Week 3 Part 2 – Some fabulous events

Club Visits since July 1                                  9

Rotary Engagements since July 1                  27

The height of summer is peak season for key fundraising events across the District and thankfully all have been blessed with such a difference in weather from last year- blazing sunshine replacing the dreadful damp and boggy conditions of 2012 .

Elthorne-Hillingdon Golf Day     

Tuesday marked the 18^th annual Charity Golf Day for my club, RC Elthorne-Hillingdon.  A gloriously sunny day saw 38 teams of three at Batchworth Park Golf Club.  While the conditions were favourable for long hitting, the heavy rough captured many and scoring was quite difficult – in a best two of three Stableford points at each hole against three-quarter handicaps a score of 87 won the day for Tube & Bracket team Technical, recapturing the trophy their colleagues at the sartorially elegant T&B won 3 years ago.  

With club President Shirley away for the week, I was asked to present the prizes, an absolute pleasure for me, although I had to hand the honour over to Shooting Star & Chase fundraiser Michael for two prizes – second team, with 82 points to Team DG End Polio Now, including Past District Governor Tony Bacon and captained by yours truly, who also picked up a nearest the pin prize - actually with six pars & two birdies this was my best round ever – an adjusted net 60, ten shots below the standard scratch score (apologies to non-golfers for all the technical jargon).

Yet again, this fabulous day produced more than £10,000 for the sole recipient charity, this year Shooting Star Chase Hospice – so worthwhile.

Truck Festival

Friday saw me at a music festival for the first time in many, many years - the 16^th annual Truckfest at Steventon.  Headlined by Spiritualized, The Horrors, Ash, The Subways (no, I’m none the wiser either) on 5 stages, my raison d’etre was the presence of no fewer than 5 of The Rotary clubs in District 1090.  With RC Didcot, founding fathers of the food at Truck, serving burgers & chips with all the trimmings, (oh and doughnuts, such good doughnuts), RC Faringdon on pizzas, and RC Oxford Spires (with RC Wallingford, Sinodun & District & RC Eynsham) on Lentil Dhal, Onion Bhajis and Chapatis most tastes are catered for.  What seemed like a small army of volunteers on each stand rendered any assistance from me completely superfluous and forced, yes forced me to sample the wares of each stall instead.  It was really lucky I arrived at lunchtime starving hungry wasn’t it?

No figures yet for how much the clubs raised but one thing is certain, between them they raised the profile of Rotary in front of an audience that wouldn’t normally come across Rotary in such numbers (and being so useful for them – nothing like being the source of food!).

 

Elthorne-Hillingdon Inner Wheel Changeover

Friday evening, Joan & I were guests at the Inner Wheel Club of Elthorne Hillingdon changeover, with President Joan Thorpe passing the baton to incoming President Sue Mills, recently returned from holiday with husband Peter, Immediate Past President of RC Lyme Regis (hence the need for a recuperative trip on 1 July).  My club is very fortunate to have such a great group of ladies in our Inner Wheel club and we’re really grateful for their support.
 

Uxbridge Autoshow

And finally for this week, a monster event for RC Uxbridge.  The Uxbridge Autoshow has been a fixture in the Rotary Calendar since 1984 – with the exception of last year when the ghastly weather forced cancellation when heavy vehicles became stuck in the mud the day before it was due to take place.  Over the years the event has raised more than £400,000 and it is the club’s largest fundraising effort each year.  An enormous amount of work goes into the preparation for the event with teams of people on site for days beforehand.  As the neighbouring club, some of my fellow members turn out to help and I spent a couple of hours helping mark out the site on Wednesday afternoon (see above L) before returning on Sunday for the main event (above R) when the field looked somewhat fuller!.
Sunday turned out to be just about the perfect day - relatively cool in the morning with the sun coming into full view just after 1p.m.  Huge turnout of vehicles, with some really very well-preserved examples (and that was just the owners!).  Also very good crowds and a splendid atmosphere - too early to estimate the proceeds but hoping for great reward for the enormous effort by the whole club in staging the event.  London Borough of Hillingdon Mayor Alan Kauffman and his lovely wife Lynn graced the occasion (seen L with RC Uxbridge President former mayor Jill Rhodes and R with yours truly).

Many clases of vehicles were awarded prizes and I joined Jill & Alan in handing them out, most notably to the eventual best in show winner - seen here getting the class prize from me (L) and the overall prize from all three of us.  A terrific day out for all the family and a shining example of Rotary at work