Monday 28 February 2011 - meeting with Sam Evans at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground

Sam Evans is a remarkable young man.
We awarded him an Ambassadorial Scholarship a few years ago to study for a Masters in Australia.
Sam is very much a people person and he stopped on his way back from Sydney in Cambodia where he became involved with an orphanage and he still keeps in touch with them.
He now works at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground arranging hospitality functions and we met to discuss Sam's idea to hold an event in September to raise funds for the orphanage and also for a special needs school in India where his brother Tom is currently working as a volunteer.
Sam is a shining example of how Rotary can change peoples lives.

Sunday 27 February 2011 - Rotary Club of Melbourne Birthday Party

President Mike Thornett and his wife Wendy held an excellent Sunday lunch birthday party in place of a formal Charter Dinner.
It was well attended, informal and a lovely friendly occasion

As always there was a lot of laughter and banter and the food is always delicious at Cleve Lodge in Long Eaton.

We had a particularly noisy table with Probus President Ken Harnden, his wife Pauline, Castle Donington President Eric Woodward and Barbara in addition to Mike, Wendy, Terry and me!

Saturday 26 February 2011 - Rotary Club of West Ashfield Charter

Just as I began feeling a little better recovering from dengue fever I returned to work and caught a cold!

The speech I gave at the Rotary Club of West Ashfield Charter Dinner was in a very husky voice, some said sexy!
We all had a great evening with President Mike Redshaw and Alison at the Derbyshire Hotel which is another excellent venue.

The entertainment provided by Hilary Leam and Jonathan Panton direct from the West End was absolutely fabulous. They sang a variety of songs and they are so talented that we could have listened to the all night.

Friday 25 February 2011 - Inner Wheel Club of Alfreton Charter

I was so pleased to be invited by President Vera Dilks to the Inner Wheel Club of Alfreton Charter celebration.

We all has a lovely evening with good food, good entertainment and excellent company!

Seen here are the RIBI Inner Wheel Association Chairman Pam McConnell, Inner Wheel District 22 Chairman Elaine Harrison and Vera Dilks.


I was priviledged to witness the presentation of a 50 Year Membership Certificate to Peggy Spaven, a member of the Alfreton club.

The birthday cake made by Sue Curley was delicious and Terry was very envious as this is his favourite - iced cake!

Thursday 24 February 2011 - club visit - Vale of Belvoir

Third time lucky! After cancellations for loss of venue and snow I made it for the club visit to the Rotary Club of the Vale of Belvoir with President Denis Bacon. This was club visit number 57 - 1 to go!

I knew the new venue by its previous name and this threw me totally. Luckily a member found me looking very lost down a dark lane and came to my rescue!

Sunday 20 February - Rotary Club of Worksop Charter

The Rotary Club of Worksop held their Charter Sunday lunch at The Olde Bell, Barnby Moor where the meal was superb as usual.


Terry and I are delighted to be working with Worksop to provide facilites for special needs children in Kerala. Peter and I both knoe their District Governor, Scaria and we will all be visiting the project in the next few months.




President David and his wife Catharine were excellent hosts and there was a great deal of laughter around the table!

Thursday 17 February 2011 - Rotary Club of Chesterfield Charter

President David Foster and the Rotary Club of Chesterfield Scarsdale held a well attended 30th Charter celebration at the Red Lion, Stone Edge.
The Mayor of Chesterfield, Keith Morgan was a guest along with Andrew Raftery MD, FRCS who gave a very amusing speech.

Wednesday 16 February 2011 - Sherwood Rotary project

Sherwood Sunrisers are doing a speedy DIY decoration and furnishing project for a tenant in Sherwood who desperately needs help.

Several members gave old curtains to me and I spent two days altering them to fit all of the windows in the house.

Tuesday 15 February 2011 - District Executive meeting

This evening we had a productive meeting of the District Executive.
Treasurer Malcolm and Joyce are still away on a world cruise to celebrate their golden wedding !

Monday 14 February 2011 Rotary Club of Keyworth & Ruddington Charter

The Country Cottage Hotel hosted the Charter celebration of the Rotary Club of Keyworth & Ruddington.

President John Hooley had invited PDGs Rami Seth and Roy Parsons to be the speakers entitled "The cowboy and the Indian", an amusing double act.

Saturday 12 February 2011 - Rotary Club of Long Eaton Dawnbreakers Charter

Long Eaton Dawnbreakers held a Roaring Twenties themed Charter celebration at The Belfry in Nottingham.
Many came dressed in 20's outfits which added to the occasion and atmosphere.





