On Wednesday, 18 March, 2015, the Inner Wheel Club of Kirkcudbright celebrated its 40th.Anniversary, at a lunch held in the Selkirk Arms Hotel.
The inaugural meeting of the Club was held on 18 March, 1975 at the [then] Railway Station, with 14 founder members; one of whom – Frances McVitie – is still an active member. Membership has now increased to 27 and monthly meetings are held, on Wednesday evenings, at the Selkirk Arms Hotel, Kirkcudbright.
Inner Wheel Clubs are world wide and open to women interested in promoting friendship; it is no longer a requirement to be the wife of a Rotarian. Our Club holds fund raising events during summer months, to raise donations for local, national and international charities, such as the Dumfries Samaritans, Drop-In Centres in Kirkcudbright and Gatehouse of Fleet, travelling expenses for a local disabled athlete, and supporting families through Home Start. We have raised funds for Water Aid, Medecins sans Frontiers and for Shelter Box. Members have also been busy knitting or donating baby clothes for the Greenfields Africa charity. These are just a few examples of the charities we support.
Inner Wheel Clubs are grouped in Districts. each with a central committee. The Kirkcudbright Club is in District 2, whose Chairman, Pamela Hull, joined us for our 40th.Anniversary lunch, where she presented President Sheila Martin with a framed certificate, to honour the occasion. The NAIWC Vice-President, Trish Douglas, expressed her pleasure at being able to join us. Fellow Inner Wheelers from thirteen Clubs travelled from as far as Montrose, in the north, to Stranraer, in the south, to share in this important celebration. We were pleased to welcome two members of the Rotary Club of Kirkcudbright: President Colin MacLaine, who sent his Club’s greetings; and Rotarian Tony Wood, who volunteered his services as the photographer.
The Guest Speaker, Heather Mitchell, had us all entertained by a vivid account of the life of a ghillie in Scotland. We were surprised by how much gear she had to carry to be prepared for long waits outdoors, before being called, for example, to pick up the body of a stag. Heather showed us a very heavy saddle, which she said was to support the body on a pony’s back. She stressed how strong ponies are; well capable of carrying the weight of a dead stag, or even up to three smaller deer. Heather is called Frilly Gillie by her fellows because she always wears a frilly scarf.
We enjoyed an excellent meal provided by the Selkirk Arms; and a beautiful cake, baked and decorated by our Vice-President, Linda Kinnell, who also provided a chocolate rose for all present.
The occasion was brought to a close by a vote of thanks from Vice-President Linda
Kinnell and closing remarks by President Sheila Martin.
