Stewarton boy shares birthday with the Scottish Parliament

Jul 3 2009 by Stef Lach, Kilmarnock Standard

BIRTHDAY boy Alexander McDougall is set to celebrate his 10th birthday with the Queen – and 150 friends who all share a very special bond.

For Stewarton kid Alexander was born on July 1, 1999 – the day the Scottish Parliament opened. He and 150 other Scottish babies born on that day have been invited to a 10th birthday bash they’ll never forget.

The party, held at the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood in Edinburgh, will see Alexander and his family mingle with MSPs and other distinguished guests – including the Queen.

Proud mum Shirley said: “Alexander is thrilled to bits to be meeting the Queen.

“It’s something he’ll never forget and it will certainly be the most unique 10th birthday party anyone’s ever had.

“The parliament has tracked down around 150 babies who were born on that day and they and their parents and siblings have all been invited to the party.

“They have arranged to pick us up and take us there and bring us home again so it’s going to be a fantastic day.

“Alexander knows what the Scottish Parliament is but he’s maybe too young to know exactly what it is they do there. But he will always be a ‘parliament baby’ and maybe they’ll invite all the children back for future parties.”

Alexander is a pupil at Nether Robertland Primary School. He and Shirley will be joined at the bash by dad Alex and his big sisters Jennifer, 29, Lynsey, 27 and little sister Katie, seven.

As well as the memories of the party, Alexander will always treasure a letter his mum received from Donald Dewar in 1999. Scotland’s first ever First Minister died the following year.

Shirley said: “When Alexander was born I have to be honest and say it never occurred to me that he was born on such an historically important date.

“It was only a few months later when I got a letter from Donald Dewar congratulating me on Alexander being born on that date that I realised the importance of his birthday.

“We have the letter laminated and stored away safely.”

The family were due to travel through to Edinburgh as the Standard went to press. See next week’s paper for pictures from the historic event.