5th October - Rtn Gerald Wright - Our Club Past and Present
Monday 5th October had been designated a Fellowship Meeting and President Bob had invited Gerald as the Club’s Archivist to present some historical information about the Club as a basis for a discussion about present trends.
Gerald reminded us that it was the Club’s 80th Anniversary in March 2016. It was, therefore, fitting that four members of Walsall Rotary, our Mother Club, were present. Gerald and John MacPherson are presently working on producing a book to mark this notable milestone.
Gerald started by giving some details about the original membership [15 members]. He then gave comparative statistics on [i] number of members [ii] the split between Senior Active and Working [iii] attendance percentage and [iv] money raised [adjusted for inflation] for 1937, 1940, 1954 1964, 1973 and 1993. He concluded that, in very broad terms, in terms of size of membership, attendance and money raised things had remained the same. The main difference was in the increased number of Senior Active members.
Those present were then invited to comment on what they had heard. Chris Cutchey reminisced about when he joined in 1983 [nominated by Arthur Greenhalgh] and suggested that in those days the Club was more focussed on local matters than now. This prompted Gerald to do some reminiscing and one could only marvel at the extent of his knowledge of the history of the Club. I am sure that his and John’s book will be fascinating.
Everyone was disappointed when President Bob called a halt to matters at 2.00 pm. A big thank you must go to Gerald for the hard work and thought that he had clearly put into preparing his Talk. It was also something different so well done to President Bob for having the idea.
12th October - The Harvey Girls - a talk by Ian North and Jane Wall
'harvey girls' was created in 2004 and has been offering group support to young mums & mums to be covering issues that affect young mums. harveygirls offer a welcoming, non-judgemental service, and the age group covered is 14 to early 20s.
Dads4Dads is a support group that has empowered young dads since 2011. Dads, dads-to-be, and their children find support in a group setting. Practical and fun sessions cover appropriate skills and knowledge.
We were impressed with the successes of these organisations, covering a challenging area with an understanding yet realistic programme.'
Rtn. Peter Barnett gave the vote of thanks and IPP Rod is shown here with Jane and Ian.
19th October - Elaine Pritchard introduced us to Social Media for Dummies
An amusing and informative talk on Social Media with emphasis on Facebook and Twitter. To open a gallery of the slides shown by Elaine please click on this link PowerPoint Show . Elaine is shown here with Past President William Saunders.
26th October - a talk by Alan Parson - Social Media, is it the future?
It was good to welcome back to the Club a well known goatee beard. Attached to the beard was Alan Parsons who had recklessly agreed to talk about how our newly acquired social media skills [Elaine Pritchard – 19th October] could be applied for the benefit of Rotary.
Sensing, I suspect, the resistance of many members to the whole idea of social media [SM] he started his talk by arguing that we all use it as e mailing, texts and the internet fall within the definition. Again, probably for the same reason, he emphasised [as he did four or five times] that concerns about privacy are unfounded and that SM can be used to communicate with as few or as many people as you chose. He likened making an unrestricted post on SM as akin to writing a letter to The Times!
Alan argued that among the advantages of SM are
1. It is intellectually stimulating and helps to keep you alert and informed
2. It is a cheap and easy form of communication and as such is of particular benefit to those who are housebound or isolated.
3. Helps to give support and boost confidence.
Alan explained that there are hundreds of SM sites. He chose to speak about and [usefully] show examples of pages of five. These were, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and WhatsApp. He strongly recommended that the Club considered using WhatsApp for inter member communications.
He made a convincing case for SM on the basis that these sites, and in particular, Facebook and Twitter have achieved such high levels of market penetration throughout the world. Put another way, young people now see SM sites as an integral part of their lives and regard their use as normal. Us oldies will have to accept this and adapt or……………….
Alan’s presentation was highly professional and to my mind pitched at just the right level. Sadly it was not possible for him to actually go on line and give practical demonstrations which I think we would have found informative.
