Join in! 

                                KEEPING ROTARY GOING THROUGH LOCKDOWN - MARCH

 

Zoom has become the new home of Aireborough Rotary for both Tuesday and Thursday meetings. The Club has welcomed a variety of speakers, keeping in touch and supporting old friends like the British Red Cross and learning about new ones including Autism U.K. and their imaginative social enterprises. This week we heard from Mike Storr of Castleton, Nottingham talking on ‘Masters of Mirth, a history of Music Hall, a talk he has given more than 500 times. Actually visiting Clubs would have been the equivalent of travelling twice round the equator. Fees for his talks support Asthma U.K.

Several Club members have taken part in District arranged Focus Groups looking at how Clubs are currently functioning, what effects the end of lockdown may bring and how Clubs are making changes to attract new members. The recent webinar ‘the Time is Now’ also gave members the chance to hear dynamic speakers from both Australia and the U.S.A. with their advice and ideas on establishing new Clubs.

For the first time in history, a seventh Area of Focus – Supporting the Environment has been approved by Rotary International.  With growing interest in environmentally-based projects in recent years, the decision is a great win for Rotary, the planet and its people. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the Aireborough Club to forge new links and source projects within our community. Our District Environment lead has this week launched a project to plant a forest across our District so Aireborough will be discussing playing our part, perhaps building on our original tree planting in Nunroyd Park, Guiseley.

With all major fund-raising events cancelled because of COVID-19, successful virtual events have been devised and implemented enabling the Club to continue financial support to a wide range of charities. On 10 April the Club is launching a 100 Club Lottery with three prizes a month with all profit going to charity causes. Cost of buying your entry number is £60 for the year. For more information contact friendarc@btinternet.com or see the Aireborough Rotary website.

                              CONTINUING TO DO GOOD IN THE WORLD

The Global Grant funded Computer Suite at Mnyakanya High School relied on partner Eshowe Rotary Club in South Africa for the annual report. When open during the pandemic, the suite was extensively used and the introduction of CAT (Computer Applications Technology) as a subject will help pupils’ future job prospects.

The Yorkits sewing team producing sanitary kits for girls, including those at Mnyakanya has been on hold but there is plenty material to make the pads and shields once production re-commences.

The micro loans project continues to perform well within the current global situation. Six loans totalling $450 have been made to budding entrepreneurs in Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and India. Enterprises include a restaurant, farming, livestock, fishing and motorcycle transport. With the fishing loan already repaid, recycling the initial funds has begun.

Aireborough is a partner with New Zealand’s Takapuna Club in a Global Grant project called ROMAC. This provides life saving and/or dignity restoring treatment to children under 15 from developing countries not available in their own country. On hold because of the pandemic, this crucial work will resume as soon as is possible.

 With the change to contents meaning more items, including the life saving water filters, now need providing by Aquabox itself, it is likely eight Aquaboxes will be the last the Club will transport to Wirksworth ready to be shipped to disasters around the world. The Club is indebted to Geoffrey and Heather Barton, both Paul Harris Fellows, for the dedication, application and ingenuity they have shown over more than 40 years. They will continue as Aquabox ambassadors whilst the Club will instead make planned financial donations to this irreplaceable project.

After welcoming as speaker Dr Sharad Pendsey from the Pendsey Dream Trust the Club decided to sponsor two young girls in India with type 1 diabetes whose parents cannot afford the four times daily insulin injections. Both girls receive a three monthly supply of insulin and syringes. In addition Ridhima (11) was provided with a school bag and contents and a glucometer. In addition Purvi (6) has received economic support for her family through the Covid fund as well as a bicycle. Letters, mailed regularly, will keep both girls in touch with the Club.

Following ‘the Time is Now’ and Supporting the Environment, Aireborough Rotary sees both of these as presenting both a challenge and an opportunity in the quest for new members. Looking for linked causes and potential projects within our community is now high on the list of reactions.

                               AIREBOROUGH’S JANUARY ANTICS

·       With the annual fun day out for children at Lightwater Valley cancelled, the Kids Out Charity, sought funding for Christmas presents for 51 children in three Leeds refuges. Encouraged by Assistant Governor (Leeds Group) and Aireborough member Janet Appleton the Leeds Clubs together donated the £1275 needed to ensure all the children woke up to an exciting Christmas Day. Altogether District 1040 helped 200 children through this Toy Box initiative.

·       Leeds Clubs recently nominated deserving charities to the Community Committee of an anonymous Leeds company. Organised again by Janet Appleton, this led to 13 local charities receiving £20,000 in total in December.  Aireborough’s put forward Martin House Hospice, Rodley Nature Reserve, Hope Pastures (horse and pony refuge), Hidden Homeless and the Leeds North and West Foodbank.

·       A recent Zoomed International Committee meeting discussed the Club’s current projects. The Global Grant report for the Computer Suite at Mnyakanya High School relied on visits from our partner the Eshowe Rotary Club in South Africa When open during the pandemic, the suite continued to be extensively used with the school still intending to introduce CAT (Computer Applications Technology)  to help pupils’ future job prospects.

·       The Yorkits sewing team producing sanitary kits for girls, including those at Mnyakanya has been on hold. Funds are in hand to buy briefs, flannels and zip bags and there is plenty material to make the pads and shields once production re-commences.

·       The micro loans project continues to perform well. Six loans totalling $450 have been made to budding entrepreneurs in Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and India. The enterprises comprise a restaurant, farming, livestock, fishing, motorcycle transport and fish sales. The fishing loan is already repaid so the intention to recycle the initial funds begins to be met.

·       Aireborough partners New Zealand’s Takapuna Club in a Global Grant  project called ROMAC. This provides life saving and/or dignity restoring treatment to children under 15 from developing countries not available in their own country. On hold because of the pandemic, this crucial work will resume as soon as is possible.

·       Aireborough has two Aquaboxes packed and six waiting to be filled for shipping to disasters around the world. More items, including the life saving water filters, now need providing by Aquabox itself, so it is likely these will be the last the Club will transport to Wirksworth. Geoffrey and Heather Barton have run this project for more than 40 years and will continue in their roles as Aquabox ambassadors. The Club will reluctantly make planned financial donations to this irreplaceable project.

·       After learning about Dr Sharad Pendsey and the Dream Trust in Nagpur the Club decided to sponsor two young girls with type 1 diabetes whose parents cannot afford the four times daily insulin injections. Both girls receive a three monthly supply of insulin and syringes as well as a glucometer. Ridhima (11) was also provided with a school bag and contents, Purvi (6) has received economic support for her family through the Covid fund as well as a bicycle. Regular letters will keep both girls in touch with the Aireborough Club. 

                                          AIREBOROUGH’S DECEMBER ANTICS

Club members were delighted to get back on the fundraising trail for Rotary charities with their Bottle Stall at a resplendent YeadonTown Hall Christmas Market. The picture shows Sally Mohan and Geoff Bartrum enjoying their socially distanced charitable stint. 

 

 

The Club also hosted a Virtual Balloon Race to Lapland beginning on Christmas Day at 12 p.m. and lasting seven days. This offered the opportunity to buy, create and track a balloon for yourself or as a gift for others with the added enjoyment of watching its progress.

Second Zoom meeting of the month welcomed Vasu Mani, nephew of the Club President who described his career in Medicine.  After six years at the University of Leeds and two as a Junior Doctor he moved on to Military medicine at the School of Infantry working with the celebrated Ghurkhas and later at RAF Leeming. As a General Practitioner he had the opportunity to develop patient relationships and holistic care. Alongside this work he qualified in sports medicine and held roles in rugby league, rugby union and football. His Clubs included Castleford Tigers Academy, Grand Final winners Leeds Rhinos in 2017 before spells with Hull Kingston Rovers and latterly football’s Rotherham United. This all entailed great responsibility overseeing sporting injuries within a variety of demanding sports.

With the annual Christmas Meal cancelled because of the pandemic Club members enjoyed instead a social evening including Christmas carols and songs, duetting pianists, a Christmas Quiz and seasonal poetry. Since Charter Night at the end of September was also cancelled the nomination of members as Paul Harris Fellows was moved to this meeting. Three Rotarians Graham Davies, John Moorhouse and Janet Kerr were honoured to received this accolade plus two non- Rotarians Diana Oldam (a sapphire pin) for dedicated work throughout the pandemic and Heather Barton for lengthy service on the Club’s Aquabox project.

Picture shows John Moorhouse receiving his award from Barry Bootland.

 

Over the past year the Club has worked closely with a volunteer group working with destitute individuals living on the city’s streets providing clothing and finance for sleeping bags and blankets as well as hot food. Aireborough Past President and Assistant Governor (Leeds) Janet Appleton recently worked on a bid on behalf of the Hidden Homeless to the Leeds branch of health insurance and healthcare group Bupa, which has proved successful to the delight of the group. Picture shows members with goods for the Hidden Homeless.

                                                 HEATHER READ R.I.P.

A wonderful, highly respected Rotarian and friend Heather Read, Aireborough Rotary’s first Lady President in 2017 passed away recently after a short illness. She was introduced into the Club by Bill Kerr in 2013 whilst she was volunteering in the Martin House, Yeadon shop, one of several charity organisations he knew she regularly supported. ‘She was always helping others.’ 

She soon brought that community spirit into Rotary becoming an active and integral member of the burgeoning Thursday Evening Group. One of six female members joining the Group early she helped change the face of the Club making it more responsive and inclusive. But she was soon also actively participating in Tuesday lunchtime meetings. It was not long before she found a niche for herself setting up a productive sewing group within the Club producing sanitary kits for girls unable to attend school during their periods. She was delighted to receive a picture of smiling Mnyakanya, Kwa Zulu Natal pupils, not now having to miss school, brought back by the Bambisanani team from St. Mary’s, Menston. The team’s developing work was also featured in a Rotary video now on YouTube. The Group’s social events were just as important, part of their identity, time to celebrate another successful year helping others. 

Heather was quickly nominated to take on the Presidency and her year as President saw her leading a successful cycle of events including both a Proms and a Forties evening as well as welcoming new members and having a prime role in fundraising, leading from the front. Her choice of speaker for the Club’s Charter Birthday Celebration was Calendar Girl Tricia Stewart, another female groundbreaker, ensuring a full house with Martin House Hospice, Caring for Life and Myasthenia gravis as her charities for the year. The award of Rotary's highest honour, a Paul Harris Fellowship was brought forward from its planned Charter evening presentation date in late September so Heather was aware of the fact.

She was also full of enthusiasm for events involving young people - Young Musician, Youth Speaks and the Rotary Youth Leadership Award/Bambisanani team evening. Current President Raj Mani admired her easy effectiveness in meetings ‘always in control and retaining a sense of humour. I will always remember the ease with which she calmed a few ruffled feathers. Was it her experience as a Deputy Head in Special Schools? No she was a natural’. She had been Assistant Head at Braithwaite Special School, Keighley. 

Praise has followed from many members – ‘she was an amazing lady and will be forever remembered and loved’. ‘Beautiful flowers arrived today for my birthday, typical Heather still thinking of others during her illness, I can only aspire to her kindness and generosity of spirit’. ‘She was an inspiration, a wonderful woman and I was in awe of how much she gave to the community'. 'All her energy and dedication will be sorely missed and unsurpassed’.

Behind all this were her strong faith and her enthusiastic work and support for Rawdon St.  Peter’s Parish Church where she served as Churchwarden. She was part of the ‘Open the Book’ team delivering assemblies at Rawdon St. Peter’s Primary School where she was also a Governor. 

But she was happiest when surrounded by her loving family – her favourite place to be - a loving sister, mother, mother-in-law, aunt and grandmother. Her husband, Geoffrey predeceased her and she is survived by her children Sam and Tim.

Because of current arrangements Church members, Rotarians, Inner Wheel members and friends will be lining the streets as the funeral cortege passes dressed in her favourite bright colours. They will also be watching a recording of the funeral service later the same evening      

 

 

 

 

THE ROTARY CLUB OF AIREBOROUGH: EARLY HISTORY BROUGHT UP TO DATE   

The Club was chartered in 1953 with the Rotary Club of Otley as its mother Club. We now have 37 members, 12 of whom are female. There are now nine Clubs in the Leeds Group the oldest being the Leeds Club chartered in 1916. Aireborough’s first meeting place was Yeadon Airport which over the years has developed into Leeds and Bradford Airport with international connections. The Club now meets in Horsforth Golf Club.

Traditionally the Club has met on Tuesday lunchtimes retaining much of the original formality with a grace, updates from Committee Chairs, speakers, toasts, a meal and a concentration upon fellowship.

