Page 48 - QARANC Vol 19 No 1 2021

46 The Gazette QARANC Association
Scottish Branch
Chair: Karen J Irvine Secretary: Sheila A Jones
Welcome 2021! It was a cold and wintry start to the New Year, which brought more snow than I’ve seen in a long time, especially across central Scotland. However, I’m sure we were all relieved to put 2020 behind us, and despite ending the year in lockdown, it was time to welcome a new beginning for all with a glimmer of light at the end of this long tunnel we have occupied, in the form of a vaccine. It was certainly a year like no other and whilst we all enjoyed a slight easing of restrictions for a short time over the summer and early autumn, it was never enough to enable any sort of Branch event, never mind undertaking the travel that would have been involved. Sadly, rising case numbers and the corresponding tightening of restrictions also put paid to any hope that we would have been able to meet up for Christmas. That’s not to say that our Branch members have not been able to get together.
We have continued to hold regular ‘Coffee Catch Ups’ on Zoom, which have been enjoyed by many. In addition, since the start of the first lockdown last March, we have seen a significant increase in Branch membership. A combination of new members, transfers and lapsed members returning to the Branch has brought us 15 new members who we have been delighted to welcome; this includes another new member based in New Zealand. Our Zoom catch ups
Chocolates handmade by Karen Irvine and Sheila Jones
have become quite an international affair! Branch business has been kept running with regular online committee meetings and we held what turned out to be a very successful Branch AGM on Zoom, in October.
The weeks leading up to Remembrance Day would normally be a busy time, with many of our members attending commemorative events across Scotland. Restrictions meant that in Edinburgh at the Garden of Remembrance, our wreath was laid on our behalf by Legion Scotland, but Sheila Jones, our Branch Secretary, was able to carry out this important task in Glasgow. Another of our members, Michelle Drayton-Harrold, volunteered at the Poppy Scotland stand in George Square.
During lockdown Sheila and I took part in some chocolate making classes on Zoom. Suffice to say, we caught the bug, not COVID-19 I hasten to add, but we both really enjoyed learning a new skill and decided that we’d like to learn a bit more. So, having booked a full day of tuition with a chocolatier, when the regulations allowed, Sheila and I travelled north, in separate cars, for our day of socially distanced and masked tuition. It was a long, tiring, but very enjoyable day and having received great feedback after sharing the fruits of our labours on our Branch Facebook page, we decided that we would make a box of six chocolates for each and every one of our Branch members, plus a few extra, for Christmas. By the end of our first day on the job, we were thinking that perhaps this had been a bit of a rash decision as the enormity of the task dawned on us. However, like on Mastermind, we had started so we would finish! So, having made, packaged and labelled 85 boxes of chocolates, it was off to join the long queue at the Post Office to make sure they reached everyone in time for the Branch Festive Coffee Catch Up in
early December. Our two members in New Zealand didn’t miss out on the sweet treats this time and having done our research, each received a box of chocolates courtesy of artisan chocolatiers in their respective local areas.
Our Branch had the great pleasure of joining with Jurassic Coast Branch to celebrate Burns Night with our very first Burns Supper on Zoom. With in excess of 50 attendees, I did not envy the job of the Zoom host for the evening as she tried to keep us all in line and on track for each course and the various speeches. The speeches were shared across both Branches; from Scottish Branch Pauline Horton delivered an excellent Toast tae the Lassies with a very apt response from Wendy Jones and Ron Buist, our Treasurer, took time off from counting the pennies and delivered the Immortal Memory. In addition our very own Captain Catherine Pounder, resplendent in full Highland Dress, did a marvellous job of piping in the Haggis; there can’t be many Branches who can count a renowned Piper as one of their members. A great time was had by all and I am sure we’ll see more joint Zoom events in the future.
Looking forward to spring we have great cause for celebration when Janet Mantle, one of our longstanding members, turns 100 years young. Janet previously had an article about her war time service published in the Gazette in 2006 and to mark the occasion of her 100th birthday, that same article is being reproduced in this edition. I hope you enjoy the read.
So, whilst we remain in lockdown we’ll continue with our online meetings and social occasions, but I’m sure we are all looking forward to the day when it is safe to meet again in person.
Karen Irvine Chair
Remembrance 2020