Thursday, 28th January 2010
Brussels Burns Supper raises £6540 for Haiti
Last night (27 January), 87 MEPs and guests gathered in Brussels to help survivors of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.
The tenth annual European Parliament Burns Supper, organised by Struan Stevenson MEP, and hosted by all six of the Scottish MEPs, raised £6540 for Mercy Corps’ Appeal for Haiti.
The dinner, sponsored by Royal Mail, was attended by Scots from across Europe. Jamie McGrigor MSP toasted the Immortal Memory of the Bard. And, former City of Edinburgh Councillor Lindsay Walls gave the Address to the Haggis together with highly energetic and uproarious recitals of Willie Wastle and Tam O’Shanter, with interpretation of Willie Wastle into English from his wife Daphne Walls.
The five young performers from the Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra received a standing ovation from guests.
The evening’s auction raised a staggering £2540 for Haiti. Successful bids included £786 for a signed tennis racquet from Andy Murray and £275 for an Edinburgh Gunners rugby shirt. A bag full of Tunnocks Caramel Wafers and Teacakes with a bottle of Irn Bru generated some furious bidding and eventually sold for a spectacular £180.
The Royal Mail’s sponsorship was £4,000.
Speaking following the Burns Supper, Struan Stevenson said:
“We are delighted at the success of the Parliament’s annual Burns Supper. The guests gave generously and with the sponsorship from the Royal Mail we raised £6540 to support Mercy Corps’ Appeal for Haiti.
“As Burns himself said "Affliction's sons are brothers in distress; A brother to relieve, how exquisite the bliss!"
“There can be no greater sons and daughters of affliction than the devastated people of Haiti and it seems fitting that we dedicated our annual Brussels celebration of Burns' life and work to helping relieve some of the distress amongst the Haitian population."
The dinner was held in L’Atelier, 28 Rue Franklin, Brussels.
