Monthly Archives:May 2019

Please see update on our lunches, with April now added:

Wednesday 23rd April fellow Burgess Irene Watt will be our guest speaker with her topic “Music Making from The Cradle to the Grave”

As an Ethnomusicologist ( she will explain what that is) Irene will talk about the importance of music, – making it, singing etc – in our lives and how it is a crucial part of everyday life and all stages of life – how without it, it can negatively impact our lives, but by engaging with it, it can have real a positive impact.

Irene will talk about the different stages of life it impacts

Babies and Children, Teenagers, Young Adults, Older Adults, and Seniors.

How it can be used in child development, how we use it to build confidence, to promote teamwork, help communication, create bonding and friendships, and how it can be used for health and mental wellbeing.  

Irene will also talk a little bit about how a community choir can serve its community and be an integral part of enriching lives.

The April lunch will be held as usual at RNUC with the normal 12.14pm start, and cost will be £20 per person. Guests are invited

We are delighted to announce our lunch for May. It will be held at Robert Gordon University, on Wednesday 21st May. The Principal, Steve Olivier, a Burgess, will give us a presentation on the University and we will have lunch there instead of at RNUC. Cost will be £17 per person. The event is open to Burgesses only.

Please note the session will commence at 12 Noon and you should make your way VIA RECEPTION to Room N204 in the Sir Ian Wood Building.

If you wish to attend, please email Clerk, Garry Stevens at – clerk@aberdeenburgesses.com advising of any dietary requirements.

Payment can be paid via cheque made payable to Burgesses of Guild of the City of Aberdeen and sent to Garry Stevens, Clerk to the Burgesses of Guild, 6 Craigarbel Crescent, Inverbervie, Montrose DD10 0SJ or via BACS to: Sort Code 826011, Account Number 50325609, Ref Surname/(Month(s) Lunch.

After some minor technical issues we are now able to confirm our new Facebook page is now active. It is called Burgesses of Guild of the City of Aberdeen. We will post events and news relating to the Burgesses on a regular basis. For those who use Facebook we hope that you can follow our page.

Many Thanks

Garry Stevens, Clerk

After first supporting Craig Mathieson, Polar Explorer and the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Explorer in Residence on the Scot 100 Expedition to the South Pole in 2004, Tiso Group continued to sponsor Craig as he gave talks sharing his experiences and insights to schools nationwide. 

A chance encounter at one of these talks led to Craig mentoring a young person on an expedition in 2006 to the North Pole. The trip changed not only the boy’s life but that of his entire family in the most positive and unexpected way. 

Seeing the extraordinary potential impact evidenced first-hand, Craig was determined that this not be a unique event and instead be a catalyst for something far greater and more ambitious.

The Polar Academy was born. They have now worked with 180 young people and their families directly to date, impacting over 90,000 members of the community annually – taken from their website at https://www.thepolaracademy.org/polar_academy_about/

The Polar Academy has worked with young people from Bucksburn Academy in Aberdeen last year.

Maciej Dokurno, Head of External Relations & Fundraising, will talk about the beginnings of the Polar Academy (where Craig’s idea for this unique children’s mental wellbeing charity came from), their programme structure and most importantly the impact it has on the young people, their families and local communities. He will share some testimonials and case studies from their graduates and talk about their 2024/25 and 2025/26 programmes.

The lunch will be held at the RNUC with a 12.14pm start time with a cost of £20 (increase announced 19th February).

If you wish to attend, please email Clerk, Garry Stevens at – clerk@aberdeenburgesses.com advising of any dietary requirements

Payment can be paid via cheque made payable to Burgesses of Guild of the City of Aberdeen and sent to Garry Stevens, Clerk to the Burgesses of Guild, 6 Craigarbel Crescent, Inverbervie, Montrose DD10 0SJ or via BACS to: Sort Code 826011, Account Number 50325609, Ref Surname/March Lunch

Welcome to our new Burgesses who were admitted at Full Council on Wednesday 5th February 2025

Robert John Leslie, Retired Chartered Surveyor. Nominated by Stuart Milne and Seconded by Matthew Finnie.

