YOUR LETTERS YOURletters
SURVEYORS BACKING THE BARD As a member of the Scottish diaspora, I read with interest Robert Barclay’s Spot the Bard [Letters, March 2014] and, in response to his request regarding statues of the Bard, there are many statues here in the USA, including in Albany [NY], Vermont and San Francisco. A new development in the Bard’s history took place in Edinburgh
when, on 19 November 2012, Robert Burns [1759-1796] was, for his work as a land surveyor, posthumously awarded the title ‘Honorary Chartered Surveyor’ by the president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This was the fi rst award of its type [posthumous] given by the RICS. It was presented to Derek MacKay MSP, Minister for Local Government and Planning, who received the accolade on behalf of the nation and it will be housed at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. The minister in his response said: ‘It is a pleasure to receive this
award in honour of Robert Burns. While Burns’s contribution to Scotland and Scottish culture is widely recognised, his work as a land surveyor is less well known.’ Burns joined the excise service in September 1789 and he described
himself as the ‘poor, damn’d, rascally Gager’ and once expressed the earnest hope that his profession should borrow credit from him. In 2012 the surveying profession also started to borrow credit from him – a wonderful piece of inspirational marketing that will benefi t the surveying profession of which I was once a member. Heather Zirondelli (BSc), USA
THE WRITE STUFF How refreshing to read your interview with Alexander McCall Smith [Mr Brightside, April 2014]. In a world that is littered with the fi lth, debauchery and foul language that seem to pepper contemporary literature, music and art he is truly a breath of fresh air. I can’t tell you how reassuring his success is and I will continue to take
great pleasure in his work, safe in the knowledge that I am not the only one out there who has no desire to read about the darker side of life or the underbelly of our society. His incredible work ethic is also to be much admired and I hope he
continues to produce the work he (and I) so clearly loves for years to come. Martha Webster, Edinburgh
HAVE YOUR SAY I particularly enjoyed your recent article on beavers [Restoring Nature, April 2014]. I am delighted that the beaver trial seems to be proving successful and
wanted to bring other readers’ attention to the fact that there is now a public consultation, giving everyone a chance to air their views on the reintroduction. Visit
www.scottishbeavers.org.uk to take the survey and to fi nd out all the latest news on the trial and these fantastic creatures. If you are a big fan of beavers then you can fi nd out how you can
volunteer, adopt a beaver or donate. There’s also lots of helpful information for those who would like to see the beavers for themselves. Tony Balfour, Glasgow
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