THE DAVID R ROSS MEMORIAL QUAICH - ANNUAL AWARD

Society members Irene and Paul Clark came up with the idea of presenting a member with "The David R Ross Memorial Quaich" who in the eyes of the committee had made an outstanding contribution in the year just past.

It was a very close run thing with members Gary Stewart, Andy Middleton and William Ballantyne all making fantastic efforts in 2010. We thought with Irene's idea that it would be nice to acknowledge these three individuals, and rightly so, well done guys.

Gary was the overall winner thanks to all his hard work in getting the Wallace Letter back to Scotland, this campaign was started by David and Gary has kept the good fight going, well done from us all, Gary.

But it's not all about individuals, as a team the Society has made 2010 a hugely successful year, given the sad loss of our Convenor David Ross everyone has stepped up to the plate and got the job done.

Thank you to all our friends and fellow members for all your continued support, without you all we couldn't do what we do so well. Here's to an even more successful 2011.
Irene telling us all about the reason behind the Quaich
Kim Ross presents the quaich to this year's winner - Gary Stewart
Duncan gives our Mammy, Lily, flowers for looking after us all year
The smile says it all
The Quaich with some Bannockburn plaid, thanks Christine
The engraver did a superb job
William was presented with this for all his work on David's tribute flag
 
ANDY MIDDLETON - 2011
Kim with Andy and Gary, Andy won this year's Society award.
 
Andy is one of life's good guys, eager to help and an asset to the Society. Andy won the award for a lot of things, but mainly the fantastic job he did of looking after the Wallace Monument at Robroyston, Glasgow, and look after it he did. He landscaped the area, fixed the bollards in front of the monument to prevent people parking there, put in benches, flower pots, plants and generally made the place a wee haven for visitors to have a seat and collect their thoughts on Wallace. Unfortunately it's an uphill battle keeping the site pristine as it's a constant target for vandalism, but with guys like Andy on the team the fight continues.
 
 
GEORGE BOYLE - 2012
George accepts this year's David R Ross award from last year's recipient Andy
 
George is our Webmaster, Treasurer & official photographer, a jack of all trades but a master of none - but he does his best, bless him. It's rumoured but not confirmed that George won the David R Ross quaich just to shut him up, but seriously George along with the team do some sterling work behind the scenes that no one knows about and it's that factor that makes the society what it is.
 
 
DUNCAN FENTON - 2012
Duncan is awarded with a special centenary quaich for our 100th year
 
Duncan took on the almighty task of guiding the society through some stormy seas after David's passing and what a job he did. We knew he didn't want to do it but just got on with it; he always just shrugged off his achievements but secretly I think he was proud of his leadership, his team and where the Society was going. Duncan shared the David R Ross award with George in our centenary year and a special wooden quaich was commisioned to give to Duncan to show him how much we appreciated his hard work and dedication behind the scenes. Sadly we lost Duncan in 2014 - we miss you mate...
 
 
LACHLAN McCANN - 2013
Amber receives the David R Ross memorial quaich from George
 
Lachlan was one of our larger than life and best loved members, wheelchair bound - but that didn't stop him attending events, no matter where it was you'd see Lachlan and his customised wheelchair and usually a suitable t-shirt to mark the occasion. Lachlan sadly died before we could present him with the award, events are never the same without the "Hair in the Chair" RIP Brother.
 
 
TED CHRISTOPHER - 2014
Ted Christopher our member of the year
 

What can you say about Ted? When David Walked For Wallace in 2005 he asked Ted to write him a song, 'I cannae do that' said Ted, but he did, the wonderful 'I'm Coming Home'. When the Dunblane tragedy happened, Ted along with a few others raised substantial amounts of money and publicised the frailties of gun laws not just here but the world over by releasing a special version of 'Knocking On Heaven's Door' by Bob Dylan, Bob even allowed Ted to change the words of the song, the first time ever that Bob's done that. It reached number one in several countries, for that alone he ensured that he'd be remembered as "Better than Elvis". But in 2014, the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, when Stirling council tragically cancelled the homecoming week of events planned due to lack of funds, Ted decided to do it himself - with a march from Stirling Castle to Bannockburn followed by a week of music and cultural events. A deserving winner of this year's award, well done to a wonderful man and a lifelong friend of the Society.
 
