Waverley Communicators

Edinburgh Toastmasters Celebrate Robert Burns

Waverley Communicators Lasssies L to R: Moira Beaton (President). Eileen Scott (VPE), Kirsten McKenzie (VPM), Penny Calder, Louise Kirk, The Laddies L to R: Neil MacLure, Kevin Miller (Treasurer), Graeme Buck, Duncan Thompson (Secretary), Stephen Dix (SAA), David CalderThe Burns Supper on Saturday was a huge success.  Held jointly with Capital Communicators again this year, members of both clubs and their guests enjoyed a night of  humour, good company and, of course, excellent speeches and recitations.   Moira Beaton (President of Waverley Communicators) opened the evening with a short, well timed (2mins 14 secs) introduction about Robert Burns and revealed the truth about the haggis (it’s not a small, shy, hairy animal that lives in the Highlands; some of them are quite big and they don’t all live in the Highlands, some have been spotted on Portobello beach and in Edinburgh New Town).  Eileen Scott delivered a heartfelt  Selkirk Grace before the beginning of the traditional Burns Supper meal.  After the soup, the skirl of the pipes announced the arrival of the haggis which was piped in by Neil MacLure.  Graeme Buck addressed the haggis with affection and trenching it’s gushing entrails bright, like ony ditch, with enthusiasm. 

After the main course of haggis, neeps and tatties, followed by cranachan, everyone settled down with their tea, coffee and shortbread to listen to the main speeches.  Edwyn Newman (Capital Communicators) delivered an insightful and informative Immortal Memory.  Duncan Thompson, addressed The Lassies with a humorous speech laced with extracts of Burns’s poetry and ended with his own, shortened version of  ‘Tam O’Shanter’.  Renee Philippi (Capital Communicators) brought The Laddies to their knees with a polished Reply to The Laddies.