News
1 January 2010
New Year Dook to raise funds in Stranraer
New Year's Day at Portpatrick Beach 1 January 2010, 2pm. It was organised by members of Portpatrick Coastguard Team, friends & family. Twelve swimmers took part and collected sponsors with all funds going to the Order of St John Stranraer Branch to help fund the palliative care unit in the Galloway Community Hospital as well as provide transport for ill patients to travel to hospital outside the region. The swimmers entered the water and swam around the RNLI rescue boat then back to the beach cheered all the way by a large crowd of supporters who had gathered along the sea front. Thanks to Iain Ritchie for photos.
1 November 2009
Celebration of the work of the Order of St John
His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO, The Grand Prior of the Order of St John, attended the celebraiton of the work of the Order of St John which marked the retirement of the Prior, Sir James Stirling of Garden, and the installation of the new Prior, Sir Malcolm Ross. The event took place on Friday 30 October at the Canongate Kirk, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh (pictured).
Pictured above is Sir Malcolm Ross who replaced Sir James, who had been Prior for 14 years. The distinctive ceremonial black robes worn by Members of the Order were on show as they processed at 2pm from St John’s House down the Royal Mile via St John’s Cross to the Canongate Kirk (pictured far left).
The day was a celebration of the charitable work of the Order both worldwide and in Scotland.The Priory of Scotland has given long-standing support to the St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem, The St John Malawi Primary Health Care Project and made significant contributions to the Scottish Mountain Rescue teams.
'We are pleased to be celebrating the work of St John in over 40 countries across the world. We are very glad to welcome today representatives from several other humanitarian organisations and we are honoured to have with us His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester representing our sovereign head, Her Majesty The Queen, said Richard Waller, chief executive of St John Scotland.
Photos: Courtesy Antonia Reeve, Edinburgh.
1 August 2009
Opening of Mountain Rescue Base on Arran
Over 200 past and present members and guests celebrated the opening of the new Arran Mountain Rescue base at Cladach on Saturday 1 August. The base signifies a major step forward for Arran Mountain Rescue, Team providing the team with not only space to weekly training but also much needed facilities for storing and drying equipment and clothing.
The main contributor to the new base was St John Scotland, which was represented by Lady Fiona Stirling, Hywel Davies, chairman of St John Ayrshire and Arran, Tricia Davies, former chair of St John Ayrshire and Arran, Mrs Roseanne Cuninghame of Caprington Castle, Kilmarnock, Richard Waller, CEO of St John Scotland and his wife Gilli. Representing The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland were Chairman Alfie Ingram and his wife Joy.
The opening was led by The Isle of Arran Pipe band to rapturous applause, followed by a welcome speech from the master of ceremonies, team leader Alan McNicol, and contributions from past team leaders, Stewart Lambie Snr MBE and Alistair Hume, who worked tirelessly over many years to make the base a reality as did Alistair Bilsland. The ceremony was completed by Sir James Stirling KCVO CBE GCStJ TD – the Prior of the Priory of Scotland of the Order of St John.
In addition to the new base, St John Scotland supplied Arran with a fully equipped Mountain rescue Land Rover More recently, the team purchased another Land Rover and had it branded with St John Scotland's logo in recognition of the charity's continuing generosity.
Past team leader, Alistair Hume said,"The new Cladach base with its location next to the start of the main tourist path to Goatfell is a fantastic asset with all the facilities we need to provide a more professional service, everyone who has worked very hard over the last few years and today is the culmination of that. It's great to see all the former members and supporters here and hopefully this memorable occasion will be the start of a new beginning for the Arran mountain rescue team."
The land for the base was made available by North Ayrshire Council and Highlands and Island Enterprise also made a very generous contribution to the building of Scotland's newest and most modern mountain rescue base.
Team leader, Alan McNicol, said,'I would like to thank all the past and present team members along with their families, all supporters/fundraisers and organisations that all contributated to make the opening of the new Cladach base possible.'
March : At Home and Abroad
Left: Former Strathkelvin chairman, Alastair Petrie presents a cheque for £1200 to Rosemund Blair, Director, on behalf of RDA Glasgow Branch for a new pony, Dilon. Right: children in Zimbabwe learn about hygiene as part of a cholera prevention education porgramme delivered by St John Zimbabwe.
January 2009
Left: Farmer`s wife Kathleen Parker won the main prize at a Stranraer fundraiser on February 27 - bottles and bottles of wine -so many she could hardly lift the barrow - which was not included in the prize! Members and friends had gathered for a supper and a music programme at Dunskey Golf Club in Portpatrick which raised raised £500 for local projects Pictured are Kathleen with barrow and branch chairman Ken Paterson on left.
Centre:Presentation of an Etude bed to the Wellesley Unit at Randolph Wemyss Hospital Buckhaven in Fife. Pictured are Carolyne Williamson(Nurse), Norma Wilson Chair Kirkcaldy & Levenmouth CHP, Liz Baglow(Order) Lawson Rennie Chairman Fife Area Order ofSt John, Rhonda Duffy(Charge Nurse). In front William(Bill) Cheape(Patient), Hazel Turnbull(Nurse).
Right: At a reunion of the group who travelled to the St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem Freddie Spencer Nairn (left was presented with a salver as a thank you for organising the trip by Perth and Kinross Chairman, John Ferguson Smith.