Scottish curling teams at the World Wheelchair Championship, the World Junior Championships, the World Women's Championship and the Ford World Men's Championship will wear Homecoming logos on their uniforms. First Minister Alex Salmond was at Murrayfield today to announce the £21,000 Homecoming sponsorship deal.
The First Minister met Scottish and Canadian curlers at the conclusion of the Strathcona Cup tour. He said, "Scotland's year of Homecoming is all about celebrating our nation's contributions to the world and strengthening our global friendships. Today's funding will help out Scottish curlers to promise the hospitality of our nation, by sharing the Homecoming message."
Colin Grahamslaw, the Royal Club CEO, said, "We are delighted and honoured to receive this support from Homecoming Scotland, our teams are great ambassadors for the country and wearing the Homecoming brand will add to that role. We are pleased to play any part we can in encouraging people to come back to Scotland for a visit."
Homecoming Scotland is a Scottish Government initiative managed by EventScotland, the national events agency, in partnership with VisitScotland, the country's national tourism agency. The Homecoming programme of events includes the International Curling Camp which we've mentioned on the blog before here.
Top: First Minister Alex Salmond announces the Homecoming sponsorship.
The impressive Strathcona Cup was on show, and the First Minister congratulated the Canadian tourists on their victory over the home side. The history of the Strathcona Cup can be found here. All the results from 2009 are here.
Alex Salmond, proudly sporting the Royal Club pin, shares a joke with Canadians Denny Charlebois and Bruce Beveridge.
As the Canadians play their last (friendly) match at Murrayfield, Pete Smith (Team Murdoch second player, current Scottish and European champ) explains the intricacies of the free guard zone rule to the First Minister. (Other captions are available)
This is the First Minister checking out how keen the Murrayfield ice was this morning! A slight slip... but there was a good pair of hands to catch him. Who did they belong to?
The First Minister gets a cuddle from Pete Smith after his nearly very embarrassing bounce on the ice. Royal Club President Matt Murdoch, on right, rushes to help. I bet all the photographers would have loved to have got a pic of the leader flat on his back! Pete, you made your name today! Well done and thank you to Peter 'I-saved-the-First-Minister' Smith.
All pics by Bob.
A Prize Letter
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In the run up to Christmas Day, 1893, the *Aberdeen Peoples's Journal*
offered a prize of one guinea for the best letter about curling! That's the
invita...
3 years ago