the northern times, August 15, 2014
10
www.northern-times.co.uk
Remember Helmsdale
Highland Games
Saturday 16th August, 2014
Committee stalwart Kathleen
is honoured with Chieftan title
Advertising Feature
THE Helmsdale Highland Games committee has this year
chosen to honour one of its
own members with the office of
Chieftain.
Kathleen MacTaggart has
been on the committee for 17
years, ten of those as sponsor
secretary.
She was born in Aberdeen to
William and Beatrice Booth after her father had been demobbed from the RAF and resumed
his career as a papermaker in his
home town.
The family moved several
times before settling in Glasgow,
which became home.
On leaving school, Mrs
MacTaggart worked in a lawyer’s office until her marriage to
William Wilkie. Their children
Steven, Fiona and Philip followed and when they started
school, she became an Avon
rep, a landlady for students from
Glasgow University and did her
bit for Play School and Sunday
school.
When granny gave the children a pony, thus triggering a
lifelong passion for horses, Mrs
MacTaggart found a new career
in driving HGVs tagged with
horse boxes all over the country
and gained an understanding of
committee politics as secretary
for the Bearsden and Milngavie
Pony Club.
After her marriage ended, she
transformed her love of cooking
into professional catering and
replaced watching ponies with listening to pipe bands. These dual
interests proved irresistible to
‘Mac’ MacTaggart (also a William),
who she met and married.
Mrs MacTaggart moved to
Lothmore in 1991 where she remains enamoured of the beauty
The pipe band parade through Helmsdale last year.
Wishing the Games Committee
a successful day
THE HElmsdalE COmPaNY
lOOP PRO sHOP
Your one stop shop for
sporting Goods in the North
Full range of fishing gear and our
famous Salmon Flies
and charms of Sutherland.
She joined the Helmsdale Golf
Committee with Mac and also
sat on the Helmsdale Flower
Show Committee. At one of the
Helmsdale Highland Games they
helped out at the last minute at a
piping competition, but finished
the day co-opted on to the Games
committee! The rest is history.
After 17 years, Mac and
Kathleen sadly resigned from the
Games Committee, as Mac’s illhealth required a refocusing of
priorities.
She would like to thank all
those who have supported the
games as friends, patrons and
advertisers and who dug deep
every time they saw her coming
and thought: “Oops, it is that
time of year again?”
She says she is truly delightedto have been asked to be the
Chieftain of the Helmsdale &
District Highland Games and
considers it a huge honour to
have been part of the “friendly
games”.
La Mirage
The North’s Premiere Restaurant
Dunrobin St, Helmsdale, Sutherland
Wishing the Games Committee all the best
Visit the
famous La Mirage
and make your
choice from our
extensive menu.
Also incorporating
Helmsdale Post Office
also
Our popular
Fish Teas
are a must!
15-17 dunrobin street, Helmsdale
[email protected]
www.helmsdalecompany.com
01431 821372
SIMPLY THE BEST TakE-awaY
Strath Ullie CraftS
&
ViSitor Centre
Alison Cameron and the staff at
the harboUr, Shore Street,
helmSdale
Wide range of quality gifts and
locally produced craft items
Best Wishes for a successful day
Tel: 01431 821402
www.helmsdale.org
Tel. 01431 821615
once again thank all the advertisers
who have made this feature possible
through their continued support of
the Helmsdale and District Highland
Games.
We hope everyone has a successful and
enjoyable time at the games.
Find results, reports and photos of the
Games in our newspaper, on our website
and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Kathleen MacTaggart.
Visit Timespan: a short stroll from the Games
you’ll find
- a relaxing atomosphere in our Riverside Cafe
- an exhibition of new work by Stephen Hurrel
- a Virtual World guiding you into the Clearances era
- Collann, our Fifie boat in the process of restoration
- a display of WW1 history
and much more...
www.timespan.org.uk | 01431 821 327
LINDSAY GORDON
CARPENTER & JOINER
ALL TYPES OF JOINER
WORK UNDERTAKEN
ESTABLISHED 1996
Tel: 01431 821487 Mobile: 07836 669727
Email: [email protected]
Wishing Helmsdale Highland Games
every success
07788465181 www.rapremaps.com
[email protected]
WISHING THE HELMSDALE GAMES EVERY SUCCESS
Day. She was a long-standing member of the Standfast Dance group until
recently.
