Can I thank all bands and supporters who attended the parade in Airdrie today making it a huge success. The police thanked me and said the bands on display were a credit and a pleasure to police. That means Protestants and in particular Loyalist Airdrie were the real winners of today.

 This parade was set up to give the people of Airdrie a reason to come out and celebrate their culture and that is what this parade achieved today. As appreciation we gave out 5 shields and as there were 11 bands so some went home with shields and some without. I will list the shield winners below. The judge was not a professional so to bands who did not lift a shield some consolation. The judge was an ex proud bandsman who was very pleased to see bands unite to make a stance in Airdrie.

 I must mention that the band for me who were today's winners was the Pride of Larkhall who show up to a large number of parades with a small, young band and play loud and proud without any fear or inhabitations. A lesson to us all when we have a few call offs and feel like pulling out of a parade.

 Every band on parade today took time effort and expense to attend this parade some having to go to other commitments immediately afterwards yet they still found the time to spend a few quid in the bar that the POC were hosting. To all of you thanks very much and I hope this can be a yearly tradition in Airdrie. From the founder members wife and one other living founder member who was present they had tears in their eyes to see such a display as every band attending today produced a high level of dress and decorum and the founder members families were delighted to see that the Pride of Clarkston could attract such good bands to Airdrie.