K A S S Kent Association of Scottish Societies Scottish Olympian & Paralympian Athletes

K A S S Kent Association of Scottish Societies Scottish Olympian & Paralympian Athletes

CONTENTS Editorial page 1 From the New Chairman page 2 From the Past Chairman page 2 KASS NEWS KASS Highland Ball page 3 KASS Walk page 4 NEWS from the Groups Sheerness page 5 Orpington 1 page 6 Bredhurst page 6 Sittingbourne page 6 Meopham page 7 Dover & Deal page 9 Orpington 2 page 9 RSCDS Tunbridge Wells page 10 Exploring France by Bike page 11 A Fitting Tribute page 12 A Pointless Tale page 13 Obituaries page 14 MacLennan 32 nd Festival page 17 Why can some dance? page 17 Diary Nov 2012 May 2013 page 18 EDITORIAL That great Summer of 2012, the one we had anticipated for so long, has now been and gone. There was the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant quite spectacular, but a bit of a wash out! Orpington s 75 th Celebrations and Meopham s 50 th were both great triumphs! The Summer of Olympic and Paralympic Sport was unbelievable! It was not just the London 2012 Games for, right across the country even in Scotland, people were involved. Editor Alan waving the flag at the Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Games To mark this special Summer of Sport, I have a wee competition for you in two parts. Can you (1) name each of the three athletes at the bottom of the front page of this Newsletter and (2) identify their medal successes in 2012. Send your answers to me, either by email: alan@docfrench79.fsnet.co.uk or by snailmail at: 79 Harcourt Rd, Folkestone, Kent CT19 4AE. The closing date is 28 Feb 2013 and the winner will be announced at the KASS Highland Ball in May 2013. This year also marks a step forward in trying to solve a perennial problem. It is one that has bothered some in KASS for the last few years in particular. It is whether we should book or not book dances. An article appears elsewhere in this Newsletter on that very issue. For what it is worth, my memory of KASS as well as Club dances in 1979, when I started dancing in Kent, is that everyone booked dances in advance. Space was included on tickets for that very purpose. Clearly, there were many possibilities. Some booked their dances before reaching the venue! This was usually with members of their own group! Others waited till reaching the venue then booked dances with those sitting close by. Some, who were members of more than one group (of which there are many in KASS), would book dances with members of their respective groups especially if they had newbies! Personally, as I have always arrived at a dance as an individual, with no partner, it s been most fun working the hall! Like many others have done, I have met up with old friends and even made new ones. We would seek a window of opportunity so I could book dances with people from anywhere in Kent. This, for me, has been the strength of Scottish Dancing in Kent. Sometimes, unable to match dances, we would promise to try next time. So, watch this space for feedback after the KASS Autumn Dance - when certain dances are to be kept free from booking! Let us know your views. I will relinquish my role as Editor at the next KASS AGM in October 2013. I started editing the Newsletter in 2009 and this edition is my 7 th. effort to date. I plan to produce two more - one next May and my last in November 2013. So there is plenty of time for someone to think about it and come forward. Could that person be you? Alan French (Dover SCDG Editor) Page 1

From the new KASS Chairman At the October AGM I took over from Roger Brown as KASS Chairman. KASS serves an important function in keeping Scottish Country Dancing Clubs across Kent in touch with each other. This way we are able to exchange news and ideas. The good exercise, plus the fun and friendship we derive from dancing, are all needed in these somewhat gloomy times! Tom and I are looking forward to going to dances around Kent. It will be interesting to see how different clubs organise their events and which dances they choose from the many now available. Wendy Carter new KASS Chairman This letter will reach you at the KASS Autumn Dance. As a response to the on-going discussion on whether or not dances should be booked, we have requested that certain dances on the programme should not be booked in advance. We would appreciate your feedback on this experiment. [Your views, both for and against, would be gratefully received - Ed.] The next big KASS event to look forward to is the May Highland Ball, which is being organised and hosted by Medway and District Caledonian Association. We have the exciting prospect of dancing to the music of Marion Anderson and her Band, one of the top bands in Scotland. Dodgy knees, ankles and Achilles tendons will be forgotten! Do remember to buy tickets early for this event! Our Treasurer, Trevor Graves, our Events Coordinators, Helen Knell and Jane Whittington, and our Newsletter Editor, Alan French, have all done sterling work for several years and now feel it is time to hand over to someone else. Please ask for possible volunteers from your clubs. This friendly and amenable Committee meets twice a year and the Sub- Committee three or four times a year. We need members from your clubs in order to carry on. Several of the club representatives have already held these posts, so we are looking for new people if possible. I should like to thank Roger Brown, Muriel Greenstead, Nigel Hewitt and Trevor Graves for their help and encouragement. Wendy Carter (Sidcup and KASS Chairman) From the Past Chairman My two years as Chairman have gone very quickly, and enjoyably, because of the support from my team of Nigel Hewitt as Secretary, Trevor Graves as Treasurer, Jane Whittington and Helen Knell as Events Coordinators, Wendy Carter as Vice-Chairman, Ken Hamilton as Website Supremo, Alan French as Editor of the Newsletter and Muriel Greenstead as Past Chairman. They have all carried out their allocated tasks to the highest level, giving us profitable and enjoyable events and keeping us all informed on KASS matters. They have worked hard on your behalf, so many thanks to them all. That left me with little to do!!! During the last year KASS ran the Autumn Dance in the east of Kent, the Highland Ball in the centre and the KASS walk in the west, so we achieved a reasonable distribution geographically. Unfortunately, the Autumn Dance was not well attended, which was partly due to thick fog. The Ball went well and there were two walks from Lullingstone Park. Again the venue for the walk made use of a refreshment outlet with parking and toilets, as well as a good choice of food before and after the walk. If organisers of future walks can find similar venues it saves KASS hiring halls and local groups providing tea - so this is a good model to follow. We decided not to run KASS Tea Dances because of the effort required by the Events Co-ordinators to chivvy hosts and to find venues. Instead KASS would underwrite the financial risk if one or more clubs would like to run a Tea Dance. KASS would also advertise the event and give any other support. Unfortunately no clubs have come forward. However, as part of their 75 th celebrations, Orpington and District Caledonian Society will run a Tea Dance on 21 April 2013. We have a high proportion of KASS Reps who are also officers or who have already been Page 2

