The piper arrived in good time and was very surprised to see so many place settings in Langley Community Centre. He said that we must have a very good community here because there was another Burns Supper due to take place in his own area but it had to be cancelled due to lack of interest. As a former member of the Scots Guards he was well used to Burns Suppers over the the years and was particularly impressed by the trouble people had taken to create a welcoming and celebratory atmosphere. Our new community centre was certainly an ideal venue for what is surely now established as another Langley village tradition.The lovely ladies of Langley and a few others worked throughout the evening to ensure that everyone was well fed and watered. The Great Chieftain o’ the Pudding Race was piped in with due ceremony before being mercilessly stabbed by the piper to the poetry of Robbie Burns. Mr Dean Smith had brought the haggis around the tables for a viewing before the piper took charge of it. With remarkable speed and customary efficiency the ladies managed to ensure that everyone had almost no time at all to wait before being fed.

The traditional combination of neeps and tatties accompanied the haggis served with a delicious cranberry sauce and some whisky flavoured cream sauce. This was followed by the traditional trifle and somehow in spite of a full house of some fifty -six diners there seemed to be no shortage of second helpings. As if that were not enough, an excellent cheese board allowed diners to graze as they wished. The ladies who prepared and served the meal had little or no time to eat whilst the rest of us feasted and grew ever more Scottish as the evening progressed. When it came to the address to the lassies or ladies, we were reminded of the sorry existence many women and girls are having to endure in some parts of today’s world. Women’s rights have to be guarded and cherished, and with that sermon over the tribute descended rapidly into a mixture of humour and joyful celebration of the role women play not only in our villages but across the nation and beyond. The reply from the ladies was memorable for its brevity, and with that section of the evening concluded we prepared for what would eventually be a selection of simple Scottish dances overseen by Roger, our distinguished caller.

The whisky, the wine and the beer flowed freely and a good time was had by all. Thanks to the thirst and generosity of so many, a great deal of money was raised in support of the Langley Village project. Several people had worked long and hard to ensure the tremendous success of the evening . In preparing the hall, Phil Rouse and Mike North put out the tables while Dean Smith and his son Harry strung up the bunting. All who attended will not easily forget an evening that honoured the Scottish bard and brought warmth and laughter on a very cold January night.