Celebrate Aberdeen - A Community Event; Saturday, August 26th at 11am

As we move into the final preparations for this year's Celebrate Aberdeen, I'm reminded of just how much of a community event it really is.

We have thousands of representatives from the third sector taking to Union Street on Saturday, August 26th (leaving Holburn Junction at 11am).

They include: service users; clients; staff; volunteers; fundraisers; and board members from such a diverse range of charities and voluntary groups. People who are the very best that our region has to offer.

We are supported by a number of key partners, who are really, really important to us and without whom we couldn't put the event on. This year we have the fantastic support of CNR International, CNOOC, Aberdeen Inspired, CALA Homes, The Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen, Aberdeen City Council, Hampton, Breakwater Agency, Flexistore Aberdeen and Northsound 1 - all of whom work with us to make sure the parade can be as big and successful as possible.

We also couldn't organise the parade without the invaluable help of the Aberdeen City Council events team, who we work closely with us every year and who always keep us right. We've learned so much from them over the years and are forever thankful for their help and guidance.?

But it's not just the city council's events team that helps and supports us. We're so grateful to have Aberdeen's Lord Provost lead out the parade, and many of our local MPs, MSPs and councillors take part in it.

And of course we have our own team of volunteers who work tirelessly in their spare time to make sure the event is a success. We have event managers, PR professionals, designers and social media managers, all making sure that every single detail is thought out and covered off, all working evenings and weekends to make sure it all happens - hopefully without fault!

We have people who draft letters, drop off letters, sort out collecting buckets, organise banners, pull together volunteer rotas, liaise with printers and take care incredibly good care of everything we have in storage.

We have our board members, namely a solicitor, an accountant, an HR manager, a charity consultant, a content director and me. :)

So what don't we have yet? What do we still need?

We need YOU! We need the general public to come out and support us on the day and wave to our paraders as they walk proudly down Union Street.

So if you have time, please come down to the city centre on Saturday, August 26th at 11am and show your support. In fact, come down at 10.30am and you'll see some incredibly fast runners belting down Union Street in the three Mel's Union Street Mile races!?

I can assure you, you being there showing your support for such an incredible and inspirational group of people, will be very much appreciated by all concerned.