Bobby’s garden party honour

STRANRAER man Bobby McKie was among the honoured guests at the King’s annual Garden Party last week.
The 75-year-old attended the party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in recognition of his outstanding impact as a volunteer in raising awareness of living with arthritis in Scotland.
Since his diagnosis in 2022, Bobby has worked closely with the charity Arthritis UK giving up his time to campaign, advocate and raise awareness of the condition to get his voice, alongside that of many others heard, sharing the harsh reality of living with arthritis.
After returning from the event Bobby described the day as ‘an incredibly exciting event’.
He said: “I was honoured to be in the presence of the Royal Family in the grounds of such a historic and iconic Scottish landmark on a special day. I am, and always have been really proud of my involvement in a charity so close to my heart and today was a great moment to celebrate all the amazing work the charity does to support people around the UK living with all forms of arthritis, as I know just how hard it can be.”
Lauren Bennie, head of Scotland at Arthritis UK added: “People like Bobby are integral to the work we do here at Arthritis UK. His passion for improving the lives of other people with arthritis and openly sharing his lived experienced to help us support people across Scotland living with the condition is incredibly commendable. Following from his own experiences with arthritis, Bobby has dedicated a great deal of his time to help make a real difference to others facing similar challenges. Being invited to The King’s Garden Party at Holyroodhouse is an excellent reflection of recognition to his generosity and contributions to the charity. I’m delighted to see his commitment and impact celebrated.”