CHANGE is afoot at this year’s Peebles Beltane Festival.

Organisers agreed on Monday to scrap the ‘hierarchy’ within the court.

Peebles Beltane Festival committee chairman Keith Brunton announced:

“Five years ago, the Beltane Committee took over the role of selecting the court. 

“What has become clear over this time, however, is that the current way the court is ordered and announced is not the way we select the court. 

“For the girls, we do not know who the children are. All we have is the name of the school and a number. Anything identifiable is redacted by the head teachers before we get the forms. 

“The difference between say a fourth maid and fifth maid makes listing the maids by number unfair.

“After discussion at our Beltane Committee, moving forward we are flattening the hierarchy within the court that has been seen to exist until now. 

“Aside from the top two boys’ positions the court will be listed in alphabetical order by position. 

“The only slight anomaly with that will be the Heralds who will all be listed together by the letter H. 

“The second to sixth maids will now all become Maid and will be listed alphabetically by surname as we currently do with the immediate entourage.” 

The 2017 Beltane Queen was announced on Wednesday when Peeblesshire pupils packed the Drill Hall.

Twelve-year-old Emily Carrick-Anderson, a pupil from Priorsford Primary School, was confirmed as the Beltane Queen. 

Proud mum, Katie Carrick-Anderson said: “We are so so proud of her, and absolutely delighted that Emily will be this year’s Beltane Queen. 

“Her 14-year-old brother Corran was Sword-bearer two years ago and loved the experience. I think that deep down, he is secretly proud of her.

“I just hope that the good weather holds out for the Beltane.”
Emily will be crowned in the traditional ceremony outside the Old Parish Church on Red Letter Day, Saturday, June 24.

Mr Brunton added: “I can honestly say it is both a privilege to read all the applications from our young people but also a very difficult task to select the court. 

“It is said every year that we could have easily chosen many more courts due to the high standard of applications.

“After the choice of the Beltane Queen, Chief Maid, First and Second Courtiers, we are then looking for different skills for different positions. It is important the people chosen for speaking roles such as the Heralds would be comfortable in taking on such a task. 

“Equally, for the roles of Sword Bearer and Admiral we need children who are organized and able to carry out their roles without prompting. 

“These children in many ways run the ceremony at certain points. Indeed, the Admiral needs to be both a speaker and an organizer.”

For the list of the 2017 Beltane Queen and Court, click here.