officers and some represent more than one club. This gives us a lot of experience to draw on but we need new blood as well. Therefore, I have encouraged clubs to appoint KASS representatives who could become one of the officers later. Each club has the right to have both a voting and non-voting member. So, why not bring (or send) someone new to meetings just to get a feel of what is needed to run KASS. Some clubs like their Reps to be on their own committees. This may exclude active members who have already served their own clubs as committee members but now want to hand the running of club affairs to others, but would still be interested in taking a role in KASS. After all, we only meet formally twice a year!! However, a key role of the KASS Reps is to keep their club members informed of forthcoming events and to encourage them to experience some excellent live bands from further afield at our great dances. The Events Co-ordinators provide all the necessary publicity material and dance programmes well in advance so these dances can be polished at club nights. This will give newer dancers confidence to enjoy more formal dances with great bands, even if they watch some dances. All dance programmes have a mix of simpler and more difficult dances, so pick the easy ones first. KASS has very healthy finances but its future needs the support of clubs and their members. Why not make every dance a sell out? I look forward to many more years meeting old friends and making new ones around Kent. I hope that you are there, it s your society. Roger Brown (Orpington and Past Chairman) KASS NEWS The KASS Highland Ball After the excitement of last year s Diamond Anniversary Ball, arranging the 2012 Highland Ball this year seemed relatively simple. This was the first time that Meopham Scottish Country Dance Club has hosted the event, but with my previous three experiences as joint KASS Events Co-ordinator for the event, Meopham had a relatively easy time with the arrangements. The Programme was the first thing to decide and Paula Dyke devised one comprising dances that are popular and danced regularly at club dances all over Kent. David How and Bill McFarlane, two of the clubs regular hosts, agreed to be MCs. The Ball was held at The Malling School again, because it is centrally located in Kent. Meopham Members Bill McFarlane, John Day, Kay & Linda Byron and Fred Cross Craigellachie Band had been booked and we had a bonus with Ian Muir on the accordion, at no extra charge! This was the first time that Craigellachie Band has played, so we were all looking forward to dancing to their music. Ian Muir and Craigellachie Band Ticket sales of ninety-five were a little down on the previous year unfortunately, but still enough to make for a full dance floor. Dancers arrived early as usual, ready to reserve their perch and book some dances. The dinner was served a little earlier this year, to enable dancers to enjoy the meal without too much rush. Dancers enjoying the Dinner Craigallichie Band members joined us for the meal and remarked on the hospitality they had received. They participated in a trial with Meopham members during coffee as to whether they preferred After Eight mints to Page 3

After Dinner Mints from The Co-op. After devouring both boxes it was agreed that the Co-op was superior! David How, the first MC, announced the Grand March, led by the KASS Chairman Roger and Sheila Brown. Then, in sets, the first dance of the evening was Scott Meikle as Craigallichie started up and the dancing began. The raffle, always a popular part of the evening, was held at half time and drawn by Elizabeth Millns. As usual the raffle table was laden with prizes donated by KASS clubs and members. Dancers awaited the usual call from Alan and Sandra Nightingale who, on most occasions, are raffle prize winners. This is always greeted by cheers and laughter. However I don t think they were lucky on this occasion! The second half of the dance had Bill McFarlane as MC. Many of the dances on the programme were favourites for most dancers in Kent, including Recumbent Stone, The Dream Catcher and Father Connelly s Jig which, although tricky, is immensely popular. Some KASS Dancers Before long it was time for Auld Lang Syne and another KASS Highland Ball had come to an end for another year. Medway Caledonian Society has kindly offered to host the ball in 2013, so I wish them every success and thank Meopham members for their help in organising this year s event. Jane Whittington (Meopham and KASS Events Co-ordinator) village of Shoreham, where there has been a settlement since Saxon times. Shoreham also has connections with the Battle of Britain and an Aircraft Museum has been opened as a lasting tribute to the Airmen who fought in the skies above Southern England. The village is also known for its Duck Race, held each May Bank Holiday, when ducks of all descriptions are raced along the river with prizes given for Best Duck in show and First Placed Duck! Money raised by the event goes to charity. Some of the KASS walkers The walk continued from the village and climbed onto the Downs, with far-reaching views, and passed above a cross-shaped Memorial cut into the chalk, in memory of those who lost their lives in the First World War. From there it passed through woodlands with a climb across fields to enter Lullingstone Country Park again, from then on it was downhill, back to the Visitor Centre. The day of the walk started with rain, which gave concern that there would be no walkers! But, as the morning progressed, it cleared and the sun shone as the first walkers arrived. About twenty five walkers chose the five mile walk and set off from the Visitor Centre. The weather was kind to us, apart from one heavy shower which had everyone donning waterproofs and running for shelter. It was muddy underfoot in places but no-one seemed to mind. Then it was back to the Visitor Centre for Tea. A KASS Walk from Lullingstone Country Park It was the turn of Tunbridge Wells to lead the KASS Walk in Lullingstone Country Park near Sevenoaks, in the Darenth Valley, within the North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The River Darenth runs for some 20 miles, rising west of Sevenoaks near Westerham, flowing to meet the Thames north of Dartford. It was to be a five mile circular walk following the river, passing the Lavender Fields, to the I m sure it s downhill soon! Meanwhile, a smaller group of seven took the Page 4

