Tour of Britain finish line feature finds a new home at Braemar Primary School

The flower planter adorned the finish line podium at Glenshee

Gifted to the school by Aberdeenshire Council is one of the beautiful and locally handmade flower planters, which adorned the finish line podium at Glenshee after Corbin Strong of Team Israel-Premier Tech won the opening stage at the ski centre.

The flower planters, a traditional feature of the finish line podiums at the Tour of Britain, were created by members of the Braemar Men’s Shed before local florist Chloe MacIntyre of Glenshee-based Coo Hill Studios ensured that they were planted and shaped to reflect the very best flora and foliage from the hills that surrounded the first ever opening stage summit finish in the history of the race. Chloe also designed and created the finish line bouquets that were presented to the various race category leaders after the 182km stage from Aberdeen to the famous summit at Glenshee.

With the Tour of Britain having left a wide and lasting legacy across Aberdeenshire through the race itself and the associated “Cycle Aberdeenshire” programme, three of the four flower planters will have their permanent home at the Glenshee Ski Centre whilst the sensory garden at Braemar Primary School, which is currently in the process of being created, will now benefit from the last planter taking its place within an important area of the school grounds, where pupils and staff will be able to relax and enjoy the changing seasons on upper Deeside.

Councillor Gillian Owen, Chair of the Council’s Education Committee said: “ Whilst the Tour of Britain has moved on from Aberdeenshire after a hugely successful visit, what a splendid reminder we now have with the gifting of the locally made flower planter and I am sure it will add to an already cherished place within Braemar Primary School. I am glad that future pupil intakes at the school will be able to see the history behind what the amazing major event that visited our home area left behind, and enjoy seeing the flowers and plants grow and develop just as they do through their education”.

Braemar Primary School Head Teacher Jacqueline Maclean highlighted the importance that the sensory garden will hold within the school: “Our Pupil Council and the Parent Council have been working together on plans for our sensory garden for some time, so we were delighted to receive the planter after the Tour of Britain event. It adds a splash of colour to what will become our sensory area in the school grounds, a safe space for our pupils to explore using all of their senses and to relax and play.

" Chloe MacIntyre, our Parent Council chair, Mrs Robson, our P1-4 teacher, and a group of pupils will continue to work on the garden for the next few weeks and we hope it will become a popular feature of the school grounds once completed.”

Pictured: Back l-r: Neil Caple (Braemar Men’s Shed), Councillor Gillian Owen, Chloe MacIntyre of Coo Hill Studios, Jackie Maclean Braemar Primary School Head Teacher and Jim Stark (Braemar Men’s Shed).

Front l-r: Braemar Primary School pupils Cara Murdoch, Kayleigh Metcalfe, and Libby Rudge.