St Andrew’s Night in aid of Arctic Convoy Survivors Portrait Project

Tonight, the members of the Rotary Club of Motherwell and Wishaw, and their guests, gathered in the Centenary Suite of Motherwell F.C.’s Fir Park stadium to celebrate St Andrew's Night, and to honour some of the surviving veterans of the World War II Arctic Convoys, with a special dinner.

The principal guests were Andrey Pritsepov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Scotland and Lord Willie Haughey.

The excellent musical entertainment of Scottish and Russian pieces, was provided by Ryan Corbett, an 18-year-old accordionist, who studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and St Marys School, Edinburgh.

Five veterans of the Arctic Convoys, gentlemen in their late eighties and nineties, were guests of the Rotary Club. All recipients of the Ushakov Medal from the Russian Federation for their valour in participating in these, horrifically dangerous, convoys to aid the Russian people in their time of need. In his address, the Consul General said that the unsung heroes of the Arctic Convoys are worthy of veneration by giving us an example to follow of the stoicism, strength and endurance of the human spirit. He also spoke of the strong ties forged between Scotland and Russia through, both our shared Patron Saint and the fact that most Arctic convoys former up, and left from, either the Clyde or Loch Ewe.

Almost £1,000 was raised in a raffle, on the night, for the Arctic Convoy Portrait Project, where Eugenie Vronskaya, a Russian artist, based in Scotland, will paint portraits of the survivors, for public display, as a permanent reminder of their bravery.

During the evening, Mr Pritsepov, on behalf of the Rotary Club of Motherwell and Wishaw, presented Past President Tom Sleith with the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, the highest honour that can be bestowed on a Rotarian, in recognition of Tom’s outstanding service to the Club over many years.

Being introduced after a musical interlude, Lord Haughey quipped that “it was the first time a boy from the Gorbals had followed an accordion!” He started his address by giving a quick pen portrait of his history. In partnership with his wife, Lord Haughey set up City Refrigeration, in 1985, with a staff of six and a turnover of £100,000. Today, City Facilities Management Facilities Ltd has 14,000 employees, worldwide, and a turnover in excess of a billion pounds. In 2013, he was created a life peer taking the title Baron Haughey of Hutchesontown in the City of Glasgow. He then spoke, passionately, about the long established links between Scotland and Russia, ending by proposing the toast, “Russia, Scotland and St Andrew.”

The evening was brought to a conclusion by President Elect Andrew Steven proposing a comprehensive vote of thanks.