short walk option. The Country Park has recently prepared a leaflet describing the veteran trees in the Park and, by following well-marked paths, one can see monolith beeches where just the trunk remains and a phoenix hazel, which had regrown from a fallen tree after the Storm of 1987. We had just marvelled at the 600 year old Henry VIII oak when the rain struck and we took shelter under the Storyteller s Horse Chestnut. The usual post-kass Walk de-brief! Returning past stately sweet chestnuts and beeches we saw wood carvings of a stag beetle, butterfly, bee, snail, and caterpillar. Even fallen timber is put to good purpose! The last lap was through the meadow admiring all the wild flowers, especially the orchids, before returning to the Visitor Centre for Tea. It was an enjoyable afternoon with good walks, splendid views and an opportunity to socialise with Dancers from other areas. We are all looking forward to another walk next year. Jan and Les Cook (Tunbridge Wells) News from the Groups Sheerness Jubilee Celebrations 2012 I think you would have had to have left the country in June, or been in isolation, not to realise that the Queen and the nation were celebrating her 60 years on the throne:- 60 years of service and duty! Bunting and flags sprouted everywhere in May and June, with colourful displays in shop windows, memorabilia and limited edition items on sale, with features in magazines, newspapers and on the television. When we were in Rutland it seemed that there was a competition to have the most overdressed Post Office in each of the tiny villages! St Martin s, our Parish Church, of course celebrated in its own inimitable fashion with a Street Party. On Jubilee Monday, the church was ablaze with red, white and blue bunting, paper chains, tablecloths, serviettes, balloons, flags and even Union Flag sandwich boxes! The party started in the Hall with facepainting, biscuit decorating, crown and flag making and games and much more. Fancy dress ranged from red, white and blue clothes, through princess and flag costumes to a fully armoured St George! Then we adjourned to the Church for a tea of sandwiches, cakes, crisps, and jellies. Pictures from the Queen s life and reign were shown on the screen during tea and, afterwards, a conjurer entertained the children and adults too. We ended with the National Anthem and a Jubilee cup cake for everyone to take home. It was particularly great to welcome so many of the local community, with no regular church links, as well as church members and outreach contacts. Ages ranged from babies to 90 year olds, often with several generations of the same family present. By 6 pm the Church was restored to its usual peace and the only evidence of the day being everyone s memories plus a surprise short appearance on Meridian TV! Sheerness Scottish Heather Club opened their usual club night, at Iwade Village Hall, to other clubs and held a Jubilee Dance on Friday 8 th June. Bunting and flags decorated the Hall and dancers dressed in variations of the red, white and blue theme. There was a variety of headgear and one lady wore a Union Flag as a dress! We were encouraged to bring food in themed colours too and creativity and imagination were given free rein: red Leicester, white Cheddar, and Blue Stilton cheese; red and white grapes with blueberries; iced cupcakes, and a cake with white icing, strawberries and blue berries adorned the table along with Union Flag napkins. All the dances contained the words Royal, Jubilee or Diamond ; so there were old favourites alongside unknown dances. Everyone entered into the light hearted spirit and beginners and experienced dancers were all in the same position of needing a walk through for new dances. Of course we ended with the National Anthem. Much has been said and written about dedication and duty and I am sure that those of us, old enough to have witnessed her faithfully carrying out a job for 60 years, recognise an achievement deserving thanks and praise and celebration. It was lovely to see so many children and youngsters joining in around the country and I hope that they will Page 5

look back and remember what they did that weekend. Bringing communities together and showing a pride in our country were important, but for me, it was all about Queen Elizabeth II. Orpington 1 A BEM for Diana Campbell Diana Campbell, a long term member of Orpington and District Caledonian Society, has served her local community faithfully for many years and has been honoured with a British Empire Medal, in the Queen s Birthday Honours List this year. Diana has been involved with Abbeyfield homes in Orpington for 32 years and she has links with Age Concern through her involvement with the Saxon Day Centre, which provides meals and other essential services for the frail elderly who live in and around Orpington. She was Chairman of the Day Centre for seven years and still serves on the committee. Diana runs a Friendship Club for the elderly and lonely, at St John s United Reformed Church, which she has done for the past 35 years, beginning as the driver. Participants meet for lunch and a chat every Thursday at St. John s, which has long been associated with ODCS members. Diana was given the Bromley Mayoral Award in 2007 and thought this was honour enough, so was taken aback when she heard she was to receive this further recognition of her work. We congratulate Diana who will receive the Award at the Tower of London on 7 th December, followed by a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace next year. Sheila Brown (Orpington) Bredhurst The Queen s Diamond Jubilee was celebrated by Bredhurst Scottish Dancers in the Village Hall, which had been decorated appropriately with the Union Flag, red white and blue bunting and a portrait of Her Majesty. We began with a walk weather OK from 11o clock. For those who did not wish to walk there was coffee and blethering! Former dancers and interested folk had been invited to join us. Around 1:30 the walkers returned and we had lunch as we have supper at Saturday evening dances, preceded by the Loyal Toast, proposed by Harry, who was also our MC. Most of us then enjoyed the dancing. It was a very pleasant day, with many thanks to Anne Keeble, who had arranged it all. Dancing at Bredhurst Village Hall continues on Monday afternoons from 1:30. Come and join us. Kate Middleham (Sittingbourne) Sittingbourne Our glory days, if we ever had any, are long gone, sad to say. Numbers now are greatly reduced but those who do go are enthusiastic and, however many times we have to repeat some dances, we do try. Blame it on the anno domini. How long till we fall of our perches? We were sorry to hear of the death of our oldest member, Gwen, recently. In her nineties, she had been in a care home for some months. A few of us do make it to most of the Saturday night dances and enjoy seeing friends from other groups. Members are grateful to Betty, our Secretary, and Doris, our Treasurer. But most of all our thanks go to faithful Bert, who brings the CDs and the enormous oldfashioned music player (which he won t change) to the Hall, week after week. Not only that, he puts up with our forgetfulness and apparent stupidity to grasp new dances, with endless patience. I often wonder what he says to Joyce, his wife, when he gets home! Kate Middleham (Sittingbourne) Medway Tuesday Evenings at St Mary s Island I can only describe Tuesday evenings at Chatham s St Mary s Island as total fun. Everyone is welcoming and we even have cake with our tea or coffee! Tuesdays, from 8pm to 10pm, September through to June, means the beginner s class of the Medway and District Caledonian Association - although strictly speaking many of us have been going there for quite some time. The evenings usually begin with warming up and practising steps and formations, before sorting ourselves into sets to walk through and do the dances. Harry Robertson guides us through these, in his own inimitable way, with calmness, patience and a sense of humour second to none. His expert tuition makes dancers of us all and frequently we finish a dance without making any mistakes. You all know this one, Harry will often say, as he introduces a dance. I remember the Page 6

