AN ALLOA church was filled with Clacks residents and representatives for a service of thanksgiving celebrating the life of Queen Elizabeth recently.

The service was held at St Mungo's Parish Church on Tuesday, September 20, with a number of dignitaries and members of the clergy paying tribute to the late monarch's service.

Speakers at the service St Mungo's PC minister Rev Sang Y Cha, Father Michael Carrie of St Mungo's RC Church, Pastor Kevin Harding of Alloa Elim Church, Rev Dawn A Laing of Alloa Ludgate PC, Rev Stuart Gray of St John's Episcopal Church.

The service came the day after the state funeral and also among the speakers were Provost Donald Balsillie and Lord Lieutenant Lt Col (Retd) Johnny Stewart, the crown's representative in the Wee County.

He thanked the many people attending to remember “a very remarkable lady”.

Johnny told the crowd: “On her 21st birthday she took an oath in which declared that her whole life would be devoted to our service and at the age of 96 she had certainly delivered on her promise.

“Everything she did, she did with the interests of the people, her country and the Commonwealth in mind.”

He added: “No one, I think, has served the nation in the way in which she did and the vast majority of us have known no other monarch.

“She took great pride in all of the charitable works which she undertook. In 2002, during her Golden Jubilee year, her majesty instituted the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service as a means of providing recognition for voluntary organisations.

“As a county we have been very successful in recent years and five organisations have received the award.

“It was a huge privilege two weeks ago for me, on behalf of the Queen, to present the award to Home-Start Clackmannanshire, an organisation which has done so much for families in need, especially during the very dark and difficult days of the pandemic.

“We will remember her late majesty for her commitment to her people.

“No one, even those less disposed to the monarchy, doubted the service which she has given.”

Johnny also spoke of the monarch's two visits to the Wee County, also detailed in last week's Walk in the Past column in the Advertiser, and spoke of her love for Scotland and her home at Balmoral.

The lord lieutenant concluded: “The outpouring of grief from every corner of the world is testament to the level of respect and affection in which she was held.”