A Perthshire village is set to be twinned with a town in Germany.
Residents in Blackford are getting ready to send a delegation to Trebsen in the Saxony region of Germany, to attend their Highland games in September.
This comes on the back of a successful visit to Blackford by the mayor of Trebsen.
Irene McLaughlin, community councillor and chair of the Blackford Twinning Committee, will lead the delegation to Trebsen, and she will be accompanied by representatives from Blackford Highland Games committee, two members of the Blackford Fiddle Group, and Sabine Hallyburton from Tullibardine Distillery.
When they are over in Germany, they will sign an official twinning agreement.
The group was chosen by local organisations, who were asked by the twinning committee to decide who would go to represent the village.
Iain Paton, chair of Blackford Community Council said: “The community council was delighted that the Blackford Games committee and the Blackford Fiddle Group were able to find representatives to go to Trebsen.
“The support of Tullibardine Distillery is also very much appreciated.
“Community councillor Irene McLaughlin, who chairs the twinning committee, will sign a twinning agreement with Trebsen at the Trebsen Games.
“We hope this is just the start of a relationship between our communities.”
Irene from the twinning committee says she is looking forward to her trip to Trebsen, especially as the German town is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Highland games.
She said: “We would also like to express our thanks publicly to all the organisations which did so much to welcome guests from Trebsen on their visit to Blackford in May.
“As well as VIP hospitality at the Blackford Games, our guests from Trebsen visited Blackford Primary School, the Community School of Auchterarder, Highland Spring, Blackford Parish Church, Blackford Bowling Club and Tullibardine Distillery.
“The guests were also welcomed to Blackford at a session hosted by the Blackford Inn and Tarneybackle, and by the provost of Perth and Kinross at a civic reception and ceilidh in the Moray Institute.”
The delegation from Blackford will travel out to Trebsen in September to sign the official agreement.
