Week 8 – Taking a bit of a break (not!)

Club Visits since July 1                                                 22

Rotary Engagements since July 1                                  62

Official Club Visits with Chicken since July 1                 1 !!

Well the idea was that I’d take a week off this week and have a week away from Rotary.  Somehow it didn’t quite turn out like that!  Well I did manage to only do one club visit and only attend one other Rotary meeting but much of the rest of the week did rather get consumed by catching up with administrative detail – planning ahead and such like.

The one club visit I did do this week was to Wallingford & Dicot District.  Emerging from dark days the club has done well to carry on and now has a kernel of members determined to take things forward for the future led this year by President Marilyn who accepted the year theme banner on behalf of the club.  Always nice also to attend the induction of a new member and even more of a pleasure to perform the induction myself, welcoming Dulcie Fisher into the family of Rotary.

Over the weekend we were meant to taking off down to Yeovil for a couple of days witb our grandson Edward while his parents jaunted off to Vienna, but a bout of sickness on Saturday morning put paid to that!!  Never mind, always nice to share quality time at home with our favourite 9 year old!

Week 7 – Meeting up with Old Friends week

Club Visits since July 1                                                  21

Rotary Engagements since July 1                                   60

Official Club Visits with Chicken since July 1                  1 !!

A somewhat quieter week this week – only 1 club official visit, but still a clutch (if 8 counts as a clutch) of things Rotary.

Started the week at RIBI Headquarters in Alcester for Day 2 of the first meeting of the General Council of the Association.  Interesting stuff – very pleased to see that our group of 29 District Governors and Officers are determined to make change happen within our organisation despite the setbacks earlier in the calendar year.  Really positive vibes and terrific to meet up as a group for the first time in what seems like ages (actually not that long but you know what I mean.  Stayed in a very reasonably priced place for the night on Sunday.

Tuesday evening (as you can see), our conference committee were hard at work finalising the arrangements for registration to open (which it now has) – looking forward to lots of bookings from all the eager beavers in Rotary District 1090. (Can you tell who’s in charge?).

Wednesday took me to my own club as normal and on Thursday we had a meeting of our Succession line – that’s me, our Governor Elect Tim Cowling, Governor Nominee Fred King and Secretary Greg Wilkinson – helps if we all talk about what’s coming up and parcel stuff out between us.

Saturday Joan & I popped up to Norwich for lunch (as you do – just a 230 mile round trip) to see a friend of 40 years standing.  Graham was the vicar who took our elder daughter Jo’s christening and is godfather to our younger daughter Emma.  He’s coming down to Torquay with us to lead our multi-faith service on the Sunday morning which will be great.

We have one club in our District that meets on Sundays.  Our newest club, Maidenhead Bridge, have their meetings in Costa Coffee at 10:30 on a Sunday so Joan & I went for the Official visit. Super-lively people with a real driving commitment to improving their community through Rotary service – loved it!

 

And then we were off to Cowley for Oxford Isis’ Classic Car Show – some terrific examples of (mostly British) car history, with a worringly large number of cars I have previously owned now appearing.

Couldn’t work our which end was which of this one though…… but I got there eventually, have you? A great example of a really great fun afternon's entertainment for a community all courtesy of their local Rotary club

Week 6 – “If it’s Tuesday it must be Banbury” – and a broken Duck!

Club Visits since July 1                                                   20

Rotary Engagements since July 1                                    52

Official Club Visits with Chicken since July 1                   1 !!

Been a whirlwind week this week.  With Joan off with our younger daughter Emma and our grandson Edward to the Isle of Wight Monday – Friday I took the opportunity to limit the number of times I had to cook for myself to zero for the week by cramming in club visits on every day.

Started my whirlwind tour with lunch At RC Loddon Vale.  Much talk at lunchtime (and quite rightly!) of their 40^th Charter celebration at the end of September, shared with the visit of their twin club from Hamburg.  President Norman Moulsley is proud to be one of the founder members of the club.

After lunch the plan was that Past RIBI President & I, accompanied by fellow Loddon Vale club member Martin Boyles, would take in a few holes of Sonning Golf Club.  All of which started brilliantly for about 2 holes before the rain started and a further 3 before the torrential downpour left standing water across the course and us as three drowned rats!  Good company & to be continued in less inclement weather sometime.

