GOUROCK Burns Club celebrated its 117th anniversary dinner with yet another successful evening. 

Around 130 members and friends gathered at the Gamble Halls to celebrate and to pay tribute, in poetry and song, to Rabbie Burns. 

Club president, Bill Irvine, led proceedings in his usual, humorous manner, and thanked his committee, members and friends for supporting the dinner, and also for their generosity in raising the excellent sum of £525 for Mauchline Homes. 

Chef Tony Buckley carried in the haggis – piped in by John MacLeod – before Norman Campbell addressed it with his usual gusto. 

After an excellent meal, the company toasted the Queen and sang the national anthem.  Joe McGinty revealed an outstanding knowledge of Burns with a thoughtful ‘immortal memory to the bard’, while Joe Gatherer raised the roof with his ‘toast to the lasses’. 

Recitations from young Jamie Donnelly were very well received, as was the communal singing led by Ian McCrorie, accompanied by John Roy Garrod.

Vice-president Alasdair Hendry thanked the chairman and guests for their contributions, with the chairman replying.  

The evening was brought to a close with the company joining together to sing Auld Lang Syne.