25 years of Burns Nights, with St George Bahrain Lodge

Lodge St George Bahrain held its annual Burns Night Dinner and Ceilidh on Saturday, 25th January, successfully aligning the event with the traditional date of Burns Night. The gathering took place at the picturesque Lympne Castle, where our regular band, “Rejigged,” provided the evening’s music.

Upon arrival, guests were warmly welcomed by WBro Dave Hart and our customary piper, Cynthia Fuller, before proceeding to the magnificent Great Hall. The venue was filled to capacity with brethren and guests from various lodges in Ashford and the wider East Kent area. (Please refer to the accompanying photograph of the Great Hall.)

The evening’s proceedings commenced with WBro Gordon Brown delivering the Selkirk Grace. This year, we were honoured to have WBro Chris McNeilly of White Rose Lodge present the Address to the Haggis. His delivery, in the authentic Scottish dialect, transported guests to the rolling hills of Scotland and the birthplace of Robert Burns in Ayr.

Following the Address to the Haggis, a “Wee Tot” was shared by Chris and the Chef, in keeping with tradition.

In addition to marking the occasion of Burns Night itself, this year’s event held particular significance as it also commemorated the 25th anniversary of “Rejigged” performing at our Burns Night celebration, an event which has become an annual tradition barring the interruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The charity event was a resounding success, raising over £1,000. The proceeds will be split between Pilgrims Hospices in Ashford and Canterbury and the 2025 Festival, made possible by the generous contributions of our guests and the local businesses who donated prizes.

Lympne Castle provided excellent catering services for the evening, and we look forward to returning next year, on 24th January 2026. The venue, band, and piper are already confirmed for the event.

Article by Clive Hallett.

Some Photos of the evening, a full write up will be a feature in the upcoming Provincial Lite Magazine, in April. 

A couple of videoas, one showing the Haggis being piped into the room, and the other, a small sample of Dancing.