Pictures and Video: Watch Willie Mackay play 'Tunes on the Spoons' at Watten's Easter fair

People descended upon Watten Village Hall from far and wide across Caithness and beyond for Easter Saturday's local craft and produce fair to make it a great success.

Local councillor and Provost of Wick, Willie Mackay, played a two-hour long selection of his Tunes on the Spoons to the delight of all who attended and especially the children who joined him on stage to have a go.

Jane Coghill, along with her husband Willie, organised the special day and said: "We thought we'd try and get a local food producers and craft fair together and aim to have it four times a year. Since we're in the middle of the county we thought we'd pull everybody together."

Jane said there was a "very good turnout" for the event, with it being really busy between 11 and 12, and a steady flow of customers throughout the rest of the day until it finished up at around 3pm. Any money raised has gone back into paying for publicity materials such as signage outside on the railings and flyers posted throughout the area. "It's about supporting local producers and craftmakers but hopefully, in the future, we'll be able to make a donation to charity."

Some of the 20 stallholders had travelled from outwith Caithness but one of the main motives for the Watten fair was to "showcase talent in the county and local producers".

One local producer at the fair was Gersa-based Bronwyn Ross from the Caithness Candle Company. Bronwyn says she sells a lot of her candles and melts through her website and social media but prefers going out to craft fairs and markets. "I've a range of melts that are inspired by Caithness as well as the seasons," she said. "I've also got a selection of lovely fragrances for all rooms in the house."

Other local crafters and specialist food producers at the event included Oldhall Middle White Pork, North Coast Quilts, Ebony Crafts, AE Jewellery, Barry Smith Art, calligraphy/book artist Fiona Dempster, Caithness Aromatics, Glittering Trinkets, Meadowcroft Quilts along with Linda Lamb who sold all of her Caithness County Show award-winning fudge.

Co-organiser of the event, Willie Coghill, said he was delighted with how the day had gone and that the fair provided an "extravaganza of artisan food and crafts". He added: "Everybody was pleased with it and every stallholder was pleased it and they say they will come back again."

The next craft and produce fair at Watten Village Hall is planned for Saturday, June 25.

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