Eric Liddell Awards Dinner 2024

On Friday 1 November, the School had the honour of hosting the Eric Liddell 100 Awards Dinner. As one of our valued charity partners, the Eric Liddell Community is dedicated to supporting people living with dementia and their carers throughout Edinburgh, and plays a key role in bringing the local community together through their Morningside hub.

The evening, hosted by renowned Scottish broadcasters Sally Magnusson MBE and David Tanner, marked the culmination of the year-long Eric Liddell 100 Project. The event celebrated inspiring individuals from the Eric Liddell Centre’s partner organisations, including YouthLink Scotland, Scottish Disability Sport, and Scottish Rugby. Each of these individuals embodies the values of passion, compassion and integrity, making a positive impact across their communities.

As a School, we were also honoured to welcome HRH The Princess Royal, Patron of the Eric Liddell 100 Project, who presented the evening’s awards. Our pupils supported the event in a multitude of ways with our Pipe Band welcoming guests and HRH The Princess Royal to the event. Musical entertainment was provided by our Trad Band and House Band during the reception, filling the foyer with perfectly pitched tunes that complimented the ambiance superbly. Our Office Bearers ensured that the beginning of the evening got off to a seamless start with their impeccable ushering skills and our School Captains, Azzam and Jedidah had the honour of meeting HRH Princess Anne in the Reception. The greatest honour of the evening was led by Henry (S4) who piped HRH Princess Anne and the Top Table into dinner, which he did with poise and flair. 

Reflecting on the event, our Captains said:

“Meeting with HRH The Princess Royal truly was an experience for the memory books. We are deeply honoured to have been part of such an intimate gathering at Watson’s. The buzz in our Senior School that evening was unforgettable and we both left with a profound appreciation for the work carried out by the Eric Liddell Community and of course, the once in a lifetime connection with royalty. Princess Anne took the time to talk to us both personally, showcasing her caring heart in an encounter that we will talk about for many years to come.”

In order to deliver such a high profile event, the Assembly Hall, one of our many versatile event spaces on campus was transformed into a beautiful banqueting space. The catering team served a delicious three-course meal for nearly 400 guests while our AV team worked tirelessly throughout the evening - and for weeks in advance - to deliver a polished, professional lighting and sound experience, showcasing one of our venue's standout features.

This fantastic event is just one of the many examples we can offer as a venue at GWC. From banqueting to classroom hire, theatre productions and conferences, we would be delighted to hear from you if you are planning an event. Please visit our Events and Venue Hire webpage for more information or get in touch with us at venuehire@gwc.org.uk

Photography Credit: Mike Wilkinson