Following the success of the 2005 Reunion, there was no question as to where the 2007 event should be held – the Glynhill Hotel, Paisley, again. The format of the event was to be as before, with Documentation and Scrutineering commencing at 1730 going through to 1900. It had been decided to take the opportunity to hold the first Annual General Meeting of VSMA at the Glynhill, and this was held in a small adjacent room at 1800 hours. Strangely only a few members turned up to what was hoped to be a very auspicious occasion! Perhaps the bar was more of an attraction!! Anyway, the business was conducted in a very timely manner by chairman Jimmy McInnes and we were able to join the others at around 1820, for the more important part of the evening.
Signing-on was in the capable hands of some the VSMA Directors’ wives and Director Adele Paterson, the gentlemen having had other things to do! Altogether there were 102 members in attendancealong with 67 partners, but apologies were received from many members who could not manage along. In the official VSMA Programme for the evening, which was very professionally produced by Alan Carlaw, Jimmy McInnes had written the following introduction –
Welcome
“It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this our third reunion. At our last gathering, we elected Adele Paterson, Bill Dryden and Andy Watson onto the committee to infuse some fresh ideas into the Association and last May the Association was formed into a limited company to ensure its ongoing future. The Committee are now all Directors of the Company with Stuart Parker as Honorary Secretary, Alan Carlaw as Honorary Treasurer, Bob Bailie as Vice-Chairman and myself as Chairman.
It is our intention, however, to retain the original concept of the Reunion, which is to continue to highlight the social side of “motorsport” which most, if not all of us, so enjoyed in the 50s and 60s. Observation of today’s motoring events, particularly in racing at the highest F1 level, the “sporting element” has been overtaken by commercialism, leading, in fact, to expensive battles in the courtroom. My rallying memory of “protests” cost £15 at the most and was invariably settled amicably.
However, enough of the political moans, we are here to enjoy good food, good wine and, in particular, good company to have a good “blether”. The Board are extremely grateful to Regie Renault, who have repeated the generous assistance which we received from them last time.
We are sorry that our recently appointed Patron, Andrew Bruce, Earl of Elgin is unable to be with us and regrettably our Honorary President, Sir Jackie Stewart cannot be here. Honorary Vice-President, Andrew Cowan, is with us.
Our principal guest is Stuart Turner, a man who has been involved in so many aspects of “motorsport” I don’t have space to elaborate. You will hear more of him during dinner.
I do hope you are having a pleasant evening of reminiscing and if you are driving home, “Gany Warily”!
Jimmy McInnes
Chairman
Some of the Members and Guests at Reception
By the time dinner started everyone really seemed to be in a mood to enjoy themselves and considering the racket during dinner that seemed to be the case. As was the custom, between courses, Chairman Jimmy took his roving microphone around the room interviewing many of the members at their tables. Two large screens had been erected at each end of the room to allow everyone to see images of those being interviewed in various scenes from their past. Occasionally this resulted in hoots of laughter and not only from McInnes’s patter! The star of the evening was certainly Stuart Turner who entertained us with a fund of stories relating to his varied career in motorsport, from his beginnings on the club scene right up to his time as manager of the Ford Europe Motorsport team.
A few photographs taken during dinner.
The evening officially finished at 2330 but many stayed on ’till the wee sma’ hours. Overall the evening seemed to go well and as far as we could see everyone seemed to enjoy themselves – which was the main purpose of the evening, as well as catching up with old friends.
Photographs on display at Reception – click on any image to enlarge
few photographs from the 2007 programme
List of Entrants, Partners and Guests
Entrant Location Partner/Guest
Kenny Allen Crossford Ken Gunn
Barrie Anderson Aberdeen Jane Anderson
Fraser Anderson Milngavie
Neil Armour Newton Mearns Margaret Armour, Dorothy McPherson
“Please accept my apologies as l will in the South on the 27th October. Have a good one.”
Peter Brown, Galashiels
“Won’t be able to attend as I am on leave and will be in Florida (Hurricane Season) – last time I went at this time I got stranded !!”
Gus Carnegie, West Linton
“l won’t be coming this time around – moving house on 25th!”
