Big Corby Thank You to replace this summer's Highland Gathering

Corby’s Highland Gathering has been cancelled for the third year in a row.

But instead of the annual celebration of the town’s Scottish roots, there will be a free thank you event for all those key workers who helped the town through the pandemic.

The Big Corby Thank You, organised by the Gathering committee, will be a huge vote of thanks to nurses, teachers, carers, and anyone who worked in a key role during Covid.

Organiser Mark Pengelly said that it was a great opportunity to show gratitude to all those who did their bit to help keep the town safe.

The Gathering, which includes pipe band and highland dancing events as well as a community celebration on the Charter Field, has not been held since 2019.

It was cancelled during the past two years because of the pandemic.

Those running the show had hoped to resurrect the event this year.

But with both the Platinum Jubilee and the Corby Pole fair taking place in June, they have decided to rest the event once again.

Corby’s All England Highland Championship, one of the most prestigious events of its type in the world, will still take place over two days.The contest costs about £5,500 to run but there always has to be backup indoor venue in case of inclement weather. The committee lost money after they had to cancel last year’s event at short notice.

The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association runs the Corby bagpipe event, which costs the Highland Gathering committee about £6,000 each year. But most bands have not been able to rehearse together for some time because of the high risk of Covid posed by the aerosol generating instruments, so are not taking part.

Mark said: “People in Corby have had a really tough couple of years so we thought we’d have a big thank you event for all those who have done so much to help.

"We’re calling it the Big Corby Thank You and it’s a celebration for all those who went above and beyond during Covid.

“This is not the end of the Highland Gathering. We’ll be holding it again next year.”

The funfair will be on the field and the Grampian Pipe Band will march through the Old Village.