Another hugely successful Provincial Burns Weekend!
Over 180 members, their partners and guests descended on the Highcliff Marriott in Bournemouth for one of the highlights of the Province’s social calendar – the Provincial Burns Weekend.
Arriving on the Friday, everyone enjoyed an excellent dinner and dance. Saturday was then “free time” to either explore Bournemouth and the surrounding areas or spend a few leisurely hours in the hotel before preparing for the main event. And the main event did not disappoint!
There were the usual toasts to the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns (by W. Bro. John Waggott), the Lassies (by W. Bro. Vincent Fattorusso) with a response from Mrs Helen Macallum, and even an Ode to the Potato (by W. Bro. Brian McCormack)!
The haggis was processed in accompanied by bagpipes played by W Bro Paul Burgess, and the Address was given in his usual inimitable style by the Provincial Grand Master R. W. Bro. Tom Quinn.
After a superb meal, we had a Prize Draw which raised over £3,000 – £1,625 for the MBF and £1,625 for the Provincial Grand Master’s Discretionary Fund. And then came the highlight of the evening… For some months, Tom Quinn and his wife Eunice had been working hard to take popular songs and tunes, and adapting the lyrics (or adding lyrics) to poke fun at some of the Burns Weekend guests and topical news subjects. The results were hilarious and went down a storm with everyone!
The evening ended with plenty of Scottish dancing and much merriment in the bar.
Sunday morning saw the usual sore heads before everyone headed off home – another hugely successful Burns Weekend over, with grateful thanks to V. W. Tim MacAndrews for organising it and W. Bro. Lui Hui for being the toastmaster.
