A historic New Year’s fundraiser that has run in a Moray town since the early 19th Century has been cancelled due to a lack of organisers.
Young children have wielded swords and axes in the air while waving flags on the Boys’ Walk in Dufftown for generations.
The colourful procession has also featured the local pipe band and families turning out to join in with the festivities while marching to the beating drums.
The event was established in 1835 as a traditional rite of passage for youngsters with families pledging money each year to fund the first set of trade tools for the participants.
However, a lack of organisers has now forced the forthcoming walk and traditional party held afterwards to be cancelled for the first time outside of the two world wars.
A meeting held in the town this week resulted in only four people stepping forward to help with the 2020 running while more than a dozen have helped in the past.
Yesterday Kenneth Walker, acting chairman of organisers Dufftown Juvenile Society, explained the decision had been taken with a “heavy heart” with hopes it may still be resurrected again in 2021.
He said: “We had all the permissions we needed from the council and everything but not enough people unfortunately.
“By the time we took in the costs of organising the party we would have been out of pocket, bands are very expensive these days.
“I remember when I did it all the children really looked forward to it, the parents and everyone else, we couldn’t wait to get out there for it. Sadly there’s not the same enthusiasm now.”
Boys and girls have both taken part event with the traditional quarter-penny fund to pay for trade tools being replaced in recent years with a bucket collection for local charities.
Mr Walker added: “We wanted to keep it going but sadly it’s not going to happen this time now.
“We’re hoping to try again next year if enough people come forward to represent it as a committee.”
Anyone interested in helping with the organisation of the Boys’ Walk should contact Mr Walker by calling 07540 478270.
