Week 36 Restructuring & Conference & Young People (mostly!, again!)

Rotary Engagements since July 1                              237

The week started with a meeting between the District 1090 succession team (those who follow me as District Governor for the next three years) and our equivalents in District 1260, our neighbours and with whom we might amalgamate in the future.  We shared our views on how best we might proceed.

Tuesday saw me off to Conference Chairman Jean’s house with our Sergeant at Arms Brian to discuss how best Brian can keep me in order over the conference weekend(!).  Poor Jean has suffered a back muscle spasm – we’re all hoping she’s able to get past it by the 20^th!

Wednesday our succession team & I were off to the District 1130 (London) Headquarters in the splendid surroundings of York Gate, next to Regents Park, meet8ing with our equivalents in all the Districts surrounding London for an exchange of views on the way forward for our members in the future.  In the evening it was great to see our local Mayor of Hillingdon Alan and Mayoress Lynne at my own club in a reciprocal visit (we went to the Mayor’s Parlour earlier in the year).  Great company and good to see them both again – come back and see us often!

Last week I went to the second round of our Youth Speaks competition; this week it was the final – the best four entries from the District in two age categories, Intermediate & Senior.  It was one of those occasions when I was really glad that the judging was down to someone else – I had my own ideas of who might have won – needless to say my views were at odds with the judges!  In the end, the teams from Abbey School Reading and Licensed Victuallers School Ascot were successful in going through to the next round, where teams from 4 Rotary Districts will compete on March 22^nd for a place in the National Final.

Saturday morning and it’s amazing how quickly a year comes round.  This time last year I was leading our session with the coming year’s Presidents, and now it’s Tim’s turn to be doing it – certainly started well before Joan & I had to leave to rush over to Weybridge for the regional final of the Young Chef competition where Haydon Bursby from Banbury and Bee Cattermull from Wokingham were representing our District.  Both of our candidates did really well, but were not successful in winning through to the National Final.  Maybe next year?

Week 35 A mixture of Conference & Young People (mostly!)

Rotary Engagements since July 1                              230

One of the great things about preparing for the conference (now just 2 and a half weeks away – how did that happen?) is that it’s turning into a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends.  And so it was on Monday.  Many years ago we lived in Windsor and on Sundays we were often at All saints Church where the curate (at that time!) was one Graham Drake.  Graham became a firm friend, officiated at our elder daughter Jo’s christening and is godfather to our younger daughter Emma.  What more natural choice for someone to conduct the Sunday morning service at conference?  So Graham came down from Norwich to stay with us Monday evening and we sorted out the Order of Service – super to see him and looking forward to his company over the 21-23 March weekend.

Tuesday was our last full conference committee meeting before we set off for Torquay and to use the nautical phrase, we appear to be all shipshape and Bristol fashion (why Bristol I wonder?).  Great atmosphere of camaraderie from a terrific bunch.

Wednesday and a real nitty-gritty job, going through all the flags and signage we need for Torquay – not exactly riveting stuff, but one of those little jobs that just has to get done – somewhat comforting to find that the store of goodies contains almost as much junk as our garage – lots of things that will come in handy one day (oh no they won’t!!).  And in the evening the first of three bursts up the M40 for the week - to Banbury for their inaugural “Crocus Concert” season.  Following on from their highly rated “Children Singing for Children” involving primary schools, this secondary choirs event was run in aid of End Polio Now, Rotary’s enduring project for nearly 30 years.  As usual, superbly organised – such a great occasion.

More young people on Thursday with the second round of Youth Speaks in Windsor – always impressed by their skills & nice to see St Helens School intermediate team through to the next round – we live opposite the school and our daughters both attended.  Also really impressed by LVS Ascot in the senior section.  We’ll have to see how they both get on this coming week in the District final.

Friday another quick burst up the M40 – this time Chipping Norton for a celebration of the life of Mike Howes.  As I said the other week it’s clear that so many of our members do so much more than be “just a Rotarian” & Mike was very clearly no exception – so very obviously a hell of a guy. 

And in the evening out to High Wycombe to join the RC High Wycombe evening satellite group for their celebration of their first anniversary as a group and their first big event – a quiz attracting a great group of participants and a not so easy group of questions.  Was pleased to put together a family team “Governator” – Jo and her husband Alex joined us – in a hard- fought contest we were pipped into second place, but thought we’d acquitted ourselves well.

 Saturday afternoon saw me at Vicarage Road for a good 4-0 thrashing of Blackpool, following by a quick dash up the M40 again to beyond Banbury at Sibford for the impressive event that is RC Banbury’s Young Musician competition.  In its’ 24^th year the competition has multiple sections and prizewinners, four of whom will appear in the District final on Saturday 15^th March.  Oh and we met up with Lucinda Bourne Swinton-Hunter, our Youth Exchange student just back from Auburn, New York and now off to Italy as an au pair for four months - how the young live!

Just to round the week off, lunch on Sunday with our good friends Tim & Linda Cowling.  Not strictly a Rotary engagement, but then we talked of little else…….

Week 34 Olympics in the frame?

