Quiz Night

at The Caledonian Club 

Bill Bowman will once again set an interesting series of questions to test and tease our memories. This year the final round will be on Scotland and Burns and will count for 15 points as opposed to the ten points for other rounds. Get your team lined up now! First prize is a donation to your favourite charity. Participants' mental sharpness will be maintained by an interval supper of haggis, neeps and tatties. A cash bar will operate.

Musical Evening

 at The Caledonian Club

A night of Scottish music presented by fiddler and band leader Ian Robertson, accompanied by Angela Young on piano. Ian is a seasoned musician equally at home on fiddle and accordion. He is perhaps best known to the public for being the director of the Chiltern Fiddle Rally, which takes place in January each year with over 100 fiddlers and other musicians on stage. Ian and Angela have been invited guest performers at the annual Shetland fiddlers' rally, which takes place over a long weekend. Angela is a graduate of Aberdeen University and is a producer with the BBC where she has produced the Last Night of the Proms. She is also well known as an accompanist for singers, a keyboard player with various Scottish dance bands and a teacher of Scottish country and highland dancing. In addition to Ian and Angela's performance vocal contributions are being arranged. Sandwiches and other refreshments will be served and a cash bar will operate.

Birthday Festival Dinner

 at The Caledonian Club

We have been running Burns Suppers for more than 140 years and have become rather good at it. This event has sold out in the past two years so call your friends, make up your tables and book now by contacting the Secretary. Professor David W Purdie, MD FRCP Ed. FSA (Scot) will propose The Immortal Memory. Originally from Prestwick, David Purdie was born privately and educated publicly at Ayr Academy and Glasgow University. He followed an academic and medical research career before adding writing, broadcasting and public speaking. David lives in Edinburgh where he is Chairman of the Sir Walter Scott Club, Secretary of the Edinburgh Burns Club and a Patron of the National Trust for Scotland. He is a regular contributor to the BBC on medical and scientific matters, a parliamentary speech writer and editor for several members of the House of Commons and a script contributor for Rory Bremner. One of Scotland's foremost authorities on Robert Burns, he has developed a unique presentation on the life and work of the Bard. Gavin McNicoll, one of our members, will propose the toast to the lassies and a suitable riposte will be forthcoming from Nicola O'Brien, originally from Dumfries and, quite by chance, a teacher at Gavin's old school in Felsted, Essex! Neil Esslemont our Honorary Piper will play as members and their guests assemble for the evening and will later pipe in the speakers and the haggis, which Jim Henderson our Honorary President and secretary will address. A varied programme of songs and recitations will be included and the evening will end with two hours of ceilidh dancing to the lively music of Dave Hall and his band.