Burns Night 2012

Tartan, Pipes and Haggis can only mean on thing, its the time of year to celebrate the life and works on one Scot - Robert Burns.

Each year the Mayor of Tamworth is invited to the Tamworth District Scottish society Burns night held at Drayton Manor and for a few weeks prior it had been suggested that I should wear a Kilt. So with a quick phone call to my father the lending of a kilt was arranged and accompanied my Dinner Jacket and black tie for this event.
On entry were were piped in with the president of the Scottish society and her honoured guests to sit at the top of the table ready to enjoy a fantastic traditional meal. however this could not begin without the traditional Selkirk Grace.

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.

And of course during the festivities the piping in of the "Great chieftain o' the pudding-race!" or haggis as we know it.

The food whilst a high point was not the only highlight of the evening, this year we had a Scottish lady who had lived in Tamworth for 6 years give a speech to "Tamworth the town of our adoption" which was a real treat and acknowledgement of how Tamworth had welcomed her and her family. the speech pointed out Tamworth's many attributes  and it was refreshing to hear this from someone who has relatively recently arrived here and not hearing this from another politician etc. As mayor of Tamworth I was called upon to respond to this speech (and on this occasion had minutes to prepare) Whilst speaking I did reflect on the evening a great way to celebrate peoples history and heritage, not many cultures or communities do this as often as they should nowadays and it was fantastic to  celebrate this with the.

I was not aware at the time the next treat in store, this was the fantastically funny and slightly sexist Toast to the lassies and Toast to the laddies. we where treated to some great humour as a husband and wife team introduced the speeches, loads of laughter and mild offence made for two brilliant speeches.

for those who have not been to a burns night and don't know much about the Scottish poet don't worry and get yourself to a burns night supper as there is the speech to the immortal memory, during this speech I learnt more about the poet than I have in the rest of my life.

I had a great night and really enjoyed it.