"THE SCOTTISH DINNER 2009 & HOMECOMING FROM BERT HARKINS"

"250 years ago, Scottish poet, Robert Burns was born and the Scottish Tourist Board are honouring him with "The Homecoming", inviting all exiled Scots to return to their roots (or should that be, "Hoots"?) during 2009. 

The Scottish Committee of the WSRA do a great job of keeping our flag flying North of The Border and they also added their weight to The Homecoming by staging the 8th Annual Scottish Dinner/Dance in Livingstone, just outside of Edinburgh. 

We had 93 guests from all over the world and the furthest travelled Scot was Helen Hicks, Edinburgh-born wife of  former Glasgow Tiger, Joe Hicks who had travelled over from their home in New Zealand   and Jean Stone, wife of our new 2009 President, Terry Stone. Jean hails from Rothes in Moray in the north of Scotland and she and Terry had flown up from their London home to attend the dinner. Edith & I (and our German Shepherd dog, Susi) had driven up from Hertfordshire, so the Clans were gathering. 

We also had some "adopted Scots" attending including former World Finalist, Bengt Jansson who had flown over from Sweden with wife, Cathy. "Benga" had begun his career at Edinburgh in the Ian Hoskins' days and had lived and travelled with team manager, Tommy Hughson, so it was appropriate that he should come over for the celebrations. After our early Edinburgh days, Benga & I went our separate ways but met up again as London rivals when he was an 'ackney Hawk and I was a Wembley Lion.  Another "adopted Scot" present was Rob Hollingworth, who rode for Monarchs in the late '70s and can still "get a skid on" when he feels like it. Benga met up with some of his old team mates including Brian "Pogo" Collins, Benny Rourke, Gordon Mitchell, former VSRA President, Jimmy Tannock and his former skipper, Doug Templeton, all of whom looked fit and well and ready to race. 

Chairman of The Scottish Committee, Jimmy Tannock, resplendent in his tartan "trews" (trousers) and with his glittering Scottish Chain of Office around his neck, welcomed everyone to the dinner whilst Mike Hunter gave a warm-hearted summary of the careers of Tommy and myself from our early Edinburgh days at Old Meadowbank until the present time. 

With 2009 being Rabbie Burns' Anniversary year, our tame Scottish poet, Ian "Mose" Hutcheson subjected the gathered throng to his long poems about Tommy Hughson and myself and, much as we appreciated the verses which covered our lives almost from the cradle to the grave, the rest of the guests eyes were beginning to glaze over as Mose almost went on until 2010. 

And so, as another grand evening drew to a close in the wee sma' hours of the Sunday morning, everyone headed home vowing to meet up again next year. If you are looking for a grand weekend, watch out for the dates in our WSRA Opposite Lock Magazine and book your ticket for the Dinner. It is not so much a "Dinner Dance" as a "Dinner Blether" (talk!) 

Our thanks must go to Jim Henry, Jimmy Tannock and the Scottish Committee for keeping the WSRA flag flying North of the Border and, as Rabbie Burns would say to the Homecoming Scots (and Swedes),.............."Haste Ye Back".

Bertola.