name! will be a whispered response to a partner, as we line up in sets. My first night at St Mary s was in January 2011 when I was warmly welcomed by Julian Grayland, Vice President of MDCA, who I d telephoned a few days before. By the end of the evening I knew that I would be returning. As a beginner, I marvelled at the knowledge and expertise of the more experienced dancers who came to help us newcomers at Harry s Class, as it is known. Gradually, during the last eighteen months, the patterns of certain jigs, reels and strathspeys became more familiar. Terms such as diamond poussette and balance in line began to have meaning. Then came the momentous occasion of actually remembering a whole dance almost! I m not sure whether the first one was Highland Rambler or Reel of the 51 st. Tuesday Groupers in festive mood! The people at the Tuesday group are a lovely crowd. Whether it s freezing cold, raining buckets or boiling hot; even if your day has not been such a good one; the companionship and friendliness of the people there means that by the end of the evening you go home buzzing, with a sense of exhilaration and a smile on your face. Jennie Thompson (Medway) 4 June The Queen s Jubilee and fifteen years of happy dancing at Bredhurst were jointly celebrated at Bredhurst Village Hall. In the hall, suitably decorated, many members were dressed in red white and blue - we had a wonderful time. Some began the day with a local walk, while the less energetic chatted over tea and coffee, preparing the hall for an excellent lunch, provided by everyone bringing a plate of food. Lunch was washed down with sparkling wine and a Toast to Her Majesty. After lunch we had a very happy time dancing the afternoon away. In the short interval, to get our breath back, we sampled the excellent celebration cake with a glass of sherry, followed by strawberries and ice cream. Then we completed the very enjoyable programme of dances. 2 August - Golden Wedding Congratulations to Rita and David Menzies on their Golden Wedding. Festivities took place on 29 th July at the Upchurch Golf Club, where many of their family and friends were treated to a delicious lunch. The festivities extended to an evening Ceilidh at St Mary s Island, to which all Medway members were invited. This was a wonderful evening, with lots of happy dancing, a short demonstration from the Medway dance team and a presentation of gifts to the golden couple from members. Rita and David have both been closely involved with both Medway and KASS. [David was Treasurer for many years, Rita was Newsletter Editor and both Rita and David have been in the Chair! Ed] We send them our best wishes and thank them for their generosity in sharing their special anniversary with us. 20 October - Celebration Dance at Bredhurst Village Hall At Bredhurst Village Hall there was a combined dance to celebrate the exam success of the girls in the Junior class and to encourage the less experienced dancers who attend Medway groups, in particular the Beginners Class on Tuesdays. The girls were presented with their RSCDS Medals and Certificates by Medway s President, Rita Menzies, then danced a short demonstration which was well received. Six girls took the medal tests in July and the results were as follows: Harriet Hill passes in Grades 1 and 2, Alexandra Cope credits in Grades 1 and 2. Sian Wickenden pass in Grade 4; Emily Wickenden pass in Grade 4; Tara Foord Credit in Grade 5. Several experienced dancers came along to help the beginners, friends and relatives not used to dancing, and a great evening was had by all - if the smiling faces were anything to go by, that is! Way to go Medway!! Margaret Anne Robertson (Medway) Meopham Golden Anniversary Dance When the Meopham AGM in 2010 agreed to hold a special dance to mark the occasion of the 50 th Anniversary, 2012 seemed a long way off. Here we are now reminiscing about it Page 7

already. 21 st July was the date chosen to hold a dance to celebrate the Golden Anniversary of Meopham Scottish Dance Club. This date was special in the calendar as the Meopham Club, along with Gravesend Scottish Association, used to hold their annual picnic dance at Cobham Hall, and later Nurstead Court, at this time. Venues were viewed which would hopefully accommodate 90+ dancers, with space to put in all the extras to make the dance special. Istead Rise Community Centre in Northfleet was the choice. The Craigievar band was booked to play for the occasion. This was the first time the band had ventured into Kent to play for a dance. Meopham 50 th Anniversary Cake It was decided that we would have a celebration cake (above), golden balloon centre pieces and wall decorations. After all the planning the big day arrived. Luckily we were able to get in the hall at mid-day, to set up with no rush or possibility of us messing up our posh frocks. Tartan banners and sashes, adorned with golden roses, were hung around the hall and along the stage then the balloons arrived to complete the set up. them on to the floor to enjoy the dancing. The first dance was Anniversary Reel and when Craigievar struck, up the floor quickly filled and the dancing began. The Dance was attended by members from various KASS dance clubs, dancers from all over Kent, with some from Sussex. We were very pleased to have three former club members Mary Howard, and Heather and David Kelly, who made journeys from Kendal and Southampton to attend this special evening. A couple from Cornwall, Len and Dawn, also made the journey to attend the dance!!!! We had planned the programme in four parts, with a different MC for each. The first part was hosted by David How, after which the dancing stopped for the cake cutting ceremony. The cake, placed in the centre of the hall, was cut by Nora Baines, longest standing Meopham Club member, and photographs were taken. Dancing continued, with Bill MacFarlane, the next MC hosting the next five dances until it was time for supper. The selection of food brought by the guests was amazing and the buffet was soon demolished. Complimentary wine and cake was served to the guests during the meal. Former Meopham Club Chairmen with Nora Baines Dancers arrived early claiming that they hadn t expected to find the hall so easily. The hall soon filled up and tables filled with dancers, all eager for the evening to begin. Dances were booked and at 7.30pm Kay Byron, the club Chairman, welcomed our guests and invited Meopham Club Members The next two parts of the programme were hosted by Peter Forrow then Paula Dyke. The evening passed too quickly and soon it was the last dance. Kay thanked everyone for coming and making our celebration evening so special. A comment was made by one of the guests that this was how dances used to be! Surely that was the best compliment we could have had and it certainly meant that all the effort and hard work had definitely been worth it. Meopham members would like to thank everyone for their support in helping them celebrate their 50 th anniversary and also the band Craigievar who certainly made the evening go with a swing. Jane Whittington (Meopham) Page 8