Some years ago, the Club decided it had to provide another option for members who could not attend lunchtime meetings. Meeting options were increased from four to six a month, meeting on the first and third Thursday evenings from 6.00 to 7.30 p.m. Meetings are informal with no meal and concentrate upon developing and discussing projects and fundraising ideas. There was never any intention for this option to break away and become a separate Club, it is simply another attendance opportunity. The first female members to join the Club came via this option and two have gone on to become Club President.

At the same time the Club welcomed two Associate Members, local company Bartletts, insurance brokers for Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland and Leeds Trinity University. The University has been the base for the Sponsored Walk, has provided lecture theatres for showing the Polio film ‘Breathe’ and staging Youth Speaks. It will also help us target participants for a Rotaract Club, part of our Membership plans. During Freshers Week last year the Club hosted a stand for the Love, Hope, Strength Foundation Charity’s donor drive ‘Bone marrow Registry – Sign Up Now – Get on the list’ and collected 45 signatures from students joining the stem cell donor register.

In Membership we have also recently set up a Friends of Rotary group approaching sponsors advertising in event programmes or volunteers who have assisted on fundraising projects.

Over the years the Club has been heavily involved with hosting Ambassadorial Scholars coming to study for a year in local Universities like Leeds and Bradford (including Bradford’s Peace Studies Centre). They have travelled from Japan, U.S.A. and Brazil. This even resulted in an invite to a wedding in Sao Paulo and meeting Rotarians there. As a Club we have also welcomed Group Study Exchange teams from Sri Lanka, Africa, U.S.A. and Australia and Andrew Wilson led a reciprocal team to Australia. Sadly, these programmes were discontinued though Youth Exchange still exists.

Currently the Club is strong in the area of Youth and Education having organised Young Chef, Young Musician, Young Photographer and Youth Speaks as well as regularly sending candidates on the District Rotary Youth Leadership Award programme. We are helped by having four Secondary Schools and eleven Primary Schools in our area.

The Club is also very active in helping organise and run the annual Leeds Technology Tournament for Secondary School pupils.

Part of our Community Programme is to supply Usborne Illustrated English Dictionaries to Year 3 pupils in the Primary Schools totalling 512 this year. Some members also go into schools to help with reading.

Every year the Club takes a coachload of special needs children on a day trip to enjoy the exciting rides at Lightwater Valley Theme Park accompanied by the most resolute of Rotarians.

We have also supported the charity ‘Sal’s Shoes founded by C.J.Bowry who, when her child grew out of his shoes, did not simply want to throw them away. In September when children in England go back to school in new shoes, we ask them to bring in boys’ and girls’ shoes, trainers, sandals, wellington and football boots. Some children cannot attend school if they have no shoes.Over 6 years she has now collectedtwo million pairs and sent themoffto 46 countries including Great Britain.

Much work has also been carried out with the Aireborough Children’s Centre which deals with a wide range of deprivation issues within families. Rotarians have prepared breakfasts and lunches for children on organised weeksduring school holidays. Books have been delivered monthly to their homes for children beginning to read through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and toys and clothes have also been collected.

Aireborough Rotary has also paid for a creche to be available so new parents struggling to cope with parenting new-born children can attend courses so they can ensure both the wellbeing and understand more about the development and behaviour of their children.

One Secondary School, St. Mary’s, Menston sends sixteen pupils plus teachers to Mnyakanya High School in Kwa Zulu, Natal, South Africa each year to run a Sport Leadership programme (called the Bambisanani Project) and to help in classes. This enabled us to apply for a Global Grant linking with the Eshowe Rotary Club to have built and equipped a Computer Suite with computers and whiteboard which will help both educationally, gaining qualifications and enhancing career opportunities.

At the same time a sewing group was established within the Club, to help girls missing out on schooling because of their periods, to supply sanitary kits to obviate this problem. The group linked up with Yorkits founded by a York Rotarian, Issy Sanderson.

The Club also organises a 5km. or 10km. Sponsored Walk each year   under the slogan ‘You walk, we run it!’ This is for people including school pupils who wish to raise funds for a specific charity, group or project (like going to South Africa) where we charge a token fee for entry and they keep all the sponsorship monies they raise.

Internationally we have also always been strong in the provision of Aquaboxes (target 24 a year)since we are one of the few British Clubs allowed to buy and supply all the contents except the filters thanks to a resident Club expert Geoffrey Barton.

Three of our Rotarians and an Inner Wheel member wife spend six months of the year in New Zealand (Tony and Anne Scaife) and Thailand (Roger and Carol Ward). Through this link we have supported Takapuna Rotary Club (N.Z.) on a global grant project. This trained medical staff in Vanuatu and brought babies to Starship Hospital Auckland for catheter or open-heart cardiac surgery.

In Thailand Roger and Carol have seen Micro Loans in action and have become involved in several projects with the Royal Hua Hin Rotary Club.

On the fundraising front the Club runs three major projects yearly. They are an Easter Egg Hunt with a variety of stalls, free to attend but with a massive chocolate tombola, donated by local supermarkets, Rotarians and friends, a Brass Band Concert in Yeadon Town Hall with a well-known conductor from BBC Radio and a two day Beer Festival with a wide selection of beers, ciders and prosecco.

During the pandemic members have made and supported financially the production of items of Personal Protective Equipment for hospitals and Care Homes. Donations have been made to struggling local charities and two Past Presidents walked 2.6 miles a day for 26 days (termed the Marathon Challenge) to raise sponsored funds for a Live at Home Charity.

A fund-raising Photographic Competition entitled ‘Life under Lockdown’ has also been held with 50 entries raising £250.

Socially events include the Annual Charter Dinner, an Interactive Quiz, Theatre visits, a Bowls afternoon, a Christmas Party and a Barbecue. We also send a good contingent to the Rotary District Conference by the seaside at Scarborough less than two hours away. This also helped raise funds to buy three Robotic Cats for local Care Homes when member s had to guess the distance Sally Mohan’s dog Jake walked along the beach and seafront on Saturday afternoon.

For the last four years the Club has also arranged with Yorkshire County Cricket Club for members from the 100 District Clubs to visit its Headingley headquarters for ‘A Day at the Test Match’ at discounted rates. Teams seen have included Sri Lanka, West Indies, New Zealand and Pakistan.

The Club’s website is regularly updated, and a weekly report is published in a local weekly newspaper the Wharfedale Observer. Press releases are also sent to the Yorkshire Post and Evening News. A weekly fact sheet ‘the Aireborough Bugle’ also wings its way from New Zealand to keep members informed. We are working to increase our output on facebook, twitter and What’sApp appreciating their importance and need for more attention.

Over the year 2019/20 the Club is confident it has met the criteria for the Rotary International Presidential Citation recorded on Rotary Club Central including targets for both Polio and Foundation fundraising.                          

                                           HANDOVERS WITH A DIFFERENCE                                           

 

Handover time took on a whole new aspect this year. For Aireborough Rotary Zoom was the medium with imaginative sleight of hand seeing the chain and ribbons of office handed over to the right people on computers and laptops. 

Incoming President Raj Mani has already introduced a flourishing Tuesday yoga class to Club members and friends as well as welcoming our mentor Francis Riley as a Friend of Rotary. Raj aims to see this type of beginners’ class introduced more widely in our community. He acknowledged, like all Clubs, Aireborough will have to re-set its fundraising aims and efforts given the cancellations the pandemic has caused. 

Innovatively he will soon be signing an agreement on the Club’s behalf with the Madras Chenna Patna Rotary Club in India enabling Aireborough to learn from a relatively young Club full of entrepreneurs. His wife Bagshur has been a quietly productive member of a Club team producing essential PPE equipment. Aireborough Inner Wheel had two reasons to celebrate with pride as Anne Parker took on the Club’s Presidency and Pat Mirfield became Inner Wheel District 4 Chairman for the coming year. Surprise visitors, the two Annes, Waite and Parker brought her the gift of a rose from the Club in Inner Wheel colours on her first day in office. 

 

Bambisanani Partnership and Rotary Club of Aireborough help transform teaching                             and learning in rural South African school

St. Mary’s School, Menston and Mnyakanya High School in KwaZulu-Natal started the Bambisanani Partnership thirteen years ago and throughout that time the Rotary Club of Aireborough have supported the now charity that operates in one of South Africa’s most deprived rural areas.

The local Zulu community had identified a pressing need to bring computers and the internet to the school in order to transform the education at the remote rural school of Mnyakanya which is situated in an area of extreme poverty and depravation. Three years ago, working with the KZN Department of Education, the partnership discussed an ambitious plan to create a computer based classroom (Media Centre) at the school. Following extensive research and consultation, long term Bambisanani supporter, Tony Moodley, Senior Advisor at the KZN Department of Education, produced a comprehensive three phase plan proposing a ‘Computer Technology solution’ at Mnyakanya.

Back in the UK Catherine Chattoe, Bambisanani Coordinator at St. Mary’s began discussions with Bill Hudson, Graham Davies and Janet Kerr from Aireborough Rotary Club about the possibility of applying for a ‘global grant’ to implement Phase 1 of the plan from Rotary International based in the USA. The total estimated project cost was £30,000 with Aireborough Rotary Club committing to £10,000. Further liaison took place with Graham Chennells and Nick Phillips from Eshowe Rotary Club in South Africa who had also been long term supporters of the partnership. Eshowe Rotary Club consequently offered to support the project and Catherine, Graham and Janet began the rigorous process of the grant application. Late last year, following considerable hard work and commitment, the ‘in principle’ grant for the remaining funds was approved by Rotary International. Over the last year the installation plan at Mnyakanya School has been put into place with the project managed by Nick Phillips supported with technical expertise from Eric Kruse.

Following three years of extraordinary international collaboration the Media Centre was opened at Mnyakanya High School this month. The purpose built classroom with enhanced security has full internet connectivity for twenty modern computers with associated software and additional hardware including projector and screen. The grant will also fund significant training for teaching staff together with technical support and connectivity fees for the next five years.

A delighted Catherine Chattoe said: “This is a great achievement for The Bambisanani Partnership, Aireborough Rotary Club and Eshowe Rotary Club. Providing twenty computers and access to the internet will make such a difference to the students and teachers at Mnyakanya High School. The teachers will be able to use the facility to improve their teaching and students will be able to use the computers to aid their learning and access valuable information that may impact on their futures.”

The Secretary of the Rotary Club of Aireborough, Graham Davies added: “We are pleased to have been able to facilitate the funding of this project which we know will have a massive positive impact on the lives of both the students and the teaching staff at the school. We are looking forward in conjunction with the Bambisanani Partnership to seeing how they have all progressed.”

The Media Centre is known as ‘Mary’s Room’ with respect to St. Mary’s School and to Mary Jowett, former teacher and Deputy Head at Saltaire Secondary School, Bradford, who left a legacy to Aireborough Rotary Club which helped to fund the project. The Rotary District Governor in KZN Jaco Stander visited the school recently to officially open the new facility.

The opening of the Media Centre has already had a major impact on the teachers and students, many of whom walk two hours to and from school each day:

“We thank everybody concerned for the new Media Centre which will help transform our school for both learners and educators. We have already applied to the Department of Education to introduce Computer Application Technology as a subject across all grades to ensure that our learners are well equipped to face the real world and play their part in it. “Ronnie Ngeleka, Principal

“The New Media Centre is opening a new page of life for the Mnyakanya Community. It will make the life of educators and students easier. Students will start to learn how to use the computers as early as from grade 8 and will learn how to complete school work on them. This had been a big challenge for ages. Our learners will have a better chance of reaching tertiary institutions and will not be disadvantaged when they get there.  This Media Centre will also help to train young people from the community how to apply online and search for employment opportunities without having to always travel to towns and cities to search for jobs. This will really change life for our community. This Media Centre is marking the beginning of a computer literate society and an introduction of the importance of technology in our community. We as Mnyakanya School would like to pass our massive thanks to the Bambisanani Partnership and the Rotary Clubs of Aireborough and Eshowe.” P K Zondi, Bambisanani Coordinator at Mnyakanya

“With this new Media Centre our community is equipped with a tool to communicate with the world.  Our community will live the lifestyle of a well-developed society where technology is a fundamental part of the society. Our students will have easy access to information. They will find the learning process as interesting as playing the games. This will lead to a bright future for learners, educators and the community at large. The Media Centre will pave a way to easy success to tertiary institutions and to job opportunities.” Boh Mbambo, Mnyakanya teacher

“Our New Media Centre will really change our lives at Mnyakanya. Our standard of education will rise with the best, even if compared with those of urban schools. This Media Centre will attract many students to come to Mnyakanya because very few schools in rural South Africa have computers. This Media Centre will save time for educators because, less work will be written by hand on chalkboards. This will also save school funds in buying more chalks and exercise books. This is really amazing! May this partnership grow stronger.” BM Mthenjana, Mnyakanya teacher

“We would like to thank the Bambisanani partnership and the Rotary Clubs for opening this technology opportunity to us. I am a grade 12 student this year. I am so excited to get an opportunity to learn how to do typing from the computer. The Media Centre has helped me to search for different institutions where I can pursue my studies next year. It is a great opportunity for all young people who will come to Mnyakanya after me and even for our generations, to become a computer literate society. I would like to thank all involved in making this dream come true.”Valentia Mkhwanazi, student

“It is really unbelievable that I am using a computer at school to write my school assignments and projects and also to browse for information. It’s amazing! Life is becoming so easy! Learning is so interesting. This new Media Centre will encourage even those learners who feel schooling as a boring journey. They will start enjoying to come to school .Those who dropped out earlier will come back to school. This will lead to a more educated society with technology. Siyabonga Kakhulu (thank you very much) to the Bambisanani Partnership and Aireborough and Eshowe Rotary Clubs.” Lindelani Zuma, student

Discussions are already underway at Mnyakanya School to use this initiative as a catalyst for further development that will further raise educational achievement. Priscilla Guliwe from the KZN Department of Education is recommending that the school is reclassified as a Technical School which will bring curriculum development and enhanced resources. Nick Phillips is also discussing the possibility of employing a specific Computer Application Technology teacher at the school as from January 2020.

