Linlithgow

Linlithgow Grange Rotary Monday night’s meeting was President Harry Millar’s first of the new Rotary year with the very pleasant duty of awarding a Rotary Sports Bursary to Sam Thomas from Linlithgow, a keen young golfer who has only been playing for just over two years but has won many medals and competitions at Linlithgow Golf Club. Sam intends to use his bursary for additional lessons from the professional at the club to help lower his handicap even further. President Harry introduced the speaker for the evening, Kerry Reich, Community and Event Fundraiser for Epilepsy Scotland, and explained how keen he is to raise funds for this charity in this Rotary year due to his personal knowledge of the charity’s work. Kerry’s presentation, her first but no one would have known, ranged from an explanation of Epilepsy (the most common serious neurological condition in the world) how it is diagnosed and treated, and the latest statistics on the condition. Kerry also outlined the very extensive support provided by Epilepsy Scotland and how the organisation raises awareness of the condition, lobbies for high standards of care and delivers its own support services and information. In closing Kerry outlined the very wide range of fundraising activities for the charity in Scotland and President Harry confirmed the club’s Golf Am Am this August would raise funds for Epilepsy Scotland. After the opportunity for questions secretary David Timperley thanked Kerry on behalf of the club for an excellent presentation, especially as it was her first. After the club meeting Immediate Past President John Reid presented a Rotary Sports Bursary award at Bellsburn Bowling Club to a young bowler, Katie Taylor from Linlithgow. Katie has been playing grass bowls at Bellsburn Bowling Club since 2009 and has been junior player of the year at the club every year since 2011. For the past two years she has also been part of the West Lothian junior bowling squad with great success. As well as her bowling Kate also competes very successfully in swimming and cross-country running. Both Sam and Katie are worthy recipients of the sports bursary awards and the club looks forward to them returning to update members on their progress in their chosen sports.