RSCDS BANFFSHIRE BRANCH
ESTABLISHED IN 1929
Celebrating 90 Years of the Branch
1929 to present day
RSCDS Banffshire Branch at the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, Portsoy, Saturday 18th June 2022
A fun day was had at the Portsoy Boat Festival when members and friends of the RSCDS Banffshire Branch got together to promote Scottish Country Dancing. Enthusiastic members of the audience joined in the dancing and enjoyed themselves.
Promotional leaflets for Banffshire SCD classes were given out to the audience and we had lots of positive feedback.
Please contact the Secretary at rscdsbanffshire@gmail.com if you want further information about classes in and around Banffshire.
Linda Thomas, RSCDS Banffshire Branch member called the dances and kept everyone on their toes. Thanks to Linda for organising this event.
Audience participation in dancing
Pudsey Bear, Scottish Country Dance
Celebrating Her Majesty the Queen's Platinum Jubilee
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – Invitation to Service of Thanksgiving
The RSCDS Banffshire Branch received an invite to attend a special service of Thanksgiving from the Buchan Presbytery to mark this significant occasion. A special service was held on Sunday 29th May in St Ninian’s and Forglen Church, Turriff. Over the seventy years of her reign, HM The Queen has actively supported many charities and professional groups. These cover all areas of national life.
Alice Archibald and Linda Thomas, members of the RSCDS Banffshire Branch, represented the branch at the Service of Thanksgiving.
Alice Archibald read out the following message at the service. The message was selected by Her Majesty the Queen
In 2011, the Queen said:
“Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves - from our recklessness or our greed.
God sent into the world a unique person - neither a philosopher nor a general (important though they are) - but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.
Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God’s love.”
Annual Branch Dance - Friday 12th November 2021
The Banffshire Branch Dance on 12th November was held at Keith this year, and despite the restrictions imposed by covid (limited numbers, lots of hand gelling, bring-your-own refreshments), it was a super evening. We had fantastic music to dance to thanks to Ewan Galloway and fellow musicians Shona MacFadyen on fiddle & Graham Sherrit on drums; we have enjoyed their music on pod-casts throughout lockdown, and listening to their CD ‘A the best again far Banffshire’, but wasn’t it just great to be dancing ‘live’ again.
A lot of work went on behind the scenes to ensure a safe and enjoyable evening was had by all - risk assessments, devising a lovely programme of dances, the callers, organisers & donations of raffle prizes, catering for the band - a big thank you to everyone involved.
Looking forward to meeting up again on the dance floor soon
Happy dancing
Dianna
Report by Dianna Baillie, Chair of RSCDS Banffshire 2021
Ewan Galloway Scottish Dance band
Annual Branch Dance 2021
More dancing to wonderful music
Ewan Galloway Scottish Dance band
Ladies of Banffshire at the Autumn Gathering 2021
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Given that the Bells Sports Centre in Perth has capacity for over 500 dancers, the task of decorating it for the Autumn Gathering weekend is not to be undertaken lightly. However, members of Banffshire Branch have customarily performed this duty, arriving early in order to create an ambiance appropriate for the occasion, using countless yards of RSCDS tartan supplied by Headquarters. As with dancing, success is a result of teamwork and many hands working together! When thanks are extended to volunteer helpers for their efforts, "the ladies of Banffshire" always receive a mention, the presence of one or two Banffshire men invariably being overlooked, hence the title of Bob Taylor's dance. This photo shows the ladies of Banffshire looking resplendent in advance of the Saturday night ball at the 2021 Autumn Gathering.
Report by Alison Smith RSCDS Teacher and member of RSCDS Banffshire
The Banffshrire Branch had their first outdoor 'Return to Dancing' event at the Sail Loft, Portsoy on a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon on July 25th.
The event was welcomed by all the dancers.
The committee therefore, planned another outdoor event on 22 August 2021.
Again the weather held for us Happy Dancers!
 Happy to chat to fellow dancers. |  Enjoying the sunshine |  Happy to be dancing once again! |
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 Gordon & Liz, Dianna & Alistair |  Ive got my hand gel at the ready! |  |
 Gordon & Liz with visitor Jim Stott |  |  |
RSCDS Banffshire - Return to dancing, outdoor event.
Our chair person, Dianna Baillie and Liz Bulloch ready to kick start the event.
Lots of happy dancers on the green at the Sail Loft Portsoy
RSCDS Banffshire - Return to dancing, outdoor event.
The Sail Loft, Portsoy Sunday 25th July 2021
Banffshire Branch organised an outdoor return to dancing event on the 25th of July. It took place outside the Sail Loft, Portsoy, on a beautiful sunny day.
We had a fantastic afternoon of dance, starting off with a warm up session led by Anne Taylor, 3 sets of dancers then followed a super programme led by Anne McArthur and Alison Smith, easing us gently back into dancing again with a mix of familiar & old favourites (including EH37AF, Maxwell’s Rant & Mairi’s Wedding) and some newer dances (Portsoy Links and The Speyside Way from our 90th anniversaries book "A’ The Best Again Fae Banffshire").
Our Secretary and Covid Officer Liz Bulloch, ensured safety guidelines were in place and being followed.
It was just wonderful to be able to meet up and dance together again. As can be seen from the photos, we couldn’t have been happier and can’t wait for the next one.
Article in the Scottish Dance Magazine, October 2021 issue
by Chair, Dianna Baillie
Outdoor event at the Sail Loft Portsoy on Sunday 22 August 2021. The music was provided by Frank Thomson.
The dancing event was held at the Sail Loft, Portsoy. A beautiful sunny day with the seascape as our backdrop
Everyone enjoyed the day and the lovely music.
Outdoor event at the Sail Loft Portsoy on Sunday 22 August 2021. The music was provided by Frank Thomson.
Geof Nuttall with his daughters Claire and Celia at the ceremony along with Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire Andrew Simpson, Alistair Mason and Julian Watson from the Museum of Banff.
Banff Museum Exhibition - display of RSCDS Banffshre archives
The Branch was contacted by Alistair Mason earlier this year to advise that the family of Jean Nuttall (born and brought up in Banff) wanted to donate money to the Museum after having been shown around the museum last year by Alistair. Alistair is also a member of the Preservation and Heritage Society. Jean was a keen Scottish Country Dancer and loved everything Scottish.
Anne McArthur and Alistair pulled together the exhibition using the Banffshire archives and display boards. Cabinets were purchased with the donation and a wonderful display has been put together.
The opening of the display was held on Wednesday 18th. Anne McArthur along with Alistair and Pat Lemmon (family friend) the Chair of our Branch, Dianna Baillie and myself were all sent an invite to the opening.
The cabinet has several drawers full of archives from photographs to newspaper articles and programmes and menus from past social functions.
The Banffshire Journal has an article on the opening where you can find the full story.
Alistair is a volunteer at the Museum. If you are planning a visit it would be an idea to check if Alistair is on duty. Alistair will send me his rota in due course and I will pass it on to members.
Liz
17th July Summer Social at The Sail Loft, Portsoy
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