Another Successful Burns Night.

Teesdale and District Lions Club recently held another of their legendary Burns Supper Ceilidhs at the GSK Sports and Social Club in Barnard Castle. The club first started running these events back in 1995, as a purely social event for club members. Organiser and event chairman, Bob Garton said that over the years, the Lions Club formula of the traditional meal and speeches plus Scottish country dancing, has evolved into a highly successful charity fundraising night, with everyone having a whale of a time into the bargain. This year, 120 people from all over the world, packed into the hall. The Haggis was paraded in by a piper in full regalia, and was given the traditional eight verse Burns toast ”To a Haggis”, in animated style, by Jim Chalmers. After “The Selkirk Grace”, and the traditional meal of Cock a’ Leekie Soup, Haggis, Neeps and Tatties, followed by Coffee and Shortbread, the traditional “Immortal Memory” of Robert Burns was given by chairman Bob Garton. The guests were welcome contingents from Darlington Lions Club and Barnard Castle Rotary Club. The Scottish quiz had the guests racking their brains, before being put out of their misery with the answers and revealing regular supporters from Richmond as worthy winners. The dinner tables were then cleared and for the rest of the night, dance caller Fiona Turnbull kept the floor packed, with a succession of favourites; The Gay Gordons, Dashing White Sergeant and Strip the Willow and many more. Soon it was midnight and “carriages”, but not before the whole company formed a big circle for “Auld Lang Syne”. The club raised £500 for Lions Charities and concluded that this year’s event had been the best so far – no pressure then for next year’s event!