Perform in Perth volunteers ‘thrilled’ to be recognised with the Queen’s highest honour

By Claire Warrender

June 1 2022, 10:30pm

Perform in Perth volunteers celebrated their honour at the George Hotel. Picture Kenny Smith/ DCT Media.

The people behind the scenes at Perthshire’s annual music festival have been honoured by the Queen in her jubilee year.

Perform in Perth volunteers are celebrating with The Queens Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour a voluntary group can receive.

The group organises a huge programme involving as many as 2,800 performers over 12 days every year.

And they have been doing it for 100 years.

Festival secretary Eileen Waterson said: “Our volunteers are thrilled to have been recognised for their work.

“It is a particular honour in the Platinum Jubilee year.”

Long-serving volunteers

Those honoured include selectors, stewards, programme sellers, fundraisers and those who promote the event.

One of them is minutes secretary Wilma Malcolm, who has been volunteering for Perform in Perth for nearly 60 years.

Eileen said: “Wilma started as a steward in her teens in 1963 and has continued to volunteer ever since.

Carmen Siembida, from Tulloch Primary, performs in this year’s event. Picture Steve Brown/DCT Media.

“She was first elected to be a committee member in 1981, serving for many years as treasurer.

“Wilma continues to make a huge contribution to the day to day running of the festival, often taking the role of adjudicator’s steward or helping with IT in the festival office.”

Many of the volunteers are music teachers from Perth and Kinross Instrumental Music Service.

And not only do they promote the festival to their pupils, but they make sure instruments are delivered to venues and also help run the competition.

Perform in Perth volunteers ‘selfless and dedicated’

Perform in Perth is one of 244 groups across the UK to be honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The Lord Lieutenant of Perth and Kinross, Stephen Leckie, sent his congratulations.

And he said: “It is a great reflection on Perth and Kinross that we have such dedicated people as these volunteers in our community, prepared to give so generously of their time to prepare and run the music festival.

“The Perform in Perth volunteers are hard-working, modest, selfless people, leaders who inspire our young people by providing an opportunity to showcase their talent.

“For 100 years they have encouraged and nurtured mainly children, but not exclusively, with music and the performing arts.”