Mike Redshaw gave the vote of thanks and in the process admitted being an afficianado of three of the recommended sites and that he was off home to look at the other two.
Alan is shown here with President Bob.
Graham Dean
more John Etchells on National Service ; Kathryn Caple on Rotary Foundation ; Trevor Wright and Yvonne Campbell on the Burton Carribean Association
more Steve Smith, 'My Job' ; Richard Farman, 'Zeppelins over Burton' ; A Welsh Music and Supper Evening
more Mark Semmence, Head of Repton School ; Richard Winterton, Auctioneer ; Burns Night Supper
more Business Meeting / SGM ; Queen's Green Canopy ; Santa's Grotto ; Christmas Party ; Christmas Service & Lunch
more Special General Meeting ; Burton Rotary Quiz Night ; 'the Shoebox Appeal' ; 'Derby Wood Recycling' ; Who am I?
more WORLD POLIO DAY ; 'Seham Village Project, India' ; District Governor's Visit ; 'Vernon Barnes' Golf ; Bucket collection for Pakistan Flood Relief ; golf match v Ashby ; Ukrainian Aid ; Evening of Magic ; 'The Octagon Centre' ; 'Fall Fighters'
more The 2 of Us ; A shared reflection of the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ; Philip Metcalfe, 'Future Plans for the National Forest'
more The Club Summer Party; The Archie Gentles Trophy golf tournament; Rolleston Scouts; Visiting Angels; a 'Scatter' week
more Risk ; Winshill Football Club; the Caudwell Charity and Caudwell Sensory Packs; Burton Rotary Club Under 11’s Shield
more The Club Assembly ; Clive Baker, 'Paddle steamers' : Andy Pownor, 'Army Life' : The Club Handover
more The Washlands Litter Pick ; The resumed AGM ; Tony Rundle on 'Taking Better Pictures' ; Peter Barnett, 'Walking into Retirement' ; Charlotte Greenwood on her trip to Ghana
more 'Christians Against Poverty', the Pirelli Stadium Poster Parade, the AGM, & the St George's Day Dinner at Bretby
more The Club's 85th Birthday; and talks by Clive Kearney on his career, Kim Smith on 'Winshill Community Centre', and Emily Bakhita on 'Service to Children'
more John Moffatt on 'Peace Building & Conflict'; A Joint Meeting with Bretby RC for Rotary Day; and an introduction to Rev Mike's Hearing Dog.
more Burns Night, and a talk by Donna Adams on ‘Connecting Communities’
more The Club Christmas Party, President's Walk, and a talk by Julie Groves on Christmas Past
more Everest Base Camp (at The Winery), Curry Night at The Apne, Business Meeting & Special General Meeting, 'End Polio Now', 'William Bagshaw Stevens'
more Club Quiz, Vernon Barnes Memorial Golf, DG Martyn Bye's visit, Mrs. Paul Harris, Trafalgar Day dinner, The Northern 500
more 'Kids Aid, Tanzania', 'Membership Development, Ideas & Plans', 'Modern Policing'
more The Archie Gentles Golf Tournament, The President’s Garden Party, and a Scatter Meeting
more A double handover, a new President takes office, and a lockdown release party. Talks on Rural Action Derbyshire and Burton Albion Community Trust.
more Repton's new Village Hall, Sign Language for beginners, The Mighty Amazon.
Meetings between March 2020 and June 2021 were online.
more The Butterfly Children, an evening meeting with RC Bretby, Skittles, and our Charity Race Night
more Burton Prostate Cancer Support Group : Antiphospholipid Syndrome : Jack's Teddies
more Joint Carol service and Christmas Meal at the Dovecliff; Christmas Lunch with partners; Post-Christmas Walk
more Special General Meeting; Burton YMCA; Bonsai; Burton Speakability & the Stroke Association. It was a clean sweep for Bretby RC in our quiz: Bretby City won with Bretby All-Stars runners-up. Must do better!
