Wednesday night was surely a triumph of creativity over disappointment. Despite learning at the eleventh hour that our speaker, Fiona Gibson, would be unable to clear a path through the snow from her home in Biggar to our gang hut in Ayr, Sheila managed to conjure up for us an evening of entertainment and illumination.
It is not often that we manage to hear more than the winning entry to any competition. So it can be easy to forget that this prominent track is one of many that together form a pleasing set of variations on a theme.
Jennifer opened proceedings with the winning entry, a thorough and meticulous article on the United Kingdom’s Warning and Monitoring Organisation, whose essential but grim job it was to track and monitor atomic bomb blasts and the fallout that would ensue. Janice followed, in second place, with an intriguing investigation into the history and development of the bagpipe and then Nigel, with his third placed article, took us with him on an emotional journey to unravel a family story of bravery and loss in First World War France.
The floor was then opened to anyone willing to share their contribution, whereupon we were walked through ‘The Robert Bruce Trail’ by Rhona before being beckoned by Linda into a fascinating past where the mystery of an unsolved family murder was laid bare for our scrutiny.
It was a joy to hear all the different tales, to dwell upon the many different paths each competitor had chosen and appreciate the range of style and subject matter.
Inspirational and food for a feastful of thought, the events of the evening turned out to be particularly successful and rewarding. Many thanks to all.
Dorothy Gallagher