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Banffshire, Scotland

image located by Jason Saber, 27 June 2023

A Flag for Banffshire
The final four choices

A Flag for Banffshire

In an article entitled, "Public set to design and choose new Moray and Banffshire flags, which will be unfurled in 2023", locals are being given the chance to design them. A competition inviting members of the public to create flags for both areas will launch on Monday, February 27, and run for four weeks. The competitions will close on Friday, March 24, before the field is whittled down to four finalists for each Lieutenancy by an expert panel. The public will then again be involved as they choose their favourite. Winning flags will be registered with the Lyon Court and the Flag Institute's UK Flag Registry. Contest winners will be invited to do the flag-raising honours at official launch ceremonies in Moray and Banffshire in late summer.
Source: Public set to design and choose new Moray and Banffshire flags, which will be unfurled in 2023 (northern-scot.co.uk)

Jason Saber, 28 February 2023

The winning design features a white horizontal band recalling the bridges that are emblematic of this narrow county with rivers running through it and along its borders; from ancient in-land river crossings to the mighty industrial viaducts along the coast. As such the blue colour can represent both the rivers and the sea, whilst the golden-orange below the bridge represents the whisky made from the county's waters and above the bridge the sun symbolises the natural sunsets and agriculture.

Jason Saber, 27 June 2023, 28 October 2023

Winners were on hand at Castle Hill, in Cullen, and Elgin Town Hall to hoist their designs proudly into the air and unveil new flags for both Moray and Banffshire The Banffshire flag was first raised at the Cullen event at 11am and then raised with official events in Macduff (Tarlair Golf Course) at 2.30pm and Portsoy Harbour at 4pm. Flags were to fly in Whitehills and Fordyce on Sunday. Events in Buckie and Keith due to take place in November.
Jason Saber, 28 October 2023

The final four choices

Four choices have also been announced for a flag for Banffshire. Vote for the new Banffshire flag here: https://www.northern-scot.co.uk/banffshire-flag

Jason Saber, 27 June 2023

image located by Jason Saber, 27 June 2023

The boar's head is inspired by the possible origins of the name Banff and Banffshire deriving from Gaelic for pig, and also serves as a reference to the famous Deskford carnyx discovered in the county. A boar's head also features in the arms of the former county council, which is where its blue colouration here is derived. The checked background serves as a reference to and completes the colours of the Shades of Banffshire tartan, where the black was used to symbolise the Aberdeen Angus which was first bred and registered in Banff and gold representing agriculture and whisky industry.

image located by Jason Saber, 27 June 2023

The deep golden colour denotes the whisky industry of the in-land county, whilst the blue recalls the maritime industries of Banffshire's coast. The diagonal division between the two recalls the shape and orientations of Banffshire. Over the top is a barrel, an item that was key to both industries across the county from maturing whiskies to storing fish landed from the sea.

image located by Jason Saber, 27 June 2023

The two diagonal blue lines represent the two major waterways that help to define Banffshire's boundaries; the Spey and the Deveron. This leaves a single diagonal stripe between them to reflect the unique orientation and narrowness of the county's outline. On this is placed the county flower of Banffshire; the Dark Red Helleborine. The Dark Red Helleborine was chosen as the county flag of Banffshire in a national competition organised to mark the Golden Jubilee of HM The Queen in 2002.