Te Awamutu Courier

Last Tuesday, ex Te Awamutu resident Ally Fabish, who now resides in Glasgow, Scotland, attended the Annual Royal Garden Party held in the gardens of Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh. 

She was selected as a representative from New Zealand to attend the Royal Garden Party hosted by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, for her editorial work promoting New Zealand and keeping Kiwi’s in the UK up to date with New Zealand news and events. 

Ms Fabish was also recognised for her involvement with the New Zealand Society, Scotland.  She has been invited to consider taking the appointment of president later this year.   

The Annual Royal Garden Party takes place each year during Royal Week, a traditional period in which the monarch carries out engagements in Scotland.  The Queen gave out honours to Scots named in the New Year Honours List at an investiture ceremony at the palace before strolling through gardens.  Around 8,000 invited guests from across Scotland attended the event, to drink royal tea and sample light finger foods encrusted with the royal sovereign.

 “It was an honour to be selected for an occasion that you may only receive once in a lifetime” said Ms Fabish.  “I once saw the Queen when I was very young and my grandmother gave me a flag to wave at the nice lady in the car as she passed by in Hamilton.  I never in a million years thought that several decades later I would be in one of her palaces having tea and cucumber sandwiches as she walked about chatting”

With the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow coming up this month, Ms Fabish has a full calendar.  Recently she has been speaking with the New Zealand Commonwealth Game coordinators in Auckland, as they have asked her to help out by looking after some of the VIP’s attending with the New Zealand Commonwealth Games Team in a few weeks.    

This week will also see the start of rehearsals for Ally as she is set to perform in the Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony, which is shrouded in secrecy around the theme and which celebrity stars will also be performing.

“I am in the entire show from start to finish so it’s very exciting.  I will try and give Te Awamutu a wave” she said.

Since moving to the UK 11 years ago Ally has become a published author, editor and columnist.  She gained her British citizenship from her ancestry roots of her Scottish grandfather. 

His son, her father, Bob Rae, is still a long term resident of Te Awamutu and Ally tries to come home for a visit every few years.  Last year, she purchased a small amount of land from a Scotland Highland Estate, as a gift to her father in his name.  By doing so, her father Bob, can now adopt the title of “Lord” giving Te Awamutu, “Lord Robert Rae”. 

Ms Fabish laughed that the only drawback for this well-intended gift, is that any daughter of a ‘Lord’ is bestowed the title of ‘Maid’.

Ms Fabish will be reporting a Kiwi perspective from the Commonwealth Games exclusively for the Te Awamutu Courier and posting snippets to our Facebook page. The Games run from July 23 — August 3.