
The piper played us in on our way to the Reverie (photo by Pat Smith)
Organising Burns Night is always a pleasure for me as, apart from being a fun evening, it is very much a team effort for Dorking & District u3a. Admittedly we work very hard to get it right and this could not happen without the fantastic support and enthusiasm from the staff of Buckland Park Lake and the Reverie, and of course the piper, Andrew Gallager. In addition to that is the tremendous support and enthusiasm of the members who perform and those who are the guests supporting the event.
Our evening started with guests being greeted by the piper playing the bagpipes at the entrance to the restaurant surrounded by fire pits – a stunning sight. Guests then proceeded into the Reverie where they were greeted with a Burns Night cocktail.
Dinner commenced at 7pm with the Selkirk Grace given by John Thom. Our starter was the traditional cock-a-leekie soup, which was delicious. This was followed by the Parade of the Haggis by the chef and the piper, while the guests clapped in time to the music until they reached their destination. The piper then addressed the haggis and we all toasted it with a wee dram, after which it was served with neeps and tatties and a whisky sauce.
Having enjoyed the haggis, John Thom then offered a spellbinding oration of the Immortal Memory, depicting the very colourful short life of Robbie Burns, followed by another toast.
Karl Barclay and Beryl Sinclair both recited poems by Burns, which was hugely entertaining. We then had the Burns Night quiz.
Dessert, of cranachan raspberry cake with a Cointreau whipped cream, was then served and afterwards Mike Giles gave the Toast to the Lassies and Jackie Rance replied with the Toast to the Laddies, both of which were highly entertaining and enjoyable.
It was time for the raffle to be drawn, with some wonderful prizes donated by Buckland Park Lake, and the results of the Burns Night quiz, which was won by Liz Lockhart-Mure. During all this time we had more music from the piper, with songs we could recognise.
Finally, it was time for coffee and shortbread, Auld Lang Syne and homeward bound after a really great evening.
All I can say now is a huge thank you to everyone involved, my team of entertainers and the members who came and supported us. Here’s to the next one on 25 January 2026.
Ianthe Cox