Week Five

Monday July 29th:

Visited the Rotary Club of Beeston on Monday evening at their Hq. Beeston Fields Golf Club, Beeston, Nottingham. Accompanied by my Clubs President Elect, Vic Trigwell.
It was a lovely evening and the greens looked magnificent from the Clubhouse windows.

President David receiving
the Clubs Theme Banner

 During the Q&A Session

We were warmly greeted by President David Biggs and the club members and shown into the meeting room. The Clubs is obviously efficiently well run and looking at the planned programme for the year they are going to be exceedingly busy. A very good and interesting meeting followed an excellent meal. After my presentation some very searching questions were asked, of particular concern was the lack of feedback on how monies collected by RIBI following emergencies was spent. A particular example was the money collected following the Haiti Earthquake. Much of the money was spent initially on getting urgent relief supplies to the victims including assisting ShelterBox and AquaBox to deploy and also in funding essential medical supplies, clothing and food aid. The questioner said there seemed to be a considerable sum unspent until recently.
I have investigated this and all the money has now been dispersed, with the balance spoken of above being given to Rotary's "Haiti Jaipur Limb Centre" to assist them in finding suitable permanent home and for the purchase of much needed equipment to secure their essential long term future in Haiti.

 Wednesday evening found me with on the other side of the Trent visiting the Rotary Club of Bolsover in their meeting place, Ringwood Hall Hotel, Brimington on the outskirts of Chesterfield. A truly magnificent hotel much used for Charters and other celebrations.

Giving President Pam the
Theme Banner

Carol, John Carr and I were warmly welcomed by President Pam and the members, I was also greeted by John one of the waiting on staff, he remembering me from a previous visit to this Club. President Pam said she thought John must have been at the Hotel since a very young age and even though well past retirement prefers to continue with the job he loves!
I had the great pleasure of sitting near one of the Bolsover members who had the hobby of Skydiving, he obviously loves the sport and the thrill and excitement he gets from it. In particularly he recounted in graphic detail, the feelings he experienced prior to and during his first solo jump! All in all a memorable and enjoyable evening.

Friday: I am happy to report I have just taken the first annual output meter reading for my Solar Panels and sent it to my Feed in Tariff supplier. The panels have actually produced 118% of the annual estimated output. We appear to have made a sound investment.
It still seems to me to be a considerable irony, selling electricity to a Gas Company!



Sunday 4th August:

I attended the first, under 12 years of age, Rotary Inter District National Football Competition organised by the Rotary Club of Burton upon Trent, this project is the brainchild of their Immediate Past President William Saunders.

William Saunders,
Rory Delap & Nan McCreadie

The winners receiving the "Cup"
look at those Boots!

It was run in conjunction with the Football Association at their new National Training Centre, St Georges Park, just outside Burton upon Trent. Thirteen Rotary Districts had teams entered in the Competition. The weather stayed dry if overcast for most of the morning and even when the rain came in the early afternoon it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the participating teams.
The final was played in a very competitive manner with the victors being a team from Preston.
The medals were presented to the winners and runners up by the RIBI President Nan McCreadie and Rory Delap (Burton Albion Football Club).


The afternoon continued with Carol taking me along to her Bretby Inner Wheel Club, Summer Tea Party, the inclement weather meant this had to be taken inside President Eileen's home.
Who says cakes are the sole province of The Women's Institute, those on display and consumed today would have been hard to beat anywhere!
I was warmly welcomed by the Inner Wheelers and their partners after President Eileen and husband David had made sure I took off my wet coat (and the muddy shoes|) I had worn at St Georges Park!!