PEEBLES Ex-Cornets Association held its annual dinner in the Green Tree Hotel last Friday. 

The Ex-Cornets and guests were treated to an excellent meal by the proprietors and staff of the hotel, before being entertained and informed by the line up of speakers for the evening. 

Even if one of them was still stranded in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Chairman for the evening, Ex-Cornet Angus Tait welcomed everyone and pointed out that the company included the oldest surviving cornet David Raeburn (1958), Golden Jubilee Cornet Tom Swanston (1965) and Silver Jubilee Cornet Colin Hunter (1990), who was presented with a decanter from the association by President Tom Swanston to mark the occasion. 

The chairman then presented the newest member of the association, Ex-Cornet Kevin Smith, with his association tie and sash.

The main toast of the evening, to the association itself, was due to be proposed by Musselburgh Honest Lad from 2009, Ali Barclay.

 Unfortunately, Ali was caught up in the travel chaos in Egypt following the crash of the Russian jet in the Sinai Desert and was yet to return home. 

His toast however, was emailed to his close friend Ex-Cornet Colin Noble, who stood in at the very last moment. 

Within his very humourous speech, Ali (aka Colin) detailed the honour felt by young men being chosen to represent their respective towns, and being the custodians of rich traditions dating back to 1820 when the instrument derived from the post horn in France. 

He also spoke of making lifelong friends with the representatives of neighbouring towns, as he has done with some of the Ex-Cornets. 

He went on to describe visiting many of the Border towns' festivities, taking particular interest in the respective fancy dress parades, where townsfolk of all ages were able to take part, particularly those less keen on horse riding. 

He did, of course, point out the ‘habit’ at such events for the males of the town to dress as females. 

Prior to having the company stand to toast the association, he stressed how important the local common ridings and festivals were, by asking those present to imagine what their towns would be like without their ‘week’.

In replying to Ali’s speech, Ex-Cornet Dan Williamson spoke of the pride he felt in being asked to be Cornet. He already thought he had enjoyed a great Beltane journey, from mouse to Peebles Burgh Silver Band, but felt he had reached the top with this job. 

Dan concluded by thanking Ex-Cornet Alastair Dodds for his support as chairman throughout his term in office.

In his toast to the Royal Burgh of Peebles and the Beltane Festival,  Baptist minister and warden of the Cross Kirk, the Rev Ian Gray, pointed out that the town had for many years, “punched above its weight”. 

He pointed out that having come from a similar sized town in the central belt, he felt he could only describe that place as little more than a village, but without even the attendant close-knit community feel. 

Peebles, however, while only slightly larger, has the feel of a real town, with such facilities as a theatre, museums, art galleries, a castle, several excellent hotels, a largely independent high street, and of course, a number of local festivals. 

He felt however that the town’s biggest strength is in the single word – community. 

This being summed up in no better way than via the Beltane Festival. 

While confessing to being a touch biased, Mr Gray felt the Beltane to be almost unique in the way it brings together the different sections of the community – men and women, young and old, riders and pedestrians, even gutterbluid and stooreyfoot. 

He talked of the huge privilege to directly participate in the past year’s festival and how it really brought the ‘community’ together, including bringing people back from overseas. 

In concluding, Ian asked that he be allowed to alter the title of the toast, and asked all those present to join in raising their glasses to the Community of Peebles and the Beltane Festival.

In his first year as vice-chairman of the Beltane Committee, Paul Spence was invited to reply to Ian Gray’s toast. Paul’s reply dovetailed well with the preceding toast, by continuing on the ‘Community’ theme. 

He detailed a few of his highlights in this year’s Beltane Festival and reminded those gathered that many of the committee and helpers who make the festival work, “were not getting any younger”.

“The Final Word” this year, fell to proud Hawick man Davey Scott. 

Mr Scott started by reciting the poem Edinburgh after Flodden to explain the meaning of the flags or banners in those far off days to Borders men, before relating it to the present common ridings and festivals. 

Throughout his very humourous delivery, he recounted his younger days in Hawick and more recent times visiting all the Borders festivals, and finished by reminding the company that there was no such thing as an Ex-Cornet, Ex-Standard Bearer, Ex-Whipman, as the position is really a life-long commitment, and as such, he was happy to refer to the members present as Cornets.

An excellent evening was rounded off with the presentation of the Critical Cup to Ex-Cornet Kevin Smith, who also proposed the vote of thanks. 

Top table guest for the evening was Gavin Thomson, a long-time unsung volunteer of many causes in the town, particularly the Beltane Festival.  

Ex-Cornets top table and guests for the evening – Back row (left to right) President Tom Swanston, 25th year Cornet Colin Hunter, Dan Williamson, Rev Ian Gray. Front (left to right) Top table guest Gavin Thomson, Beltane Committee Vice-Chairman Paul Spence, Ex-Cornets Chairman Angus Tait, Davey Scott, Colin Noble

Ex-Cornets top table and guests for the evening – Back row (left to right) President Tom Swanston, 25th year Cornet Colin Hunter, Dan Williamson, Rev Ian Gray. Front (left to right) Top Table Guest Gavin Thomson, Beltane Committee Vice-Chairman Paul Spence, Ex-Cornets Chairman Angus Tait, Davey Scott, Colin Noble.