Allan McKimmie, Chairman AFC Heritage Trust. Nominated by Greg Poon and Seconded by Dr Stephen Wedderburn.

Graham Mountford, Solicitor. Nominated by Professor Paul Meallor LVO, FRSE and Seconded by Lindsey Fettes.

Syed Abdur Razzak, Director. Nominated by Mohammad Taqeer Malik, and Seconded by Barney Crockett

We are delighted to be able to announce a special event – the first screening in the United Kingdom of ‘Führer und Verführer/Goebbels and the Führer’. The first serious feature film on Hitler in twenty years. ‘Führer und Verführer’ premiered at the Munich International Film Festival in July 2024 where it won the Audience Award. Since then, it has been screened in cinemas in several countries on two continents. It is also about to be shown at a Special Screening at Auschwitz for the guides and employees working at Auschwitz and it will soon premiere in Japan and many other countries. We are, therefore privileged to be afforded this opportunity.

It will be shown at a special joint event with OSS at Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen. We are grateful to Robin Macpherson, Head of College for providing the venue for the evening which is proposed to commence at 6.30pm

30^th April is not only the 80th anniversary of Hitler’s death in the ruins of Berlin, but also a few days prior to the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, a conflict in which so many Aberdonians lost their lives. It is their legacy that invites us to look back to the past to develop resilience and a hopeful vision for the future.

You may remember the thought-provoking evening we had last year with Prof Beatrice de Graaf and Prof Thomas Weber, experts in Putin and Hitler respectively.

Professor Weber served as the film’s historical and creative adviser, to support Director and Script Writer Joachim Lang and Dramaturge and Co-Producer Sandra Maria Dujmovic. The film depicts the dynamic interaction of Hitler and his propaganda minister between 1938 and 1945, that stands at the heart of the deadly dynamic of the Third Reich. It tells the story of their campaign of disinformation and demagoguery. It is the belief of Lang, Dujmovic, and Weber that understanding the patterns of the last world war of disinformation and demagoguery will equip us with tools with which to face the new world war of disinformation and demagoguery we see today. The film takes inspiration from seven survivors, whose testimony intercuts the dramatized plot of the film. The survivors invite us to reflect on our values and virtues and to help us develop a vision of how peaceful coexistence can be restored in times of new crises and wars.

If you wish to attend this event please contact Clerk Garry Stevens at – clerk@aberdeenburgesses.com – as soon as possible. At this time, we may only be able to accommodate spouses and partners as guests, but we will keep you informed of that situation

Sylvia Halkerston

Lord Dean of Guild

We are pleased to announce our evening events to be held in February to June this year. All will be held at the Aberdeenshire Cricket Club, Morningside Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7FB. All events will include a buffet supper and the cost will be £17 per person. Events will commence at 6.30pm. Guests are invited.

Thursday 20th March 2025 – Prof. Z H Krukowski LVO – A Polish Odyssey – Limited Places

Starting with a few scraps of information, Prof Krukowski has built an increasingly detailed account of his father’s journey through World War 2. The compelling narrative includes personal episodes and incidents often within more familiar major events in the conflict. Many aspects are generally unknown, forgotten or lost within the larger historical perspective.

Prof. Z H Krukowski was educated at Robert Gordon’s College and the University of Aberdeen. He was a consultant surgeon in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Professor of Clinical Surgery and Surgeon to the late Queen. A master surgeon and pioneer of laparoscopic surgery, he was frequently invited to teach and lecture internationally. He served on and chaired a variety of bodies including Surgical Colleges and Associations, Research Councils and Health service-related organisations. He regularly published original research and made substantial contributions to standard surgical texts. Latterly he carried out humanitarian work with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

With all the Decorations which Politeness could Afford – Thursday 17th April – Phil Astley

The City Archives bear witness to the burgesses of Aberdeen being comprised of a diverse range of individuals, from “Butcher” Cumberland through to that great man of letters, Samuel Johnson. In this talk, City Archivist and fellow Burgess, Phil Astley, will highlight how integral the Burgesses have been to the creation of the city’s UNESCO-recognised civic records and what those records can tell us about the great and the not-so-good who have been admitted as burgesses over the centuries.

