CHRISTMAS CLACHAN: 10TH DECEMBER – THE CLACHAN, LONDON

Unveiling Christmas!
What a wonderful way to start off the Christmas festivities!

Honestly, you have never seen so many flashing jumpers, reindeer and snowman protuberances and gaudy coloured Christmas shirts in one place – but there is definitely something about getting dressed up that puts everyone in the mood to party.

And so it was that, on the 10th December, Old Friends and their guests gathered at The Clachan in the heart of London’s bustling West End, right next to the iconic Liberty store and Carnaby Street.

Kindly organised by Old Friend, Steve Hilleard, the Clachan served a plentiful buffet of snack food (including particularly delicious hot chicken wings) followed platters of mini mince pies and profiteroles to cater for the slightly sweeter tooth!

President, Steve Robinson, welcomed the members and guests, including new members, Victoria McKenna, Stewart Anderson and invited all 54 attendees to congratulate Old Friend, Steve Cafferty who celebrates his 65th Birthday on 11th December. He also asked for a show of appreciation for the outstanding contribution made by Old Friend, Stanley Vaughan who, this week, retired from his tireless work for the Business Supplies Charity (previously BOSS Benevolent Fund) after no less than 55 years of diligent volunteering.

Then the President, supported by Old Friend and technology-guru, Steve Hilleard’s latest random number generating app, and the quantum-computing-like analysis of Treasurer, John Logan, drew the raffle winner and presented a huge bottle of that terrific tipple, Baileys Irish Cream, to a clearly delighted Mike Gibbons.

Finally, the President said a few words about The Clachan itself. The Clachan (formally known as The Clachan Inn) came in to existence in 1898. In 1909 a small group of like-minded individuals who called themselves the Odd Fellows, decided that they wanted to establish a formal Society and they called it The Society of Old Friends – and that meeting took place in the very room in which the Christmas Clachan was being celebrated.

So, on behalf of the Committee, the President unveiled an engraved steel plaque mounted to the wall to commemorate the 110-year-old association between the Society and The Clachan. This unveiling was met with unanimous and resounding applause and cheers.

This concluded the ‘formal’ proceedings, but the informal revelry continued long into the night, with the following group leaving last!

From the photos below, you can get a sense of just how much fun and pleasure those that attend the Old Friends events get from the fellowship and camaraderie of meeting Old Friends and new – but the only way to really know how much fun this can be, is to experience it for yourself.

So, please add this date in your diary …

13th February 2020 – Spring “The Society’s Got Talent” Dinner
Your committee promises you a very unusual night to remember!!!

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