followed by a six weeks training programme, before finishing with a two week show training programme where the riders practice their performance up to four times a day come rain or shine. (Image: Newsquest)

Helensburgh Advertiser: They clapped and they cheered, and tears aplenty were shed, when Helensburgh paid tribute to its heroes of Afghanistan. The team who brought Songs for Aedan to a successful conclusion at Christmas, worked tirelessly to put together a day to remember for some of the town’s soldiers back from the front line and for their friends and family who wanted to celebrate having them back safe and well. June McMurdo, a soldier’s mum, and town man Tommy Sharkey led the organisation team and saw to it that everything went without a hitch and with full honour. The little band of soldiers, some of whom had travelled to join their Helensburgh brothers-in-arms, marched proudly up Sinclair Street, led by the HMS Neptune Volunteer Band. They were joined with pride by civic figures, members of the British Legion and veterans of other wars, other conflicts and other branches of the armed services.They clapped and they cheered, and tears aplenty were shed, when Helensburgh paid tribute to its heroes of Afghanistan. The team who brought Songs for Aedan to a successful conclusion at Christmas, worked tirelessly to put together a day to remember for some of the town’s soldiers back from the front line and for their friends and family who wanted to celebrate having them back safe and well. June McMurdo, a soldier’s mum, and town man Tommy Sharkey led the organisation team and saw to it that everything went without a hitch and with full honour. The little band of soldiers, some of whom had travelled to join their Helensburgh brothers-in-arms, marched proudly up Sinclair Street, led by the HMS Neptune Volunteer Band. They were joined with pride by civic figures, members of the British Legion and veterans of other wars, other conflicts and other branches of the armed services. (Image: Newsquest)