Dinner followed at RC Newbury, featuring, for the first time, CHICKEN on the menu.  So that broke the chicken duck!  We like the club’s Donnington Valley venue a lot – I held our District team event there a couple of weeks ago and we’re back there in October for a District Executive meeting.  President Will will be leading the club on a Pounds for Polio collection at Newbury races ion Friday 16^th (I know, any excuse to be off at the races….).  No pictures – left the camera in the car – bad DG!

 

Tuesday with RC Banbury Cherwell.  A joyous evening celebrating the club’s Broughton Castle cycle event (see Week 2 for the event itself).  Exceeding the expectations of the club’s fundraising target, it pulled together so many community groups  just brilliantly.  A fabulous start to President Jennette’s year.  And a well-earned Paul Harris Fellowship for Tony Carney who masterminded the event.

Wednesday and a good long hike out to RC Wantage – actually I thought on the way there that it’s good to get some of the further destinations done while the weather’s good – it’s about a 120 mile round trip – longish way for lunch, but worth it.  Hosted for the meeting by President-Elect Bill in the absence on holiday of President Keith.  Great club who hide their light too well – their sponsored young people from Sweatbox Union won a RIBI Young Citiznes award in Harrogate this year.

 

Thursday lunch out at RC Didcot – actually most of the same journey as the previous day to Wantage.  President Keith in charge this year – a club that has made great strides in regenerating itself with 8 new members in the previous two years.  Good fun club with a solid base for their fundarising and community service.

And then to Reading Abbey for dinner, with President Steve presiding (well of course he would be!) over a suitably unruly mob (just a group of regular Rotarians then.  Thriving membership, great community spirit (and of course two of my indispensable conference committee!).

Sadly, interspersed in the general merriment and great Rotary fellowship I had to attend two services for Rotarians who have died.  Brian Webb from High Wycombe and Bob Kevan from Bourne End & Cookham will be remembered by all of us as great examples of our Association.

Saturday morning saw me off to 6 York Gate, VERY prestigious address by Regent’s Park and HQ of the London District 1130, for a workshop on social media and branding (I skipped the bit in the afternoon to go and see Watford FC beat Bournemouth 6-1).  Great discussion and good to see advance copy of the new Rotary logo and website – due out this week.  Thanks to Mike Thorn and Stewart Gilbert for giving their time to lead the workshop.

And now it’s Sunday and I’m off to Rotary International in Britain & Ireland at Alcester for my first meeting of the 2013-2014 General Council (leadership team).  More on that next week – the meeting runs into Monday as well.

Week 5 – What’s the Beef?

Club Visits since July 1                                                  14

Rotary Engagements since July 1                                    41

Official Club Visits with Chicken since July 1                   0!!

Or more correctly, where’s the chicken?  One of the things that people say about Rotary meetings is that chicken is always on the menu.  Far from the truth!! I suddenly woke up this week to the fact that I’ve not been served chicken at any of the 14 Official Club Visits I’ve made this year.  I shall now be keeping the Chicken Meal count up to date each week.

I guess I should have expected that the year as DG would be pretty full on!  Earlier this week someone commented to me that it must be like having a full-time job; my response was that when I was working full-time I only worked 5 days a week.  But seriously I wonder how some of my DG colleagues who are still working cope.

Monday saw me off to RC Chipping Norton – close to as far West in the District as it gets and pretty much as far away as any club from my home.  I’m very lucky though, that it only takes less than 1.5 hours to get there.  Probably best to describe “Chippy” as being in the best of rude health led by President Geoffrey (who’s celebrating his 50th year in Rotary this year).  All up for a lively discussion on the structure of Rotary in these islands & beyond!

 

Tuesday – RC Bicester – super attendance of almost 90% of members from a relatively small club with ambitions to regenerate itself.  Led by President Jolanta this year and features some great characters.

Had a very positive meeting on Wednesday with an organisation that is interested in talking about working with Rotary to our mutual advantage – be interesting to see how this develops over the coming months.

Thursday at RC Burnham Beeches.  Another great visit to a club that is keeping itself really busy – looking forward to being with President Neil when they charter their next Interact club in the very near future & good luck with the upcoming Burnham Beeches 10K.

Interesting official visit with our Oxford International e-Club on Saturday.  It’s kind of  weird having a meeting with Rotarians via online chat – don’t know why that would be, it always worked fine for me where “work” was concerned.  However, looking forward to the club developing during the year.