Pensioners enjoy New Year lunch
NIKI TENNANT
South Lanarkshire Provost Ian McAllan joined pensioners this week to mark the age-old tradition of the Rutherglen Mortified Money Fund New Year lunch.
The Rutherglen Mortified Money Fund is a tradition so ancient that its origins have been lost with the passage of time.
As Provost McAllan explained to those who gathered for the annual fund lunch at Rutherglen Town Hall, it appears to be based on “the very noble and community-led desire to help those least fortunate.”
He explained: “Over the years, the definition of those people changed and it was agreed that, to stay true to the spirit of the fund, the town’s oldest citizens were to be its recipients, and since South Lanarkshire came into being in 1996, that has continued to take the form of a meal and financial gift.”
In keeping with tradition, the oldest man and woman - Ronald Ballantyne, 84, and 95-year-old Alice Knape - were honoured at Monday’s lunch.
Congratulating Ronald and Alice, Provost McAllan continued: “The continuation of such an age-old tradition, even in these modern and fast-moving times, is a symbol of the high regard in which our senior citizens, are held. We all appreciate that we have much to learn from them and indeed to thank them for, and it is fitting that such an ancient and respectful ritual has started our New Year in Rutherglen.”
Provost McAllan thanked the Fund’s trustees, Margaret Robinson, Jean Hannah and Alison Bennet, whose hard work helped pull the event together.
He also thanked Katy Morrison of Rutherglen Old Parish Church and South Lanarkshire Council’s Karen McLeod and Pauline MacRae who provided behind-the-scenes support to trustees.