Speaker Evening

Club member Alan Armes was the speaker at the Rotary Club of South Queensferry on Thursday 22nd December. Alan's fascinating talk covered his experiences in Kosovo in former Yugoslavia when seconded there in the wake of the civil war. A serving Lothian and Borders Police officer at the time, Alan became part of a team of western advisors tasked with reforming police practices in this trouble spot, scene of intense ethnic and religious rivalries against the largely Albanian population. His talk was rich in anecdotes and not without humour despite the desperate political situation and the deep suspicion of the local police which he and his colleagues encountered. Kosovo was then under the trusteeship of the United Nations and Alan said one of the proudest moments of his life was being presented with a UN blue beret.

This was the last Rotary meeting of the year. The next meeting will be a formal speaker's evening on January 12th. President Graham Leith wished all club members and everyone who had supported Rotary throughout 2016 a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.