Hundreds line streets as King helps mark 40th anniversary of day centre

Hundreds of well-wishers, including scores of Saltire-waving schoolchildren, lined the streets of a Scottish town to catch a glimpse of the King on a visit to a community day centre.

The King criss-crossed Kinross High Street in Perthshire to shake as many hands as he could amid cheers and flag-waving as he made his way towards Kinross Day Centre on Friday.

Kinross & District Pipe Band performed a selection of songs to mark his arrival, including Scotland The Brave, and continued to play as he progressed down the street.

Inside the day centre, dozens of senior citizens gave the King an enthusiastic three cheers as he unveiled a plaque to mark its 40th anniversary.

Volunteers at the centre regularly serve a three-course meal to up to 40 pensioners every weekday as well as run a meals on wheels service for other elderly residents.

The King spoke to several pensioners patiently awaiting their pork lunch, and was overheard saying to one volunteer he quite fancied one of the flans made in the kitchen.

He was also heard to joke to a group sitting at one table: “At least they don’t make you do the washing up.”

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The King met volunteer Ailsa Smith, who revealed her father Alan was the original founder of the centre 40 years ago.

She said her father secured the funding needed to convert the former church for the benefit of the community after he learned there were plans afoot to use it as a potato store.

Reflecting on her chat with the King, Ms Smith said: “He was charming to speak to. He was very interested in the centre and how my parents started it and the family connection.”

Speaking about herself and the team behind the day centre, she added: “I’m very proud to be a volunteer here – they do so much for the community here, well above their remit.”

Local minister Reverend Alan Reid, chair of the day centre’s committee, made a short speech ahead of the King unveiling the 40th anniversary plaque.

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Earlier, the King was formally welcomed to Kinross by a number of local dignitaries including lord-lieutenant of Perth and Kinross Stephen Leckie, and Perth and Kinross provost Xander McDade further up the road at St Paul’s Episcopal Church.

There, the King met and spoke with Annie McCormack and Clare Slight, two of the founders of local anti-poverty charity Broke Not Broken, which provides food parcels to people and families in need.

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He was given an overview of the charity’s work while looking over the organisation’s food store within an outbuilding at the church, which Ms Slight explained was bought for just £1 when the group was founded.

The King was overheard to remark that he was impressed with the size of the leeks when he took a tour of the group’s garden nearby, where volunteers grow their own vegetables.

Ms McCormack said demand for food parcels has soared in recent times due to the cost of living crisis and the charity is grateful for all donations it receives.

“It’s higher now than it was during COVID,” she said.

“Everything is going up and a lot of people with jobs are coming to use the food bank now.

“We’re giving out hundreds of parcels a month and spending between £500 and £1,000 a week buying in enough food to meet that demand.”

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