King Harald was due to travel to Skaun municipality on Tuesday 29 August, but was called in sick with a cold the evening before. He therefore cannot carry out Tuesday’s planned program in Skaun in Trøndelag. – He is advised to take it easy for the next few days, the Royal Palace informs. The visit was originally supposed to take place on 25 April this year, but was postponed due to flight problems at Gardermoen. Boring, but health comes first King Harald was scheduled to travel to Skaun municipality to visit the non-profit organization Drive Norway. A public reception was also planned at the cultural center in Børsa. – It is very boring of course, especially for the young people who have been looking forward to this for a long time. That’s what mayor of Skaun municipality Gunn Iversen Stokke says. On the occasion of the king’s visit, children and young people had set up the “Marikoll spelet”, which is about one of the king’s many interests, namely jumping. – It’s a shame for those who have practiced and practiced, but health must come first. The mayor was among those who had been looking forward to the king’s visit. Photo: Jøte Toftaker / news She says that the village is on the offer side and would like the king back when he is back on his feet. Preferably with even larger frames. – I hope that through cooperation with the state administrator and the court, we might be able to get an even bigger framework the next time this comes up. – There was very little time to showcase Skaun. It is nice to visit Drive and the cultural centre, but there is so much we should be able to show off, says the mayor. Rigged down Chairs, runners and tents are rigged down around the general manager of DRIVE Norge, Jeanette Sørmoen-Børseth. – We will of course be very sorry. The young people are disappointed because they have been looking forward to it for almost eight months. The planning started before the planned visit in April. On Tuesday, they were to present the “drive for life” programme. – It is a program for young people who may not fit into the usual tract. They get to come here one day a week to do something they are interested in, says Børseth. Managing director of DRIVE Norway, Jeanette Sørmoen-Børseth hopes the king will come when he gets the chance. Photo: Jøte Toftaker / news In Skaun, motorsport and engines are the main focus of DRIVE. The plan for the day was to take the king to replace the lights and brake lights on the ATVs. – In addition, the king was to drive a radio-controlled car with the young people. – I think he should have a slightly different day than what he is used to. Costly With two canceled visits, it is not only the disappointment that is great, but also the financial costs. – It is resource-intensive and a large apparatus of volunteers and employees is working to get this up and running. In addition to costs related to, among other things, the game, bus expenses have been the biggest. In order for the schoolchildren to participate, the municipality had to move the school bus by an hour. – AtB must have quite a lot to move the school route by an hour, so on these two occasions we have probably spent a little over NOK 100,000. Nevertheless, according to the mayor, the costs are not the worst. – We can do that, while there is money we could use for something else, but the king can’t do anything about it. She adds: – It’s most exciting because the children and young people have been looking forward to having a royal day in Skaun. She says that the kindergartens and schools should be decorated along the road with flags. – The young people at Drive have of course prepared and looked forward to it, but it’s not something we can do anything about. – We just have to cross our fingers that we make it happen, we really want him to come. King Harald, who after this summer’s county trip to Nordland has made an official visit to 338 of the country’s 356 municipalities, has never before visited Skaun. He has stated that he aims to visit all the municipalities. The king was also on sick leave in May, when he was admitted to Rikshospitalet with an infection.
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