John Gibson: If you know a pillar, do cast a vote

Published on Tuesday 21 October 2008 09:50

GOLD in them thar pews. To mark 400 years as a parish church serving the community, South Leith kirk is asking locals to vote for Pillars of Our Community. Gold medals for the winner in each of six categories . . . sport, politics, business, etc.

"This isn't exclusively for church people," says the minister, Ian Gilmour, "there must be people out there . . . nurses, traffic patrollers, home helps . . . doing a grand job without the recognition they deserve.

"We want the schools to vote. We've sent 500 voting slips to Leith Academy. The winners hopefully will set examples to young folk."

Voting closes on October 31, winners to be announced at a gala event in the church on January 21. Your voting slips to the church hall, Henderson Street. And thanks, but there's no room left on my chest for medals.

Rock on Rocco

So it's all right then. HBoS' ongoing backing for six of Sir Rocco Forte's 11 Forte Collection hotels has been rubber-stamped, despite the economic carfuffle.

These include their five-star joint ventures in Rome, Florence and St Petersburg. They don't include the Balmoral.

Just-released balance sheet for the year ending April shows RFC's operating profit up from 25.1 million to 27.1m. So more power to Rocco's pedals on that exercise bike.

A good sport

Like old soldiers, old newspaper editors never die, they simply fade away. One of mine, Harry Roulston, who edited this paper in 1992-95, is nowhere near fading, though.

He is captain of Stonehaven Golf Club and I hear that Harry, revelling in retirement up there, recently shot 64 and 63 on his own patch. A fair old achievement for a golfer to shoot figures less than his age. Doubtless the sporting life has kept him spry. He played tennis for Scotland.

Afterwords . .

. . . Tell us, Tom, what's your word on the financial jungle out there? We're all doomed? We should all catch a slow boat to China? Sir Tom Farmer, sporting his Hibs scarf at the derby, was by no means downhearted. "There's always light at the end of the tunnel. It depends of the length of the tunnel, of course." We've got that advice free and for nothing.