The Dinner

Dear Members and Guests,

Welcome to the 154th Anniversary Dinner of the Bridgeton Burns Club. 155 years after

Mr Wilson and Mr Scott hosted their friends at 13 Main Street, Bridgeton in 1870. We did

actually run a dinner and indeed a schools’ competition, via technology, during the Covid

lockdown and looking through our recently digitised records we also managed the dinner and

schools’ competition during two World Wars, where we raised significant funds for the war

effort. Perseverance I hope our bard would have been proud of.

We have been reconnecting with our Bridgeton roots, attending local events such as the

Bridgeton Victoria Cross Memorial Service in November and appearing on East End

Community Radio. Indeed my presidency began on 15th April 2024 in Bridgeton, just two

hundred yards west of where we were founded, at what is now the West Brewery, but formerly

the red brick Templeton Carpet factory. James Templeton was a member of our club.

Our history is fascinating; famous singers, actors, rock stars and TV presenters are known

to have participated in our competition and although politics and legal disputes are banned,

both those vocations regularly attend our dinner.

Our charity is a team: our patrons, our trustees, our volunteer adjudicators, as well as teachers

and children, are all needed and valued, as are our bus, catering and medal providers. We

were fortunate to welcome new Directors and welcome back former Directors to our club

and enjoy the continued support of Past Presidents, in delivering the ever more demanding

standards required to operate a charity benefitting more and more children. During the year

our director Jamie Easton became a dad to son Jack, the first “bairn of the club” in 12 years

and we wish all well.

I am pleased Past President Jonathan Buchan is introducing some of our winners from

the Schools competition tonight, in his role as Schools Convener and please give all our

performers the best of order and attention for the benefit of all.

Please do listen carefully to what my colleague Craig McAlpine says during his appeal, after

the children have performed. As ever please complete the pink gift aid form, as this makes

your donation much more valuable. I can assure you it is well spent. All our trustees are

unpaid, not even travel expenses.

Our Past Presidents promote the club by supporting other organisations who recognise

Robert Burns. Alan McLennan, while not quite singing for his supper, often performs in

return for a donation to the club and contributes impromptu acts at our On the Bard Slots.

Past Presidents Eric Thompson MBE , Bobby Shaw and Iain Gordon do likewise. Past

President Iain Glennie has now delivered over 200 immortal memories, including one at the

Muthaiga Country Club in Nairobi, Kenya where he returned from safely, unlike Lord Errol!

Iain researches a new Immortal Memory annually, often from source documents and has also

reviewed many of our historic records. Much more of our history has been put on to our

social media, which I would encourage you all to follow.

We have guests tonight from near and far and our thanks to you all for supporting this, our

worthy cause and charity. We have had several calibre speakers volunteer to speak next year so

get Saturday 24th January 2026 in your diary!

Please do consider joining our club, contact enquiries@bridgetonburnsclub.org.uk, as a

member, or becoming a trustee or volunteer and playing an active role. Life membership

is only £30 and this, and any donations, can be paid to Bridgeton Burns Club TSB Bank

Sort Code: 30 25 83 Account Number: 01104797

Yours Aye

Colin R. Botfield

President