Champion Your Story: From No More, to Do More
Four walls.
Usually, home is a place of comfort and safety. But when you move from England to Scotland with a disability, and your wife heads off to work every day, things can feel very different. Very quickly, my home became a prison. Those four walls seemed to move a little closer every day. I had no social network and no way of making new friends.
Then my wife spotted a post about "man crèche", a social group in Elgin that was starting in January 2024 (coincidentally the same time my beautiful daughter was born). .
Determined to give anything a try, I went along not knowing what to expect, but with little hope after many previous attempts at clubs and groups hadn't worked out because of my disability. I remember walking through the door expecting to see fit, able-bodied guys who wouldn't be keen on someone like me joining in
It turned out to be the best thing my wife ever told me to do (and, for once, I actually listened).
I met a group of lads who welcomed everyone, regardless of their physical or mental capabilities. I quickly threw myself into Round Table and, under the leadership of our re-charter Chairman, James Shaw, we grew into a thriving club, officially re-chartering in October 2024. The success continued, including a social media post by Sam Fairweather of us paddle-boarding that reached an incredible 22.7 million views!
I wanted to give something back to an organisation that had given me a social life and, more importantly, lifelong friends. I found myself not just looking forward to every second Tuesday meeting with the lads, but also joining an ad-hoc poker group (something I really enjoy but hadn't been able to do for years due to having no friendship circle). Table guys helped me move house too, loading, driving and unloading everything in a single day, something I physically couldn't have done myself.
It's also the little things about Table that make such a difference: reading funny comments in the group chat when you're exhausted and feeling low, or getting to experience events I'd never normally do. Even better, the lads still chat and interact with me if I have to drop out halfway through an evening and sit on the sidelines because of pain.
When I attended my first National Conference in Cardiff, I realised just how large and connected the Round Table family was. But that sense of cohesion was something Scotland, and particularly S1 (Aberdeenshire and the North), seemed to be missing. The S1 WhatsApp group (yes, of course there's a WhatsApp group) was more like a library than a social hub.
With Dan Hogg stepping up as Scottish Rep, we chatted at Sheffield AGM and I agreed to take on the role of S1 Area Chairman. My aim was simple: let's make S1 great again. Revitalise communication across the area and encourage more cross-tabling.
Over the last year, I've made it a personal mission to visit other tables and start opening doors between them, simply by putting names to faces rather than keeping them as names on a screen.
Then somthing amazing happened!
Banchory Round Table put out a message saying they were organising a go-karting event and that other tables were welcome to join them. Little did they know it would turn into a gathering of 34 Tablers from an area that only has around 84 members in total. Representatives from eight different tables attended (including two from outside S1), creating the largest S1 gathering since 2017, with Stonehaven deservedly taking the crown.
There was a buzz that night and a renewed energy in the area chat. There was even some friendly competition over who could produce the best social media post afterwards. Ellon clearly won that one thanks to Dod's incredible social media skills. There's a reason he's on Raz's PLC!
S1 has gone from being a quiet area to one buzzing with inter-table events. Elgin Round Table brought back its raft race thanks to a huge amount of hard work from our Vice Chairman, Will Burtt. Stonehaven and Aberdeen both entered teams, while additional Tablers pitched in on the day to make the event a success.
It's easy to take for granted where you are in life right now, but thinking about where I'd be without that first meet-and-greet in January 2024 is a stark reminder of the power Table has to change lives and improve mental wellbeing. Looking back, if I hadn't taken that first step, I'd probably be in a very dark and lonely place without the friends I now take for granted.
We're now in the process of organising an S1 AGM and a Scottish AGM in April at Carrick's Haggis Hunter Ball. A special mention must go to Jonathan Hay, Chairman of Aberdeen Round Table, who has stepped up to help with everything while also preparing to host their Numbers Meet next year.
And there's even something exciting being cooked up behind the scenes by all the Scottish areas, with more details set to be revealed in January.
It really goes to show what can happen when you walk into a pub meet-and-greet on a cold January night and throw yourself into everything that Table has to offer
So here's to continued growth, stronger friendships, and doing more in Scotland!
Dan Barton
Chairman - Elgin Round Table 454
S1 Area Chairman
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