It had been over 30 years since the last gala day and North Fest has created unforgettable memories for the youngsters and brought the community together in a spectacular way.

Lynn McFarlane spearheaded the initiative for North Fest, setting up a GoFundMe page that saw tremendous support from local businesses and individuals, raising an impressive £7,000. Key contributors included Clyde Valley Housing, Asif at Spar, and the GoFundMe campaign’s initiator Cameron Dalziel, among many others.

“I didn’t want any child to miss out, and our fundraising made this event free for them,” Lynn said.

She continued: “It’s been a steep learning curve for the future. We want to build our community back again, and plans are already well underway for next year…it’ll be even bigger!”

Lynn expressed her gratitude to all who contributed, saying: “We’ve built a team within the community and were supported by many businesses and individuals who helped us raise the funds for the event. We cannot thank them all enough.”

Special thanks were extended to Wullie, Barry, and Stevie Craig for their services, as well as Councillor Nolan and Vaila from Clyde Valley Housing.

Vaila remarked: “It was incredible to be involved and I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the volunteer team. The dedication and hard work of Lynn and her team truly stood out. The entire community came together, and it was fantastic to see such a vibrant and positive atmosphere.”

Carron Garmory, chief executive of Clyde Valley Housing, shared her enthusiasm, stating: “The event on Saturday was fabulous! Growing up in North Motherwell, it was heartwarming to see such strong community spirit and the decorated houses, everyone really made an effort. Lynn did an incredible job organising the event and leading the fundraising efforts, and Clyde Valley was proud to contribute to its success.”

With plans for next year already underway, the future looks bright for North Fest, promising even more excitement and building the community back again in North Motherwell.