 

David Geldart, Founder and Chairman of the Bambisanani Partnership was full of praise for all involved in bringing the project to fruition: “An exceptional amount of hard work has gone into this, with Bambisanani friends, supporters and colleagues in both countries collaborating to make it a reality. My special thanks must go to Catherine, Graham and Janet for driving the proposal forward to a successful outcome. The new facility at Mnyakanya is modest by UK standards but simply massive in the context of this remote rural area. It has the potential to transform education at Mnyakanya School and give already extensively disadvantaged students some of the same opportunities that we take for granted. In an area that has 90% unemployment this initiative will give the community a boost that will inspire hope and aspirations.”

 

 

 

AN EVENING FOR ROTARY TO BE PROUD OF -  RECOGNISING ALL ROUND ACHIEVEMENT

President Janet Appleton welcomed more than 70 guests to the Rotary Club of Aireborough’s 66^th Charter birthday celebration. Nine other Yorkshire Clubs were represented including mother Club Otley.

In listing the Club’s achievements over the year Janet highlighted a visit to Corporate member ’s Freshers' Day where 31 students signed up with Love, Hope, Strength Foundation , one of her charities for the year, as potential donors to their bone marrow register.  Pictures were also circulated of ‘Mary’s Room’ the computer suite at , Kwa Zulu Natal funded by a Rotary Global Grant with Aireborough’s share of the funding coming from Mary Jowett’s bequest to the Club.

Bradford Rotarian and District Governor Manoj Joshi praised Aireborough for its innovation and wide-ranging projects both within the community and abroad. He presented his unique friendship scarves to Presidents Peter Heald of Otley and Bill Baker of Otley Chevin as well as Assistant District Governor  Craig Burton of Leeds White Rose. He then presented a surprise Paul Harris Fellow Award to Aireborough’s Brian Whitham for his contribution over many years to scouting and continuing unsung support at the Grove Methodist Church as well as for the past ten years as multi talented member, Youth Service leader and President at a time of dynamic change for the Club.

President Elect Raj Mani led the toast to guests and visiting Rotarians mentioning his plan to add a health oriented yoga class to Aireborough activities.

 

Guest speaker for the evening Guiseley born Jane Sowerby gave an inspirational and informative talk, taking her audience through the development of her charity Access Adventures following a fall of 13 feet down stairs at a friend’s house which eventually brought a premature end to her career in the music business. Time at both Stoke Mandeville (3 months) and Hedley Court where she initially thought about ‘what she couldn’t do’ led her search for an adrenaline rush, discovering the sport of sit skiing and a place as a Paralympian at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. ‘It made me realise that there was still so much that I could do with my life’. With two friends she concluded that it was difficult for people with disabilities to gain access to adaptive adventure sports and Access Adventures was born. Camps now include wakeboarding, water skiing, landsailing, kite surfing and scuba diving bringing a massive psychological benefit to both participants and volunteers. Jane asked for no speaker’s fee from the Club but a donation will be made.     

 

 

HANDOVER MEETING STRIKES ALL THE RIGHT NOTES

With the Rotary year beginning on 1 July this week’s meeting was the time to hand over the reins. Tony Scaife, Barry Bootland, Brian Whitham and Heather Read had shared the role last year and each gave a brief summary of the highlights of their term. 

These included: the innovative work on Rotary2, 350 dictionaries presented to 11 local Primary Schools, the 65^th Charter Dinner with Lisa Thiel of BBC TV’s Eggheads as Speaker to a full house, with  the dedication of the annual Brass Band Concert to the memory of Gerald Long, the Fun Quiz night with a surprising winning team, the record breaking Easter Egg Hunt, the Lord Mayor’s Charity Dinner fundraiser, the success of the Days for Girls project and the computer suite at Mnyakanya High School and the recent third Beer Festival which had raised around £5500 for the Guiseley Theatre, Rawdon St. Peters Parish Church and Aireborough Rotary partnership.  

Heather represented the four ex-Presidents who had shared the role last year in formally investing Janet Appleton with the chain of office for 2019/20, our second female President. In thanking the Club for the honour of receiving the presidency Janet praised the Club for its diversity, friendliness, community links and innovativeness and announced as her charities for the year: Martin House Hospice and Leukaemia research with Stem Cell research as an allied project. In their turn Raj Mani and John Kitching, both relative newcomers to the Club, were welcomed as President Elect and President Nominee

 

 

EASTER EGG HUNT FOUR HITS THE HEIGHTS ONCE MORE

Hot off the press is the news that the Club had another extremely successful Easter Egg Hunt with around a thousand children completing the circuit to take home their prize with the Easter Bunny biscuits proving a winner once again. 

The tombola with 230 eggs donated by local stores, members and friends did a roaring trade and all the other stalls for plants, books, hook-a-duck, Aireborough Inner Wheel’s Sand Game, the Aquabox display, the skipping rope maker, the face painter and the Sausage Man were run off their feet for four hours. Our picture below shows the first customer of the day!

Thanks go out to all who helped on the day from Rotary (22 participants in all), Inner Wheel, friends and of course the staff of Rodley Nature Reserve. The event brought in around £1800 with £839 in the donation buckets alone for local and Rotary charities as well as funds and an introduction to the marvels of Rodley Nature Reserve, often for the first time, for many visitors. 

But above all Aireborough Rotary is immensely grateful to the general public for their continuing support and words of encouragement for this so satisfying event. 

We are also indebted to Rodley Cricket Club for allowing us to park so  many cars on their outfield which literally saved our bacon. The car parking attendants did a magnificent job and the tweet praising Petros' helpfulness exemplified their efforts.

THIRTY EIGHT TEAMS FACE TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGE

The Leeds Technology Tournament for secondary schools took place at the John Charles Centre on 12 March. This year 13 schools brought 38 teams with half in the Key Stage 3 Foundation category and one school participating for the first time. Each team has four members, is given the appropriate materials to complete the task and provides its own power and hand tools. Each team is judged on planning teamwork, design, described in a portfolio, manufacture and testing. Every participant receives a certificate for the day.

This year’s task saw Rotary beginning a major project in a developing country with limited resources. Finding a way to publicise this work to the people around was the basis of the challenge.

Meritoriously the prize for Innovation in Design went jointly to two Foundation teams (Years 7, 8 and 9): Read School , Drax 1 and Cockburn College of Arts 2. Winners of their categories were in Foundation, Morley Academy 2: in Intermediate (Years 10 and 11), Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) and best of the Advanced teams (Years 12 and 13) with the most difficult target of making the light flash ten times in ten seconds: Abbey Grange.

Before the winners were announced four of the judges, Fay Best from Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and Jules Ferguson, Carly Bray and Susan Hayes all from SIEMENS talked about their current demanding roles within their companies to the assembled teams.

The Lord and Lady Mayoress of Leeds, Councillors Graham and Pat Latty circulated with interest amongst the teams visiting every table as did the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of  West Yorkshire, Rotarian Michael Fox.

The Tournament could not go ahead without the financial support of enthusiastic sponsors, which included the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University and the West Yorkshire Society of Architects. The efforts throughout the year of a team of volunteers filling a diversity of roles from the six Leeds Rotary Clubs were once again also critical to the success of the Tournament. Thanks go to all these involved parties.

 

The feedback forms from both pupils in teams and from their teachers are now being studied and will help to enhance, wherever necessary, next year’s event on 10 March 2020.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           SONGBOOK

Five months ago the  grandchildren of Gerald Long  - James and Sarah Long, James' wife Cheryl and Sophie and Chloe Stead together with the valuable help of Sophie’s boyfriend Leigh Coleman decided to organise a concert both to honour Gerald’s memory and to raise funds for Yorkshire Air Ambulance who airlifted him to hospital following his September car accident.

Deciding just which pieces of music to include was a lengthy process initially involving discussions with local musician John Webb complemented by their own extensive knowledge of their grandad’s love of musical theatre. It was no surprise that the final playlist featured heavily the music of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern and Irving Berlin.

For the occasion, the Hall had been converted to a café layout using other family members' skills - Sarah in event management and Cheryl from television. Working together they succeeded in attracting very close to a full house, unsurprising given Gerald’s active involvement in so many local groups

Key to the evening’s success was a group of experienced jazz musicians each given opportunities to showcase their individual talents throughout the evening – Joe Lee on bass, Alex Ridout – trumpet, Leigh Coleman – vocalist, having lately sung with and supported Joss Stone, Matt Carter – pianist and Tim Carter – guitarist and drummer, but displaying the latter skill on the night. Together the group launched the evening imaginatively on its way with individual applauded solos in an intricate instrumental version of Jerome Kern’s ‘Yesterdays’. 

 

Leigh Coleman was lead vocalist throughout the evening linking the numbers as well as supplying biographical details of the composers and their prolific outputs and introducing his fellow artists Sophie and Chloe Stead and James Long. Described in the programme as a jazz and soul singer he adapted easily and mellifluously to singing a range of his favourite Songbook numbers beginning with ‘It had to be you’ and ‘Every time we say goodbye’ to duetting with Sophie on ‘The way you look tonight’ and applauding and appreciating the solos of his co-performers throughout.

There was also the opportunity for James to deliver a comedic version of Rodgers and Hart’s ‘To keep my love alive’ introduced by Sophie with the reminiscence that Gerald and Geoff Hall had presented ‘Brush up your Shakespeare' on this very stage. Chloe then took centre stage confidently and melodiously with ‘They can’t take that away from me’ before joining   Sophie in a show stopping rendition of Ivor Novello’s ‘We’ll gather lilacs’.

 

Andrew Long thanked all involved with the presentation of the show but particularly the musicians for making the long journey.  He also praised the programme advertisers who had ensured that all income from ticket sales would be given to Yorkshire Air Ambulance taking the original £3200 donation displayed on the cheque past the figure of £6000. His final thanks went to an appreciative audience who had certainly received value for money from a poignant evening. 

 

MAKING THE MOST OF OPPORTUNITY

Young people were celebrated through two long running projects – the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) scheme and St. Mary’s, Menston’s Bambisanani project at in Kwa Zulu Natal.

First on stage was Leona Parry of , one of 37 young people on the daunting summer RYLA course at Hebden Hey. Her team, each taking it in turns to manage the group, endured a series of tasks, at times wet, cold and miserable but with the overall benefit of learning about leadership. With constructive feedback rounding off each task, raising morale, improving their communication and engendering trust were some of the skills learned along the way. Leona put a massive rise in self confidence as her chief gain.   

Lucy Hings and Lily Humphreys of St. Mary’s, Menston then confidently described and illustrated their time in training pupils as leaders through the medium of three sports – netball, hockey and rounders. For them it was a humbling but uplifting experience seeing the potential influence of education on pupils with an entirely different outlook on life. They took hours to walk to school but could never take for granted in school ordinary items like shoes, pens and paper. The 16 strong group spent time in a high school, a primary school and an orphanage, where HIV and AIDS had been the major cause. They took in DVDs and books seeing shy children, eager to learn and make friends, grow massively in confidence.

