As always, the Ness Gala Day – set for next Saturday (28 June) – would welcome more volunteers to help with the event itself and with preparations over the days before that, reports Fios, the community newspaper for Ness. 

Ness Gala Day is a firm fixture on the social calendar for Niseachs and many others who venture north for a day of tea tents, craft stalls, go-carts, giant inflatable structures, Highland dancers, children with increased levels of sugar intake, slightly frazzled parents and emergency service workers wishing they had remembered their ear plugs. 

Ness Gala in its current organisational form under the Ness F.C Social Club, has been running since 2009. Prior to that it was known as ‘The North Lewis Carnival’ (managed by the respective GAIN and Clan MacQuarrie committees) and before that events were held at Port of Ness harbour.

In the 16 years that Ness F.C Social Club have been organising the event, it has, of course faced its challenges, but the unpredictable weather is only one of the hardest parts of organising the event. As Maggie Mackay, Chair of the Gala Day committee says: “Everybody on the committee volunteers their time for Gala Day and we start planning in earnest from March. But we always need extra help on the two nights before to set up, on the day itself to run stalls and then afterwards to dismantle and pack away everything. If anyone is free to volunteer their time on the evenings of Thursday 26 and Friday 27 or morning, noon or night on Saturday 28 June, then please get in touch.”

Aside from the recruitment drive and studying the weather forecast, Maggie is keen to emphasise that all the regular stalls will be present at the Gala Day, along with some new or improved attractions: “This year we have a record number of stalls and new activities, a golf simulator being one.

“You can go home looking absolutely fabulous as we’re going to have glitter tattoos, glitter hair, face painting and also Ness tattoos available. Food wise we’ve got the usual tea tent, barbecue and candy floss but we’ve added fresh waffles and ‘Piotsa’ (a mobile wood-fired pizzeria) are joining us.”

In addition to this the CnES mobile library van will be available for people to explore, as will the RBS Mobile Banking Service: this staffed attraction will be providing a cash service
(for NatWest Group customers only) and promoting the charity they are supporting for 2025: CHAS -Children’s Hospices Across Scotland.

The evening of Gala Day in the Club is by far one of the best, and this year, new band ‘Island Fling’ will be playing. So, whether you are already in Ness, or thinking of heading North for the day – there will be something for everyone. Spread the word and make sure you don’t miss Ness Gala Day 2025. What better way to kick-start the summer holidays?

Donations of Baking can be delivered to the Tea Tent on the morning of 28 June. To get involved in volunteering, contact any member of the Ness Social Club Committee or direct message via the Ness Gala Day Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nessgaladay/