Moray Lord-Lieutenant’s Christmas Message 2024
Christmas message from Major General Seymour Monro, Lord–Lieutenant of Moray:
"The theme for The Princess of Wales’ Carol Service this year is ‘kindness’. And I am sure that kindness is a quality which we should try to show towards others throughout the year.
I see and hear about kindness wherever I go in Moray. We have some really tremendous charities, voluntary organisations, groups and individuals who spend an enormous amount of time helping others whether they be young or old and possibly suffering from a physical or mental illness. Some, like Forres in Bloom, who won Britain in Bloom Best Town award this year, inspire us and raise our morale. We should also thank all those who give so generously to these charities.
This is a time to remember and recognise all those volunteers and also those who are working in the care sector or the NHS or in social services.
There will be families and individuals who are struggling this winter as it gets colder. There are of course benefits provided by the governments, and some charities help with food, fuel and warm spaces. There is also the Moray Community Foundation, run in part by the Lieutenancy, to which those who have exhausted all other forms of financial help may apply: www.moraycf.org. Please do so.
We live in a very dangerous world and we thank our Armed Forces many of whom will have been deployed on operations this year and may well be on duty over the festive period. HMS Spey remains on deployment in South East Asia and is flying the Moray flag. We are grateful to our emergency services and our Council staff who help us throughout the year and may well be called out over Christmas and New Year.
The Lieutenancy is keen to recognise those who have carried out special, selfless acts in their communities. This year we have had 5 people from Moray on the UK Honours lists. Over 50 went to the Royal Garden Party at Holyroodhouse and saw The King and Queen. 6 people went to The Princess of Wales’ Carol Service held in Westminster Abbey which will be broadcast on Christmas Eve.
The Princess Royal came to Moray in February and visited ReBoot IT Recycling firm in Forres and presented them with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. She also opened the new classroom hub at Gordonstoun which she movingly named after our late Queen. Afterwards she visited the 2-3 Group in Lossiemouth which does enormous good for people of all ages.
On The King’s Birthday, the 14th November, we heard that the Forres and Nairn Branch of Riding for the Disabled had been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is a great accolade for a voluntary group who have been bringing comfort, joy and hope to so many children with disabilities for some 40-years. Uniquely in Scotland, this Branch does not charge the pupils or their parents; they raise all the necessary funding themselves.
These are just some of our local heroes who have been recognised for the wonderful service which they have given. There are many others in our communities who are so good at pulling together when the going is tough.
At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Christ. It is the time for us to raise and renew the spirit of goodwill and kindness towards friends and neighbours and throughout our communities.
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you all."