It’s Baltic! – Tuesday 6th May – Cllr Barney Crockett

For hundreds of years Aberdonians have said, “It’s Baltic” meaning its freezing cold.  The reason is that the Baltic region with its much colder winters was the land of opportunity.

Aberdonians went to Sweden, Poland, Russia and Prussia to make their fortunes and influenced the history of the world.  They also returned and brought money, knowledge and connections with them. There is a continuing impact here ..and in the Baltic.

Councillor and fellow Burgess Barney Crocket will be guest speaker for this informative look at the role of many Aberdonians in the Baltic states.

History of the North East Police – Tuesday 24th June – Geoff Marston

Covering the initiation of the Scottish Police, in particular Aberdeen City and the North East Shires.  Touching on their development, equipment, historical aspects, and governance pre the formation of Grampian Police through a power point presentation.

Guest speaker is Geoff Marston who joined Grampian Police in 1977. During his service he spent 6 years at Ballater, and it was whilst there, he became interested in Police history. On the odd occasion, people enquired at the office regarding their ancestry, having served at Ballater as Constable or Sergeant.  In view of not being able to supply information to them at the time, Geoff managed to research every officer having served there from 1842 up to 1985.  The list of course was retained as a reference for future callers.  This was the start of his interest which was carried through to 2004, when, having just retired he then took on the job as Curator. Sorting out and cataloguing all North East Police Forces artefacts, photographs and documents.  This eventually led to many of the items being displayed throughout the force area in 9 cabinets. 

This is sure to be an interesting presentation delving in to the history of our Police Force

If you wish to attend any of the events please email Clerk, Garry Stevens at – clerk@aberdeenburgesses.com

Payment can be paid via cheque made payable to Burgesses of Guild of the City of Aberdeen and sent to Garry Stevens, Clerk to the Burgesses of Guild, 6 Craigarbel Crescent, Inverbervie, Montrose DD10 0SJ or via BACS to: Sort Code 826011, Account Number 50325609, Ref Surname/Event attending.

Reverend Keith Blackwood, Minister of the Church of Scotland (Mannofield Church), nominated by Joe Mackie OBE and Seconded by Lord Dean of Guild

Christina Clunes, Retired Care Assistant, Nominated by Anne Milne and Seconded by Joe Mackie OBE

Dr Iain Duthie, Church Pastor/Minister (Kings Church Aberdeen), Nominated by Dr Stephen Wedderburn and Seconded by Lord Dean of Guild

Gloria Kochman, Retired University and College Music Lecturer and Organist, Nominated by Irene Cormack and Seconded by Gordon Williamson

Craig Pike, Lawyer-Advocate, Nominated by David Parkinson and Seconded by Seonaidh Baker

Helen Will, Retired Remittances Manager/Dance Teacher, Nominated by Anne Milne and Seconded by Gregory Poon

Dear Fellow Burgesses,

The festive season is upon us once more. May I extend my warmest wishes to each of you and your families. Christmas is a time to reflect on what unites our community, the rich heritage we share, and the bright future we continue to build together.

2024 has been a busy and productive year with higher numbers than ever engaging in lunch events, evening events, our AGM or working in your many individual ways for the benefit of others. Thank you to all who have engaged and hopefully even more will join us in 2025. We were able to provide some support to young people through the Guildry and Mortifications fund as a result of the revised Trust Deed. We aim for more in 2025.

This year, let us celebrate not only the joys of the season but also the resilience and generosity that define the spirit of the Burgesses of Aberdeen. Whether through engaging with pride, acts of kindness, words of encouragement, or simply being there for one another, our collective strength makes a profound difference in our city.

May this Christmas bring you peace, joy, and the company of loved ones. May the New Year ahead be filled with prosperity, good health, and continued success for the Burgesses, our city and its citizens.

With heartfelt gratitude for your contributions to our community, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sincerely

Lord Dean of Guild

We are pleased to congratulate Rita Stephen and Morven Mackenzie two Burgesses for their appointment as Deputy Lord Lieutenants of the City of Aberdeen. This is a prestigious appointment and a great honour. Rita is currently an Assessor and Morven is a comparatively recent admission.
Our very best wishes go to both

Sylvia Halkerston
Lord Dean of Guild