For only the second time in its illustrious career, the GROGs had a female guest speaker. Something special must have motivated 116 members to brave the elements and trek to Braidholm to hear the attractive, and highly entertaining, sports commentator, Alison Walker. Perhaps, as Chairman Johnston Sime suggested, it was because he was resplendent in a white shirt! As well as being very nice to look at, Alison was a delight to listen to. Being born into a sporting family with 3 football mad brothers, she didn’t have a chance and sport was in her blood from early days. She became, and remains, a Hamillton Accies fan but expanded her interest into other sports including, she was relieved to report (considering the company she was in), rugby. Also, from early days, she had always hankered after a career in the media. It was this combination of interests and ambition which saw her become a reporter/presenter/producer with Radio Scotland, moving from there to BBC Scotland television where she became the first female broadcaster in Scotland to report live on football matches. From there it was onwards and upwards for Alison as she travelled the world covering major events for both BBC Sports and Sky Sports and being able to interview some sporting greats. The names she was most proud of included Sir Steve Redgrave, Sevvy Ballesteros, Pele and Usain Bolt who, from what she said (or didn’t say, more like) gave her a particular thrill! All those superstars and here she was having to spend 2 hours sitting between Johnston Sime and Alasdair Graham. Oh, how the mighty have fallen! In spite of the great names she had met and the amazing places she’d visited in the course of her career, Alison came over as a likeable and entertaining Glasgow lass with, as they say locally, “no side to her”. For her troubles in coming to GROGs, on a day she was moving house, she achieved another career first by being the only female ever to have been given a bottle of GROGs whisky! As a punishment for referring to her favoured charity (Alzheimer Scotland) to a very sensitive audience on that subject, she was forced to accept a grateful kiss from Chairman Sime!