Week 24 – Christmas is Coming…

Club Visits since July 1                                                         63

Rotary Engagements since July 1                                         173

Official Club Visits with Chicken dinner since July 1          only 10!!

Memorable day last Monday – club visit number 63!  Celebrating their 4^th anniversary (& therefore their 5^th charter night!) off to RC Kingham & the Wychwoods – just about the furthest distance from home, both in time & distance and nestling right on the Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire border a lively group led by President Jacqui.  A fun festive evening (fun’s clearly a big part of the deal at this club) – although I was defeated by the quiz – obviously much too learned for me!

Tuesday a lovely (non-Rotary) treat – Christmas Carol Service for grandson Edward’s school, Northwood Prep.  Lovely to see a school celebrating in a traditional way despite the multi-faith students, together with a choir including students and parents alike.

If it’s coming up to Christmas, then it’s out with Santa!  Every year our club takes to the streets of Ickenham & Hillingdon with our Santa float, Santa and a string of “elves” house to house collecting for a particular charity – this year the Samaritans (and other Rotary charities).  So both Wednesday & Thursday we sought out the kids (old & young) and took Christmas to our community (that’ll be a feature of next week as well).

Friday, a treat, the RC Elthorne-Hillingdon Christmas Party & President’s Night combined in the prestigious surroundings of the Officers’ Mess at RAF Northolt – only one of our number managed to stray near the runway!  Great to be joined by the Mayor & Mayoress of Hillingdon, Alan & Lynne Kaufmann.  Probably the biggest carvery celebration ever!  President Shirley to be thanked for the arrangements – great idea for a great celebration.

And Saturday morning, a change of emphasis; looking forward to the planning for our Vocational Training Team (VTT) who will be off out to Uganda in April.  Great to see the team melding together and a treat to be part of their preparations.

Special day on Sunday!  Having warmed up with grandson Edward’s Carol Service on the Tuesday, it was all out to St Giles Church in Ickenham for the District 1090 Carol Service.  Brilliantly led by our Honorary Rotarian, Rev Philip Robinson and complete with a Rotarian choir (RC’s Bracknell, Cookham Bridge, Elthorne-Hillingdon, Loddon Vale, Maidenhead Bridge, Marlow & Reading Matins)  pulled together by David Pope (RC Abingdon) and accompanied by organist John Halsey (RC Windsor & Eton), our congregation enjoyed a full Nine Lessons & Carols, followed by the obligatory mince pies (courtesy of Elthorne-Hillingdon Inner Wheel).