Dinner guests
The rotary club of Motherwell and Wishaw celebrated St Andrew’s Night last Thursday with a special dinner in the Centenary Suite of the Fir Park Club.
The principal guests were the Russian Consul General for Scotland Andrev Pritsepov and Lord Willie Haughey.
The musical entertainment was provided by Ryan Corbett, an 18-yearold accordionist who studies at the Royal Coservatoire of Scotland and St Mary’s School, Edinburgh.
In addition, there were four veterans from the Arctic Convoys present at the dinner who had previously received the Ushakov Medal from Andrev Pritsepov for their valour in combat.
In his address the Consul General said that the unsung heroes of the Arctic Convoys are worthy of veneration by giving an example to follow of the stoicism, strength and endurance of the human spirit.
Over £1,000 was raised in a raffle on the night for the Arctic Convoy Project. During the evening Mr Pritsepov presented past president Tom Sleith with the Paul Harris Fellowship Award which is the highest honour that can be bestowed on a rotarian.
After the musical interlude, Lord Haughey gave his address by saying that it was the first time a boy from the Gorbals had followed an accordionist!
Along with his wife, Lord Haughey set up City Refrigeration in 1985. With a staff of six they had turnover of £100,000.
Today, City Facilities Management Ltd has 14,000 employees worldwide and has a turnover in excess of a billion pounds.
In 2013 he was created a life peer, taking the title Baron Haughey of Hutchesontown in the City of Glasgow.
He spoke about the long-established links between Scotland and Russia and in ending he proposed the toast to Russia, Scotland and St Andrew the patron saint of both countries.