Supporters of the Bambisanani project for more than 10 years, the Rotary Club of Aireborough is delighted to be sponsoring two projects complementing St. Mary’s ground breaking work. This year via the ‘Days for Girls’ project a team of female Rotarians and friends produced and sent to Mnyakanya with the St. Mary’s team more than 80 sanitary kits to ensure no pupil is absent from school during menstruation. On receipt the smiles on faces told all.

After gaining a Global Grant through Rotary, the Club is also leading a project to provide a computer suite in . This will be named ‘Mary’s Room’ in memory of local ex-primary school Headteacher Mary Jowett’s bequest to the Aireborough Club and recognising at the same time St. Mary’s magnificent achievements.    

 

 YOUTH TO THE FORE

In November two events have taken place under the Youth and Education banner. First was the Aireborough heat of the National Young Chef competition hosted by Guiseley School with five competitors, three from Benton Park and two from Guiseley.

 

Judges were Alyson Wort and John Kitching who reported: ‘we had a very enjoyable morning judging the competition with five young people coming to cook a two course meal for us. The skills and techniques they demonstrated were outstanding, from making their own pasta, to shortbread, onion and balsamic reduction to perfect chocolate dipping sauce. How we suffer for Rotary!

As a vegetarian Alyson declined the majority of the main courses so I would not be eating again until Tuesday lunchtime. It was a very difficult decision to select our winners but successful on the day and going through to the next round, the Leeds Final, were Evie O’Connor from Guiseley and Amelia Lockwood from Benton Park. Both presented wonderful stuffed chicken dishes and wonderful desserts’. 

A week later St. Mary’s School, Menston held their GCSE Prize Giving evening, which was extremely well attended by students, staff and parents. The Rotary Club of Aireborough awards two prizes to the school, one at GCSE level and the other at ‘A’ level but for ‘Service above Self’ Rotary’s original motto.

 

The GCSE prize was awarded to Blythe McCaul for her altruistic activities. The ‘A’ level award will be presented to Sixth Form student Mary Monaghan at a prize giving ceremony on the 20^th December.  

 

SIMPLY A NIGHT TO REMEMBER 

Frank Renton returned triumphantly to Yeadon Town Hall  for the 18^th time, conducting the Hepworth Band, helping to raise funds for Aireborough Rotary Club’s manifold projects.

As always this gave the audience opportunities to both listen to, learn about and above all enjoy masterful performances from everyone on the stage.

As presenter and conductor Frank first expressed his pleasure on returning to his roots, particularly as each year someone different from his youth appeared to test his memory, then without notes but with humour displayed his encyclopaedic knowledge of each item on the programme and appreciated and revelled in the skills his baton drew from band members.

His original plan was to include music from British composers and arrangers and as usual the choice became wide-ranging from film - Vaughan Williams ‘Prelude to 49^th Parallel’, comic opera – ‘A Sullivan Fantasy’, ‘Folk Music from the U.K.’ and Malcolm Arnold’s ‘Cornish Dances’. Frank’s view that Brass Band music initially reflected the original popular music of the day from music halls led to his inclusion of two salutes to ‘rock stars’ – Freddie Mercury and Queen’s ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’, ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and Paul McCartney’s ‘Norwegian Wood’, Eleanor Rigby’ and ‘Got to Get You Into My Life’.

Virtuoso performances were provided by the soloists for the evening: Andy Holmes (cornet) with ‘’, Sarah Billard (tuba) with ‘Song of the Skies’ and Kate Bentham (Flugel) ‘Beneath the Willows’ with band members enthusiastically showing their appreciation alongside the audience.

The evening ended in memorable fashion with a stunning rendition of Peter Graham’s ‘Gaelforce’ where, as well as taking their solos, Andy Holmes and Kate Bentham masqueraded with sheer audacity and straight faces as ‘Riverdance’s’ Michael Flatley and Jean Butler. Judging from Frank Renton’s reaction this had not been part of the previous evening’s rehearsal.

 

Frank wrote in the programme ‘Gerald Long had been a great supporter of these concerts, so it is good that tonight’s performance should be dedicated to his memory’ and what a tribute it was!

 

 

R.I.P. GERALD LONG

A Tribute to Gerald Long

 

I have known Gerald most of my life from the  Aireborough Grammar School days, growing up, watching local amateur dramatics and finally through Rotary, especially through the fellowship side of Rotary and Inner Wheel. He and Vera were stalwarts at Rotary Conferences.   They were always good for a laugh with stories and appropriate words.   He was an expert on theatre performers of the pre and post war years.  Light music was his speciality, Noel Coward and Ivor Novello were among his heroes. In contrast, Vera loved opera, which he wasn’t too keen on. 

When he joined Rotary he gave his first ‘My Job’ talk and what a fascinating career he had. He started his working life on the railways at Apperley Bridge, then into the office at James Ives’ Mill and later at Peate’s. When the mill closed he wrote to places that interested him including Harewood House. He was asked in for interview, told he would be kept on file, eventually called back in and offered the post of Events Manager. 

This July he gave us his second my job talk, at my request. He told us about working at Harewood. He produced a book of memories and photographs of the people he met at Harewood - Royalty, Statesmen, Official Country Delegates.   I do know that the Earl and Countess of Harewood had the greatest respect for Gerald’s capabilities as he did for them. 

His manner and his acting ability always shone through, there for all to see in the local productions, making him excellent to watch. With his humour, I could listen all day long to him and his professionalism in organising events was there for all to see.  

And all this came from a lad from Yeadon. 

Rest in peace old friend. 

Brian Waite 

POSTSCRIPT     

Having recently attended the funeral of the Countess of Harewood, one of his former employers, Gerald mentioned that he would eventually appreciate a celebration of the same nature – full of laughter and humour.

His children Andrew and Jacqueline made the thought reality in a Yeadon Methodist Church  bursting at the seams, with a congregation more than double its capacity. It was a fitting tribute to a family man who, selflessly, had taken the time to be an active and enthusiastic member of fifteen community organisations.

Andrew gave an entertaining, absorbing and all encompassing eulogy full of amusing anecdotes and little known facts preceded by memories from primary school to present day interests by lifelong friend Bryan Stott, Aireborough Historical Society colleague Carlo Harrison and the Reverend Leslie Holmes.

With music and theatre being an important part of Gerald’s life there were poetry readings from Jacqueline and grandchildren Chloe Stead and Sarah Long, ending with a solo rendition of ‘Someone to watch over me’ from grandchild Sophie Stead accompanied on guitar by Leigh Coleman.

Applause frequently became an integral part of the celebration.                                               

 

 

 

GETTING TO GRIPS WITH WORDS

This year the Rotary Club of Aireborough has once again enthusiastically donated 350 Illustrated Usborne dictionaries to a whole year group selected by 11 local individual primary schools. Members are keen to participate as improving literacy worldwide remains one of Rotary’s prime targets and Club members also regularly volunteer within schools to listen to pupils read.

Each presentation also enables members to tell pupils something about Rotary’s work both in the community and internationally and to encourage them to look out for Rotary at local events.

Pupils evidently look forward to the time when they receive their own dictionaries and it was particularly heartening to hear pupils saying that they were following their brothers and sisters who had received dictionaries in previous years.

Handing over the dictionaries to each pupil is a pleasurable task in itself as the pictures show but the main enjoyment comes from seeing them immediately leafing through the books to find a topic in which they have particular interest.

 

 

 

The Primary Schools involved from Guiseley, Horsforth, Rawdon and Yeadon were: St. Oswald’s, Guiseley, Yeadon Westfield Junior, Rufford Park Primary, Rawdon St. Peter’s C. of E. Primary, St. Margaret’s C. of E. Primary, Broadgate Primary, Newlaithes Junior, Queensway Primary, St. Peter and Paul, and Guiseley Primary.   

 

THE INS AND OUTS OF AIREBOROUGH ROTARY 

The 6^th Rawdon Village Show organised by Rawdon Community Library and the Yeadon Carnival both gave Aireborough members the chance to root out their fundraising tabards?? and show the community at large what they were about. Both presented an opportunity to encourage a new audience to donate to Rotary charities but also to tell them about just one of Aireborough’s projects which affected people in disaster areas worldwide.

The Sand Game (new to us but borrowed from Inner Wheel), the ubiquitous Hook-a-Duck and the teasing Bottle Stall over two afternoons added around £400 to Club funds.

Thanks go out to a steadily growing band of volunteers both old and new from the early morning gazebo erectors, to the salespeople/ perormers with their steadily improving patter, to the Aquabox demonstrators and drinkers of potable water, to those who ensured what was forgotten eventually arrived and to the disassemblers who followed instructions ‘to the T’.

And they accomplished all this whilst bravely battling against the effects of a World Cup quarter final. Well done All!

Pictures show the range of activities from prizewinner to water testers and ‘a day in the life of a typical Aireborough Rotarian’….shame about the early morning!

 

 

REDOUBLED SUCCESS FOR AIREBOROUGH BEER FESTIVAL 

The second annual Aireborough Beer Festival began at Guiseley Theatre on the 14^th June with a rousing VIP opening night, an opportunity to thank sponsors, advertisers and supporters before getting into full swing with 2 full days on 15^th and 16^th of June. With 37 different draught beers, 8 ciders, bottled beers and Prosecco on offer, visitors had a very wide selection of drinks to choose from. This year's festival was based on the Wars of the Roses with all the draught beers being brewed in either Yorkshire or Lancashire. A number of smaller breweries were also featured with 5 making their festival debut. 

Of great relief to all Tykes was that votes on leaving showed a preference for the great Yorkshire pint over its Lancashire alternative by 60/40%. However of all the individual beers on offer the outstanding beer selected by festival goers was the Lancashire brew Underdog, a Chocolate Treacle Porter brewed by Northern Monkey. This was just ahead of a nano brewery offering from the very close to home Horsforth Brewery’s Aubretia a Black IPA. 

Great support throughout came from a steady stream of Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) members, including intrepid Festival followers from Doncaster, Grimsby and Wakefield. A welcoming party greeted Pat Langford and Kate Seal, the Doncaster Duo who this year ticked off 23 previously untasted beers and added 3 new breweries to their computer listings. Having taken away 2 XL Aireborough Beer festival shirts last year they will be rewarded in 2019 with shirts that fit. 

 

 

 

Popularly received festival food was produced by a hard-working team from Rawdon Parish Church whilst music was supplied each night by a number of local performers. They included Nigel Passey who provided 2 great sets on the VIP night. On Friday night the audience enjoyed the sweet and powerful music of Peculiar Blue, the jazz-blues tunes of Christy Herron Trio and Fleetwood Tracs (a Fleetwood Mac tribute act making their first ever live performance). Saturday saw a wide range of sets from the acoustic Motown sound of Cornell Daley, rock cover band Easily Distracted, the melodic indie folk sound of Boo Sutcliffe with the final stunning performance of the festival supplied by the Blind Dead McJones with energy, humour and consummate musical skills. All the performers were warmly appreciated by the audiences. 

 

The festival, in its second year, is run jointly by Rawdon St Peter's Parish Church, Guiseley Theatre and Aireborough Rotary with the profits being split equally between the 3 organisations. An amazing £6,000 was raised for good causes locally, nationally and internationally. Organisers are now having a well earned few weeks rest before starting to look at arrangements for next year's festival which will be held on 13^th,14^th and 15^th June.

KIDS OUT OR SIX GO ADVENTURING 

More than 800 people descended on Lightwater Valley  for Kids Out with Aireborough taking their fair share with 27 pupils, 17 carers and 6 Rotarians led by our new Community and Vocational Chair Sally Mohan and bedecked in our newly designed t-shirts and this year’s blue hats.

As usual several groups went their separate ways choosing their favourite rides before coming together for a picnic lunch. There were rides to suit all ages and their varying levels of bravery or bravado. Most rides were sampled by some starting with the Carousel and the Skyrider moving up through the gears of the Flying Cutlass, Wild River Rapids, and Raptor Attack on to the Thrill Rides, the towering Ultimate (ridden by three) and the terrifying Eagle’s Claw with Janet Kerr the sole champion. High winds stopped the Black Pearl from running at full capacity.

As his travelling companion on the Ultimate John Knaggs rode with a continental Health and Safety expert who had come through the Channel Tunnel and driven up from to make sure that all rides were functioning admirably. Just hope John gave him a full report on getting back to earth!

On the way out the team picked up Lucky Bags for all the contingent prepared by Inner Wheel.

 

This is obviously a highlight of the year for a lot of the pupils who talk about it lengthily both before and after - so long may it continue!

Greetings from other Clubs were too numerous to mention though some polite conversations did ensue.

 

The full team comprised Sally, Janet K, Barry, Johns Knaggs and Moorhouse and Robert who had failed to check the battery on his camera beforehand. 

