THE flags will be out for Wallyford Children’s Gala thanks to a big fundraising effort from the community.

New bunting has been bought to ensure the village looks its best for the annual event next Saturday (June 4).

Jacqueline Lawson, gala team chairwoman, said: “The children and gala team have fundraised to buy new bunting. We held a Gig for the Gala night at Royal Musselburgh Golf Club, a Christmas raffle, the children did a sponsored walk to Prestongrange Museum and back. About £1,000 has been raised.”

The £500 cost for East Lothian Council to put up the bunting had been covered by £250 each from the Pinkie Farm Convenience Store and Lothian Health branch of the public sector union UNISON.

This year’s Gala Queen Chloe Hilson, 11, and Gala King Mackenzie Francis, 12, were presented with the cheques at the Pinkie store on Friday, which was also treated as a dress rehearsal for their big day.

Mrs Lawson said: “The bunting was old and falling down all the time. People were saying it looked awful. We didn’t have enough to extend it to the end of the village for the new houses and we felt they were getting forgotten about. We wanted to bring the whole village together, so the new bunting, made up of flags in different colours, goes from one end to the other.

“The children and community are so involved in the gala, so it’s essential we keep it going. The cheques are a massive help because we would have had to fundraise ourselves to put up the bunting. I would like to say a big thank you to all the gala sponsors for their support.”

It costs around £17,500 to stage the gala each year, with a donation of £1,500 given by the Wallyford Miners Welfare and Social Club.

Members of the public buy a ticket for £6.50 per person, including a food bag, ice cream and wristband which gives unlimited rides.

The children in the gala court all have a sponsor who each gives between £50 and £100, which goes towards their royal outfits.

Wallyford resident Colin Smith, owner/manager of the independent Pinkie Farm Convenience Store, which is a Nisa symbol outlet, is helping community causes through the company’s charity fund. Cash raised from carrier bag charges and customers buying the shop’s own heritage branded products is helping everything from a new soft play at Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School to the fun day for this year’s Riding of the Marches.

The dad-of-two, whose son attends Wallyford Primary, said: “Over the past two years, through this fund alone, we have raised about £8,000 for local charities and organisations.

“It think it is extremely important for us as a local business to help the community. We are a community store so it is only fair if people are spending their money here, we are giving something back."

Mrs Lawson said that six years ago the rules for the gala court were changed, as it was felt that children who attended different schools, or attended Wallyford Primary but lived in other areas, were being “segregated”.

She said: “Historically, you could only be in the gala if you lived in Wallyford and went to the local primary school, but children might live in Wallyford and go to Pinkie St Peters. We decided to change that. It wasn’t fair.”

She added that if children lived in the Pinkie area of Musselburgh and attended Wallyford Primary, they could also be in the gala court. Youngsters from Wallyford who attend Loretto RC Primary are also eligible.

She said that, since the rule change, this was the first year the king and queen were from Wallyford itself.

The crowning ceremony, which will take place at noon in the local park, will be carried out by Richard Hadden, the Beadle of St Michael’s Church, Inveresk, who received the BEM in the Queen's New Year Honours for his service to the community. A Wallyford resident, he took up the post of Beadle in 1967 after a time as church officer at St Clement’s in Wallyford.

The gala will start with a fancy dress parade, led by Tranent Pipe Band, which will leave the Wallyford Miners Club car park at 11.15am. Attractions include Magic Ron on stilts and the best-dressed house will also be judged.

The procession will make its way along Salters Road to the mining memorial stone, where wreath bearer Ellie Scott will lay at wreath, along with herald Matthew Fleck and the Gala Queen and King. It will make its way to Drummhor Nursing Home, then on to the park for the crowning, followed by fun activities in the park, including pony rides. Food bags will be given out and wrist bands will go on sale.

The Gala Court features: Chief Lady Joanne Stenhouse; Ladies in Waiting Skye Wellwood and Paige Angus; Train Bearers Rachael O’Neill and Liam Devine; Crown Bearers Connor Davidson and Darryl Glen; Page Boys Zak Ralton, Lewis McDonald, Ethan McCutcheon, Ellis Hynd, Cameron Hall, Luke Burnside, Kyle Thomson, Jamie Lawson, Callum Cornish and Dylan McCole; and Flower Girls Jennifer Howie, Summer Spooner, Summer O’Neill, Natasha Thomson, Lucy Fleck, Eva-Mae Wood, Ashlee Graham, Sophie Stenhouse, Katie Walker and Tiffany Millar.