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News
15 June 2015
200th Anniversary Dinner
Event showcases enthralling history of RCET
It was with much to celebrate that the RCET took centre stage at a dinner held at the prestigious Caledonian Club in Belgavia in London on 19 March. The dinner was generously hosted and supported by the Caledonian Society of London, in recognition the Trust’s Bicentenary.
The Society was formed in 1837 and is dedicated to the support of its two chosen charities, the RCET and Scots Care, with funds raised at its dinners going towards the two charities. It was an exceptional evening and more than 90 Society members and guests were present at the black tie event, including many RCET supporters and guardians.
The keynote speaker was TV presenter and broadcaster, record breaking round the world cyclist and ultra endurance adventurer Mark Beaumont. Mark entertained and enthralled everyone with tales of his adventures, which started when he decided to cycle across Scotland aged 11.
They continued with him breaking the world record for cycling round the world, and his attempts to conquer some of the most unforgiving corners of the globe. He described the events which led to the boat he was in being capsizing 28 days into a 30-day record-breaking attempt to row across the Atlantic. A guest remarked on the fact you could hear a pin drop as he gravely recalled how the crew faced the fight of their lives before a Taiwanese cargo vessel managed to reach them and conduct a dangerous night-time rescue.
Sohpie Ramsay, a successful singer and songwriter who is also from Perthshire, performed an enchanting musical set and piper Alastair Campbell received a huge show of appreciation for his Strathspey and traditional piping set.
The pinnacle of the evening was an address by the RCET’s Chairman, Malcolm Noble. With the conviction and perfect sense of timing of an accomplished storyteller, Malcolm captivated the room with a whistle-stop tour of the history of the Trust, starting with its formation in 1815 working up to the present day.
He explained how the Asylum, as it was then known, came into existence, the move to a purpose-built establishment at Bushey, how the institution survived two World Wars, and managed to find a place in the changed circumstances of state provision of education in the Victorian period and post years.
Commenting on the Trust’s more recent achievements, Malcolm said: “The key to the Trust’s survival has been a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining its Scottish ethos and this continues to be valued by supporters and beneficiaries alike.”
The history of the Trust is presented in a special commemorative Bicentenary publication that was also unveiled on the night. Written by Malcolm Noble, it is titled: A National Institution of the Scottish Nation, A retrospective: 1815 – 2015, and documents the history of the Trust.
The 48-page publication contains a special celebratory message from the Trust’s patron, Her Majesty the Queen, as well as illustrations, photographs and anecdotes.
Highlights from the publication are featured in this issue of Caledonian Postings. To receive your free copy, please get in touch. Please note a small donation to cover postage and packaging may apply.