more Burton Mail Heroes Awards; District Conference at Scarborough; Archie Gentles Golf Trophy; Wheelchair Football; Trafalgar Night Dinner
more The Staffordshire Search & Rescue; Burton Albion Community Trust; the Great Dane link; Julia Coffin, a Rotary Peace Scholar; Vernon Barnes Memorial Trophy
more The Club Summer Party, an Indian Banquet for charity, and Burton U3A
more A new President takes office. The Lymphoma Action Organisation; Gambling & Young People; Rotary Young Leadership Award; Summer Social Walk.
more The Club wins the Bernard Simcox Trophy
Club Assembly; From Clinigen to the Dovecliff; The Club Website; President’s Celebration Dinner & Handover; Marquee Summer Party at Repton School
more French meal at the Mulberry, The Children Reading Project, Views on Cricket, Know your Blood Pressure
more AGM, Microbreweries, and Archives
more Our Charter dinner, a golf tournament, and Adventures in Happyland!
more The best service project in the District
A Murder Mystery, The Methodist Housing Association, Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust, an evening meeting with partners
more A Taiwan Expedition, Homestart and Derbyshire Cricket
more Rotary Hearing Ambassadors, a Fayre, two collections, the Carol Service, Christmas Lunch and the Christmas Walk
more Special General Meeting, Carol Hickebottom's 'My Job', The YMCA Sleep-out, Can’t drive a bus - can fly a plane part 2, Annual Club Quiz, Global Sight Solutions
more The District Conference, Chris Cutchey's reflections on Bumrungrad, Can’t drive a bus - can fly a plane, and Trafalgar Night
more An Umpire’s Road to Wimbledon, an Antarctic Expedition Cruise, Around the World in 20 Minutes, and a golf match
more The 'Auntie' project, and 'Sheila's Life in Pictures'
more A new president and visit from the new District Governor, a local hero, a garden party, Tom Day's 'other Job', Royal Crown Derby, Young Carers, and the 'Archie Gentles' golf tournament.
more Club Assembly, Iron Man, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, a visit to St Kilda, Rotary Football, an outing for Carers+, and the President hands over.
more Do you remember Berni Inns? A visit to Amazon
more The National Conference in Torquay and a Devon safari, Scatter Week, Rotary Peace Scholars, our Annual General Meeting, 'Know your Blood Pressure', and Young Photographer Competition
more The Pirelli Stadium Parade, Tony Bentley's 'My Job', the District Quiz, Addiction and Redemption, and our 82nd Charter Dinner
more The Crich Tramway Museum, First Responders, 10 pin bowling, a joint evening meeting with Bretby RC, and the induction of two new members
more Donna Louise Hospice, Dentaid Boxes, The Falklands War and 'Young Chef'
more Charity Collection, 10 pin Bowling, Carol Service, 2 Christmas Lunches, Christmas Walk - and Disasters!
more 'Just Us', Indian Polio Vaccination, Rotary Quiz, a charity 'sleepout', The Thai-Burma railway, and Burton - a Great Place to do Business
more Repton Crypt, Purple for Polio, Trafalgar Night and Muddy Boots
more A Family at War, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award
more RYLA and Burton Albion Community Trust
more Carers, Drones and our Summer Party
more The Young Photographer competition & Photography for Dummies
more Trade Aid and Marketing
more Third World Poverty, Terminally Ill Children, After War and Forensic Science
more Helping children across the world
more Air Ambulance
more Polio to Farming
more Youth Services and an introduction to various Charities
more Kidney donation and third world issues
more World Challenge & Car Rallying
more a month of fascinating talks
more As the Rotary sponsored Memory Cafe is opening in June 2015 this was particularly timely talk
more One fascinating talk and lots of Bank Holidays
more some really fascinating talks
more wide ranging topics this month
more some excellent pre-Christmas talks
more A wide range of talks about different charities
more A quiet month but with two thought provoking talks
more A really busy month - four speakers and a visit from our Danish twin club
more Some very different talks in August
more DEBRA, Street Angels and Ben Robinson's My Job
back A very brief summary