2013 Magazine - Royal Caledonian Ball

Welcome to the 165th Royal
Caledonian Ball. Thank you for
joining us – I am sure you will have
an enjoyable and memorable evening.
I am delighted to be Chairman for a third year.
It is a great honour to preside over this historic
Ball, which remains one of the most loved events
in the Social calendar. I was introduced to
reeling in London 25 years ago. Iona, Duchess of
Argyll was the first person who invited me to
the Caledonian. I remember very nervously
taking a large bowl of strawberries to her dinner
party and not knowing what to expect. She was
a wonderful and inspirational hostess. The
evening left a lasting impression on me and
instilled an abiding love of reeling. As an English
woman I had never seen anything so exotic,
glamorous and physically dangerous as the Great
Room in full flow mid Dashing White Sergeant.
I want others to experience the same magic that
I felt that night. It is my mission to bring in as
many new faces as possible each year. I am
particularly pleased to see children up in the
balcony again, adult beginners at my annual
practice party the week before (you know who
you are….), and that our ticket sales to under
25’s and the military have reached over 50%.
This year we are also welcoming guests from all
over the world – America, Canada, Russia,
Norway, Greece, Nigeria and Germany to name
a few. It is a great pleasure to see people coming
together in this way, experiencing our traditions
at an event that celebrates our history, but
maintains a sense of fun and youthfulness.
None of this is possible without the incredible
enthusiasm of my committee. Sadly, two of the
most long-standing and committed members of
my team are retiring. Many of you will have met
Sarah Bardswell over the 16 years she worked as
the Ball Secretary. What Sarah doesn’t know
about ticket sales, dress codes and eccentric
Letter from the Chairman
Lady Dalmeny
1
dietary requirements is
not worth knowing!
She was particularly
kind to me when I
started to attend the
Ball. Her knowledge
and love of the Ball is
quite unprecedented
and I shall miss her
hugely at our meetings.
However she is not permitted retire from the
dance floor!
Iona Argyll has also resigned and this will be her
last year as President. I could not have wished
for a wiser, calmer or more gracious person at
our helm. The Duchess has been a great
supporter of the Ball, exceptionally generous
with her time and the most elegant figurehead.
We are very pleased that Viscount Dupplin will
be our new President, after many years of hard
work as the Chairman of the Ball.
And finally…the dreaded fund raising. Please do
not switch off at this point. Underneath the
glamour, fun and the celebration of our Scottish
roots we have a serious purpose. We need your
support more than ever in these financially
difficult times so that we can continue to help
others. Please give generously tonight, either
direct donations or by bidding for one of the
exceptional prizes in the Silent Auction (pages 6-
7). If you have any ideas for further fundraising
through the year, please feel free to contact us.
Have a wonderful evening.
Lady Dalmeny
Chairman