Speeches were kept to a minimum and I was delighted to present Rotarian Paul Burrows with the Rotary Club of Long Eaton Dawnbreakers Rotarian of The Year Award.












I was asked by RIBI if I could find a suitable occasion for ITV to film their show which involves a celebrity doing things outside their normal entertainment sphere.
The celebrity was Tinchy Stryder, a well know rapper who was mobbed by the young people there who knew of him. Tinchy spent a week with a professional magician learning to do close up magic which he then had to perform at a public event. He did extremely well and we will be looking out for the programme when it is televised in about 6 weeks time. It is one of a series called "Under Pressure" so look out for "Tinchy Stryder Under pressure" on ITV 2.

Saturday 12 February 2011 - Rotary Young Chef District 1220 Finals

The Youth Committee organised the most superb event when seventeen young chefs who had qualified through the heats spent the morning cooking a three course meal in competition with each other.
The standard was extremely high and I was most surprised to see the quality of food that these young people produced.

This year's winner is Jacob Robinson who represented the Rotary Club of Bulwell & Basford.
Jason is a student at the Derby College, Roundhouse and he can certainly go far if he chooses to do so.






















The runner up was Antonette Christie, a student at Ashfield School who represented the Rotary Club of Kirkby in Ashfield.





















The four judges had a very difficult task with such high standards on show. They were David Preece, James Armstrong who is a chef in Nottingham, Ailiss Nind and Terry Leivers. Terry told me on the way home that he did not need any lunch! I then discovered that all of the judges had samples three courese from all seventeen candidates!

My sincere thanks go to all concerned in particularly Carolyn Stone from RC of Ilkeston and her husband Phil who were the main organisers this year.

Friday 11 February - Rotary Club of Retford Charter

The Rotary Club of Retford held their Charter celebration at the Olde Bell, Barnby Moor, a superb venue.

President Phil Lewis and his wife Pamela, who is President of their Inner Wheel, made us very welcome as usual and we are now feeling like part of the Retford family.

























I was so pleased to present two well deserved Paul Harris Fellowships to Rotarians Neil Grayston and Gordon Muir. Congratulations!

The evening was compered by Paul Withers in his own inimitable humourous style although there was a persistent heckler who I will not name here who eventually ran off with the microphone!

However, the culprit was photographed as you can see and I am sure that the Sergeant at Arms will deal with him at the next club meeting!

We later danced the night away to Time Zone playing all of the hits we know and no doubt there would be some aching bones next morning.

Thursday 10 February 2011 - Rotary Club of Newark Charter

The Rotary Club of Newark provided us all with a magical experience at their Charter celebration.
President Denis Power-Neads had many of his family with him making it a special occasion.






An excellent meal was followed by the formalities including the presentation of a certificate to the club's ImmediatePast President Ivor Walker recognising the clubs superb contribution to the "end Polio Now" campaign.

This was followed by "Spellbound" a magic act which truly astounded everyone as everything literally happened just yards away from us.
As usual members of the audience were brought out to help and Martin Smalley from Sherwood Sunrisers did his best to disrupt a card trick but failed!

Mike Neville from the RC of Mansfield received top billing when he examined the trunk and equipment being used in one of Houdini's escapology tricks. He was about to get in the trunk when the magician made a timely intervention or we may have lost Mike forever!

Clearly one of the highlights for Mike was fitting the handcuffs onto the lady assistant and it made us wonder how he came to be experienced in such matters!

Tuesday 8 February -A reunion with friends

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting up with old friends that I had not seen for many years.
We have known each other since college days and had so much to catch upon that we agreed that we must meet up again soon.

It certainly brings back memories!

Tuesday 8 February - Rotarey Club of Sherwood Sunrisers meeting

I was feeling much better again today after three days of rest so went to my own club meeting at Sherwood Sunrisers.
I was delighted to be presented with a cheque for the housing project in India for £600 from the Rotary Club of Bolsover.

Sunday and Monday - Back in bed when I should have been at RIBI

Yesterday afternoon following Nottingham's Charter on Friday evening the fever was back.
I did get up on Sunday morning to go to RIBI in Alcester for the two day General Council meeting but soon realised that it would be foolish to attempt it whilst my temperature was high and I was aching all over.
Driving there would have been a real challenge too so I very reluctantly rang to give my apologies.

