CHAIRMAN

John Parker

Tel. 07970 568425

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN

       ???

SECRETARY

Allan (Mac) Black

Tel. 07512 022949

TREASURER

Duncan Pickard

Tel. 01334 870203

TALK CONVENOR

Graeme Hogg

Tel. 01334 653043

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Jim Lawrence

David Martin

Maurice Shepherd

David Sinclair

ASSIST. TALK CONVENOR

Bill Bowman

TALK RECORDERS

Jim Lawrence

Tony Miklinski

Brian Murray

Graham Pirie

MEMBERS PAGE

To access the MEMBERS page enter your password in the box above

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Wednesday

28th January 2026

10.00am

'The Work of the RNID'

Presenter - Pheonix Archer

Club News

Secretary email: macblack.author@gmail.com

The first meeting of 2026, held in the Castlehill Community Hall on 7th January, was a full programme. By tradition, it is the last meeting being chaired by the outgoing Chairman, who is David Martin, and included both the Annual General Meeting of the club and a talk by one of our own members, Jim Lawrence. 

The new Chairman for this year is John Parker, and he will take over from the next meeting.

The talk today is entitled 'Tales of an Air Attache - 5 years in Jordan' by Jim Lawrence. Jim has been an active member since 2022, having served as Chairman for a year and a half, and has been a member of the committee since.

Annual General Meeting

Summary...

Chairman, David Martin announced that the present members of the Committee were willing to continue, except  Vic Broad who has had to resign for health reasons both from the Talk Recorders team and as Assistant Secretary.

The post of Deputy Chair is currently vacant. This is a post that is considered essential to be filled as the Deputy normally becomes Chairman the following year. Volunteers were invited to contact the Secretary confidentially.

The Club Balance Sheet was available for members' perusal prior to the meeting. The funds were considered to be satisfactory but with various additional regular costs being incurred from now on, it was accepted that the annual subscription would become £30. 

The programme of Talks for this year, organised by Convenor, Graeme Hogg, has been filled until mid-May. Several visits are being investigated at present and, as usual, ideas for future talks will be welcomed. We had 14 visiting speakers and 6 member speakers last year.

Membership is healthy with 6 new members having joined during last year. Our oldest member, John Kilpatrick died during last year. He'd reached the age of 101 and been an active member for 31 years.

New members have always been welcome, usually by a one to one invitation. However a new approach has been decided for recruitment and that is by a publicity poster to be displayed in many notice boards in town and neighbouring areas. The club accepts that this could lead to possible applications from both males and females.

There was a very successful Christmas lunch attended by 46 members and guests, unfortunately missed by two who'd planned to be there but were stuck at a London airport after a late sunny holiday!

There was a special thanks to our hard working catering team and to the individuals who regularly collect members who are less able.

The Talk Recorder team was also thanked - Tony Miklinski, Graham Pirie, Brian Murray and Vic Broad. The gap left in the team by Vic's resignation will be filled by Jim Lawrence.

Finally, the attendance prizes! Runners-up with only one absence, winning a Mars bar each - Duncan Pickard and Graeme Hogg. But with perfect attendance, the person who is at the hall first and sets up the sound and visual system for every meeting - our Chairman, David Martin! A great example. He got the Toblerone bar!

Tales of an Air Attache

- 5 years in Jordan.

Cupar Probus stalwart, Wing Commander Jim Lawrence (Rtd),  gave a fascinating presentation of his 5 years as an Air Attache to Jordan.  Known as the Switzerland of the Middle East, Jordan is host to a wide range of religious and cultural sites, including Amman’s great mosques, the Dead Sea and the numerous sites related to the biblical figures of Moses, Elijah and John the Baptist.  It also encapsulates the area where the real Lawrence of Arabia operated in the 1st World War.
Jim quoted that “a diplomat is an honest man sent abroad to lie for his country”, then stressed that he was an attache, not a diplomat,  whose job was, mostly, to liaise with the Jordanian military, foster good relations, encourage Defence sales and help sort out Brits in trouble in the Kingdom.  He gave a number of examples, including a missing British citizen who was caught by Jordanian police trying to break into the King’s palace, was jailed, then escaped and wrecked the prison.  Apparently he was ex military and had gone off his medication!  
Jim described some of his more memorable visits; the Dead Sea, which is 1400 feet below sea level and sinking rapidly; desert castles from Crusader times; and a Roman dam that is still functioning and holds water 2,000 years on. He also indulged in “Wadi bashing” which involved hammering his 4x4 around dried up river beds.   His tour of duty was from 2002 - 2007, and included the second Gulf War where he was busy facilitating allied aircraft support and managing press visitors, including Kate Adie.  This was a revealing insight into the workings of our Air Attaches abroad, the lives they lead and the myriad of challenges to be overcome.  It was a thoroughly entertaining and informative talk from our very own, Lawrence of Arabia.