Touch of Tartan Celebrates 21st Anniversary

£1MILLION TOUCH OF TARTAN BENEFITS NORTH EAST CHILDREN

The prestigious Touch of Tartan annual ball, which is one of the biggest fundraisers in Scotland, is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year.

Since it was launched in 1987 the event has raised just over £1m for Scottish charity CHILDREN 1^ST and the money has been used to fund a number of projects in Aberdeen and across the North-east.

The charity, which helps vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Scotland, says the support from the Touch of Tartan Ball has been a huge boost to youngsters in the local area.

Emily Johnson of CHILDREN 1^ST said: “This is the biggest single event across Scotland which raises the most money and has the highest profile.  Over the past 20 years the money has helped us grow immensely in the North-east.  Most importantly, it has allowed us to increase the level of services we can offer children in Aberdeen and the surrounding area, as well as support our abuse recovery service throughout Scotland.”

One local youngster who has benefitted from the facilities said: “CHILDREN 1^ST gives you a chance to be the person you want to be, not the person you were.”

The Touch of Tartan Ball was the brainchild of CHILDREN 1^ST representative Major Ian Robertson in the mid-eighties but only became a large-scale event when the late Princess Margaret began supporting and attending the annual event.

Hosted every year at the Beach Ballroom, it has always proved a popular date on the corporate events calendar, with more than 500 attendees.  In recent years, television personality & designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and his wife Jackie have been celebrity guests.

Juliette Paton, who chairs the Touch of Tartan Ball Committee, is delighted that the event is still going strong after so many years and that they have crossed the £1m milestone: “It is truly wonderful that we have managed to raise such a huge amount for CHILDREN 1^ST over the years and it is purely down to the exceptional generosity of the people of the North-east.  We’ve also had a great deal of support from our main sponsors, Baker Oil Tools, BP, Dales Enterprise, Maersk and Rigmar, which has enabled us to create such a high-profile event.

“The funds raised each year for CHILDREN 1^ST helps to ensure that children in the North-east benefit greatly from the services provided and that each local child has safe and secure childhood.”

This year’s glittering event to celebrate the 21st year of the Touch of Tartan Ball is taking place at the Beach Ballroom on 21st November. 

Issued by Frasermedia Ltd on behalf of CHILDREN 1^ST & the Touch of Tartan Ball Committee