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!)