On behalf of the organising committee, it is a great pleasure to welcome you all to this 14C workshop and indeed to Scotland. The organising committee has already indicated its ability by arranging sunshine for a place and time in which horizontal rain is more common. We plan to build on this initial success by having an outstanding week of good science and pleasant social activity. Scientifically, we have the opportunity firstly to look back and review previous research on the accuracy and precision of 14C dates. Then we will hear and discuss some important new results from the final stage of the present international intercomparison study. Finally, we will discuss and plan mechanisms and procedures by which, in future, we can improve our general level of performance. Paralleling this and of equal if not more importance, we have arranged a social programme which we hope will give us the opportunity to eat and drink well together, see some of the country, get to know each other better and discuss our science informally. So our hopes are high and our welcome sincere.