ROBBIE GLEN - Great Scottish After Dinner Speaker.
Former Prison Governor -Scotland.
Robbie Glen has a dry Scottish wit, timing and
an ability to read an audience which makes him one of the finest UK after dinner speakers you're ever likely to hear.
He has a rare gift for making people laugh and is a great favourite on the
after-dinner circuit.
Sired by an Ayrshire man out of a Renfrewshire lady, Robbie was reared in Lanarkshire. He was educated at Hamilton Academy and Strathclyde University. He taught for one year in Blantyre before joining the Prison Service as an Assistant Governor in 1969.
Robbie, a Fellow of the Institute of Management, was Governor of Castle Huntly Young Offenders Institution - Dungavel Prison where he was Deputy and Acting Governor - along with Barlinnie Prison, Glasgow. He had the pleasure of being Governor of Cornton Vale, which is Scotland's only female establishment. He finally retired from the Scottish Prison Service on 4th September 1996.
William Mcllvaney based his story; "The Prisoner" in his book of short stories entitled "The Walking Wounded" on him after he visited Robbie at Dungavel.
In his youth he played junior football professionally but his career was cut short tragically at an early age due to lack of ability. He still holds the Lanarkshire Schoolboy 440 yards record, because it's now gone metric!
Robbie is married with two daughters, the younger of whom is profoundly handicapped. Robbie developed a walking aid for her with his staff and prisoners in 1981 and it is now being used in 41 hospitals and schools in Scotland to teach handicapped children how to walk.
"Robbie Glen had them rolling in the aisles. This man should carry a government health warning he is seriously funny" Sunday Times
"When I think of the evening, my mind overflows with colourful images; the tour de force was the laugh-buster speech given by Governor R .R. H Glen…. unforgettable" - Pik Botha, South African Minister.
IAN BUCHAN in the EVENING
TIMES wrote:-
“..........
Robbie Glen is one of the finest after-dinner speakers you're likely to hear.”
BRIAN MEEK in the GLASGOW
HERALD wrote : -
" Speak to
Ayr Guildry , a fine bunch of men. Robbie Glen , the deputy governor of
Barlinnie , brings the house down ; I quietly take a note of the best ones
."
COCKBURN'S Diary in the
Sunday Times wrote:-
“Robbie Glen
............. had them rolling in the aisles . This man should carry a
government health warning : he is seriously funny.”
THE BUTEMAN wrote :-
“
................... entertained by a comic talent to match any of the Winter
Garden's ghosts. ............. he ( Robbie Glen ) is a member of the
Variety Club of Great Britain due to his work on behalf of handicapped children.
His gift for making people laugh is surely entry qualification alone for that
worthy organisation.”
THE BUSINESS DIARY of THE
HERALD wrote :-
"Robbie Glen
................ had the 1000 guests of West of Scotland’s branch of the
Institute of Petroleum's annual dinner rolling in the aisles earlier this
week."
MARIAN PALLISTER in the
EVENING TIMES wrote:-
“But there is
more to Robbie Glen than his profession. There is the very public wit,
whose after-dinner speeches have them chewing on their napkins to hold back the
guffaws. Then there is the private caring father who is devoted to giving
the very best quality of life to his daughters, Avril and Katy."
JOHN GIBSON in the
EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS of 31 March 2000 wrote:-
“But is it really
good for the digestion doubling up so heartily on a full stomach? .... Yes,
Robbie’s address went down a storm.”
TERRY WOGAN in the WOMAN’S
WEEKLY of December 2000 wrote :-
“ I well remember as
President of Lords Taverners learning the hard way that if there was ...
the governor of a jail on the list of speakers, to speak first”
QUOTES FROM LETTERS OF APPRECIATION ( CONFERENCES )
“.....
the librarians and guests of the Association found your presentation
at the Annual Dinner highly amusing. It was a most successful evening and I
have received a number of very complimentary remarks about your
contribution.” Rhona Arthur,
Assistant Director, Scottish Library Association
Conference Dinner, Peebles Hydro
“ Thank you very much for an
excellent speech which, as I am sure you were
able to detect from the laughter tears around the room, was a big hit with
the audience. Your session rounded off our day in exactly the right tone of
light-hearted fun and humour which is exactly what was required.” Rod
McVeigh, Head of Service Development, Scottish Equitable Customer Services
Managers Conference, Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh
“ ........ I am sure the
reaction of your ‘captive’ audience showed that
your speech went down an ‘absolute storm’. ....... I have not spoken to
anyone who did not enjoy your presentation. In my opinion it was first class
and rounded off our Wednesday in super fashion.”
Barry Podmore, Regional
Director, Johnson Cleaners General Managers Conference Dinner, Castle Green
Hotel, Kendal
“I am sure you will be aware
of the success of your after dinner speech which
was evidenced by the long and sustained applause not to mention the absolute
gales of laughter throughout your presentation.”
Dennis Hargreaves, Director,
Johnson Group Textile Rental Senior Management Conference Dinner, Castle
Green Hotel, Kendal
“Your after dinner speech,
as I am sure you could tell, went down extremely
well. In fact I cannot think of a better way in which we could have closed,
what has now been described as, our best conference ever. I feel we will have
to have you back at some future event, as I know that many people, myself
included, missed some of your one-liners as we had not recovered our
composure from the previous one!” Anne Smith,
Commercial Services Executive,
Textile Services Association Weekend Conference, Gleneagles Hotel
“Thank you for an excellent
speech at the Gala Dinner at Knowsley Hall last
Friday evening. It was excellent and greatly appreciated by everyone
present.” David Turnbull,
The UK 200 Group Annual Conference Gala Dinner,
Knowsley Hall, Liverpool
“At one point as the
graduates got more and more rowdy, I wondered how on
earth you would be able to hold the attention of such a “refreshed” mob. We
were transfixed as only two minutes into your speech, the room full of 300
“jolly” graduates were held transfixed by your speech and suddenly one could
hear a pin drop. The silence ensued till the cheering at the end. What a
moment. What a lesson!”
