Caritas 47

President’s
Update
It is fair to say that my second
year as President has, like the
plans and hopes of so many, not
quite turned out as expected.
That said, it has still been a
busy and successful year for the
Watsonian Club and its Sections.
Our regional Watsonian Branches may not have been
able to come together as planned, but I was delighted
to be able to join the Principal, Melvyn Roffe, in hosting
a number of very successful online meetings with our
regional organisers. These meetings provided the first
ever opportunity for our volunteers, from all corners of
the globe, to come together; giving them the chance to
share details of the history of their Club and how they
were managing to stay connected with members
during lockdown.
Like our regional groups, lockdown has also had a
significant impact on our Sports Sections and the
Community Choir. You can read more about the Clubs
and Sections, on pages 36 - 39; and a copy of the
detailed annual report from each Section can be found
on the Watsonian Club website pages. During the
year, we were asked by members to establish two new
sections, the LGBTQ Section and the BAME Section.
Work is currently underway to recruit Office Bearers
and to establish the details of their constitutions.
For the Watsonian Council, the pandemic was not
the first disaster to be faced in 2020. On Wednesday
5 February, fire swept through the upper bar and
Watsonian Benevolent Fund
The Benevolent Fund provides help to
Watsonians through one-off and monthly
financial allowances, and grants to
purchase equipment.
roof of Myreside Pavilion. This much loved and
important landmark, on the School’s estate, was left
in a pretty sorry state. To support the School, the
Watsonian Council reached out to members to gather
their views on the future of the Pavilion. Over 250
individuals, from across Scotland, completed the survey
and this feedback has informed the future plans. It is
hoped that the Pavilion will be back to full operation in
spring/summer 2021.
I also wanted to share with you the very sad news
that Rod Slater, former President (2010-2011), passed
away in August. Rod joined Watson’s in 1983 as Head
of Modern Languages, retiring in 2008. At the beginning
of the year, Rod had written of his experiences from
S3 Projects, which we are pleased to share on
pages 16-19.
We are always looking for new ways to grow
participation, so if you have any suggestions for
new sport, creative arts or other interest groups,
then we would be delighted to hear from you.
Johnny Bacigalupo (Class of 1995)
President of the Watsonian Club
Further details about the Fund, including how to
apply for funding, or seek advice, can be found at
www.gwc.org.uk/fundingforwatsonians or
by email: development@gwc.org.uk
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