 
ANDREW HILLHOUSE - 2015
Andrew Hillhouse beside his masterpiece
 
What can I say about Andrew and his work apart from saying it's outstanding, but more importantly, for the work he has done for the Society over the years Andy totally deserved to win this award. On the 10th anniversary of the Walk for Wallace it's Andy's work which is called the Spirit of Wallace which is on the invitations that David sent out. If you haven't seen it then go and look out for it on Andy's web site as it's an outstanding piece of work.

When we were having trouble with the Bell O' The Brae, when Glasgow District Council wanted proper drawings which would have cost the Society in excess of 2000 pounds, Andy stepped in and said he would do the drawings at no cost to the Society. If Andy had not done this then it may well have scuppered our plans for the monument. Andy was also involved in contacting Planning on our behalf to make sure that the planning application went through smoothly.

I have also had the pleasure of seeing Andy draw a monument from scratch - I can't put into words how amazing it was to see one minute a blank piece of paper then 5 minutes later a monument had been drawn. The Society coins which can be seen on our website have all been designed by Andy with 3 pounds going towards the cost of building the monument - which was Andy's idea.

Andy has done so much for the Society over the years at no cost to the Society but purely for his love of drawings, Wallace and Scotland. I am not just lucky to know this outstanding artist but also to call him my friend. Congratulations, Andy - a truly outstanding winner and sure big Davie will be looking down chuffed to bits you have won it. For all your work you have done for the Society - THANK YOU.

Yours Aye,
Gary Stewart
Convenor
 
 
GEORGE KEMPIK - 2016
George Kempik won the David R Ross Memorial Quaich award and the shock on his face was there for all to see.
 
George has been late on the scene but the amount of work and dedication not only to the Society but also to the Culloden group that he has set up is outstanding. Most people just see the outside and the results that have been achieved, but never see the amount of work and time and effort that goes on behind the scenes to make these results achievable.
From the Convenor's point of view a lot of the work George has done this year has taken a lot of pressure off myself and some of the other committee members which is why the vote was unanimous that George was the winner. We are lucky as a Society as every year there is always seems to be a clear winner and 2016 was no exception in George Kempik
 

GEORGE THOM - 2017
One of the few times George has ever been stuck for words.
 
Each year, the society make a very special award to someone the committee considers has gone above and beyond what most of us would consider the call of duty. We have chosen to award this year's award here in the shadow of the Wallace monument to someone who has served the society honourably for a number of years.
This year's award, the David R Ross Memorial Quaich, for Member of the Year goes to a very popular choice among the committee, not just for his services to the society but services to many other causes and societies around Scotland, usually at short notice and at little cost to those who call upon him for help.
His abilities, talent and exceptional Scottishness has been enjoyed by many, both here and abroad, a one off, unique in many ways, his hairstyle and dress sense single him out, even in a crowd of people wearing full Scottish regalia and carrying 6ft long swords. Recently he assisted us with an event at Rutherglen Church where his performance was the highlight of that day, viewed more than 19000 times on YouTube. He has worked tirelessly, driving the success of the annual St Andrews Day event in West Lothian and even entertaining the masses in New York City! Having been lured to the hall under false pretences, the Award came as a complete surprise, and the look on his face was priceless.

ELSPETH KING - 2018
Elspeth speaking at the White Rose for Wallace event, 2018
 
Each year, the society make a very special award to someone the committee considers has gone above and beyond what most of us would consider the call of duty. We have chosen to award this year's award to someone who has served Scotland's history honourably for many years.
This year's David R Ross Memorial Quaich for Member of the Year goes to a well-supported choice among the committee, not just for her services to the society but her historical service to Scotland in particular.
Best known for her Directorship of both the Smith Art Gallery and Museum in Stirling, and prior to that the People's Palace in Glasgow, a famed author in her own right, and who also wrote the introduction to the Luath Press re-issue of Blind Harry's "Wallace". She also ran the Museum's 700th anniversary of Wallace in 2005, to great acclaim.

NICK BRAND - 2019
Nick receives the Quaich from Gary
 
Each year, the society make a very special award to someone the committee considers has gone above and beyond what most of us would consider the call of duty. We have chosen to award this year's award to someone who has served the society for many years, in a variety of capacities, mainly behind the scenes.
This year's David R Ross Memorial Quaich for Member of the Year goes to Nick Brand, who has been involved with the Society for many years, going back to before Davie's Walk for Wallace, which he designed the website for, amongst several other duties. Recently he revamped the Society website, sorted out some of the membership problems with PayPal, and has contributed several historical articles to increase available knowledge about Wallace. Notorious for avoiding the public, his speech on receiving the quaich from Gary simply said "Thank you very much".