John Cleland, Melrose
“Sorry, can’t manage – another previous engagement that night.”
Tom Coffield, jr, Callander“
“l had intended to take part this year but my wife Eileen and I will be at our house in the Gatine, France at this time. I hope you all have a good reunion, All the best.”
Graham Cowie, Lochwinnoch
“l will be in Forida at the time! Reasonable excuse??”
Eric Dymock, lsle of Bute
“Sadly I am not going to be able to attend. Please make my apologies to all the colleagues, but it is the same date as the Scottish Car of the Year presentation at St Andrews. Our publishing firm sponsors one of the categories in the awards so it is a bit of a command performance. Best wishes for a successful event.”
Graham Gauld, Claviers. France
“Not able to make it as I am in Scotland the week before and am due to go to Australia the week after so locked between a rock and a hard place. Hope you have a great night”
Alisdair Gibson, Dundee
“l don’t think I will be able to make it.”
George Gibson, Newtonmore
“l regret that I shall be unable to attend.”
Stuart Gray, Knockhill
“On holiday on 27th October. Good luck on the evening.”
Tom Gray, Edinburgh “Sorry, arrive Dover 28 Oct after the cruise!”
Colin Hope, Helensburgh “Unable to come. I am sure you will have a great Reunion..”
Marilyn Jack, Bothwell “Guide camp that weekend. Really, no kidding.”
Harvey McCaig, Bahrain “Sorry that I will be unable to attend as I will have to be back in Bahrain on that date. Pity, as I originally believed it was to be held in early October – which I could have made. I now act as a F1/GP2 scrutineer at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Here’s wishing you and the Association a good time on the 27th. We will hopefully meet next time.”
Robed McKenzie. Barrhead “Unfortunately I will be unable to attend due to health reasons. Hope the evening goes well.”
John Melvin, Eaglesham “Sorry I can’t be with you this time. Have a great night.”
Gray Mickel, Newton Mearns “Please accept my apology for not being able to attend the Reunion Dinner. I hope you all have a pleasant and enjoyable evening.”
Stella Morgan, Kemnay, Aberdeen “May I tender my apologies. I am unable to attend. I trust it will be a splendid evening.”
Martin Murray, Bishopbriggs
“Lynne and I will be moving house that weekend.”
Alisdair Pearson, Streatley, Berks “Regrettably, I am not going to make the date this year as a long-planned family holiday will have me in Greece at this time. The problem with non-attendance at the Vets dinner as I suggested to Lindsay Kerr, is the automatic assumption that you’re deid ! I’m obviously not and hope to attend next time.”
Monty Pearson, Duns “Organising the Tyneside Motor Sports Group’s Navigational Rally on the 27th October. A great pity!”
Ian Scott-Watson. Greenlaw “l very much regret that I will not be able to attend this year. I have an invitation on that weekend to attend a major motor industry celebration of 50 years since the launch of Colin Chapman’s first road car, the Lotus Elite (and also a tribute to Colin on the 25th anniversary of his death). I bought two of these cars for Jim Clark to race under the Border Reivers banner and secured 2nd place in class at Le mans and the Autosport Championship in 1959 with one of these cars. I wish you all success with this year’s VSMA Reunion.”
lan Stewart, Crieff “l have been unable to cope with “evenings out” for many years now. I do however wish all participants a thoroughly successful and enjoyable event.”
Jackie Stewart, Butlers Cross, Bucks. “Can’t be with you…On book promotional tour”
Ken Strachan, Cupar “Regretfully I must decline the invitation due to arthritis. I wish the Reunion every success.”
Malcolm Wilson, Cockermouth “Unfortunately I will be in Japan on the 27th October for the WRC Japanese event. l wish you all an enjoyable event.”
Dan Wright, Dalry “Sorry, can’t make it this year!”
![](http://vsms.tunaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/R2007_001.jpg "Arlene McInnes and Adele Paterson at "Check-in"")
![](http://vsms.tunaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/R2007_007.jpg "Three of the "Check-in" girls, Audrey Carlaw, Mairi Parker and Fiona Watson")
