Week 13 – Mostly in the South & Far West - & 1st District Council

Club Visits since July 1                                                         42

Rotary Engagements since July 1                                           96

Official Club Visits with Chicken dinners since July 1                6 !!

Monday evening at RC Easthampstead.  In President Brian’s absence (sunning himself elsewhere), President-Elect Bob took the helm for an enjoyable evening.  A great example of a hard-working club with a full range of community and international connections and a series of great events during the year.  Remarkably, after 33 years, 11 of their members were there at the club’s inception – congratulations gents!!  One of them is pictured with me & President-Elect Bob.

 

Great lunch on Tuesday at RC Reading.  Just goes to show that clubs that meet at lunchtimes can be strong, vibrant & thriving irreverently!  Great vision from a committed membership on long-term projects with real community benefit at both home and abroad.  And a typical “small world” serendipity moment – nothing to do with Rotary – President Graham & I were talking football, he being a Reading supported and me a Watford fan – so he says “I don’t suppose you know a fellow Watford fan called Mike Day”.  Well, Mike & I have stood and sat next to each other at Vicarage Road for 30 years – how odd is that?  Nice also to see visiting Rotarian John from New Zealand (pictured with President Graham & me)

And on to RC Hungerford Tuesday evening, a club that prides itself on being on the fringes of the District (I keep telling them they aren’t actually the furthest West…..).  Tuesday was their final meeting in their current venue – the Bear is closing for refurbishment and the club is moving to the Three Swans.  This won't stop them in their commitment to local and international causes.

Wednesday evening at RC Ascot – a very convivial occasion with important business to mull over – President Alan leading a great initiative to strengthen ties with the world-renowned racecourse.  Strong club with a great showing at District – always fun to be with – another hard-working bunch of members – terrific! 

 

Thursday saw the first District Council of the year – good turnout from a majority of clubs in the District.  In addition to the usual crop of reports from our District committees we heard from Ascot & Princes Risborough clubs on initiatives they are taking in their local communities to Engage Rotary, Change Lives.  We also took on board the recommendations following the District Conference 2013.

Saturday – well what a super evening celebrating 40 years of RC Loddon Vale.  More than 200 of us were reminded of key highlights in those 40 years (some pictorially demonstrating an alarming array of what seemed to be cross-dressing occasions in the past!) and were addressed by the Home Secretary, Rt Hon Theresa May, a regular visitor and resident of their community.

 

Sunday – EXERCISE!  About a third of my club led by our President Shirley set off on a 5 mile walk at the leafier end of the London Borough of Hillingdon (and just over the border into Hertfordshire) Across farmland around Harefield we followed the Grand Union Canal towpath and then cut across back to our starting point, which curiously just happened to be a pub!!  (Please note, the horses on the right were drinking of their own accord!)

Week 12 – South & West & then on to the Bracing North-East (unseasonably warm actually)!!

Club Visits since July 1                                                         38

Rotary Engagements since July 1                                           89

Official Club Visits with Chicken dinners since July 1                6 !!

 

Had a great Monday lunchtime with RC Wokingham under the guidance of President Lester.  Terrific group of members with a full Rotary service programme and an attractive public image of an active club.  Also capable of doing madcap things, like walking over the O2 of all things.  Actually, if I hadn’t been off to Thatcham and Henley Bridge on Wednesday I’d have loved to have joined them.

Almost had a day off on Tuesday – round of golf in the morning and out to see Watford FC beat Doncaster Rovers 2-1 in the evening with a bit of Rotary catch up during the afternoon.  Nice to do something a bit different – back with a season ticket this year after an absence of 4 seasons.

Wednesday – a great day – RC Thatcham at lunchtime – terrific to see how they’ve taken on new fundraising opportunities that are also a great day out for their community – with the Duck Race a great success bringing in £4,000 and the Santa Run planned for December.  Oh, and a couple of prospective lady members on the horizon too.  Lovely atmosphere under the gentle humour of President Frank.

And then in the evening at RC Henley Bridge – a serious contender for the top fundraiser title both at home and abroad.  Busy evening with their two principal fundraising events coming up in the next month – Henley Half-Marathon (over 2,000 runners expected) and Sue Ryder Fireworks.  Great to see three prospective members there – just have to hope that the DG didn’t put them off.

And Friday off to Scarborough for a visit to another District’s conference.  Rotary International District 1030 covers Tyneside & Wearside predominantly.  District suppported projects in Uganda & Sri Lanka and closer to home with the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation were featured and Geoff Mackey provided his usual brand of intense Rotarianism!!

  

     

Our Friday night entertainment featured, among others, Lonnie Donnigan's son Peter & Scarborough's Tom Townsend band.

 

 

Saturday night's 20's theme saw Joan & I suitably attired!!

Dancing to a great Jazz band!

 

Oh and how good to see our club’s former member and our District’s former Ambassadorial Scholar Lisa Morris again.  Got to love her enthusiasm – came all the way down from Newcastle by train to see us.

