A RETURN of the Coalsnaughton Gala is just around the corner as a team of dedicated members strive to make it a day to remember.

Coalsnaughton has not held a gala in almost 10 years for a variety of reasons, meaning there are some children in the area who have never experienced it.

However, that is set to change thanks to the Coalsnaughton Burns Club, who are working with the Coalsnaughton Village Hall and Coalsnaughton Primary School, to ensure its return on June 18.

Jason Frew, the club’s secretary, told the Advertiser: “It’s all down to the community regeneration of the club.

“We went back to the original charter of the club and the greater Burns society and we’re focusing on giving back to the community and supporting the community.

“It used to be that you could go to the Burns club for a loan so we’re trying to get back to not just being a pub because we’re not.

“A pub’s only half of what we do, but we’re trying to make the community aware we are here to support and be a part of the community and to promote Coalsnaughton and the wider area of Clackmannanshire.”

Jason explained how two of the committee members – the president and the treasurer – are teachers in Forth Valley and it was realised that a generation of school pupils missed out on the experience of a gala.

He said: “A whole school generation of children went through Coalsnaughton PS without ever having been to the Coalsnaughton Gala and having the opportunity to be gala king or queen.

“We looked at it and we thought it’s going to cost us a lot of money, but let’s do it and see if it’s well received. If it’s well received then we’ll go forward with it.

“The club is paying for the entire day and have applied for grant funding from the local community council.”

Jason only moved to the area in the years since the last gala, so not only will it be the first for many young people, it will be the first for him too.

He continued: "We’re really looking forward to it.

“It’s something we started talking about pre-Covid and it’s always been part of us trying to give back to the community and it’s always been part of the plan.”

Activities planned for the day include a fancy dress disco, gunge the parents and a charity 5-a-side football match.

Coalsnaughton Burns Club president Scott Doyle added: “Our club is under new management and has realised that it stepped away from its core value of supporting and promoting the community of Coalsnaughton and Langour.

“The gala is just the first step in getting our club back to this as a primary focus.

"When Jason identified that the gala had not taken place since 2013 we knew that we had to make this our mission to right this wrong.”