Bergen Scottish Society

2015 - 2016 onwards see our facebook page

• Scottish Diaspora Tapestry
Wednesday, 18th March to Thursday, 9th April - Bergen Rådhuset 

Bergen Scottish Society is proud to have been the only hosts in Norway of the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry exhibition which began its international tour here in Bergen.  The foyer at Rådhuset is being used to house the 214 tapestries, which tell stories of Scottish immigrants who have made their mark in the countries they have moved to.  The exhibition will continue its journey in Europe before moving on to Australia later this year and Americas in 2016.  The exhibition is a twin of a permanent exhibition which hangs in the Scottish parliament buildings.

Check out the News section for 2015 to catch more news on the Bergen exhibition.

• Annual AGM
Wednesday 11th March

The formalities of this year's Annual General Meeting was taken care of in a concise manner, with the Election Committee working their usual magic to fill the vacant posts.  Thanks were given to those leaving their posts after years of outstanding service:  Margaret, having served as Membership Secretary and Chairperson, Bjarne, who invented the role of Information Coordinator.  Congratulations was given to Stephen Erskine, who graciously switched roles from Secretary to Chairperson.

• Burns' Supper
Saturday 24th January - Tracteursted, Gamle Bergen

The 10th annual Burns Supper of the Society was held at Tracteursted located at Gamle Bergen.  The large dining area upstairs and the cosy atmosphere downstairs, used for coffee and cakes while the upstairs was cleared for the dancing portion of the evening, allowed the guests to appreciate the venue's historic ambience.  Now managed by Søtt & Salt, the staff helped to make the event a success, but let's not forget the committee (past and present) members who did their part as well.

Seating arrangements made it easy for guests to find their place at the tables, and the event kicked off with a few of Burns' song sung by SydVestKoret, based in Fyllingsdalen.  Our long-standing Master of Ceremonies, James Hosea, then delivered the Selkirk Grace and the haggis was piped in to the tune of Scotland the Brave played by Roger Fulton.  Gregor Campbell, complete with a Scottish tam, did his mother proud with his recital of the Address to a Haggis, after which everyone raised a glass of either wine of whisky and then enjoyed the evening's fare of tasty haggis, prepared once again by the staff at Solheim Kjøtt, served with neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes) prepared by the staff at Tracteursted.

Liam Boyd, a new member of the Society, delivered an interesting Immortal Memory, while Scott Ingram and Anne Sophie Valdal played well off each other's speeches which encompassed the Toast to the Lassies and its Reply, given on behalf of all the gents and ladies in the room.  Somewhere in the midst of the speeches all enjoyed the lovely trifle prepared by Søtt & Salt.

After coffee, served downstairs in the 'stuene', it was time for dancing, the raffle, a miniband from Bergen Pipes & Drums and yet more dancing, before the event was closed in its usual fashion, with all joining hands to form a circle and singing Auld Lang Syne to the sound of the bagpipes.

What a great way to kickoff the 10th year of the Bergen Scottish Society!