Dover and Deal The two groups, with a number of members common to both, have held combined dances successfully over recent months. At Deal the Tuesday group night has a good number of people turning up. At Dover, however, the picture is less bright. In spite of an advertising campaign after Christmas, that brought in a few new members, Monday club nights have seen numbers dwindle this is partly the result of people leading busy lives and having PCC meetings and the like on a Monday evening, as well as increasing petrol prices and an abundance of dancing classes, with more people attending, to choose from in the area! The children s class, so faithfully run by Norma Nunn for a good many years, has finally closed. It is hoped another burst of advertising will lead to a resurgence of membership and more flourishing Monday club nights. Fingers crossed! It will be unfortunate if this does not happen. Alan French (Dover) Orpington 2 75 th Anniversary Celebrations If 50 is Golden and 60 is diamond, what sort of anniversary is 75 years? That was a question facing the Sub Committee set up to plan how ODCS should celebrate 75 years since its founding in 1937. In spite of the celestial light from above, shown in the photo below, we never found a definitive answer! of the first meeting of the Society 75 years before and the Ball in June, in place of our usual Summer Dance. The Celebration Lunch The lunch was held in St John s URC Hall, Orpington, formerly the Presbyterian Church where many Scots, the early ODCS members, had worshipped. Among the 60 welcomed by the current President, Sheila Brown, were 16 former Presidents of the Society as well as one member, Esme Bate, who had joined in 1952 a member for 60 years. An excellent meal was topped with a cake which Sheila and Esme cut together. The cake was very cleverly decorated with the Society s distinctive logo of a Buff Orpington chicken against the background of a St Andrew s cross, which dates back to 1954. The ODCS Sub Committee (L-R) Roger Brown, John Cottrell, Mike Talbot (Chair), Deirdre Wilden and Angela Campbell However, we did agree on to two special events: an Anniversary Ball in the summer for members and friends among the Scottish dancing community; and a Celebration Lunch which would enable members, members spouses and former members, who were not dancers, to be part of the celebrations. Working round the normal dancing schedule, the Queen s Jubilee and the Olympics, we arranged the Lunch for May, close to the date Orpington s Celebration Cake The date of the logo is one of many nuggets contained in a history of the ODCS that Maggie Talbot had written for the Anniversary. Another is that ODCS has been a member of KASS for 60 years, joining in the year the Queen acceded to the throne. Maggie had taken on the job of the Society s Archivist and for the Lunch put together a fascinating display of photos, newspaper articles, dance tickets and other memorabilia going back to the Society s origins in 1937. This prompted a good deal of reminiscing among the longer serving members and quite a bit of I never knew that from those who had joined more recently. The success of the day was demonstrated by Page 9

the fact that people were still talking animatedly, with old friends and across the generations, when it was time to pack up. Copies of the history can be obtained for 3 through the Society. It has been interesting to see which dances have stood the test of time and which have been just a passing fashion the subject of a future article perhaps. [Yes please! Ed] We also included a couple Anniversary Reel and 75 Years On that chose themselves. We had picked dances that members of both our beginners/improvers classes could join in, while ensuring that there were dances for the more experienced from the Society and among our guests. It seemed to work; there was something for everyone and it was a really enjoyable evening all round, with a great atmosphere. Studying the archives! For the Anniversary Ball we wanted to have a larger event than our usual dances. Therefore we had to look for a different venue, both to encourage our own members to come and to welcome friends from KASS and other clubs and societies, especially those who had supported us over the years. More dancers at Orpington s Ball The success of our celebration was the result of a lot of planning and hard work by many members of the Society, to whom we are very grateful. 75 years on, the Society may not have the numbers it once did, but it remains in good health, as does Scottish Country Dancing in Orpington. We hope this will continue for many years to come. Mike Talbot (Orpington) Dancers at Orpington s 75 th Anniversary Ball We were fortunate to be able to use Bromley High School, which had sufficient space for a large dining room, a good size dance floor with scope for extra sets on the balcony level, and still have room for any non-dancers to sit and chat. As a result, 140 of us, including guests from many other societies, were able to enjoy a great evening. Following a reception drink and a tasty light supper, we danced to Robin Ellis and his Band, enhanced for the occasion to an eight piece band. Many KASS members will know that Robin has played for Orpington s dances for many years. What you may not know is that Robin has also been a long-time member of the Society and was President at the time of the Millennium. The sub-committee had chosen the programme to include dances that had been popular in different decades of the Society, as well as some more recent ones. Tunbridge Wells To Book or not to Book? That is the Question! When I first began to look at this subject I didn t quite realise how contentious this would turn out to be, as there are some very strongly held views on both sides. Firstly, I looked at why dance partners would need to be booked in advance. The various points put forward were:- (1) If you come to a dance with a group of friends, you want to spend the evening with them, so you decide in advance who you will have each dance with. (2) If you feel unsure about knowing all the dances you would be much more confident booking the dance in advance with someone you know. (3) It takes away the uncertainty of standing up to dance and hoping you can find a partner. Page 10