Due to an admission to hospital and
surgery, Dawn will not be fully fit to
carry the Games Standard Flag so she
will be assisted by her brother.
Everyone wishes Dawn a speedy recovery and looks forward to seeing her
on Games Day.
Schoolgirl to make presentation
EIGHT-year-old
Caitlin Martin (right)
has been choosen to
make the Chieftain’s
presentation this
year.
Caitlin is the elder
daughter of Andrew
and Morag Martin
and has a younger
sister, Anya.
She attends
Helmsdale Primary
School, where she
is actively involved
in many activities.
Caitlin is also an
active member of the
community, enjoying
participating in
several out-of-school
clubs and activities.
She also enjoys
Highland and disco
dancing.
Last year’s junior races.
A. R. McLEOD & SONS
General Ironmongers • Ironmongery Goods
in great variety
HELMSDALE TAXIS
Agents for Calor Gas
Best Wishes to the Games
Tel: 01431 821338
The Bannockburn Inn /
The Tartan Lounge Bar & Restaurant
Helmsdale
Here’s to a
successful Games!
Cheers!
Gerry, Alison and
Emily
GORDON
Julia Jappy DAVID
PLUMBING & HEATING
Tailor & Kiltmaker
THIS year’s Standard Bearer is 16-yearold Dawn Cowie.
Dawn (below) is the daughter of
Alison and Billy Cowie and has an older brother, Dean.
She is a pupil at Goslpie High School
and enjoys playing football for the
school’s girls team. She is also a keen
Highland dancer and has competed
regularly in recent years on Games
Highland dancing last year.
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PERFORMANCE REMAPPING ALSO AVAILABLE
THOMAS RAPSON
Golspie High pupil
is Standard Bearer
2 Sutherland Street, Helmsdale
Best Wishes
to the Games Committee
and Competitors
for a successful Games
All types of plumbing and heating undertaken
and oil boiler commissioning, servicing and
repairs
Helmsdale
01431 821386
Tel/Fax: 01431 821473
24-Hour Emergency Service
Wishing the Highland Games every success
HelmsdAle And district
HigHlAnd gAmes
saturday 16th August 2014
Games Chieftain – Kathleen MacTaggart
Your Games Day entertainment
10.00am - Confined Heavy and Piping Events commence.
11.00am - Confined Dancing commences.
11.45 – Massed Pipe Band and Chieftain’s Parade departs
from Bridge Hotel Car Park.
12.00noon – Official Opening of Games
SUTHERLAND SCHOOLS PIPE BAND
SUTHERLAND CALEDONIAN PIPE BAND
––––––
FULL AFTERNOON PROGRAMME OF OPEN HEAVY,
TRACK AND FIELD, CYCLING EVENTS, HIGHLAND DANCING
 S.G.A. SCOTTISH HILL RACE 
CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT
(Open, Confined and Ladies Sections)
Competitors must be over 17yrs of age
Junior Hill Race – commences 12.15
FLY CASTING COMPETITION
NOVELTY EVENTS AND CHILDRENS RACES
Side Shows • Trade Stands • Bubbles the Clown
• Free Face Painting • Craft Tent
DRINKS AND REFRESHMENTS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE DAY
LIVE MUSIC IN THE MARqUEE BAR FROM 5.00PM – 8.00PM
Admission Prices: Adults £6.00 Concessions £2.00
Cars
£2.00 Camper Vans £6.00
Games NIGHT
maRQUee
DaNCe
to
“sLaNJ”
Admission – £10.00
No under 16s - ID may be requested - R.O.A.R.