R.I.P. BILL BRAKER 

When I was the President of the Rotary Club Bill was my Conference Secretary and I wanted to change how the weekend format would be. Bill was very good at organising stuff and as you can imagine it was just what I wanted and very enjoyable for all.I didn’t know Rodney Braker but I did know Bill Braker. He was a good friend and I liked him. We started within a few months of each other at the Rotary Club and when I retired I tried to sit with Bill at lunch so we could catch up with things. Bill was always the first to say ‘I can do that!’

I had a tough time as President but Bill supported me and talked to me when I was feeling low, encouraging me to keep going with the changes we wanted to make in the Club. He decided to fill the space when my President Elect decided not to take on the job. Bill yet again saved the day. We had a hard job that year but when it came to Bill’s year as President everything was fine.

He really enjoyed his year as President and he and Maggie worked hard to set up the Easter Egg Hunt, again encouraging others to follow suit.

I remember going to the R.I.B.I. Conference in Harrogate and Bill put his name down for a cruise draw thinking like we all did that we didn’t have a chance. He rang me a few weeks later very excited to say ‘We’ve won a cruise Brian’. Others were not as happy as they hoped they might win it. Now was this the start of the cruising? Probably ‘yes’! He and Maggie enjoyed it so much they booked two more and got one free.

Bill used to tell me how much fun it was meeting lots of different people and how much they found it interesting on board ship. One day after a cruise he mentioned something about being an Ambassador on board the cruise ship, and then told me all about it. I said that sounds like your kind of job. He loved talking to people and making new friends. The downside he said was they would be away an awful lot cruising the world. ‘Not a bad thing’ I said.

He did pop into the Club meetings when he could and it was always a great pleasure to see him again with that firm handshake and hearty laugh.

I was sad when Bill told me he and Maggie were selling up and moving near Downham Market but glad he felt it was the right move for them.

Then last year Bill rang to tell me about his diagnosis while on their world cruise. I was devastated for them both but Bill as always was positive and strong. ‘I’ll be coming up to for the treatment, Brian’ he said. So we arranged for them both to come round and tell us how things were going. It was in the early stages but I could see Bill was different. He was still that man I had met in 2010 but the spark was gone. He still had the firm handshake though, which we called the Rotary handshake.

We called to see Bill and Maggie last year while on holiday in and saw the new house they were making their home again. Bill said ‘it’s a bit of a building site but it’ll be fine when it’s finished’.

We kept in touch by email and phone until Bill rang me a few weeks ago to say the hospital had given him the all clear to eat and drink a pint of beer again. He had just been in the garden and done other jobs around the house. I could sense the joy in his voice that things were on the up. When Maggie rang me a week later to tell me the news of Bill’s death, neither I, nor Mitzi nor Maggie could believe it.

So Bill, I hope you have your golf clubs with you on your next journey as I am sure you will get to play a round wherever you are. We shall all miss you Bill.

Brian Whitham

 

 

THE AFTER EFFECTS OF RECYCLING 

Instead of using Scatter Week to visit another Club, President Heather organised a special treat for members at the Re-cycling & Energy Recovery Facility or RERF for short, one of six zero waste facilities in the country owned by French company VEOLIA. The French designed iconic building  has received awards for its ultra modern, striking architectural design.

Leeds, with 40% of its city’s waste currently recycled is aiming to reach the 50% Government target by 2020 with the help of this plant costing £170m turning waste into a resource.

We soon met up again with Leeds City Council employee Gus who had come to talk to us in October. Before letting us venture into the plant we were given safety instructions and a test as well as seeing a film, available on Youtube entitled ‘Leeds Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility’ showing just what happens to the city’s 165,00 tonnes of yearly black bin contents. There is no point my trying to explain the process just spend 3 minutes 56 seconds watching the video.  

Suffice to say that by the end nothing goes to waste with the energy from one tonne of coal being replaced by that of 3 tonnes of waste with a reduced carbon footprint. The sole activity we saw on the day was the massive grab, functioning automatically, moving the residue left in the storage bunker after several optical and infra red robotic sorting processes. 

The chute fed 20 tonnes an hour to the furnace to be burned at temperatures of up to 850ºC. Even the ash left in the furnace was transported elsewhere in to be converted into aggregate for roads. En route the furnace also produced steam driving the plant’s turbine.

 

Suitably garbed in safety boots, high viz jackets, helmets, safety glasses and gloves we were then conducted by our guide around the various floors of the plant seeing into the furnace and eventually climbing the 80 steps to the outside viewing balcony, 30 metres off the ground. To enhance the outside of the building there is a magnificent growing wall covered in plants taking the outsourced gardeners four weeks to tend on their regular visits.

 

 

The plant has 58 people on a variety of shifts. On our visit we saw six

 employees including two men in the control room the nerve centre of the plant.

 

Hopefully the pictures will enhance the story and give you several pleasurable minutes determining just who is who!

AIREBOROUGH DELIVERS ON ROTARY TREE CHALLENGE 

Every Rotarian in Great Britain and ireland was set the challenge of planting a tree in the Rotary year 2017/18. District Environmental Officer and Aireborough member Janet Appleton set about sourcing a variety of saplings from Rotary’s partner in the enterprise, the Woodland Trust, and worked with Leeds City Council (LCC) to find a suitable location.

To make a sizeable dent in the Aireborough target six enthusiastic Rotarians, under the guidance of LCC’s Justin Williamson completed the planting of 30 saplings on the Queensway edge of Nunroyd Park  in Guiseley and will keep a close watch on the growing process. 

TECHNOLOGY RULES O.K. – 13 MARCH 2018 

 

This year’s Leeds Technology Tournament attracted 37 teams with an encouragingly increasing number of female members from 14 different Leeds Secondary Schools to the John Charles Centre.

The challenge they were facing this year was described as follows: a train carrying hazardous materials in a container has been derailed. You are a member of a team required to design and build a crane, which will be used to recover the chemical container from a safe working distance. The container is in a cylindrical open topped rail truck. Your crane must be controlled from a set distance and have a magnetic hook for lifting. It must pass between guide rails and under a bridge. 

The reward for every participant was an individual certificate and this year a specially designed glass coffee coaster designed as a hobby by Bob Spishak a Leeds Rotarian.

Trophy winners in the three sections were:

Foundation: Roundhay

Intermediate: Grammar School at Leeds

Advanced: Grammar School at Leeds

Innovation Award: for the most original solution to the task – Abbey Grange’s Foundation team

As always Aireborough had a sizeable role in the event. Andrew Wilson chaired the organising committee and M.C.’d the proceedings on the day. Brian Whitham acted as a judge in the winning Foundation grouping and Robert Mirfield, Graham Davies, John Knaggs, Sally Mohan, Sofia Prassa and Alyson Wort carried out the multi-tasking job of stewarding. also took some excellent pictures. Geoff, Graham and Robert were also there the evening before getting the cavernous hall ready.

The most arduous and taxing role fell to Geoff Bartrum, a first timer at the event, in designing and building the example model to solve the complex issues implicit in the task – and boy did he do well!

 

It will all happen again in March 2019 on a date to be finalised – newcomers always welcome to what is an inspiring and enjoyable day.  

Pictures from the top: a completed model, Innovation winners, Abbey Grange Foundation, then Foundation winners: Roundhay and Intermediate and Advanced winners both from Grammar School at Leeds.

 

 

YOUTH SPEAKS WITH REMARKABLE POISE 

 Another first for the Rotary Club of Aireborough was achieved with a local heat of the National Rotary ‘Youth Speaks’ competition. Seven teams took part from Guiseley and St. Mary’s, each made up of a Chairperson, Speaker and Vote of Thanks provider, speaking for 12 minutes in all. The speaker also had to respond spontaneously to a question from the floor.

Teams chose their own topics and were they challenging? – Demonstrably so! They included ‘The impact of social media on the mental health of young people’, ‘Tax credit cuts of April 2017’ and ‘Vegetarianism – the future of mankind?’

The Intermediate 11 to 13 years category was won by Majid Qahwaji, Qiange Mao and Owen Sage with their chosen topic ‘A reconsideration of British foreign aid’ policies’. The senior 14 to 17 year group saw Ross Tanner, Ally Lloyd and Beth Dillon taking the prize with ‘The essence of education has it been lost?'. Both winners came from Guiseley School .

Teams included in their presentations thanks for the opportunities the competition had given them including facing an attentive audience.

Every participant received both a certificate and a medal with the winners, who will move on to the District Final in March also taking away £30 cheques for school funds.

A large audience at the Grove Methodist Church  expressed their appreciation and admiration for the efforts of every team throughout this daunting experience.

Event organisers were Geoff Bartrum and Brian Whitham. The difficult task of judging and providing constructive feedback was entrusted to Alyson Wort, Tony Scaife and Robert Mirfield with the role of inquisitive questioner being filled admirably by President Heather Read.

Pictures both with Club President Heather Read show: Intermediate winners Majid Qahwaji, Qiange Mao and Owen Sage and Senior winners – Beth Dillon, Ally Lloyd and Beth Dillon

There is a prize for finding the modest and elusive Geoff Bartrum in the final picture.

 

 

MAGNIFICENT SIX 

This year’s local heat of the national Young Musician 2018 competition hosted by the Rotary Club of Aireborough attracted six talented performers from three local secondary schools.

They were Yingzhe Feng (piano) from St. Mary’s School, Charlotte Smith (cello) , Ellie Barraclough (a first for Aireborough – voice) and Harry Turner (another first this time on drums), all from Guiseley School and Mark Holland (oboe) and Phoebe Moorhouse (piano) fromHorsforth School.
 

 The three judges Liz Kenwood, Mitzi Whitham and Philip Livesey gave each individual competitor constructive feedback and advice on their performance admitting that it had been a difficult task to select the two eventual winners.

They also congratulated each entrant on having the courage to stand up and perform in front of what was a sizeable audience at the Grove Methodist Church, Horsforth.

There were joint winners who will move forward to the next stage, the District Final in in February. Yingzhe Feng was praised for his ‘beautiful sensitive touch, smooth flow and confident control’ in playing Chopin’s Nocturne opus 72 no.1. Mark Holland’s Elegia by Nino Rota was ‘a real performance that came alive demonstrating a technical facility and a warm tone’.

All competitors received a certificate and the winners’ cheques were presented by Club President Heather Read. Brian Whitham organised the evening and made the introductions. 

Photos: President Heather Read between Yingzhe Feng and Mark Holland 

 

Competitors and judges: Philip Livesey, Brian Whitham, Yinzhe Feng, Mark Holland, Phoebe Moorhouse, Charlotte Smith, Ellie Barraclough, Harry Turner, Mitzi Whitham and Liz Kenwood

A ROCKING GOOD CHRISTMAS 

There was another good turnout for the annual Christmas Meal hosted by President Heather with 70 members and their guests attending. It was good to see several old faces returning to share this evening of fun.

The call for festive dress was answered in all manner of means by a percentage of the assembled crowd with jumpers, ties and glasses proving most popular.

The balloons hidden in the crackers tested the ingenuity and stamina of many with longest, highest and noisiest flights greeted with resounding applause.

The entertainment provided by the Rock Choir, an amalgamation of several wide-spread choirs including Horsforth and lived up to expectations. Their enthusiastic repertoire moved effortlessly from carols to rock under the vibrant baton of their dynamic conductor bringing the best out of her protégés in complementing with practised movement the messages of their songs.

The choir charged no fee but £2 from every ticket sale went to their chosen charity Nordoff Robbins delivering life changing music therapy to both children and adults.

The ubiquitous and popular raffle also had a specific charitable aim helping the Days for Girls project reach its self imposed target.

A good time was unquestionably enjoyed by all! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOUTH TO THE FORE

For an event celebrating youthful achievement, organised by the Rotary Club of Aireborough’s Youth Service Chair Brian Whitham, students staff and their guests from Horsforth and St. Mary’s were welcomed to an evening meeting.

Qiyu Cai from Horsforth and Kristiana Barzanov from St. Mary’s had both recently undertaken the arduous Rotary Youth Leadership Award week at Hebden Hey and in a spirited presentation summarised the challenges overcome and the resultant benefits gained, particularly in self-confidence, during a taxing stay. The fact that one of them was in the team that won, over the week with the other one point behind, added spice to the occasion.

Picture shows Cindy Stephenson(Course mentor), Qiyu Cai, President Heather Read, Kristiana Barzanov and Simon Rebecchi  (Course mentor)

 

Catherine Chattoe, the Bambisanani project leader, together with pupils Ewan Copsey and Pauline Hall then brought members up to date on the school’s latest impressive and rewarding annual visit to Kwa Zulu Natal. During their stay they had also taken shoes for all the children in a neighbouring orphanage as well as giving their time to pupils in a local junior school.

