Every baby born in Arbroath in 2011 will be presented with a commemorative certificate, in honour of the 200th anniversary of the Bell Rock Lighthouse.
The certificates will be signed by John Boath, the last principal keeper on the Bell Rock, David Taylor, a direct descendent of the Arbroath ship’s captain involved in the construction of the Bell Rock, and council chief registrar Carolyn MacPherson.
“These certificates will be a wonderful memento for these children and it’s quite possible that some of them may even be at the 300th anniversary of the Bell Rock, in 2111,” said Harry Simpson, chairman of the Year of the Light Steering Committee, which is supported by the local community planning team.
Year of the Light events have been planned in and around Arbroath to mark the anniversary of the lighthouse coming into service.
The Bell Rock Lighthouse is considered one of the world’s greatest feats of engineering.
Event patron the Earl of Southesk said, “I would hope the Year of the Light will inspire people to learn more about the Stevensons, who epitomise all that was great about Scotland two centuries ago and could be great about Scotland now.”
The first event will be Cancer Research UK’s New Year’s Day Dook, which takes place at 2pm at the West Links, Arbroath, in sight of the lighthouse.
Registration costs £5, with all proceeds going to Cancer Research UK.
The Year of the Light will officially kick off on February 1, exactly 200 years after a beam of light first shone out from the lighthouse.
The celebrations will be sparked off by fireworks at Inchcape Park, visible for miles out at sea.
Another memento will be the limited edition cover issued by Arbroath and District Stamp and Postcard Club on February 1.
For more information visit the Year of the Light’s website.