March 23 2020 is the date we were all ordered to stay at home to save lives.
Shops, offices and schools were abandoned with thousands of people simply leaving possessions behind.
For Meldrum Academy pupil Holly Walton, one of several items of clothing she left behind was a Take That T-shirt that carried a lot of sentimental value.
Holly – then in Sixth Year – has since left the school but her mother Nicki Ross is still trying to track down the missing clothing, over two years later.
The top dates from when mother and daughter saw the band in Glasgow in 2019, the last time they attended a concert together.
Nicki, Holly and family made a number of visits to the school but were unable to find the other items.
A pair of leggings eventually made their way back to Holly having apparently been donated to a local church.
‘Tantamount to theft’
Nicki, 49, said they went to her daughter’s former school to find the clothing but it could not be traced.
She said she has been left feeling ‘frustrated and angry’ about the missing clothes.
“I am left completely frustrated and angry at the whole situation,” said Nicki.
“I didn’t pester them to begin with, knowing how difficult it must have been with new restrictions being put in place but this is now two years on and should have been resolved a long time ago.
“Withholding our property or giving it away without permission is tantamount to theft.”
Take That T-shirt a special memento
Nicki and Holly, who is studying music at college, are regular gig-goers. They travelled down to Glasgow to see Take That perform in the flesh.
Before the pandemic, they had been to see a number of artists including Foo Fighters, Blink 182 and Harry Styles.
Nicki said that the Take That concert was the last one that the pair went to together.
She said: “The Take That T-shirt was purchased at the concert at the Hydro in Glasgow in May 2019.
“My daughter and I have attended several concerts over the years and they were always fantastic experiences.
“This concert was the last one that we attended just the two of us.”
What Aberdeenshire Council have said
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: “Meldrum Academy has provided a number of opportunities over the past few months for current and former pupils to reclaim items left behind during the pandemic.
“This has been a significant undertaking and we have tried to be as flexible as possible in our attempts to return belongings. In this particular case, we have managed to locate some of the items and we continue to work with the family to try and find the rest.”
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