From BRUCE SOMERVILLE
Dear Members and your families.
Despite these challenging times, I hope you are all well and I am looking forward to acting as your President for a further year.
I am, indeed, privileged to have become President of the Society for another year. I have served on both the Council and Social Sub-Committee for a number of years and have really enjoyed being involved with the Society. I have also been able to host a few functions at my home in Calverley, which I am sure some of you have attended and enjoyed.
My parents were both from Scotland. My mother was from Alloa and father from Dollar. They were married after the war and father, who worked in the woollen industry, was promoted to anew position in Halifax, where I was born. My father received a further promotion when I was only a few months old which took us to Darlington, where my brother was born, and so this became our family home.
After my school days and study at Teesside Polytechnic I worked for the steel industry for a number of years before changing career path and moving into the banking industry. This meant me moving to Leeds in the mid 80s. I worked for Leeds Permanent Building Society initially and as a result of mergers, I also worked for a number of different Banks, namely, the Halifax, HBOS and finally, Lloyds Bank.
I am delighted to announce a resumption of activities in 2022, subject, of course, to any changes in COVID restrictions. We have already held a successful Golf Outing in July and are forging ahead with plans for a St Andrews Day event and our Burns Supper in January 2023.
As is customary, the President can nominate two charities which will receive support and to this end the ones I have chosen, which I have supported over a number of years, are Marie Curie Cancer and the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation. Both are very important in my eyes as most of us will know people who have been affected by Cancer, and 4 years ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.
Finally, if you know of anyone who might be interested in joining the St Andrews Society and participating in our events please ask them to get in touch via our Email address:- standrewssocietyofbradford@gmail.com. Our Membership Secretary, Margaret Cheyne, will be pleased to discuss further with them and provide the necessary application form.
Thank you in anticipation of your support and hopefully a resumption of activities in 2022.
Kind Regards,
Bruce Somerville