ON JULY 10, 2009 – a beautifully sunny day – Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the aptly named royal burgh of North Berwick, where a 700-strong crowd of well-wishers greeted them as they arrived at the town’s Scottish Seabird Centre.
Her Majesty and Prince Philip were entertained by North Berwick Pipe Band and greeted by local schoolchildren – who were dressed in their uniforms despite it being the summer holidays – before being taken on a tour of the Seabird Centre by the centre’s then chief executive, Tom Brock.
Inside, the Queen met volunteers Mary Tebble, Pat Coxhead and Liz Thom, who were involved in establishing the centre prior to its opening in 2000.
Liz said at the time: “I think the Seabird Centre has done so much for North Berwick and it’s wonderful to see so many people here today.”
The Queen viewed a series of exhibits, including an interactive model of the Bass Rock, before she went onto the centre’s viewing deck to view the real-life Bass Rock and Craigleith.
While she watched the activities of the seabirds on the islands, gannet expert Dr Bryan Nelson shared his knowledge with her and also presented her with a copy of his book, The Atlantic Gannet, published in association with the Seabird Centre.
Her Majesty was led by junior tour guides Ailidh Finlayson and Flora McMahon, P5 pupils at Law Primary School, through the centre to the Kids’ Zone, which she was then shown by Mark and Michelle Dryden and their children Sophie, 10, and Baillie, five – the Kids’ Zone was created in memory of Mark’s mother Sheana, a trustee of the Seabird Centre.
Her Majesty also went through the centre’s ‘Environment Zone’ before she was then led back outside to present the Queen’s Award for Enterprise to Rear Admiral Neil Rankin, then chairman of the centre, and unveiled a plaque commemorating her visit.
North Berwick resident Ann Reilly reflected on meeting the Queen outside the Seabird Centre during the visit, when her son Stan, then aged two, handed a posy to Her Majesty.
Ann said: “We quickly plucked a few flowers out of the garden on our way.
“When she arrived, she was ushered straight towards the main entrance but then she stopped, turned and walked over to accept the tiny bouquet from my little boy.
“She accepted it like it was the best bouquet she’d ever seen.
“She and he chatted about how the colour of the flowers matched her outfit.
“And then she was off to do her official duties.”
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