We are delighted to support the forthcoming Doors Open Day in the city on behalf of fellow Burgess Seonaidh Baker who is the Regional Co-ordinator. There is a varied program of events at many locations throughout the city. Full details are given on the program attached. Please note this is not a Burgess organised event.
35 Burgesses of Guild attended an excellent evening on Wednesday 16th August to the newly refurbished Gordon Highlanders Museum. After an excellent buffet in the café the attendees were given a tour of the garden, the museum itself, including the armoury, archives, and the regimental dining room, which is still in use today. It is often called a hidden gem in the City, but with the work that has gone in to the refurbishment highlighting the history of the Regiment lets hope it becomes a lot less hidden! It is well worth a visit.
Thanks go to Ian Pithie, Head of Visitor Experience at the museum for assisting in organising our visit, and to all the Museum staff for ensuring our visit was a memorable and informative one.
Fellow Burgess Stuart Milne recently retired after a long and distinguished career as General Manager at Finnies the Jewellers. He took a well-deserved holiday of a lifetime to the USA, but clearly hasn’t got the meaning of ‘retired with feet up’. Immediately upon his return to the UK he decided to undertake an abseil down the tower at King’s Church Bridge of Don in aid of the Archie Foundation. He raised over £3700 and a few eyebrows too when he did in in full formal dinner attire – or was he auditioning for the vacant 007 role? Well done, Stewart, we are all proud of your commitment. His JustGiving site is still open for a few days if any fellow Burgesses want to show their support by donating. The link to the JustGiving page is:
We are pleased to announce our programme of lunches and some evening events for the period September 2023 – April 2024. The lunches have been booked as normal at the RNUC, however for one or two of the speakers we have invited Seven Incorporated Trades to attend which would likely put the numbers beyond the capacity for RNUC therefore we may move location, but we will keep you informed if that is the case. Lunches will commence at the normal time of 12.14 prompt (Date of Charter) and will conclude at 14.00. Cost will be £15. If you wish to attend any of the lunches please email Garry Stevens, Clerk 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/Lunches
At present lunches will be open to Burgesses only, but notification will be sent if guests can be invited.
Members are reminded that there is a dress code at the Club which we will respect. No blue jeans and trainers and gentlemen please wear a collared shirt and jacket.
Lunch – Wednesday 4th October – Professor David J. Blackbourn, Professor of Virology, Director of Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, is our guest speaker. He will give a talk on the work he is currently involved in with Alzheimer’s and Dementia research.
Social Event – October evening event, date TBC – An Evening with Prof. Paul Mealor and Robert Lovie
Prof Paul Mealor, a fellow Burgess, is well known to most of us. He has had a distinguished career as an academic at the University of Aberdeen where he is Professor of Composition with visiting professorships in the USA and Scandinavia, but he is a renowned composer. He was invited to compose a piece for the Royal Wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Wrote the song which was No. 1 for the Military Wives “Wherever You Are” and has remained a firm favourite of the Royal Family when he composed pieces for the Coronation of King Charles III and the Honours of Scotland Ceremony. Robert Lovie of the Prince’s Foundation was heavily involved in and performed at the Honours of Scotland Ceremony. Together they will explore the career of Paul and perhaps give us some musical treats.
Lunch – Wednesday 8th November – Craig Walker, Editor North & Aberdeen, the Press & Journal is our guest speaker. This year marks the 275th anniversary of The Press and Journal, Scotland’s oldest newspaper and one of the longest running titles anywhere in the world. Craig will look back over its history and plans for the future.
An invitation was extended to Seven Incorporated Trades for this lunch; therefore, venue may not be RNUC.
Lunch – Thursday 7th December – Guest speaker is Dr. Deborah O’Neil PhD OBE FRSE, Chief Executive Officer, and Scientific Officer at NovaBiotics. NovaBiotics, based in Aberdeen, has identified a number of anti-microbial drugs.Deborah will talk about the new BioHub facility at Foresterhill and will include discussion on life science sector in Aberdeen and work done with Opportunity North East.
