RHASS MAGAZINE WINTER 2020 2010-2020 Contents 3 Chairman’s Welcome 4-5 Royal Highland Show 4 6-7 Membership 8-9 Fundraising 10-11 RHET 12-13 Directors 14 Quadrant One 15 Last Word 6 8 10 12 14 CONTACT DETAILS: RHASS Society magazine Written & produced by is published by: The Royal Highland and Represent, 57 Calton Road, Agricultural Society of Scotland, Royal Highland Edinburgh EH8 8FJ Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh EH28 8NB [email protected] Tel: (0131) 335 6200 Email: [email protected] The information in this issue is accurate at the Web: www.rhass.org.uk time of going to press, however due to the current Charity No. SC004561 Covid-19 pandemic details may be subject to change. 2 | RHASS • SOCIETY MAGAZINE • WINTER 2020 CHAIRMAN'S WELCOME Dear Members Welcome to the winter The Board of Directors out to exhibitors, sponsors and edition of Society magazine. and staff have taken a visitors to understand what they significant number of determine to be the ‘must have’ I hope you are all well and are elements of what will likely be a managing to cope with the far-reaching decisions to different Show to those we have continued effects that the Covid reduce expenditure staged previously. Having said pandemic is having on our daily The previous Society magazine had that, the response to our surveys lives. Having said that, at the time a stark message – Save Your Show has been universally positive and of writing, despite stringent Tier – and in this issue, we will bring the strong message is that we 4 measures in a number of areas, you up to date with the progress of must carry on. To that end, tickets the promise of a vaccination the fundraising campaign and the are already on sale for what is programme early in the New Year longer term strategy to continue expected to be a sell-out Show. must give us cautious optimism to ensure the work of RHASS going As respected journalist Andrew that a return to near normality is forward. Your support of our Arbuckle wrote in the Scotsman not far away. fundraising campaign has been recently “ This major event has It will not have escaped your fantastic and humbling and we are been going for more than two attention that this is a very much extremely grateful for that. hundred years during which time slimmed-down version of the You, the members, continue to it has survived plagues, floods, magazine compared to our normal play a hugely important role and and animal disease and yet risen, pre-Christmas edition. In the it is really encouraging that we phoenix like after major conflicts.” current continuing uncertain times, have had a heartening response Please be assured RHASS this reflects our commitment to to our call for new members Directors will leave no stone making best-value decisions on all and from those who continue to unturned to ensure the Show, expenditure and the magazine is remain members. and the Society, will continue to no exception to this. The magazine cover shows some weather this latest storm and The Board of Directors and of the people that RHASS has emerge stronger for it. staff have taken a significant supported or celebrated over It only leaves me to thank number of far-reaching decisions the last 10 years and is a visual members for their continued to reduce expenditure where reminder of the impact of the support and once again, your possible but still retain the ability work of the Society. This, along contribution to our fundraising to deliver a Royal Highland Show with the Royal Highland Show, is a efforts and to wish you well for in 2021, and this is of the utmost demonstration of the wide remit what will be a quite different priority when plotting our way that we have and must continue festive season. Here’s hoping that through this rapidly changing to have. It is vital that we continue 2021 will see us all turn the corner. landscape. Today’s news generally to be true to our charitable roots. consigns yesterday’s decisions to history but nevertheless directors With regards to the RHS 2021, we and staff are also working continue to focus on delivering tirelessly to grasp every income the very best event that we opportunity that comes our way. possibly can. We have reached Bill Gray, Chairman RHASS • SOCIETY MAGAZINE • WINTER 2020 | 3 RHS ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW 2021 The cancellation of this year’s Royal Highland Essentially people tell us they attend the Show primarily Show served, if nothing, else to remind us of how because we offer the best of Scotland’s food and drink and unrivalled access to spectacular livestock and important the four days at ‘Ingliston’ are to our equestrian events. In the current landscape of COVID, membership and the wider farming community. additional measures and some changes to the design of Plans for the 180th RHS are well underway and the event will be necessary to ensure the event can go we spoke to RHASS’s Director of Operations, ahead and that people feel comfortable and safe when Mark Currie, and David Tenant, Livestock and attending. We benefit from having the biggest and best open-air venue in Scotland and recent investment in the Competitions Manager, to hear about their plans showground like the East Crossing Point has allowed us for next year’s event. to plan with confidence. What changes will we expect? What has been the focus for the team? The biggest challenge is to manage numbers and the Without doubt it is about maintaining high levels of necessity for a robust track and trace protocol. The best customer and exhibitor experience. The Royal Highland way to overcome this is by introducing dedicated day Show is a respected event with a reputation built over tickets which means visitors will need to purchase an 180 years – we need to protect this at all costs. The entry ticket and parking ticket for the day on which they quality of the visitor experience and the integrity of plan to visit. Members will also need to register for their competition is what we will be measured on, so this ticket this year and tell us what days they are planning to cannot be compromised. attend, you will be contacted directly with instructions on What has shaped your thinking when planning how to do this. Other measures will include managed the ‘must haves’ for the 2021 Show? avenues, more toilets and mandatory mask wearing in some areas on site. We have been working closely with We have surveyed all of our exhibitors, trade-stands our Local Authority Public Health partners to ensure we and the general public and will be engaging with our are achieving the highest standards of health and safety members in the new year to ensure we incorporate all across all areas of the site. of their feedback into our planning. 4 | RHASS • SOCIETY MAGAZINE • WINTER 2020 TICKETS ON SALE NOW FROM ROYALHIGHLANDSHOW.ORG How will you run a Show with a reduced staff With RHS likely to be a sell-out event, will there team? be a virtual element to the 2021 Show? Every year, the RHS relies on around 8,000 staff, The online presence of the Show this year will be contractors, volunteers, exhibitors and trade stands greatly increased with an improved virtual offering for to make it the global spectacle it has become, and this trade, shopping, competition and entertainment with year will be no different. Whilst, like many others, the aim of extending the event beyond the four days we have had to make some changes to our team’s of the physical Show. We are really excited about the structure, the Directors made the decision to protect potential this brings and we are busy finalising plans the show team as much as possible and we are for the first ever Royal Highland Show app which will be therefore confident we will deliver another world class launched in April 2021! Show in 2021. And finally what is your message to RHASS What is achievable in the enclosed spaces? members? Scotland’s Larder Live is a key attraction each year I’d like to personally thank our Members for their and we fully expect it be the same for 2021. I would continued support of the Royal Highland Show and expect to see a reduced capacity inside the hall with assure them that we are planning on delivering a wider avenues and we will be working closely with our high-quality Show of livestock and trade in 2021. partners in this area to ensure both visitors and trade- Whilst being a Member of RHASS goes way beyond stands enjoy another successful event. attending the Show, we know it is a key part of supporting our charitable objectives and engaging Additionally, we have looked at how we maximise the with the wider RHASS community. With an expected space in the livestock and equestrian areas with a focus limit on capacity, we urge our Members to renew their on maintaining the highest level of competition. In memberships now and purchase any additional tickets tight areas we will look at 1m+ distancing which may soon to ensure they are not left disappointed as we mean wearing masks and one-way systems being are likely to sell out this year. introduced. Full safety details for each area of the Show will be released closer to June. RHASS • SOCIETY MAGAZINE • WINTER 2020 | 5 MEMBERSHIP MEMBERS ARE THE LIFE-BLOOD OF RHASS As one of Scotland’s oldest We also manage the site at for many years to come.