Rotary Engagements since July 1                              221

No, I’m not talking about hours lost watching the curling from Sochi!  Just that I went to a couple of meetings this week which brought the summer of 2012 all back again.  Monday Joan & I were lucky to be invited to Maidenhead Thames, not because we were there officially but we wanted to go and hear their speaker, Dr Katherine Granger, the most be-medalled female rower in Olympic history.  Really lucky to sit on the same table at dinner and discover what a super lady she is – wicked sense of humour – there are real perks with this job!

Tuesday we took our District Executive Committee all the way up to Bicester – continuing our policy of seeing the corners of the District in force.  Much to discuss this meeting with the updates from General Council the previous week and looking forward, in projecting our budget for 2014-2015.

Wednesday it was back to 2012 again – this time for the Paralympics.  Mike Reilly, CEO of Goalball and Michael Sharkey, a visually impaired competitor from the GB team, talked to my club (RC Elthorne-Hillingdon) about the sport and their ambitions to start 5 Goalball clubs in the London area this year, the first of which has started in Ickenham, just round the corner from where our club meets.

And Friday we were both off to the Metropole Hotel in Birmingham for the annual RIBI Assembly where we start to prepare for the 2014-2015 Rotary year (lasting thru Sunday).  In some ways this might be seen as a step back, as I’m helping out by acting as Assistant Governor for the clubs in Burnham, Slough, Langle, Windsor & Maidenhead but I see it as a challenge to focus on a great area and see where we can increase our Rotary service.  Great fun weekend including meeting incoming Rotray International president Gary Huang from Taiwan (seen with RI Director Mike Webb) and after launching the World’s Greatest Meal 2012 District 1140 Governor Mukesh Malhotra, with his Dsitrict 1090 counterpart Niall Blair offered advice to our incoming DG Tim Cowling – not sure how Tim’s taking the advice judging by his expression!

Week 33 A Very Mixed Bag – this year, next year, local & national, business & pleasure

Rotary Engagements since July 1                                                  215

Being a Rotary International District Governor is, as I’ve implied in the title of this post, a very mixed bag.  In a single week I’ve covered things relating to this Rotary year, things building up to the next Rotary year starting in July, lots of stuff to do with things happening locally but also national responsibilities, much pure business, some a mixture of business & pleasure, and some pure pleasure.

Began the week in Alcester, home of Rotary International in Britain & Ireland (RIBI) for a meeting of the General Council, the 29 Governors for this year of the Districts in Britain & Ireland who are responsible for the Administrative Area covered by these islands.  Actually a fair number of pretty important matters for the future of our Districts were discussed including the way on which the structures & processes need to change, and what the future may look like in terms of how many Districts we may reduce to, subject to agreement from our membership.  These will be taken forward to future meetings and will eventually form the basis for quite radical change.  Important stuff!  Definitely came under the national (but also parochially local) and business sides of the week!

Monday evening it was time to contact all our clubs with borders on the Thames to find out where we had cases of pressing need following the flooding.  Happily I’ve had no reports of urgent issues. Although many have acknowledged that our work may start when the waters go down and the extent of damage & recovery work is apparent.

Much of Tuesday was spent catching up with being in meetings all day Sunday & Monday, but an evening of pure pleasure with the first of two 1-0 home wins of the week for Watford FC – even if you win ugly it’s still a win!

Cancellation of the trip down to Torquay with Conference Chairman Jean was replaced by a comprehensive talk through all of the conference (just 31 days to go!) and a lengthy call with our conference centre contact Viki.  Please, because of the cancellation of the trip, to be at my club to hear a couple of our District visiting Rotary Scholars talk to us about their studies and what they hope to do next – aren’t young people great!

Thursday evening should have been a pleasurable experience that saw Elthorne-Hillingdon triumph & make their way through to the semi-finals of the District darts competition having defeated RC Henley.  Unfortunately two things went wrong 1) Henley clearly hadn’t read that script and 2) our usually reliable pairing couldn’t hit a double – at all!  We lost 3-1, deservedly and wish Henley all the best in the next round.

Friday saw us out at the Mill at Sonning for a memorable night watching Alan Ayckbourn’s “Absurd Person Singular”.  Played as a period piece it was great fun, especially the line “I see it’s still raining” which, coming in the midst of the storm, was truly appropriate.  RC Marlow organised for more than 100 of us to be there am0ongst a full house.  Rotarians having a great time while raising money for Polio eradication – what could be better?

Saturday morning we were off to Sonning again – this time for our District Officer Training – gearing up for the Rotary Year 2014-2015, followed by a quick dash back to see the mighty Watford to their second 1-0 win of the week.  Not quite so ugly, unless you count the two sendings-off – one for each side!

 Each year, our District holds a “Paul Harris Fellows” Lunch (Paul Harris founded Rotary – fellowships are awarded to recognise significant contribution and represent a donation to our charity, The Rotary Foundation in that person’s name).  Brilliantly orgainsed by RC Slough member Robin Weathersbee, 150 of us gathered to celebrate and were addressed by Past President of RI John Kenny who flew down from his home in Edinburgh especially for the occasion.  Great lunch, great company and a stirring address.