A VIP sailed back into the city yesterday (Wed 11 Jun) as John Ling, organiser of the previous Tall Ships visits in 1991 and 1997, dropped in to see how this year’s team is getting on.
Emma Wadee (2025 project manager) and John Lang (2025 chief liaison officer) were there to greet him and give him a tour of the site – and benefit from his unique experience from nearly 30 years ago.
In return, Mr Ling, who travelled up from his home in Norfolk, is looking for the team’s help in tracking down former volunteer liaison officers from the 1990s to come along to a reunion at this year’s event.
Along with his deputy Mike Dixon, he has sent out some printed flyers but so far only received 10 positive responses.
Mike said: “We have paper copies of both the 1991 and 1997 lists of former liaison officers but they are 27 and 34 years old, created at a time when mobile phones and emails were things of the future.
“John and I would love to meet up with as many of the former liaison officers as we can find, to chew the fat, swing the lamp and reminisce.”
If you were a liaison officer at the last event, or know someone that was, the contact email address for John and Mike is loreunion91and97@gmail.com.
High expectations
During John’s visit, he also met Port of Aberdeen chief executive Bob Sanguinetti and shared his memories of the challenges and rewards involved in organising the events.
“Looking back, it was possibly easier with the first one because there were no expectations,” John said.
“It was such a success that when it came to 1997, we had a lot to live up to!”
The visit even attracted the attention of STV, who featured an interview with both Johns and Emma on their early evening news bulletin on the day.
You can watch the STV clip here.
Emma said: “I have been looking forward to meeting John in person so much and he did not disappoint. As well as being utterly charming, he was a wealth of knowledge about the practicalities involved in planning and implementing such a huge event.
“With fewer than 40 days to go now until the Tall Ships sail into the city, it was a great boost to get his perspective and hear his very complimentary reflections on the 2025 event as we prepare to welcome the world to Aberdeen.”
- Main image shows, from left, Emma Wadee, John Ling and John Lang before their tour