Then I looked at why you wouldn t need to book dances:- (1) The whole ethos of Scottish Country Dancing is that you can come on your own and find a partner to dance with. (2) You may make new friends. (3) If you dance with an experienced dancer your own dancing improves and so does your confidence. I am sure there are many other arguments for and against booking, but surely the most important thing is that everyone enjoys the dances and keeps coming. After all Scottish Country Dancing is for everyone, young or old, experienced or not so experienced. So there you have it! Keep Dancing Scottish and enjoy yourselves! Jan Cook (Tunbridge Wells) Exploring France by Bike We have been cycle touring in France every summer for the last 8 years. Planning began in June when we chose the area we wanted to visit and carefully planned a route keeping the distances low enough (about 35 miles) to allow for stopping and staring. We worked in a rest day every 4 th day, when we did not need to carry luggage and could ride as little as we wanted. Then we booked Chambres d Hotes which provided an evening meal for each night in the right areas. Eventually, after lots of e- mails in French, a few phone calls and some changes of plan (when it was impossible to find somewhere in the place we wanted!) we had all the accommodation booked. The Tunnel was booked, insurance with the CTC was arranged and all we had left to do was to pack our bags. We left home by car on the morning of 28 August and by 7pm French time we were in Vigoulant, a hamlet near Montlucon in central France. Chambres d Hotes are the French equivalent of B&B but a lot of them also do a very good 4 course evening meal and they are much cheaper than B&B. Ancient buildings in Montlucon We discovered one in particular, run by a couple from Essex, on a previous tour. They have imaginatively converted an old mill to create a lovely place to stay. Their meals are an interesting mix of French and English cooking and they are extremely hospitable. They had agreed to look after our car for us while we toured for 12 days. The next day we headed north to start our journey. We quickly settled into our usual routine of cycling for about 4 hours on quiet roads with very little traffic, enjoying the scenery and making sure we found a shop to buy a picnic lunch before everything shut for lunch at midday. We found a good picnic spot every day, ideally with a good view or shade if it was hot. As we had no rain we did not need to shelter somewhere. We explored places we came upon by chance as well as those deliberately visited. When we arrived each evening, often after 7pm, we just had time to shower and wash our cycling clothes and hang them up to drip-dry before dinner. Sometimes even, to rest for a while and write up the diary before it was time for dinner at 8pm. This was our 8 th tour and we now carry the minimum we need. We have three sets of cycling clothes so we wear one set, have one pegged to the panniers to dry and one clean in case it rains. We always have a set of dry and fairly warm clothes for the evenings. We do however carry some home comforts like a hairdryer and, this year, we took a small kettle, tea bags and plastic cups so we could have tea in the mornings and when we arrived, as the French do not provide teamaking facilities. That tea was so good! The meals were always good and very leisurely, usually eaten with the family and other guests so we had a chance to practice our French. Nearly all the French people we met were very helpful and, of course, we let them practice their English on us if they wanted. It is really good to be immersed in France, to try to understand the French culture and attitudes. We had some excellent evenings. We found lots of very attractive towns and villages and stunning scenery, but there were three places which were the highlights of the tour. We spent one day cycling along the Canal du Nivernais, which had an excellent cycle route and was very attractive. We spent one of our rest days exploring the old town of Sancerre, the centre of a wine-growing region. We followed the walking tour of the most interesting old buildings including a tower with amazing views and an excellent exhibition about wine growing. We also visited the medieval village of Guedelon. This is a project Page 11

to build a castle using entirely medieval methods and it was fascinating. All the crafts and skills were being used, not just demonstrated. We had to rush our visit as we still had a long way to ride afterwards so we intend to go back with more time, to do the tour in English and can get all the background to the project. hoped to be an athlete but this was the next best thing! Andy, from Carnoustie, used a walking aid to complete his stage of the relay, which he reckoned was Quite exciting and a real privilege. Having been one of Britain s best amateur athletes when the war broke out, Andy was left close to death after spending almost four years as a PoW, during which he was tortured and starved. His dream of competing in the London Olympics of 1948 was shattered but he battled back to fitness The Canal de Nivernais We also happened upon lots of wildlife, the most interesting were two sorts of deer, beautiful red beetles, demoiselles and wasp spiders, which we discovered when Brian accidentally threw his grape stalk at the web. We know that for normal people cycling everyday would most definitely not be a holiday but, using Chambers d Hotes for accommodation, it is a very economical and interesting way to see France. If you are worried about using French, the Gite de France website is available in English and quite a lot are run by English people or speakers. We can even recommend some! Why not try Chambre d Hotes, even if you travel by car. Helen and Brian Knell (Sheerness) A fitting tribute It was during the Olympic Torch relay, the build up to the Summer Games, I realised how widespread interest really was. I got hooked on watching live feeds on the internet when I could, and catching up on places I had been to and knew. As a graduate of Dundee University, one of the most memorable sights was of 95 year old Andy Coogan, great uncle of cyclist Chris Hoy, fulfilling a lifelong ambition on 12 th June. Andy was one of Britain s most promising runners in the 1930s but his Olympic dream was wrecked when he was taken prisoner by the Japanese in World War II. Dundee s Reform Street was absolutely packed, heaving with thousands cheering Andy on as he carried the Olympic Torch, being nominated as a torchbearer by his famous nephew. The pensioner said that he never thought he would ever get to carry the Olympic torch. He had and remained devoted to sport. Nonagenarian Andy in a crowded Reform Street in Dundee. The Olympic Torch Relay was shown live online, or could be watched after the event on video. I did become obsessed with watching the torch relay, especially as it passed through my old haunts not only Dundee but also Durham. I even saw it pass me as I stood with 100+ primary school pupils at Sandgate! Then through Dover, Deal, Thanet, Medway, Harrietsham, Reigate and Redhill (my home town) each time, come rain or shine, there were thousands of people supporting the Torch bearers. Indeed, it had been dry at Sandgate around lunch time on 18 th July. By the time we got to Dover in the early evening, it was raining as the torch went past me a second time. Kent Police outriders high-5 the crowds waiting for the Olympic Torch relay A little later, while warming up and drying out in a Chinese restaurant in Dover s Market Square, we all trooped out en masse to see the torch again third time in the same day! Page 12