Their main task however was, as always, to take a group of Mnyakanya pupils through a short Sport Leadership course which enabled the new leaders to pass on in a final sports day what they had learned about the new to them sports of rugby, rounders and netball. Pupils in the group also spent some of their time teaching classes before an always appreciative audience.

Aireborough Rotary had been one of the first groups to support the school in its Bambisanani enterprise, most recently supplying tablets for grateful pupils’ use. To mark this 10 year partnership Catherine presented Club President Heather Read with a recently published book illustrating St. Mary’s adventurous project.

The school and the Rotary Club are now working together on a grant proposal to enable the school and its pupils working with very basic facilities to dramatically improve its current situation. 

Picture above: Ewan Copsey and Pauline Hall present President Heather Read with the 10 year record of the Bambisanani project. On the right all the players in the Bambisanani project.    

 

OLD FRIENDS, NEW CHALLENGES

Aireborough Rotary’s ‘Festival of Brass’ concert began strikingly with Club President Heather Read walking on to an empty stage to welcome and thank the expectant audience and to introduce compere and conductor Frank Renton. What followed would be a mystery he confessed before moving away to allow Hepworth’s Principal Trombonist Yvonne Embury to take centre stage as soloist on Lennon and McCartney’s ‘With a little help from my friends’. The stage then gradually filled as individuals and sections took up their places whilst playing, till the whole ensemble came together. They moved without a break into a breakneck rendition of Fred Jewell’s ‘Galop, They’re Off’.

 

Back in his familiar position Frank congratulated Heather on becoming the Club’s first female President in 64 years with the comment ‘now that’s what I call progress!’

The programme he had drawn up with the band would not appeal to all brass band aficionados containing as it did rarely played and unfamiliar but this was certainly no swansong as he pledged to return ‘as long as you still want me’.

The Hepworth, a Championship Section Band, followed their unusual on stage with a masterful performance of an eclectic programme ranging from the Beatles ‘Ticket to Ride’ through Elgar Howarth’s ‘Music from the Elizabethan Court’ to the concluding ‘Shine as the Light’ by Peter Graham with its ground-breaking aleatory conclusion.

As ever every player took pleasure in and applauded each other’s solos later describing Isobel Daws’ playing as ‘fabulous’ and praising their own Steve Ridler on his soulful interpretation of ‘When I Fall in Love’. Their presentation of ‘Three Haworth Impressions’ was decidedly atmospheric and evocative and Derek Bourgeois’ ‘Serenade’ provided a delightful encore.

As his guest soloist Frank had secured as his superb choice 18 year old Isobel Daws, ‘the clear winner’ of BBC Radio 2’s Young Brass Award 2017, currently studying for ‘A’ levels in . Isobel chose a fuller version of her Award winning ‘Rhapsody for Trombone and Band by Gordon Langford as her first piece delivered as a mesmerising tour de force. Later in the programme Arthur Pryor’s ‘Thoughts of Love’ received the same sensitive and confident treatment from a gifted performer who will go far.

Frank Renton’s performance over the evening was a typical miscellany demonstrating his encyclopaedic brass band knowledge plus his unabridged thoughts on composers, arrangers and performers not sparing the Rolling Stones. His humour came out in his introductions to the Witch of Westmorelands and his tall tale about Patrick Bronte for ‘Three Haworth Impressions’.He wrote in the programme ‘it is my yearly trip into the area of my youth and every year gets more nostalgic’ (despite the cold).

Make sure Friday 26 October 2018 goes straight into your calendar.

 SCARBOROUGH - A SHOT IN THE ARM

As well as throwing themselves wholeheartedly into both the Conference Programme and the Rotary Showcase the nineteen enthusiastic members and partners from Aireborough also enjoyed Red Lea’s hospitality for varying lengths of time between Thursday and Monday.

 

We were proud to see three of our members make the Conference stage, Lynn Rhodes-Holme ('Stroke Awareness') andJanet Appleton (‘Sal’s Shoes’) leading in the Community and Vocational presentation. On Sunday Andrew Wilson confidently fronted the Youth Services Showcase.

All three were all also prominent in the Rotary Showcase, joined by Geoffrey and Heather Barton explaining the merits of Aquaboxes, with filtered water proving its regular attraction. Anne Waite and Pat Mirfield also helped the Inner Wheel stand achieve an all round successful Conference.

The name of Aireborough kept cropping up gratifyingly with the ‘Dolly Parton Imagination Library’ and Aquaboxes being highlighted in the International segment and the impressive and redoubtable Chris Lubbe featuring Aquaboxes as one of the many projects Rotary needed to exploit with greater gusto to a waiting World audience in the dark about Rotary.

Highlights over the two days included Mollie Comish on Dignity Bags and Halifax’s Lucy Hodgson with the best job in the world (Rotary Youth Leadership Award organiser), aided by recent participants.

It will also be hard to forget the multi-lingual and musically talented group of Ukrainian pupils and their video from ‘School No. 3 with English experience’ brought to these shores by the Holmfirth Club.

Three of the Yorkshire Rows team took us through their 3000 mile, 67 days, 5 hours and 2 minute Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge from a thoughtful comment in a York Rowing Club to the elation of overcoming a 3 day hurricane, power failures, close encounter with a whale and lots of blisters. Deserved standing ovation followed.

Also receiving a well earned standing ovation was Chris Lubbe, simply described as Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard. His was the story of apartheid from the inside, beginning with his father’s statement that the word ‘coloured’ on his passport would define his whole life. Most surprising was his story of being encouraged by Steve Biko at the age of 9 to write to a World Leader,  being given the Queen and receiving no reply. Later accompanying Nelson Mandela on a State Visit and at a dinner in he was encouraged to open a letter brought to him on a silver tray only to find it contained the self same letter to which the Queen later said she had replied.

For entertainment Aireborough continued to ‘do its own thing’ on the Friday evening with President Heather’s champagne reception and black tie dinner, followed by some impressive dancing to the nameless Chris Rea tribute singer and musician. Barry Bootland and Janet Kerr had several of the judges reaching for their 10s (tens) through both their talent and sheer exuberance. Once the music stopped, the irrepressible Brian Whitham, after interminably explaining the rules, took two competitive teams through a complex game of Pictionary culminating in everyone wearing silly headgear - cue photo.

All this proved a difficult act to follow the next night for Abba Revival.

 

And, although a year older by then, we only have to wait until 12 October 2018 to do it all again!

 

EVERYONE’S A WINNER

Aireborough Rotary’s first female President Heather Read knew immediately whom she would like to invite as guest speaker for the Club’s 64^th Charter and her choice proved an undoubted winner.

 

It is 18 years since the Alternative W.I. calendar, approved at Head Office ‘because it was local and would be small’ first saw the light of day in the Devonshire Arms, Cracoe. Tricia Stewart brought the story up-to date in a hilarious account packed with northern humour bringing gales of laughter from a capacity audience. She reminded us that it all began with 1,000 calendars printed to sell at £5 each and raise £5000 for Leukaemia Research. Since then it has passed through various phases of several calendars, the Movie, the Stage Show and Calendar Girls – the Musical (who is this Barry Garlow?)

During ‘Question and Answer’ Tricia felt the sum raised for the charity so far was around £5m.(Heather with her special guest Tricia)

District Governor Robert Morphet, in proposing the toast to the Rotary Club of Aireborough, recounted the Club’s successes over the year and President Elect Lynn Rhodes-Holme thanked all the guests present and particularly the members of the many neighbouring Clubs taking the time to share Aireborough’s Charter.

During the evening District Governor Robert Morphet also presented two Paul Harris Fellowship Awards. The first went to Andrew Wilson, 32 years a Rotarian, who has held with distinction many roles in the Club, being President in 1995/96 before moving on to District positions, initially as Assistant Governor Leeds and currently Chairing the Youth Service Committee.Proposing the award, Brian Hall also felt his having a telescopic ladder clinched the deal. Graham Davies then introduced the second surprise recipient Inner Wheel member Carol Hall whose design skills allied to the vision of a cartoonist has ensured that any flyer or poster advertising a Rotary or inner Wheel event will be imaginative, appropriately humorous and always delivered on time!   (Carol, Heather and Andrew are pictured)

PROMS BRING SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE 

Proving that Rotary embodies both fun and entertainment as well as ‘Service above Self'  Aireborough Rotary staged a second Proms Evening. This  brought together to perform their own musical selections Opera North’s Joanne Dexter and the Olicana brass Quintet providing something for everyone to enjoy in a richly varied programme.

Love was unsurprisingly a recurring theme in Joanne’s accomplished programme, beginning with items from Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ and Edward German’s ‘Tom Jones’ and ‘Merrie England’ (She had a Letter from her Love). Every opportunity was taken to link playfully and humorously with the audience in explaining and acting out the situation in each piece. There was also time to test the audience’s knowledge of lyrics in Franz Lehar’s ‘Guidetta’ ‘on my lips every kiss is like wine’ and their ability to sing in a triple version of ‘O Sole Mio’. Musicals also had a place with ‘State Fair’s’  ‘Grand Night for Singing’ and ‘West Side Story’s’ ‘I Feel Pretty’. But with an amenable Bill fortuitously seated at the President’s table in an enthusiastic audience what better song to include than ‘Showboat’s’ ‘Bill’. George Gershwin’s ‘Someone to Watch over Me’ and the title music of ‘Singing in the Rain’ brought a memorable performance to a very well received finale.

Joanne also took the time to praise her talented, witty and quick thinking accompanist Andy Sherlock.

ThOlicana Brass quintet comprised of members from the Otley Brass Band  also played a stirring role in the evening’s music, exemplifying versatility initially with Ron Goodwin’s ‘Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines followed by an orchestral arrangement of Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’. The haunting ‘Danny Boy’ or the ‘Londonderry Air’ also took the audience back to the world of film in ‘Brassed Off’ and nostalgia also had its place in a rousing rendition of the Beatles’ ‘Ticket to Ride’ from ’Help’.

Led by Joanne and the Olicana Brass’ the evening was brought to an end in a suitably roof raising but tuneful attempt by the audience to bring the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ to its northernish outpost in Aireborough.

In her closing vote of thanks President Heather Reid paid tribute to the gifted performers, the supportive audience and particularly the organisational talents of Barry and Lynne Bootland.

 

Thirty six hours later most of Aireborough Rotary had reverted to fund-raising mood at their Canine Capers event. With the help of the Tailwaggers Obedience Team and this time marshalled by Sally Mohan and Janet Appleton they were raising with the help of a host of dog-lovers a creditable £400+ for Rotary Charities.  

 

BREAKING NEWS

1 Two Global Grant scholars have been hosted over the last Rotary year by the Aireborough Club, Kayono Nakajima and Mark Maccuzzo. Kayono who has been studying Public Health at Leeds University has recently heard that she has secured her dream job, working for a Japanese NGO in Timor Leste (East Timor). 

Tony Scaife was first to hear the news and commented 'good to see young people following their dreams. We congratulate Kayono and wish her all the best in her new job and will try to keep a distant eye on her progress. 

Picture shows Kayono and now President Heather displaying their medals at the annual Bowls afternoon.

2 According to Leeds City Council the Leeds Rotary Technology Tournament has been awarded a certificate on behalf of the Outer Leeds South Community Committee dealing with Community Heroes.

The Tournament is organised by all the Clubs forming part of the Leeds group.

Aireborough will feel particular pride having been heavily involved over several years with participation in various roles from Patrick Glenn, Barry Wilkinson, Tony Scaife, John Knaggs, Brian Waite, Brian Whitham, Graham Davies, Geoff Bartrum and most importantly Andrew Wilson, chairing and steering the Committee over a lengthy period.  

Picture shows a typical group of pupils carrying out a final test of their model under the watchful eye of Brian Waite

 

 

 

 

SAL'S SHOES TAKE OFF

In her role as District Environmental Officer, Club member Janet Appleton was asked to source a project in which the 102 Clubs in the district had the opportunity to participate. After lots of research and an eventual visit to Croydon Janet decided Sal’s Shoes a charity founded in 2013 was the one to back.

Camilla Bowry (or CJ) was the driving force who felt there could be a new home for a bag of her son Salvatore’s outgrown shoes.

With 300 million children going barefoot in the world of whom 58 million were not in school and 29 million could not attend because they had no shoes CJ had found a way to make the bag of shoes count. So far shoes have been sent to 34 countries worldwide

After a presentation to a school assembly at Rawdon St. Peter’s C. of E. Primary a date was set in the final week of term for parents and pupils to bring in outgrown and serviceable shoes of any kind including school shoes, trainers, wellingtons, football boots and ballet shoes. Many parents also answered the call to sellotape a £1 coin to the shoes to help pay for transportation costs.

