Helensburgh & District Highland Association

 

 

 

Following on from the August function, and the successful election of the new association committee at the AGM, 

 the next two dances will be held on Friday 28th October 2022 and subsequently on the 25th November as detailed below.

 

*Please note the change of venue for these two functions*

 

 

Friday 28th October 2022 8pm-11.30pm.

 

Venue: Cardross Parish Church Hall, Station Road Cardross G82 5NL.

Band: Scott Band. 

Ticket Price: £8 for members and £10 for non-members. 

Tea/coffee & biscuit available at interval. 

No bar so BYOB. Raffle. 

Dance Programme for tonight:

 

Dance Programme 28 October 2022

Welcome and Opening Remarks by President Neil MacLeod 

Gay GordonsTwo Step 

St. Bernard's Waltz 

Saunter Together 

Petronella
Pride of Erin Waltz 

Britannia Two Step 

Hesitation Waltz 

Duke of Perth 

White Heather Foxtrot 

New Killarney Waltz 

Interval and Raffle 

Gay Gordons 

Viennese Swing 

Flirtation Two Step 

Postie's Jig 

Waltz Catherine 

Edinburgh Mixture 

Mayfair Quicktep 

Shiftin' Bobbins 

Eva Three Step 

Lomond Waltz 

 (Extras if time permits ;- Square Tango, Military Two Step) 

President's Closing Remarks

Last Waltz and Auld Lang Syne 

 

Contact Association Secretary Anne Thorn 07490 274 871 or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  for more information.  

 

 

 

Friday 25th November 2022 8pm-11.30pm

 

Venue: Helensburgh Civic Centre, 38, East Clyde Street, Helensburgh G84 7PG

Band: Wayne Robertson. 

Ticket Price: £8 for members and £10 for non-members.

Tea/coffee & biscuit available at interval.

Bar and raffle.

Contact Association Secretary Anne Thorn 07490 274 871 or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  for more information. 

 

 

 

Dance Report and photos from the function held at The Commodore, Helensburgh on 26 August 2022

 

The third post covid dance and the first in the newly refurbished function suite of the Commodore

took place on a dry and warm late summer evening and was introduced with a welcome and

opening remarks by President Neil MacLeod. Music was provided by the Steven Carcary Scottish

Dance Band and was much appreciated by the dancers.

 

The event was one of the better attended of recent times with a total of 66 dancers comprising 57

members and 19 non members and bringing in the sum of £546 in ticket sales.

 

As to the venue, the seating arrangements were a little haphazard with an additional table and seats

having to be sourced and set out. The bar was non operational due, apparently, to the “pipes”

needing to be cleaned out....somewhat surprising given the recent refurbishment. Waiter service for

the Commodore's main bar was, however, available. The cost of teas and coffees had also doubled

to £2 a head, an increase only disclosed on the night, although on the plus side the service of

refreshments appeared to go smoothly. The floor which, it had been feared from previous

inspection, would be somewhat sticky for dancing on thankfully appeared to have “weathered” a

little, though there is still some room for improvement. 

Whilst the Association's finances are currently in a fairly healthy state such increased costs (coupled

with an expected rise in the cost of band hire) may pose problems for the future.

The hire of the venue had on this occasion been set at a rate of £130 

(still £30 more than the pre covid cost). With the possibillity of further increases, the President has

undertaken to discuss with the Commodore's management the future booking fees given the 

Association's long standing relationship with the venue. Regardless of the outcome it

is imperative that attendance at dances remains at a financially sustainable level to secure the

future of the Association.

 

The long delayed AGM took place after the refreshments and before the raffle. A number of

directors were due to stand down and, given a lack of expressed interest, it had been feared that

insufficient replacements would be found to provided numbers enough to prevent a threatened

winding up of the Association. Thankfully (and a little surprisingly) on the night a number of

volunteers came forward, both members and non members, and were duly appointed, raising the

number of directors to 15, the highest for some considerable time. An updated list of the office

bearers and directors can be found on the Information page of the website. Thanks are due to the

retiring office holders and directors for their long and unstinting service and it is to be hoped that

they will continue to grace future events with their presence.

 

The raffle raised an impressive £205 in ticket sales and thanks go to those who purchased tickets

and in particular to donors of the prizes. Unusually not one but two bottles of whisky, paid for from

Association funds as customary, were amongst the prizes, a gesture decided upon on the thankfully

unrealised supposition that this was likely to be the last dance before the dissolution of the

Association. Profit for the evening after expenses amounted to £312.50

 

After a lively second half the dance ended with closing remarks by the President followed by the

last waltz and Auld Lang Syne. The next dance is tentatively scheduled for Friday 28 October,

probably at the Commodore, and with band to be arranged. Details will be advised to members

once finalised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dance Held at St. Patrick's Church Hall, Dumbarton on 24 June 2022

 

The second dance of the post covid era took place again at St. Pat's in Dumbarton with Susan

McFadyen's three piece band providing some excellent music for the dancers on a seasonably warm

evening (though, in true Helensburgh fashion, the rain made an unwelcome appearance for the

journey home).

A variety of couples' dances was complemented by the customary full quota of (four) set dances and

it was gratifying to note that, despite one or two hiccups, the various movements were successfully

essayed by participants who hadn't danced them since before the pandemic.

