Interview with Elspeth Gray Born and brought up in Chapelhall, near Airdrie in Lanarkshire, Elspeth Gray is more than just a member of the RSCDS staff. Held in great affection, Elspeth has been the members’ main contact with HQ for the last fourteen years. Jimmie Hill interviewed her in August.
Can you tell us a bit about your life and work before the RSCDS? I had a succession of administrative jobs, including ten great years working for the NHS in Brighton. There I worked in occupational therapy, then in personnel, then in the health promotion unit. Donald and I felt an itch to get back to Scotland. Back in Edinburgh, I worked for the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy for around ten years before being made redundant. I saw the RSCDS advert and thought, ‘This might be interesting!’ Linda Gaul was chairman at the time. She interviewed me and as soon as I met her, I felt, ‘Here is someone I can work with!’ Of course there have been seven chairmen since Linda. What has that been like? Challenging! Some you get to know in the two years while they are chair elect. Others don’t get that involved until they become chairman. They all have different ways of working, their own priorities and objectives. You have to fit in with whoever is in the post, but it is a challenge having to re-adjust every two years. I have a great deal of respect for all the chairmen I have worked with – their job is far from easy! And working with volunteers can be demanding too, can’t it? Yes. You have to be very conscious of the fact that they are volunteers. A lot of people give enormous amounts of time and energy and they bring various skills to the Society – and all unpaid. It is phenomenal. It is one of the great strengths of the organisation, but it is possible to invest too much of yourself and, perhaps, lose perspective. Having said that, I have to say that the Society has so many amazing people who do so much. Some are absolutely inspirational.
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What are the high points of your working year? Summer School – definitely. It is hard work and you are on duty non-stop when you are there, but it’s where I see people on the dance floor, having a great time. I can put faces to names. Whatever job I have had, connecting with people has always been important to me and Summer School is where I can do that best. When I first started, Linda asked me to do what I could to improve communication between HQ and the members and that is what I have tried to do. Another thing I must say is that over the years we have had some great people on the staff at HQ – we have had a lot of fun! What about dancing yourself? Weren’t you tempted to join in? Well, I danced at school and my parents were keen country dancers, but when I started working for the Society, I took the conscious decision not to become involved. I felt my role would be easier if I kept a little bit of distance from the dancing. I think it has allowed me to stand back and be objective about the Society and its work. After 14 years at the centre of things, what advice would you give us for the future? I think people should recognise that the structure must change. The system of branches sending delegates to the AGM worked when there were 30 or 40 branches, most of them in the UK, but I don’t think it works today. I think the Society needs to
find a more efficient way of operating. So few people stand for the elected positions now that whoever stands is elected. I think it would be so much better if we could go out and find people with the right skills and co-opt them – wherever they are. Interesting times! What are you going to do in your retirement? What have you not had time for? Lots of things. I want to make more time to be out in my garden, enjoy more walks, cycle, go to exhibitions, read a book without feeling guilty, and I would like to sing more! I sing with a little group of friends, but I would like to join a choir. Now, you got married on a Hebridean island. Everyone will want to hear about that! Yes, it was two years ago. Donald and I finally decided to get married. It was on the island of Colonsay where his mother holidays every year, and we had had great times there too. We arranged to visit her and Donald’s brother for a few days. We had arranged the wedding by phone and email, but hadn’t said a word about it to anyone. We told them the evening before and they were absolutely delighted. The next morning was glorious, so we went for a walk and paddled in the sea. We went home, got changed, then walked down in the sunshine to the Registry Office and got married. It was all very low key. Then we went for another walk in the afternoon. We didn’t want a big fuss; it was just lovely.
Elspeth in August 2000 with (L–R ) Linda Bates, June Dick, and Eileen Watt
