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Scotland. Following the formation of the Institute in April 2002, the STGA established a written Accord with them. The Working Group accepted its position and recommended that a formal agreement be drawn up to govern the relationship between the STGA and the Institute.
Today the majority of Blue Badge guide training in England and Northern Ireland is accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding. In Wales the Wales Official Tourist Guides Association oversees Blue and Green Badge training with the badges actually awarded by the Welsh Government.
The new millennium saw some ambitious events organised to celebrate International Tourist Guide Day. In 2001 STGA members staged a pageant at Stirling Castle and invited over 250 members of the tourist industry, including travel agents, to showcase the talents of Scottish guides.
Annette Kurth wrote about it for Guidelines. ‘Well we did it! In only four weeks we managed to put together an extraordinary event and Stirling Castle exploded into life,’ she said.
Mary Kemp Clarke organised all the scripts and leaflets and the event was covered in the press. ‘Our pageant was blessed with fine, if somewhat wintry weather and the venue which lent itself ideally to the occasion was transformed into a scene from a fairy tale,’ said Annette. Our aim was for ordinary characters to regale visitors with extraordinary tales of the castle’s history and in this we succeeded although, believe me, there was nothing ordinary about our characters each of whom deserves a Scottish Tourism Oscar. Incredibly over 250 guests arrived from all over Scotland, eager to be entertained and this they undoubtedly were.
‘With badges and bearing colourful pennants aloft, each group was welcomed by our alchemist from the Renaissance court of James IV, who urged each visitor to don his 'imagination' cap before entering the portals of the castle. Our lion-handler told them lurid tales about prisoners and the royal menagerie of the 16th century. Urbane courtiers, seductive ladies-in-waiting and voluptuous serving wenches re-enacted famous scenes from history and an ethereal ghost, who bore a striking resemblance to Miss Haversham, haunted the Queen's Chambers. In the chapel, a deliciously intriguing ambassador's secretary related, amongst other things, the story of the baptism of Prince James in 1566, and over in one corner a beguiling artisan instructed people not only in the art of donning the kilt, but also entertained with renditions of lusty songs.
‘Nearby in the Douglas Garden, our Machiavellian gardener bore witness, (in open sandals) to the gruesome murder of James II, whilst on
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