Friday 4 February - Rotary Club of Nottingham Charter

The Rotary Club of Nottingham held a very different Charter celebration at Emelios Greek Restaurant complete with Greek dancing!

It was a very lively evening and enjoyed by everyone but I knew that I would have to pay the penalty tomorrow for joining in with the dancing!

President Tony Poulter and his team have worked wonders with the club this year and inducted several new members.





Wylda Batterbury, President of the Inner Wheel Club of Nottingham and several of their members joined us too for a really good social occasion.




















Dorothea Poulter looked very surprised to be presented with the flowers by Tony and I hope that he rembers to do the same on Valentines Day!

Thursday 3 February 2011 - RC of Swadlincote Charter-

The Rotary Club of Swadlincote, President Neil Durrant, held their Charter celebration at Newton Park Hotel in Newton Solney, a lovely venue.
We were entertained by a superb male voice choir , complete with some humour.

The evening was compered by the incomparable Peter Negus who wears a permanent smile.

I was delighted to present a certificate from RI to Rotarian... to commemorate fifty years of Rotary service.
Congratulations!

Thursday 3 February 2011 Headway Trustees meeting

Terry and I are both Trustees of Headway and this week Terry has been holding meetings to tell our clients how the expected financial cuts may curtail the services we offer to these people who really need them.
All charities are going to find the coming months difficult and there will be more requests for help coming through to Rotary.

Wednesday 2 February - District Team meeting at the Novotel

Tonight we held the District Team meeting which was productive and meaningful. Apologies were received from the District Foundation Chairman (Terry) who arranged for his committee to meet on the same night.
He has promised not to do that again!!!

Monday and Tuesday 1 February The fever returns!

Oh dear! I had managed to carry on with Rotary for the last few days but yesterday evening my body told me it was time to take a rest as the suspected Dengue Fever flared again.
So it was two days in bed feeling rough and as weak as a kitten being waited on by Terry!

Sunday 30 January 2011 - Presidents Elect Training Seminar

This morning, after a late night at Sunrisers Charter, RIBI President Jim Moulson came with me to the PETS meeting to address next year's Presidents.

DGE Gordon McGlone has completed his training in San Diego and, together with his team for next year, is planning ahead.

Gordon, David Ashley, Peter Moralee and me are working closely together so that the District leadership will have seamless transitions for the next 3 years and we will have continuity.

I cannot believe that 7 months of my term of office have already passed and the Charter season is now well and truly with us. I look forward to meeting and spending time with many clubs in the 5 months that are still left.

Saturday 29 January 2011 - Sunrisers Charter

Sherwood Sunrisers had a change of venue for their Charter this year, County Hall in Nottingham.
Over 150 attended including RIBI President Jim Moulson and Inner Wheel District 22 Chairman Elaine Harrison. Entertainment was provided by Sam Barson, LilyTaylor-Ward and Caroline Budden, all winners of Rotary "Got Talent" competitions locally. All three were made Honourary Rotarians by the Rotary Club of Ilkeston who discovered them and the presentations was made by Jim Moulson.














I was delighted to present a very well deserved Paul Harris Fellowship to Rotarian John Mirfin who was v ery surprised and emotional.




A number of Rotaractors from Nottingham also attended and presented me with a cheque for £941 towards our projects in India. This group is expanding and working so hard and it gives me so much pleasure to see young people becoming involved with Rotary.

Saturday 29 January - lunch at DGE Gordon's home

This is how to score Brownie points when the RIBI President comes from Scotland!


DGE Gordon and Lorraine provided us with a lovely lunch.

Greenaway Workshop

This person has suffered a stroke which left his paralysed on his right side.
It was unbelievable to see the dexterity that he learned to do the cane weaving just using his left hand.
I was invited to do the same and much to his amusement I found it almost impossible to do.
I would take months to repair one chair!

Saturday 29 January 2011 - RIBI President visit to the Greenaway Workshop for the Disabled

The Rotary Club of Matlock helped to start the Greenaway Workshop for the Disabled and as you enter the building you become aware of the warmth and care which emanates from within.

Rtn John Shipman and President Bill Darley joined RIBI President Jim Moulson and me to spend some time seeing the fantastic work being done here. Bridgette Jones clearly is held in great esteem by the service users who had come in specially on a Saturday morning for us.
They mainly repair rush and cane chairs by hand using golf tees to hold the cane in place. They always need golf tees and chairs to repair, so now you know where to take yours!

They have also developed a printing business for items such as flyers, business cards, raffle tickets etc and Jim tried his hand at the latter!