A parade that drew more than 1,000 spectators, a care home food-safety award and a primary school fundraising campaign are among the moments revisited in a collection of South Ayrshire photographs from September 2016.
The images have been published by the Ayr Advertiser as part of a look back at local life 10 years ago. They include scenes from Ayr, Barrhill, Prestwick, Girvan and Whitletts, with people, schools and community events all featuring in the archive.
Ayr’s Gaiety Theatre reopens
One of the main photographs shows the grand parade held for the Gaiety Theatre’s reopening in 2016. The town was described as being filled with panto dames, banners and balloons before the “much-missed” theatre was officially declared open again.
More than 1,000 people watched the parade, marking the return of a venue that had been closed before reopening that year.
Schools, shows and community achievements
The collection also includes the Barrhill Flower Show, held on September 3, 2016. Visitors voted the event a great success.
Education features prominently in the photographs. Amy Cairns was named Dux of Prestwick Academy at the school’s September 2016 awards ceremony, while S1 prizewinners at Girvan Academy were pictured at their own awards event.
In Whitletts, staff from Bupa’s Claremont care home were photographed with an Eat Safe award. The Ayr care home became the first in the area to receive the award for food safety.
Another image records a fundraising effort by Cairn Primary pupils, who joined a campaign to keep Malcolm Sergeant House open. The pupils “turned red” for the day in September 2016 and raised £160 for the cause.
The full selection provides a snapshot of ceremonies, local traditions and community campaigns that shaped South Ayrshire during that month.
