The Nottingham Scottish are an intrepid bunch. Covid-19 was not going to stop us from celebrating our national poet, so on January 23rd we cooked our haggis, poured out a dram or two and gathered by Zoom!
We have to thank Christine Oldfield for the programme she had planned for us and, appropriately, this evening was dedicated to her memory.
The first half was all about Burns, with poems, songs and readings. Dave Potter considered the origin of the Haggis and wondered was it really Scottish? A question to which there can surely be only one answer! Bob Logan addressed the haggis in great style and Sylia Hale gave us the immortal memory.The second half had more of a ceilidh feel with a mixture of Scottish folk songs, dance and humour. An undoubted highlight was Les Wilkinson’s performance of ‘The Kelty Clippie’, ‘Pittenweem Jo’ and, with Higgs Bo’sun, ‘Lochboisdale’. A real tour de force. Humour was provided by the inimitable Stanley Baxter with his sketch ‘The Scottish Country Dancer’ and by ‘The Dancer’s Lament’ from Teresa Allen. The evening finished with ‘My Heart is in the Highlands’ by Margaret Barnes.
Thanks to all those who made this such a memorable evening in these strange times.
The Nottingham Scottish Association 