Now, ask why I was so interested in the Olympics and I would reply that I had helped with a school trip to Barcelona in 1992. I wanted to be part of it all again, but this time on my home turf. Now, ask me why I was even more interested in the Paralympics and my answer would be more personal. Our Mum, Joyce Wickins, was born in Faversham in 1925, but without a left hand. It seems the umbilical cord had got wrapped round it, preventing its growth. On seeing Mum s hand and fearing it was hereditary, Gran told Granddad, in no uncertain terms, he wasn t getting close to her again! As Mum was an only child I presume he did what he was told! Throughout our childhood we knew no difference she could knit, open jam jars, get three of us on to and off buses and trains, with a pushchair - it seemed she could do anything! I guess it was only when school friends visited for the first time, spotting her hand, that we took any notice. I must admit, however, that my brother, Les, and I would often rush to be the first to hold her right hand rather than her left. Mum always claimed she had just two regrets and at her funeral in 1998 I referred to them:- (1) not being able to play the piano and (2) not being able to do a handstand. At that time, I believed her but after experiencing the London 2012 Paralympic Games I am not so sure. Mum would have been so thrilled to see pianist Nicholas McCarthy playing the grand piano at the Paralympic Closing Ceremony with only one hand, to say nothing of the hundreds of athletes, attempting to overcome all adversity. It was a privilege to be at the Paralympic Stadium on Monday 3 rd September, watching Fijian Iliesa Delana win the single leg amputee high jump. On Wednesday 5 th September, we saw David Weir receive one gold medal and win another for wheelchair racing, in a stadium charged with atmosphere and emotion. I will never forget the noise the 80,000-strong crowd made, nor the thrill of hearing massed singing of our National Anthem. When I discovered tickets were still available for the Closing Ceremony it seemed most appropriate that I use some of the money I had recently received from the sale of our parent s house, to make sure I was there. I have no regrets at all. It was an absolutely unforgettable evening of great spectacle and emotion, from the moment the athletes came into the stadium, which erupted as those able to, leapt to their feet and cheered. The light show, fantastic aerial gymnastics, music (a Coldplay concert) and a fabulously stunning firework display, all combined to make it a truly life enhancing experience. If you saw it on Channel 4 then be assured that was only the half of it! Closing speeches at the Closing Ceremony The next day we saw the Victory Parade in London. With thousands, nay a million people they say, cheering our Olympians and Paralympians on 21 lorries, resplendent in their red, white and blue tracksuits wow! The atmosphere was unique. Olympian Jessica Ennis and Paralympian David Weir at the Victory Parade Strangers spoke to each other. People were friendly, even if it was busy and the underground congested! It was a time when I was truly proud to be British. It really was a fantastic experience that even now, a month or so later, still defies description. Alan French (Dover) A Pointless Tale of a Game Show I fancy applying for Pointless, Mum, do you wanna be my partner? said the text from my son Kriss. Why not I replied and then, in what seemed a very short space of time, we had filled in application forms, had telephone interviews and found ourselves on our way to Russell Square in London. 2pm was the interview time given and we found ourselves waiting with seven other couples. We realised that sixteen people were currently being vetted Page 13

at a 12 noon appointment and they had followed sixteen others at 10 am. After us there were more hopefuls coming at 4 pm and they do this every day!! A chaotic two hours followed when we had to talk about ourselves and tell interesting stories, then take a general knowledge test followed by a mock game of Pointless. Kriss and I were quite pleased that we came second of the eight couples. Most were then sent home but three couples (including us) were asked to stay to have a filmed interview. How much more do they want to know about me I pondered - they already had my whole life story! We went home not knowing whether or not we had been accepted. However, a few days later we received e-mails saying we had and that filming the shows would start very shortly. The day came and we had been told to take five different outfits with us their wardrobe department would decide which of these we would wear. They were very specific colourful outfits, no black, white, grey or pastels. No low cut tops (especially the men) and no slogans or logos. Of course I decided that I had absolutely nothing suitable to take and so a trip to the shops was necessary well it s one way to get five new outfits in one go! We arrived one Tuesday in May at 9 am and were treated like celebrities - pampered and very well looked after. Wardrobe took away our chosen outfits for pressing and we went to make-up. One game was filmed at 1 pm and the second at 3 pm, at which point we were told to go home and come back on Thursday. They film three shows a day but the later show was to be a Celebrity Special. Unfortunately we didn t meet anyone famous. At last the dreaded moment came but the hosts, Alexander and Richard, chatted to us, made us laugh and put us at ease sort of! The filming crew were also great fun. The first round was Chemistry. OK I thought we ve looked at the periodic table and can probably get through this. We weren t great but scraped through. The second round, Countries and their Days of Celebration was more tricky. Again we only scraped through as the other pairs got wrong answers. Then, unbelievably, we were in the Head-to-Head. Our opponents won the first (of three) questions but we won the second question and everything rested on question three. With bated breath I answered George Best (as the name of Belfast s Airport) and we scored lower than the others. We were in the final. At this point the camera crew made us retake the last question as they weren t happy about the hugging and kissing with our opponents! Our jackpot question was about Dr Who, a programme which neither Kriss nor myself watch but somehow we managed to come up with three correct answers, the third of which was pointless and the jackpot was ours! Of course, we got the coveted Pointless Trophy. Best of all was the hug with Alexander Armstrong. All in all, despite the nerves, we enjoyed the whole experience and, you know what? I d love to do it all again. Lyn Sutton Jones (Medway) Obituaries Jean Armour 1927-2012 Jean Armour was an enthusiastic Scottish dancer who danced regularly at Medway, Meopham and Cobtree Scottish country dance clubs as well at weekly dances all over Kent. Jean first began dancing after she saw Scottish dancing performed for the first time at the Gravesend Co-operative Hall. This was the first get together after WW2 of Gravesend Scottish Association. Jean s father, a Scot from Balerno near Edinburgh, had moved to Gravesend and was a founder member of the Association. After that Jean just wanted to dance and, as clothes were on ration, she advertised in the Weekly Scotsman for a MacLean tartan kilt. A lady from Plumstead, who taught highland dancing, answered her advert. Jean joined her class and after much practice she took bronze, silver and gold highland dancing exams, passing Highly Commended. Along with the teacher, Jean and the teacher s two daughters formed the Lochagar dancers, competing at the Highland Games at the White City, followed by the Harpenden Highland Games the following year. As well as competing, Jean danced regularly at the Royal Scottish Corporation Hall in London. Jean led an amazing life, traveling the world Page 14

