Summer ESB News

We were humbled and delighted to receive a generous donation left in Sheila’s will. Sheila was a dedicated ESB assessor from 1986 before taking on the role of Coordinator for the Certification of Achievement, and was a Public Speaker and Magistrate. A keen golfer, Sheila was also Captain of her local golf club.

Her thoughtful donation has been put into our Christabel Burniston Fund to extend our charitable outreach. If you would like to make a donation to ESB, or to find out more about our Christabel Burniston Fund, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at deborah.bassett@esbuk.org , or visit https://esbuk.org/home/about-esb/

“Bette, affectionately known as Betty, was a steadfast supporter of ESB. She was an assessor, both in the UK, Spain and Malta, a member of the then Committee of Management and has been Representative for Scotland. Her passion for the Scots language manifested itself in the three books she produced: A Hantle o Verse and Anther Hantle o Verse with Michael Elder and, most recently, Singing in My Lug . She was a wonderfully moving reader of Scots verse and entertained many an ESB conference. A trained actor, Betty performed on the amateur stage, most notably as Elizabeth I in Bolt’s ‘Vivat Vivat Regina’ and worked as a correspondent for BBC Highland. Betty was known for her boundless energy and on retirement she completed a Degree in History of Art and Literature, studied Gaelic at Sabhal Ostaig in Skye and learned to play the Clarsach with some accomplishment.

At her funeral one of her granddaughters recited one of Betty’s favourite Scottish poems:

Nan, na I wunna pairt wi’ that I downa gi’e it up O’Scotlan’s hamely mither tongue I canna quat the grup It’s bedded in my very he’rt Ye needna rive an’ rung It’s in my e’e an’ on my tongue An’ singing in my lug

Richard Ellis Honourary Treasurer

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