Louise Walker, Lloyd Walker & Partners, British
Aerospace Graduate Conference, Metropole Hotel, Blackpool
“May I once again thank you
for an excellent evening’s entertainment which
judging from the comments so far received , was enjoyed by everyone present -
I know that I certainly loved it!”
Linda Spraggon, South Tees Community and
Mental Health NHS Trust Balancing The Risk International Conference Dinner,
Gosforth Park Hotel, Newcastle
“ A brief note to say thank
you for the excellent after dinner speech you
gave at this year’s conference. The whole event went very well and your
speech played a part in this overall success. I know that several delegates
were recalling your stories the next day, no doubt with a mind to repeating
them back at the office.”
Ann Davidson, Assistant Director, Business Courses,
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland Farm Tax Conference,
Stakis Dunkeld House
“ Very many thanks, also,
for coming along to speak to us. As always, your
input was superb - and just what was needed to waken everyone up! I was proud
to take the credit for ‘finding’ you.”
Sam D Sinclair, Organiser, Rotary
District 1010 48th Annual Conference, Coylumbridge, Aviemore
“I would like to give my
sincere thanks for your contribution to the
Conference. It was very well received by all those attending and made it
special." Denise
Whitehead, Marketing Manager, Ryder Asset Management
Conference, Alveston Manor, Stratford upon Avon
" Most sincere thanks for
your tremendous contribution to the success of our
recent Conference. Your speech really did hit the G-spot albeit, I have to
say somewhat ruefully, particularly at my expense. However, as you realise,
everything was taken in the very best of spirits and I have heard nothing but
congratulatory comments about your presentation. I hope I have the pleasure
to hear you again in the not too distant future."
Nigel Embry, Chief
Executive, Best Western Hotels, Management Conference, Richmond Hill Hotel,
Richmond upon Thames
"On behalf of the GDA
Investors in People team, I would like to thank you for
the excellent after dinner speech.........”
Elaine Sneddon, Glasgow
Development Agency, -. Marriott Hotel, Glasgow
“I enjoyed meeting you at
our conference and I know my colleagues and our
guests all enjoyed listening to your after dinner speech.”
Frank Neale,
Partner, Phildrew Ventures, -- Castle Ashby, Northampton
"May I take this
opportunity to thank you most sincerely for your very
amusing and entertaining after dinner speech. This was well received and
has
been the topic of conversation ever since!! The staff and Consultants have
all remarked to me how much they enjoyed your company and sharing your
experiences." Ellice
Pender, Matron/Manager, Abbey Carrick Glen Hospital AGM,
Highgrove House Hotel, Troon
"Thank you for helping to
make our Conference a huge success and for sending
the teachers away with smiles on their faces. Your presentation was
exactly
what was needed at the end of the day, with everyone able to recall a funny
story." Elaine Brown,
Home Economics Adviser, Meat and Livestock Commission,
-- Stirling Highland Hotel
"The evening was very
successful and I have had several comments from our
guests with regard to your excellent 'performance'. I hope you enjoyed the
occasion as much as your audience."
Suzie Hains, Marketing/Sales Coordinator,
IBH Victoria Hospital, Manchester -- Manchester --
“...... for entertaining our
guests in such enjoyable style..........
However, there can be no doubt the success of the evening and this can be put
down in no small measure to your contribution." Dr.
James Johnson, British
Pharmaceutical Conference, Thistle Hotel, Glasgow --- [
Other Speaker - Lord MacKay of Ardbrecknish, Government Minister ]
"Thank you for supporting
our gala Business Awards' event last Thursday and
for delivering a very witty and entertaining speech on the night. To say
that you stole the show is an understatement. From an organiser's viewpoint,
my job was made all the more easy when I hear howls of laughter coming from
the audience. Everyone I spoke to commented on your speech, and I would like
to take this opportunity of thanking you for your contribution towards making
our gala event this year, one to remember."
Gary McAulay, Dunbartonshire
Enterprise Business Excellence Awards -Cameron House Hotel, Loch Lomond --
"Thursday evening was a
highlight of our Summer Conference. The rest of the
papers were dull compared with your extremely amusing and interesting
address." Allan Denholm
... Institute of Chartered Accountants ( Scotland )
St. Andrews
"On behalf of the
Ayrshire Tourism Training Forum, I am writing to thank you
for your after-dinner speech on Monday evening. Everyone I spoke to at
yesterday's conference, who had been at the dinner, was still on a high and
this is in no small part down to your performance." W
R Kerr, Ayrshire
Tourism Training Forum -Troon Marine Hotel
"Your personal
contribution in terms of wit, timing and reading the audience
was incredible as is your enviable occupancy rate. I am sure you will find
your diary heavily booked to accommodate the many dinners you will be invited
(or begged) to speak at in future - thanks again."
Peter J Lederer , Managing
Director, Gleneagles Hotel -- Hotel & Catering Industry Board -- Glasgow
Moat
House
"The last time I enjoyed
myself so much was at Wembley in 1967. Without
exception my colleagues have been telling me how much they enjoyed your
speech. It came as a tremendous and pleasant surprise to them as they had
been expecting a turgid lecture from some hard nosed prison governor. You
certainly played a major part in helping make the overall Conference a
success." Ian Stewart,
Benefits Agency Conference -- Birmingham