Link to company website – Welcome – NovaBiotics is a leading clinical-stage biotechnology company
Lunch – Monday 22nd January – Liam Kerr MSP will be guest speaker and will give an insight to his role as an MSP, and his current areas of responsibility as Shadow Cabinet Secretary Education and on Skills. This is another event which we have extended to Seven Incorporated Trades.
Link to Liam Kerr MSP website page – Liam Kerr | Scottish Parliament Website
Lunch – February (TBC) – Professor Andrew Porter, Professor of Medical Biotechnology, and Director of the Scottish Biologics Facility (SBF), University of Aberdeen is guest speaker.
The SBF works with academics and companies across the world developing antibodies and other binding proteins for a range of diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Programs include anti-microbials, cardiology, liver fibrosis and CNS disease. Professor Porter will give an update on his work currently and what is planned for the future.
Outside his professional work, Andy part owns a number of award-winning cocktail bars and in 2014 the team behind these ventures launched Langstane Liquor Ltd, Aberdeen’s first Gin distillers for one hundred years. Porter’s Gin hit the shelves in Dec 2015 to great reviews and can now be found in many of the world’s top bars.
Lunch – Thursday 21st March – Dr Lynne Taylor is guest speaker. Dr Taylor has a Doctorate in Clinical Phycology, A recently admitted Burgess, Dr Taylor currently an advisor to the Scottish Government, she will share some developments and impacts of mental health since the pandemic, and how her role influences national strategy and policy.
Lunch – Tuesday 16th April – Paula Cormack, Chief Executive Officer, The Archie Foundation, Archie is a charity which aims to transform experiences and outcomes in healthcare and bereavement for babies, children, and families in the north of Scotland. The topic will be Babies, Bairns & Now the Baird – the history and exciting future works of The Archie Foundation in making the difference for local children and families.
Dear Burgesses,
You will no doubt have seen the media coverage of the initiative launched by the Prince of Wales’ Royal Foundation to end homelessness. Aberdeen has been chosen as the only Scottish city to receive funding for development of a five year programme to address the issue with a view to preventing the problem and giving effective support.
Since the launch , the foundation has launched this Work with us – The Royal Foundation – Homewards – which describes the job opportunity here in Aberdeen, an opportunity which may appeal to a Burgess with the appropriate skills, experience and knowledge, or you may know of someone with the right skills and experience to make this a success.
I urge you to give this some thought and either follow the link to apply or to recommend to a suitable candidate.
Thank you Sincerely
Sylvia Halkerston
Lord Dean of Guild
We are happy to support Burgess Sam Murray who is managing an art project for Grampian Hospitals Art Trust “Postcards from Home – Seasons”. Details below:
We are delighted to welcome the following new Burgesses of Guild admitted at Full Council on Wednesday 14th June:
We are pleased to support Burgess Helena Anderson Wright in promoting a forthcoming concert at the Masonic Temple, Crown Street commencing at 7.00pm
Please note this is not a Burgess organised event. Helena adds:
“The Lord Dean will be in attendance and many visitors are travelling to Aberdeen from throughout Scotland and the UK to support this event. All tickets should be purchased via the Aberdeen Box Office at £11.25, including booking fee, interval drinks and buffet are included in the ticket price. Burgesses will be made most welcome with preferred seating and a pre-concert drinks reception, they are welcome to e-mail their details directly to myself robertburnscomp@aol.com in order to identify themselves in advance of the event”.
Event flyer:
Please details below regarding invite to the above event:
Posted on behalf of fellow Burgess Dr Morag McFadyen:
Following last year’s successful fascination of Plants day the Aberdeen group have followed on with our own event this year. The series of events is live on the University of Aberdeen webpages Cruickshank Botanic Garden to host Fascination of Plants Day activities | News | The University of Aberdeen (abdn.ac.uk).
I would like to draw your attention to the Friends of the Cruickshank Noel Pritchard Memorial Lecture on Thursday evening – no tickets required just turn up on the night.
Noel Pritchard Memorial Lecture – Speaker Fergus Garrett “Designing with Plants the Great Dixter way”
More information on Great Dixter and Fergus Garrett can be found here Great Dixter Charitable Trust
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