More than 90 GROGs attended the first meeting of the new season and enjoyed an absolute treat in the person of guest speaker, Willie Allan. Those GROGs who didn’t manage along missed a cracker! Fittingly, the Chairman, Johnston Sime, commenced the proceedings by asking for a period of silence as a tribute to Founder Member, Roy Dingwall, who passed away during the summer months after a long and, latterly, wretched illness which he had endured with great courage and spirit. His humour and unique brand of irreverence will be sorely missed.
Willie Allan lived up to his reputation of being one of the funniest after dinner speakers in the country. A P.E. teacher from Buckhaven in Fife, and from 2 generations of miner stock, Willie is a man of many interests and talents and a rugby man to his boots. In fact, the MBE he modestly flashed from behind his jacket lapel, which he was clearly enormously proud of, had been awarded to him in part for his services to youth rugby. Pacing up and down in front of the top table, Willie entertained us for almost 30 minutes with a series of non-stop jokes, stories and personal experiences. He wasn’t afraid to enhance his humour with the use of a number of self-created sound effects, ranging from a heraldic trumpet fanfare to the noisy rasping of a man in an oxygen mask. Showing his professionalism and experience, Willie remained in constant touch with his audience both as participants and foils to his quick wit. But his presentation wasn’t all about jokes and funny stories. He showed his serious side too when he talked about the time he had gone to Hong Kong, using his skills as an auctioneer to support a fund raiser for the Doddie Weir Foundation and was blown away with the galaxy of international rugby stars which had gathered there in support. Willie Allan is clearly a caring person and is impressed with the value of friendship and the goodness in others. After ending with a quote from Rabbie Burns, he deservedly received a prolonged and enthusiastic applause from the appreciative GROGs and a well earned bottle of rare GROGS whisky.
Willie Allan lived up to his reputation of being one of the funniest after dinner speakers in the country. A P.E. teacher from Buckhaven in Fife, and from 2 generations of miner stock, Willie is a man of many interests and talents and a rugby man to his boots. In fact, the MBE he modestly flashed from behind his jacket lapel, which he was clearly enormously proud of, had been awarded to him in part for his services to youth rugby. Pacing up and down in front of the top table, Willie entertained us for almost 30 minutes with a series of non-stop jokes, stories and personal experiences. He wasn’t afraid to enhance his humour with the use of a number of self-created sound effects, ranging from a heraldic trumpet fanfare to the noisy rasping of a man in an oxygen mask. Showing his professionalism and experience, Willie remained in constant touch with his audience both as participants and foils to his quick wit. But his presentation wasn’t all about jokes and funny stories. He showed his serious side too when he talked about the time he had gone to Hong Kong, using his skills as an auctioneer to support a fund raiser for the Doddie Weir Foundation and was blown away with the galaxy of international rugby stars which had gathered there in support. Willie Allan is clearly a caring person and is impressed with the value of friendship and the goodness in others. After ending with a quote from Rabbie Burns, he deservedly received a prolonged and enthusiastic applause from the appreciative GROGs and a well earned bottle of rare GROGS whisky.