CHA HALLIDAY - 2021
Cha Halliday, 2021 recipient of our award
 
Each year, the society make a very special award to someone the committee considers has gone above and beyond what most of us would consider the call of duty. We have chosen to award this year's award to someone who has served the society for several years, and whose persistence and refusal to be put off by the innumerable obstacles placed in his path with regard to the Wallace Oak have impressed all who know him. In 2013, Cha and his good friend the late Sean Donnelly, inspired by one of David R Ross's books, started to track down the remains of the tree. From this evolved the Wallace Oak Project, which came to fruition in October 2020 with the unveiling of the memorial in Port Glasgow. He's not finished yet, however, as he and Society fellow member Neil Lochiel are actively pursuing their aim of finding a permanent home for the remains of the original tree!

GORDON AITKEN - 2022
Gordon Aitken, 2022 recipient of our award
 
Gordon Aitken has been a member of The Society of William Wallace long before I became a member, Gordon is also a member of a few other Scottish History groups and has been a main instigator in everyone of them, especially the Society. The one thing that always stood out with me with Gordon was that if our two late Convenors, David R Ross and Duncan Fenton, didn’t know a history question (which was rare in fairness lol) they would both turn to Gordon for the answer and I have carried out that tradition today.

Gordon, together with Grant Williamson, were the guys who came up with the idea of the battle of Falkirk Cairn in Callander park - which was eventually completed and unveiled in 2007 after a long campaign that neither Grant or Gordon shirked from. A tremendous achievement and sat well in the notion of "we can do this as a society", and because of this another two monuments have since been built, the Bell 'o The Brae and the Wallace Oak. Gordon also did the letter writing on the plaque that we put up at Smithfield to commemorate David’s epic Walk for Wallace.

Gordon often makes speeches at Wallace events, sings using the bodhran and also writes his own music. I missed presenting Cha receiving his award the year before because I caught COVID and although I had a severe bad back this year there was no way I was going to let that stop me from presenting a lifelong patriot and great friend an award that was well deserved. Congratulations on receiving the award as I know what David R Ross meant to you, and what winning the award would mean to you.

Yours For Scotland
Gary Stewart
Convenor of the Society of William Wallace


NEIL LOCHIEL - 2023
Neil Lochiel, 2023 recipient of our award
 
Neil Lochiel has been a member of the Society for many years now, and was a major contributor to the Wallace Oak project which was successfully completed in 2021 after a 7 year campaign with the building of the monument. He was also heavily involved in the official unveiling of the Oak at Hunterston castle in 2023, and has been a massive help to me especially regarding the rules regarding the society's Charitable status.

Neil has always, although not on the committee, been heavily involved in the background and was always there to give advice and help in what ever the society was doing.

Neil was presented with his award at our Annual Wallace day by the previous years winner Gordon Aitken.

Yours For Scotland
Gary Stewart
Convenor of the Society of William Wallace


ARCHIE MILLAR - 2024
Archie Millar, 2024 recipient of our award
 
The very well-deserved 2024 winner of the David R. Ross Memorial Quaich is Archie Millar. Archie, along with his wife Jean, has been a stalwart of The Society of William Wallace for decades, being very active in committee and supporting roles over this time. Not only that but Archie was convenor of SOWW from 1984 to 1990.

Archie has taken on many activities and responsibilities, working at the front of and behind the scenes, throughout the exciting highs and also the lean years of the Society over five decades. He has continually demonstrated his commitment to SOWW, to preserving the memory of Wallace, and to the continuance of Wallace Day - working tirelessly to have the Elderslie Monument area "dressed" and looking magnificent for the Wallace Day celebrations.

Archie's initiative, contributions and determination, supported by Jean, over decades has been much valued by the convenors and committee members, and now he is being rightly publicly recognised for his outstanding role in the history of the Society.

Archie was presented with his award at our Annual Wallace day by the previous years winner Neil Lochiel.

 

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The Society of William Wallace is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registration number SC045959