News
'A Toast to Burns' line up is confirmed!
Thursday 9 December 2010
A host of talented speakers, entertainers and musicians are set to wow lucky guests at the upcoming Burns fundraiser, to be held at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange this January.
The line up includes star of stage and radio Susan Morrison who will host the CHILDREN 1ST annual Burns celebration. The immortal memory, an essential part of the Burns celebrations, will be given by Peter C Brown. Peter is one of Scotland’s top after dinner speakers as well as an authority and aficionado on the life and legacy of Robert Burns. The event will open with a musical performance from a group of award-winning young traditional musicians, Rura, and will end with a ceilidh from the revered The Bella McNab Dance Band.
More info about the entertainers:
Our host, comedian Susan Morrison
Sip your liqueurs and munch your mints whilst Susan talks to you about Edinburgh's fascinating and rather messy past. This is after dinner speaking with a difference - not a motivational ruminator, corporate raider or sportsperson, but a very funny woman with a particular penchant for the peculiarities of the past. It's where history meets comedy - and one of them gets a nasty disease.
Peter C. Brown
A Falkirk lad, Peter left school in 1970 and went straight into the world of banking. After 38 years and a variety of posts he retired in November 2008 from the corporate division of HBOS where he was latterly a Director responsible for New Business. He is the past Chairman of Glenbervie golf club and plays of a handicap of 12. He is also a keen Falkirk Football Club supporter and goes to the games when time permits. He is a keen Burns enthusiast and was invited in 2008 to travel to Calgary to deliver the "Immortal Memory" to 850 members of the Calgary Burns Club.
Charles Gill
A "Falkirk bairn" Charlie joined the City of Glasgow Police in 1962 after serving four years in the Merchant Navy. Posted to the east end of the city ,Charlie worked the beat in the Gallowgate for five years when, after being married, he transferred to Stirling and Clackmannan Police where he served the remainder of his service, mainly in the CID. Charlie also served in the rank of Detective Inspector in the elite Scottish Crime Squad for three years during the 1980s which took him all over the UK tackling organised crime. Charlie retired from the Police in 1993 after 31 years service in the rank of Detective Chief Inspector. Now retired, Charlie used to list his hobbies as "making love, people laugh and ends meet" He says he has now replaced one of these with playing bowls - he will not say which one!
Bella McNab's Dance Band is a fiddle-driven dance group who take their inspiration from the traditional music of Scotland and Ireland, as well as Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, where the fiddle is the main instrument for set dancing.
The members are well known on the traditional music scene, playing with bands as diverse as The Cast, Jock Tamson's Bairns and Fine Friday. They include a wide range of dances in their programme, almost all Scottish, some of which have not seen the light of day on an ordinary dance floor for a couple of hundred years. Caller Dave Francis keeps dancers right by keeping it clear and simple.
Rura is a 4 piece band combining the passions and influences of some of Scotland’s most exciting young traditional musicians, including two BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year finalist’s and an all Ireland Bodhran champion. The quartet achieves an energetic but professional sound which is yielded intelligently.
To book a table online go to the events page. To book a Premier table or individual tickets, please contact the Edinburgh Regional Office on 0131 319 8075 or email edinburgh@children1st.org.uk.
Last updated: Friday 17 December 2010