42 members and 9 non members were in attendance, somewhat down on the last dance in April due

perhaps in part to the holiday season and the concurrence with the Royal Highland Show at

Ingliston. Ticket sales amounted to £426

Tea/coffee and biscuits were served as usual at half time with thanks to the good offices of the bar

staff to whom the £1 per head proceeds were again donated. The raffle also took place after the

refreshments and raised the sum of £164. Thanks go to those who purchased tickets and particularly

those who donated prizes. Profit for the evening after expenses amounted to £113.50.

The next dance will be held on Friday 26 August and will see a return to the newly refurbished

function suite at the Commodore Hotel in Helensburgh with music being provided by the Steven

Carcary SDB.

The long delayed AGM will also be held at the interval when a number of committee members will

be stepping down and (it is to be hoped) their replacements will be nominated and approved. While

a letter from the vice president was distributed at the June dance and a further letter is to be sent to

members outlining the critical situation in which the Association finds itself with reference to

committee membership the import of these is worth reiterating. Of the current twelve members of

the committee (two short of the optimal fourteen) five will be standing down at the AGM after long

service. Only one individual has thus far indicated willingness to join the committee. Unless at least

four others step forward for appointment the committee will have no choice but to recommend

dissolution of the Helensburgh and District Highlanders Association, in which event the August

dance will be the last of a series of events stretching back some 115 years. Anyone willing to serve

on the committee is strongly urged to contact President Neil McLeod (01436 831284) or Vice

President John Johnston (01436 675191), or, indeed, any other committee member as soon as

possible.

 

 

Event photos....... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dance held at St Pats Hall Dumbarton 29th April 2022

 

 

Dance Held at St. Patrick's Church Hall, Dumbarton on 29 April 2022

Due to the ongoing works at the Commodore Hotel in Helensburgh (of which more later) the first

post covid dance was relocated to St. Pat's Church Hall in Dumbarton, an excellent substitute with a

large floor ideal for dancing. Playing on the night was the Stuart McKeown Band with Stuart's

inimitable brand of lively music starting the evening with the Gay Gordons Two Step. Attendance

on the (reasonably clement) night was encouraging with 54 members and 17 non members dancing

to a selection of old favourites with most attendees staying to the end of the evening at midnight.

Tea/coffee and biscuits were served at half time by the hall staff (who also manned the bar) and the

proceeds from the usual £1 charge for refreshments (£48) were, in this instance, donated to the staff

as a token of appreciation.

The usual raffle took place at half time and raised a total of £219 which, it had been decided, is to

be donated to the Ukraine appeal. The committee has subsequently resolved to round up this

amount to £300. Many thanks to those who donated prizes for the raffle. Profit for the night after

expenses and donations amounted to £217.

For reasons outlined below there will be no dance in May, but due to a recent fortuitous cancellation

at St. Pat's we are now able to hold the next dance at that location on 24 June, subject to the

availability of a band on that date. Regrettably no dates have yet been able to be ascertained for any

following dances due to uncertainty as to when the function suite at the Commodore might be

available. Works there are currently under way to replace the floor after it collapsed and the

management has thus far been reluctant to confirm a completion date. In any event the charge

proposed for the hall has doubled, which raises concern as to the feasibility of the venue for the

future given the falloff in numbers attending over the last couple of years. St. Pat's unfortunately is

fully booked for the foreseeable future and no other venue of comparable size (and at reasonable

cost) is immediately obvious. Suggestions welcome from members, Any updates will be posted as

available.

Finally – a plea (and a warning). The mandated number of committee members per the constitution

is 14. there are currently 12 members of whom 5 have expressed the intention to stand down at the

next AGM. Without at least the same number of new members stepping forward the position for the

future is unsustainable and the Association is in imminent danger of being wound up after an

existence of some 112 years. In that light we would ask any members of the Association (or indeed

any current non members) willing to participate in the committee to make themselves known to the

Secretary or any other committee member as soon as possible.

 

 

 

Christmas Supper Dance Held at the Commodore Hotel on 6 December 2019

 

 

Despite inclement weather and some confusion over the start time (erroneously specified on the tickets) the dance started pretty much to schedule at 8 o'clock with a welcome by President Neil MacLeod and 75 members and guests welcomed the Charlie Kirkpatrick SDB providing the music on the night. Enhanced by Charlie's craic and the mellifluous tones of Derek Hamilton's occasional vocals the assemblage enjoyed a variety of dances until supper was served at 9 o'clock. Congratulations to the hotel staff for a prompt and efficient service  and a delicious meal.

 

The raffle took place after the meal with the prize table being particularly laden on this occasion. Of particular note was a delightful log sculpture of a seated figure. Over £120 was raised on the night and thanks go to those who purchased tickets and especially those who contributed prizes.

 

Regrettably there was no appearance by Santa and his elves this year, Santa and his chief elf having opted instead for a Caribbean cruise (and who can blame them)!

 

Dancing thereafter continued until midnight with closing remarks and thanks being made by the President before the last waltz and Auld Lang Syne completed a thoroughly evening

 

The next dance will be the Hogmanay Dance with the Stuart McKeown SDB, an all ticket affair. The next regular monthly dance will be on Friday 31^st January in the Osprey Suite at the Commodore as always with music provided by the Nicky McMichan SDB.  

 

 

Round The Tables...........