On the day all at the school responded magnificently with 168 pairs of shoes being brought in and boxed ready for dispatching to CJ’s Croydon warehouse. Each box will contain the name of the school and an additional benefit is that CJ aims to send back pictures of the shoes on the feet of their new owners. 

The picture shows Rotary President Heather Read and Rawdon Headteacher Caroline Sibson with two of the pupils who brought in shoes in front of the product of their generosity.

63rd President but 1st Lady

 

 

After an action packed year Graham Davies bowed out of the Rotary Club of Aireborough's Presidency at an event hosted by Corporate member Leeds Trinity University.

The meeting included a memory jogging pictorial representation of Leeds Trinity University's 50 year history from the building of the two initial colleges to its present day eminence given by Head of marketing Tania Clarke.

Graham's successor and the Club's first female President is Heather Read. Heather only joined the Club in 2013 via the flourishing 'satellite' Thursday evening option but is now also a regular Tuesday attender.

Heather was Assistant Head at Braithwaite Special School, Keighley has been a churchwarden at St. Peter's Parish Church, Rawdon and a governor at St. Peter's C. of E. Primary School where she still takes part in the fortnightly Open the Book assemblies. She is also a Community Ambassador and volunteer for Martin House Hospice.

She has been joined at the Club by her sister Alyson Wort, who after 16 years at the Rotary Club of Leeds including a Presidential year has now transferred to Aireborough.

 

CHEERS ALL ROUND

The inaugural Aireborough Beer Festival lived up to all expectations as a new, untested and very challenging event, bringing together harmoniously from the very outset a working partnership of equals: the Rotary Club of Aireborough, the Parish Church of St. Peter's, Rawdon and Guiseley Theatre.

 

The main responsibility for the success goes primarily to the multi-talented volunteer committee whose organisational and technical skills produced memorable results for all to see.

Over the two days and the V.I.P. evening more than 600 eager patrons attended, (seen as a creditable first time response) taking away their branded glasses having enjoyed an excellent choice of 43 beers and 15 ciders as well as Prosecco and red and white wines. Overall more than £3000 was raised to be shared equally between the three partners. 

The partners owe a great debt to all those who either sponsored the 58 barrels, paid for adverts in the informative Festival programme or produced the publicity material. 

Lively, varied and well received evening entertainment was provided by four local bands, Silverlode, Blue Horizon, Little mistakes and Bluesharks.

The most unexpected incident involved the Saturday afternoon arival of two inveterate Beer festival devotees, Pat Langford and Kate Seal. Having seen a flyer some time ago about Aireborough at the Pudsey Beer festival, they had filed it in their diary and subsequently took the train from Doncaster as part of their 35 year hobby of tasting new beers on an almost weekly basis. They were delightd and surprised to be able to add 15 previously unsampled beers to their voluminous and detailed log of thousands of beers as well as passing on tips to theincredulours organisers.

Showing that the volunteering spirit is alive and well in Aireborough and reflecting the community mood, all three organisations provided the cheerful and willing labour ready to set up the bar area before moving on to dispense drinks, prepare and serve food, greet and inform arrivals, brief staff and sell the essential token currency.

Many of those leaving expressed their thanks and enjoyment, promising to tell all their friends and bring them along next year on an already agreed weekend to a bigger and better Festival on the 15 and 16 June 2018.  

 

 

 

EXCEPTIONAL RESULT FOR ROTARY EGG HUNT

 Aireborough Rotary’s fourth Easter Egg Hunt at Rodley Nature Reserve proved an all round winner despite the disappointing weather. More than 300 children completed the course by collecting the six tokens and selecting their well deserved prize of an egg or an Easter biscuit at the end. (Picture shows Janet Kerr sending two children off on the Hunt). 

 As a result of donations and a well stocked tombola boasting 135 Easter Eggs £1097 was raised for Rotary charities including the Martin House Hospice.

For many families attending this was also an opportunity to tour the Reserve and see the massive amount of work carried out by volunteers to repair the flood damage of Christmas 2015 partially helped by a Rotary grant.

Much interest was also shown in seeing the contents of an Aquabox which provides highly effective water and humanitarian aid around the world following disasters. Aireborough Rotary is proud to supply regularly  24 of these life-saving boxes every year. Congratulations to all the Rotarians who drank the water to prove its efficiency!

The Rotary Club is immensely grateful to Marks and Spencer, Pudsey and Briggate, Morrisons (Guiseley, Horsforth and Yeadon) Sainsbury’s, Otley and Thorntons  Leeds LS1 for donating eggs and Palmer’s for their plants which all contributed hugely to the day’s success.

 

But the greatest thanks must go to the loyal and resolute public who braved the inclement weather in large numbers to support this charitable event. 

TECHNOLOGY TOURNAMENT TRIUMPH

Aireborough members again pulled their weight at the annual Leeds Rotary Technology Tournament at the John Charles Centre. In the run-up to the event Andrew Wilson chaired the organising committee which also included Brian Whitham and Robert Mirfield. John Sharples, Geoff Bartrum and John Knaggs joined them the evening before helping to set up what is becoming a steadily growing arena. 2017 expected 51 teams and 200+ participants with accompanying teachers. Next day it was all change for the Aireborough Rotarians to roles as M.C., steward, judge or equipment organiser.

Brian Whitham excelled once again in persuading all four local schools Benton Park, Guiseley, Horsforth and St. Mary's, Menston to bring teams in the various categories of Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced. One measure of their enjoyment of the day was that all four schools signed up for next year's challenge on 13 march 2018!

This year's task cannot yet be described as not all areas have had their tournament day but the good news was that every team managed to get to the testing stage in front of the judges.

Even better news was that a local team Horsforth School Foundation 2 won the Innovation prize for most impressive solution, second year running for the school. Other prize-winners were Foundation - Priesthorpe 2, Intermediate - Ralph Thoresby and Advanced - Read School, Drax.  

Pictures show the Innovation prize-winners Horsforth School and one team's entry being put to the test before the judges.

 

  

 

 

BOISTEROUSLY COMPETITIVE

The quiz with its quirkily entitled rounds, its team challenge and its strategic chance to play the joker once again proved a great 'draw' with over 90 attending in 16 teams. With many being encouraged and responding to buying raffle tickets in abundance the evening eventually raised more than £300 for the Club to distribute to local, national and international charities.

But this was once again a great team effort with Janet Kerr as chief organiser and Brian Whitham the ebullient question master. Questions were set by Geoff Bartrum, Janrt Kerr and Robert Mirfield and Philip Livesey invigilated and scored with help from Gill White. Rounds this year included Railways, Bring on the Girls, Stephen and Gardening with the final round, the team challenge comprised of 10 Google maps of well known places.

As usual this was a hard fought and closely contested Qiz with the self-deprecatingly entitled 'Below Par' from Horsforth School coming out on top at the 18th hole.Their team included Connor Brown who learned about the quiz whilst attending the Rotary Youth Leadership Award evening. They were only half a point in front of Seriously      Challenged. The Four Musketeers were just as delighted to go home with the wooden spoon.

As usual we were well catered for by Trina and Chris and their Golf Club staff with pie and peas proving a welcome tonic at the mid quiz break.

 

Young Musicians Set High Standards

January 18^th 2017

Talented, local young people made this another successful year for the Aireborough heat of the national Rotary Young Musicians’ Competition which was held at the excellent venue of the Grove, Horsforth before an appreciative 60 strong audience.

Eleven students from St. Mary’s Menston, Horsforth and  Guiseley Schools took part, with once again the most popular instrument being the piano joined by violin, cellos, oboe and saxophone.

 

The standard of performance was once again very high, giving the judges Mitzi Whitham, Brian Waite and Philip Livesey difficult choices to make. However their decision in choosing the two winners was unanimous, Dan Cullen from St Mary’s and Naomi Adams from Horsforth. 

 

Dan Cullen on cornet played a syncopated jazz piece together with a beautiful rendition of ‘My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose’.

Naomi Adams on piano wowed the audience with her rhythmical performance of ‘Strutting at the Waldorf’ contrasting admirably with her own arrangement of ‘Some Day I’ll Fly Away’.

Every competitor was given a certificate and each of the winners received a cheque for £30 and now goes forward to the next round on 12^th March in .

 

All the competitors were thanked and congratulated by Aireborough Rotary Club President Graham Davies and the event was arranged and compà¨red by Brian Whitham the Youth Services Chairman. 

 

BRIGHTEST OF CHRISTMASES 

President Graham’s bold move in securing a top class performer and entertainer for the annual Christmas meal paid dividends with what was widely accepted as the best Christmas event for several years.

It was a bonus that very few in the audience had seen Huddersfield’s very own Simeon Wood before but he brought an outstanding stage performance to Horsforth Golf Club. His supreme skills as a flautist were complemented by the ability to play to the same level a range of other instruments, including pan’s pipes, both recognised and invented, as well as the talent to hold an audience with entertaining anecdotes and whimsical humour.

 

His programme blended seasonal numbers including Leroy Anderson’s ‘Sleigh Ride’ and a Christmas Carol medley with Henry Mancini’s ‘Penny Whistle Jig’ and ‘Pie in the face polka’. He recounted the story which earned a place on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show as well as the Sun headline ‘I played my crutch’ illustrated by use of an NHS device together will his follow up for the Tour of Yorkshire ‘White Christmas’ on a bicycle pump. The haunting ‘Annie’s Song’ penned on a cable car ride by John Denver also had its very own back catalogue.

 

This was a musical night to remember, keeping the audience in rapt attention and seeing him leave the stage to prolonged applause.

As usual those attending answered the call for festive dress with an imaginative display of Christmas costumes as the pictures show.

 

In playing their part the staff of Horsforth Golf Club produced and served a splendid Christmas meal with all the trimmings to start the evening on the right note.  

 

PROUD TO BE PURPLE

As part of the ‘This close’ campaign and ‘Purple4Polio’ primary schoolchildren in 10 schools in the Aireborough area have been planting  with help from various individuals, 5,000 purple crocus corms or bulbs donated by the Rotary Club of Aireborough.

But why purple? simply because to ensure no child is missed, on receiving the vaccination drops, a purple stamp is put on the little finger of each individual.

 

And why so close? Because the number of cases worldwide has been reduced by 99.9% from 1,000 per day in 1988, to 74 cases in 2015 and to around half that number in 2016 confined to , and .

Alongside the planting, children have also seen a presentation explaining how the campaign developed and how for every £1 raised by Rotary worldwide the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation adds a further £2 because they have seen at first hand the operation and its results and thet trust Rotary!.

The Aireborough Club is proud of its working relationship with the schools with dictionaries donated each year as well as help with reading, attendance at the Brass Band Concert encouraged by free tickets and now for the second time involvement in celebratory crocus planting.

The schools involved are St. Margaret’s C. of E. Primary, Queensway Primary, St. Peter and Paul Catholic Primary, Rawdon St. Peter’s C. of E. Primary, Broadgate Primary, St. Oswald’s, Guiseley, Yeadon Westfield Junior  Newlaithes Junior, Rufford Park Primary and Guiseley Primary.

 

 

Pictures show groups comprising pupils, local Councillors and Rotarians at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Primary and St. Margaret's, Horsforth.    

 

BELATED GREETINGS FROM SCARBOROUGH 

District Conferencewas different this year in that because of unforeseen circumstances we were hosted by the Weston Hotel instead of the Red Lea. The Weston proved an admirable choice with choice of food a particular highlight, staff who measured up to every request and with a room provided for our Friday evening self-made entertainment.

But why go to the District Conference in the first place? Speaking from a prejudiced point of view the Rotary Club of Aireborough provides good company so above all we enjoy ourselves. We are an open minded bunch so we take the opportunity to learn new things and listen to speakers who will motivate us and subsequently to go back to our meetings with a spring in our step! And where else do you get the chance to try and explain to an intelligent Japanese scholar just what a dressed crab is?!!

The variety of speakers and their messages were a credit to the organising committee.  Top marks in my personal book went to Mary Clear from Incredible Edible Todmorden showing how to galvanise a whole town behind a simple slogan ‘if you eat, you’re in’. The best way to kill any project is to form committees and write reports – just get on with it. Note: organise a trip to Todmorden.

Along the way we heard uplifting and amazing messages from Canine partners, about the incredible progress of Yorkshire Air Ambulance from 2001 to present day and the stupendous fund raising efforts to keep their life saving helicopters flying £4.4 million per year) and from Jean Best working as a Peace Officer with young people struggling to come to terms with 21^st century living.