and doing all kinds of jobs. You can read all about this in the KASS newsletters May and November 2008, [See the KASS Website Ed] as Jean was persuaded to write after the editor asked for accounts of interesting lives of KASS dancers. Jean married and had five children, which she amazingly brought up single handed after the early death of her husband, Peter, in 1970. She was an active member of St Peter & St Paul s Church, Swanscombe, and became the Secretary of the Parochial Council. Jean also served as Church Warden for about six years. Sadly, the Orpington and District Caledonian Society has lost some long-standing members this summer, all of them remembered as good friends and, in their day, very active supporters of the Society: Esme Bate Esme, who died as a result of a fall at her home on 6 th September, had belonged to the Society for the longest period of time. She joined in January 1957, so was a member for over 55 years. Though no longer a dancer, Esme was still interested in our activities and joined us for our 75 th Anniversary lunch in May, when she cut the celebration cake. Jean Armour (centre) at Gravesend An active member of Gravesend Scottish Association, Jean was president of the club from 1992-1994. Over the years she went on many Scottish dance holidays to Florence, Chantilly, Canada, Malta, Cyprus, Austria and Kilkenny in Ireland, where she danced Kilkenny Castle for the very first time in this setting. Unfortunately, Jean was unable to dance in the last two years of her life, but I have a wonderful video recording of her dancing the Cumberland Reel with my seven year old grandson at a celebration at Meopham Village Hall in 2005 - this will be my favourite memory of her. Jane Whittington (Meopham) Enid Beaman Enid Beaman, a former member of Meopham Scottish Dance Club died on 20 th June 2012 at her home after a long illness. Enid and her husband Joe were members of the Club for a number of years, Joe being Chairman from 1983-1987. They moved to Wiltshire in the late 1980s to be near their children. Enid enjoyed dancing when she was able and among many interests was her love of gardening. Our sympathy goes out to Joe and the family. Barbara Worth (Meopham) Esme cuts the Orpington cake Esme, born in Edinburgh in 1926, married a young RAF airman, Stanley James Bate, in 1944, aged eighteen. Jim Bate, as he was known, was posted overseas so Esme returned to her family and her war work in a factory. In 1951 they lived in Cyprus for five years, with their first daughter. In 1956, on returning to England, they settled in Petts Wood and Esme joined St. John s URC in Orpington, feeling at home amongst her fellow Scots. She became an enthusiastic member of ODCS and a regular dancer on Thursday evenings. Esme s friendly nature and kindness was clear, encouraging new friends to join in the weekly dances as well as traditional Scottish celebrations. Esme also became a member of Petts Wood Trefoil Guild and through her friend, Diana Campbell, she served on the Abbeyfield Committee, visiting their residents regularly, paying social calls, until well into her seventies. Esme was very hospitable and well known for being ready with contributions of shortbread, scones and sponge cake whenever the occasion arose. She continued to give pleasure to her friends, meeting them regularly for lunch and a chat until her accident in September. Margaret Bennett Margaret died on July 2 nd this year at the Page 15

Sunrise Home, Sidcup, only a few months after a group of dancers from ODCS visited the home, at her request, to give a dancing display to the residents. Margaret was a dedicated Scottish Country dancer, starting at Fetter Lane in the 1960s, taking part in the Paternoster Square dances with Frank Reid and his Band and later dancing at Catford Boys School. She became a member of ODCS in 1976 and served on the Committee for some years, helping Hazel Osborne to run the Skelton Trust, dispersing small mindings to former dancers who had become housebound. Margaret was very skilled in calligraphy, which she put to good use for ODCS by hand writing the Table Plan and Place Cards for our Burns Night Suppers and St. Andrew s Dances for many years. Margaret did not marry but lived with her older sister in Orpington, working in London as a buyer for Thomas Goode and Sons. She continued to dance for some years after her retirement until, eventually, her knees became too much of a problem to dance regularly. Daphne Freeman Daphne, who died in early July, was another of our regular dancers who was a member of ODCS for 34 years. In her younger days she was a member of John Linscott s Dancing Class and later joined ODCS, where she was particularly remembered for being patient with less experienced dancers and newcomers who needed help. Early in her life, Daphne was a Nanny, and her pleasure in being with young children extended to her two young nephews who remember special outings with her in school holidays. Daphne s many interests included travel, her garden and flower arranging on occasions such as Orpington s 60 th Anniversary Dance. Daphne did not marry and later became the Surgical Appliance Officer at Lewisham Hospital. Scottish Country Dancing played a large part in her life and she continued to come on Thursday evenings to listen to the music and chat to friends even when she could no longer dance. She was a very loyal member of the Society and was always interested in others. Unfortunately she had a stroke last February from which she did not recover. Edith Driver Edith, born in Enniscorthoy in County Wexford, Ireland, grew up on a farm with her brother and two sisters. She was educated at a convent and qualified as a teacher at Bray, County Wicklow. She met her husband, Eric, in Ireland and although they became engaged in London, they married at Clanmore Church. In time they moved to London as Eric was serving in the police force. Edith was a keen member of the North West branch of the Ramblers and led many walks. She was also a member of the Shortlands Ladies Group and through that became active in her local community. Edith began Scottish Country Dancing relatively recently, joining our Beginners Class about twelve years ago. She was quick to learn and very soon moved on to our Thursday evening social dances. Edith worked hard at memorising the figures and began to attend our more formal dances; she also attended St Andrew s Summer School. Her lively interest and quiet, gracious manner made her a popular dancing partner. Sadly Edith became ill some five years ago and had to stop dancing but with great courage and determination she visited us one evening, with the help of her husband and one of her daughters. It was evident how much pleasure it gave her to listen to the music and to watch her friends dance once again. Edith finally lost her fight against her illness in July this year. Sheila Brown (Orpington) John Martin Ingham (Tim) Law 1929 2012 Tim Law was a kind, gentle man who lived life to the full, putting his heart into everything he tried and did a lot for the community in which he lived. He was an Honorary Member of the Medway Caledonians, joining in 1990. He was Page 16