Week 11 – New Members a Highlight this Week!!

Club Visits since July 1                                                         35

Rotary Engagements since July 1                                          83

Official Club Visits with Chicken dinner since July 1               6 !!

It’s been a busy week! (Aren’t they all?).  Particular feature this week has been the pleasure of seeing two new members inducted (Liam Collins at Maidenhead Thames and Nick Thompson at Misbourne Matins) and also writing welcome letters to three other new members this week as well.  That makes a nice round 25 welcome letters since 1 July (of which I’ve been present at 6 of the inductions).  And I know there’s more coming soon…..

The other thing that stuck out this week was a doubling of the chicken dinner count – having been chuffed with the lack of chicken thus far, this was indeed a blow.  However, they weren’t all presented the same – does that help?

 

So Monday it was off to Maidenhead Thames – my first chicken dinner of the week, but more seriously the first induction of the week – great to meet the widely travelled Liam Collins and to see the club in great heart under President Steve’s leadership

  

Tuesday I was out at Abingdon Vesper where members were still recovering from their exertions at the Dragon boat racing on the previous Sunday – chicken again!  Great evening with the usual Rotary banter enlivening proceedings!

After a relatively late return on Tuesday (not helped by the closure of the A40) bit of a struggle to be bright-eyed and bushy tailed for 7:15 a.m. at Misbourne Matins.  President Christine’s clearly enjoying keeping a very lively (especially at that time) bunch in some sort of order!  Another induction –welcome Nick Thompson.  And the four way test in the first of a series of foreign languages – Dutch

Later on that day it was over to Caversham.  It’s fair to say that the club is going through a soul-searching period but is taking positive steps under President Robin to move forward.

 

Finally for the club visits, Thursday saw me at Langley & Iver, just a short trip to the other side of Uxbridge – President Mohinder leading a smaller but active club – great to see RYLA attendee Christian Hinton presenting on his experience and proving yet again what a worthwhile investment that is.

Saturday, having watched the weather anxiously all week, it was mercifully dry, but most definitely not warm, for the annual Pinner Village Show – RC Pinner President Nigel and his team organised a fabulous array of stalls and entertainment, and we met up with interlopers from Districts 1130 (Northwick Park) and 1260 (Elstree & Borehamwood)!

PDG David Buckland has been a great support for many and it was great to be at his 70^th birthday bash on Sunday in company with many of his (Rotary) friends and family.

Week 10 – Coming Home to Roost?

Club Visits since July 1                                               30

Rotary Engagements since July 1                                75

Official Club Visits with Chicken since July 1                3 !! (I guess 1 in 10 is reasonable?)

Last week finished with the selection process for our Vocational Training Team candidates and this week started with hearing the reaction from the very excited selected team members, and the not so pleasant job of commiserating with those who weren’t selected.  Anyway, it puts us in the position of being able to finish off the application for the Global Grant shortly.

Off to RC Woodstock & Kidlington on Monday.  Terrific bunch of people belying their relatively small numbers by mounting fantastic events under the gentle guidance of President John.  Looking forward to the Rotary Blenheim 10K in October.  

Tuesday – local derby fixture at RC Pinner – always nice to be present when a new member is inducted – welcome to Chen Adya.  With President Nigel taking the helm for a second term the club is in great spirit – looking forward to the Pinner Village Show this coming Saturday 14^th.

RC Marlow Thames was Wednesday’s venue – another club gearing up for their big event of the year – the Cookham Regatta in conjunction with RC Cookham Bridge – at least the river is in better shape this year and the weather turned out not too bad on Saturday.  President Sara has a very lively bunch of committed Rotarians – great stuff.

Thursday saw me back at the same location for our first ever District Roles Awareness workshop, with a bumper audience of those already doing District roles and those curious to know what happens on District.  Had to nip off early to fulfil another engagement but it seemed to be well received.

And Friday at RC Banbury for lunch – largest club in the District with more than 70 members and a robust spirit – no prisoners taken here! – especially amongst their own club members led by President John.  Lots of lively banter and splendid Rotary fellowship.  Makes it seem nearer than the 130 mile round trip!

 

Birthdays are good – right?  And a tenth birthday party for RC Oxford Spires was well worth the trip up to Finstock in deepest Oxfordshire – a real lesson for all of us – how to put on a great evening for £10 a head including a first drink and home-cooked food.  Add in good company, a modestly –priced bar and a casino you have a great recipe for a superb Rotary celebration.   

Well done all!

Never been Dragon Boat Racing?  No, neither had I – but at least now I’ve spectated at one.  RC Abingdon Vesper have been running theirs for some years and are well-practiced at putting on a great event.   

My abiding memory of the day – happy smiling faces of the competitors, win or lose – clearly well worth all the effort for them and a great example of Rotary service in action – giving the community a super day out, despite the occasional showers, and raising funds for good causes at the same time.