A CALL has been put out to everyone in the Yes movement to get involved in any way they can with the upcoming rally in Arbroath.

The pro-independence event – which will mark the 700th (+2) anniversary of the famous declaration – will see speeches from Angus MP Dave Doogan and SNP president Michael Russell among others.

All Under One Banner (AUOB) have asked for anyone wanting to steward, help out with first aid, or for any Yes groups wanting to put up a stall at the April 2 rally to get in touch.

The campaign group will be in the historic town on Saturday promoting the rally, and has also asked for local musicians who might want to play to reach out.

The National:

One such local singer-songwriter, Eddie Carney, has been involved with the project since it was originally conceived, back in 2020.

The event then would have marked the true 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath, but, as Carney says, “during Covid everything was scattered to the four winds”.

“It’s just a case of rebuilding,” he told The National, “of getting off our backsides and making it happen”.

READ MORE: Michael Russell to speak at independence rally marking the Declaration of Arbroath

Carney, who has been working on recording nearly every single Robert Burns poem into song (“except the dirty ones”), said he will be playing at the rally and urged others to get involved.

The musician, who has moved out of Arbroath into the Angus countryside during the long wait for the rally to happen, had also planned an independence festival for the 700th anniversary.

Although that won’t be going ahead, “it will be nice to see the march happen at long last,” he said.

Brenda Durno, the SNP representative for Arbroath East and Lunan on Angus council who’ll be speaking at the rally, told The National she was also excited to see the march happen after all the celebrations for the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath were cancelled.

She went on: “I understand some people will still be apprehensive about being in large crowds of people since the pandemic, and the organisers have taken all these concerns on board while planning the march.

“I see this march as an awakening of like-minded people to come together, to look to the future of our country for our next generation.”

AUOB added: “Let's give the Arbroath march strong publicity, so we call for independence supporters, from Angus and beyond, to join us on Saturday March 26 when it will be one week to go until the big day. Together we will drive up awareness of this vitally important demonstration.”

The rally itself will take place on April 2, meeting at the town’s Inchcape Park before setting off at 12:30pm.

Eddie Carney’s Burns songs can be found for free at rbtns.scot