Humour came once again from Geoff Mackey with his own idiosyncratic methods of encouraging us all to keep recruiting for the future of Rotary, with communication a key tool ‘what are you sinking?’ Jennifer Angus portrayed all that is best in Inner Wheel, Eric Knowles enthusiastically championed Rotary Foundation and Geoff Miller coming on as a late 12^th man played a blinder.

As always Aireborough provided its own entertainment and this proved a wise choice with the result being Logo1 Davro nil. Question Master and game provider Brian Whitham presided over a close run contest with team B (pictured) snatching victory at the last through President Graham’s detailed knowledge of Landrovers.

The second half of the evening saw a hilarious procession of mystery guests including Boris Johnson, Shrek and Wayne Sleep testing the ingenuity of the label wearing volunteers.

On Saturday afternoon we saw our very own Andrew Wilson signposting Youth Service programmes and ending by bravely reading the winning entry from the Young Writers competition which Aireborough will add to its portfolio this year.

The polished performers of Tenors Encore took us to musical theatreland on Saturday night before the nucleus moved on to Abba Revival dancing until the music stopped and the Weston bar was still open.

There will be a District Conference next year and an Aireborough contingent will be there in force. ‘Sometimes the ones who give the most are the ones with the least to spare’ – Mike McIntyre

 

 

 

 

 

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Frank Renton, on his 16^th visit to Yeadon, supported by the evergreen Hepworth Band and guest soloist Daniel Thomas delivered a scintillating tribute to late Aireborough Rotary Club member John Armstrong in front of a hugely appreciative audience of brass band enthusiasts. Lifelong friend Frank selected a programme of music to include some of John’s favourites from ‘Salute to Sinatra’ to Elgar’s ‘Pomp and Circumstance’.

As always in his introductions Frank mixed tongue in cheek humour with serious well researched information. He began with ‘Colonel Bogey’, named after the inexpert golf playing Argyll and Sutherland officer who whistled up his Russell Terrier with the March’s opening two notes. Later he confided that the gold plated piccolo trumpet used by a session musician and paid £50for the gig at the studios on Paul McCartney’s ‘’ was later sold as unique – 15 times

The Hepworth Band performing with guest soloist Daniel Thomas played items including Peter Graham’s ‘Bravura’ and later ‘A Troika’ by Karl Jenkins with undoubted verve and enthusiasm. Throughout the evening the band portrayed both a genuine flair and an overall enjoyment which was evident in every item. They showed their appreciation of fellow band member Yvonne Emburey after her solo ‘In the wee small hours of the morning’ and repeated applause for the virtuoso playing of Daniel Thomas, who joined them later as second euphonium – ‘a true bandsman’ in Frank’s words

.

Frank introduced Daniel, winner of Radio 2’s Young Brass Musician of the Year’ with ‘you will marvel at his playing, but all we on stage know just how good he is’. Playing throughout with a smile on his face Daniel followed ‘Bravura’ with in Frank’s words the highly technical and frighteningly modern ‘Solitary prayer’ by Marco Putz. His final piece dedicated on the 50^th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster to his fellow Welshmen was the moving and poignant ‘In gardens of Peace’ by Peter Graham, ‘expansive but with an acerbic tinge’.

As the show ended, commenting on the photograph Frank said ‘we’re already booked for next year’ so for those who missed out this time round the date is Friday 20  October 2017.  

Already looking to the next generation of concertgoers Rotary members had donated 60 tickets to the 10 local primary schools the Club supports over the year in encouraging progress in literacy. 

 

 

PROMS NIGHT AIREBOROUGH STYLE 

There was a full house, including many guests at Horsforth Golf Club for Aireborough Rotary Club’s Proms Night interpretation. This first time event was the brainchild of Barry Bootland’s Community Committee, celebrating the Queen’s 90^th birthday.

Choice of programme was in the reliable hands of the interchanging performers Joanne Dexter, soprano with Opera North and the Olicanian Brass quintet which saw the audience right royally entertained by the eclectic selection of music.

Joanne’s versatile and vibrant contribution began with Puccini’s aria ‘O Mio Caro’ followed by Rossini’s ‘La pastorella’ with helpful introductory insights. She later moved on to operetta in the form of Carl Zeller’s ‘Der Obersteiger’ taking the opportunity to interact the role with unsuspecting audience members and ‘Velia’ from Franz Lehar’s ‘the Merry Widow’. She ended with contrasting songs from 3 relatively modern musicals ‘My Fair Lady’, ‘Phantom of the Opera’ and the rousing ‘Oklahoma’, high on the Queen’s list of favourites she added.

Olicanian Brass comprising two cornets, a tenor horn, a trombone and a euphonium also enjoyed presenting a varied repertoire beginning with ‘Hogwart’s march', music from a film the audience failed to name. This was followed by an American Shaker version of ‘Amazing grace’ and Ivor Bosanko’s ‘Share my yoke’.The quintet moved smoothly into New Orleans jazz mode for ‘Just a closer walk with thee’, before entertaining versions of ‘Drunken Sailor’ and the Monty Python theme tune ‘Liberty bell’.

The evening ended in time honoured ‘Last night of the proms’ fashion with ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ – tuneful singing, flags and Union Jack hats an optional extra.

The Club was pleased to welcome Japanese Rotary Global Scholar Kayono Nakajima, studying Public Health at Leeds University, to the evening’s entertainment adding to her already growing knowledge of British life and tradition.

 

AQUABOX – THE REAL STORY

 

Having supported Geoffrey and Heather Barton in their sterling work over many years on the Aquabox project 16 Aireborough Rotary Club and Inner Wheel members leapt at the chance to go to Wirksworth, Leicestershire to see the founding volunteers in action.

Our visit enabled us to see a DVD outlining the history of the project, to see a demonstration of the modern day Aquafilter converting foul water to a drinkable liquid as the demonstrator showed and to talk to the volunteers downstairs dexterously packing the boxes with items from a carefully compiled list derived from experience – solar lamps now replacing candles for example whilst upstairs another team was assembling the pumps.

The volunteers in the warehouse including Rotarians, Inner Wheel members and members of the community number 70 in total working five mornings a week to pack the boxes and assemble the water filters.

Last month they were awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service – the M.B.E. for volunteer groups by the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire. Their most recent advert in the Rotary magazine recounts – 100,000 boxes donated with a current value of £12.5m. to over 50 countries, 20 years support and ½ million lives saved. The water and humanitarian aid they provide can only be accomplished ‘working hand in hand’ with other aid providers and disaster relief distributors to pass on your gift of life’.

In 1992 two Rotary Club of Wirksworth members, an industrial Chemist and a water treatment specialist, concluded that following any international disaster the immediate supply of water, safe to drink (or potable in their terminology), was the most critical factor and hence Aquabox was born. Aquabox is now the leading provider of clean water and humanitarian aid to disasters around the world.

The first boxes contained water filters and chlorine purification tablets and the Wirksworh Club arranged transportation and distribution of the boxes through reputable aid agencies already established and trusted in disaster affected regions.

Today the robust plastic tank (originally tested for suitability by being dropped from the warehouse’s first floor) contains 70 items selected for their usefulness with a maximum shipping weight of 25 kg. The lid’s design enables the Aquaboxes to be stacked efficiently one upon the other in a container. The most important item is the Aquafilter developed by John Griffin of the Safe Water trust. Each Aquafilter family water purification unit is capable of producing a minimum of 18, 000 litres of potable water – enough for a family of five for at least 18 months.

The Boxing Day 2004 tsunami on the west coast of India and Sri Lanka is one example of their humanitarian intervention continuing right up to their recent support in Syria.

The Rotary Club of Aireborough, under Geoffrey’s leadership, has regularly delivered 24 packed boxes to Wirksworth each year. With his past service at the Rotary Club of Pudsey included, he and Heather reckon their Aquabox total has recently attained the grand total of 500.

Support for Aquaboxes will remain high on Aireborough’s list of projects to be supported year on year.

 

 

STRICTLY FOR THE DOGS? BUT OWNERS WELCOME

This was another innovative event generated initially through the Thursday group because of Doreen Hodgson’s membership of the Tailwagger’s Obedience Display team abetted by her dog Barney, who has participated in several Club Charity Walks.

The venue was the Jubilee Field in Rawdon and was publicised in a variety of ways: by large posters at Yeadon Tarn, Horsforth Hall Park and the venue itself, by flyers in schools , by press releases (well done the Squeaker and the Wharfedale Observer) as well as through social media.

The Tailwaggers team, professional and engaging  in their two displays kept the audience entertained as well as encouraging members of the public and their dogs to take part in a Fun Dog Show with an amusing selection of imaginative classes including ‘waggiest tail’, ‘the dog the judges would most like to take home’ and ‘cutest ears’. With 6 rosettes for each class many delighted dogs went home with proud owners.

The cream teas and the 101 dalmatians proved very popular, the stalls, particularly the tombola, pulled in the crowds and well done the pupils from Horsforth School who once again attended to raise money for their Borneo trip through their cake stall as well as helping on the tombola.

There was also a first appearance for Lynn’s imaginative and striking membership stand which brought encouraging results.

This is an event likely to be repeated once a comprehensive review of the arrangements have been made in which comments from all who took part are very welcome. Ways to increase the goodish attendance and timing will be high on the list

Thanks go particularly to everyone who attended but also to those who made scones for the afternoon, who ran the stalls, advised on car parking, worked in the kitchen and erected and struck (so I am advised) the marquee, with a plethora of chiefs directing the action for this is Rotary.

As a result of this event around £400 will go into the Club’s funds for local and international charities.

50 ENJOY THE BIG DAY OUT

There was excitement in the playground at Benton Park as blue capped Green Meadows pupils filed out with support staff to board the bus for Lightwater Valley and another fun filled Kids Out day. This year 6 intrepid, calm on the outside Rotarians, including two? first timers Andrew and Graham joined the throng ready to test their nerve against the Ultimate, Raptor Attack, Twister, Apollo and the Black Pearl.Groups  split up to cover their selected rides, some going for the quieter life but all having their own targets to achieve. For Graham's group this included encouraging each pupil to have their photo taken with a bird of prey perched on their arm and resulted in great congratulatory displays once all pictures were safely to hand.

It was not the best of days, certainly not a day for getting soaked twice on the Falls of Terror and the Wild River Rapids but there is always someone ready to lead by example from the front. The daredevils were disappointed to find the Ultimate was not up and running first thing but bided their time and completed two runs later in the day.

But the Black Pearl was calling and there is no greater satisfaction than telling two excited young people that hanging upside down on a pirate ship for what seems like an eternity after being told it is best to leave your spectacles on the ground will be no problem. Telling them there was not really time to do it again was simplicity itself.

All good things have to come to an end and after a tour of the souvenir and sweet shop it was time for our group to board the bus for home with stories of their exploits to tell to waiting parents whilst Barry B, John K, John M, Graham, Andrew and Robert slept soundly that night after a job well done. All were grateful for the tremendous financial support Yeadon Charities gave once again to this event.

                      ALL IN A WEEK’S WORK FOR ROTARY 

Earlier in the year the Rotary Club of Aireborough agreed a request to sponsor one of Guiseley under 8s football teams and early in May it was swimming’s turn.

With over 200 members aged from four to eighty, any Aireborough Swimming Club (ASC) night is busy poolside at Aireborough Leisure Centre but a group photograph was soon eagerly arranged for the young Rotary sponsored competing swimmers 11 years and under and their coaches surrounding Club captain Jack Buckley.

With a year to go to its 50^th anniversary this Swim 21 accredited Club has aims ranging from helping people learn to swim and keep fit through to improving their swimming strokes and swimming competitively. Having as past members both Alistair and Jonny Brownlee is something of an accolade for the Club.

 

Just two days later the focus changed to fund-raising with a difference at the Rotary Club’s annual Charity Walk where sponsorship raised by walkers went to charities of their choice. Around 30 mums and dads completed the buggy friendly and medal rewarded Treasure Hunt with around 60 intrepid walkers taking on the marshalled 5km. Horsforth circuit or the 10km. route including a canal side stretch from Rodley to Newlay. With a picture quiz with prizes to negotiate along the way there was little chance to daydream.

In a draw following a tie Julie Boocock won the 6 week gym membership at Leeds Trinity University (LTU) and a Brear family member the day pass to a multi-activity summer camp at the same venue. 

As well as Rotarians walking to raise funds for Club projects there were also sponsored groups and individuals from St. Margaret’s Primary, Horsforth, Yeadon Westfield School, Rawdon St. Peter’s P.T.A., Yeadon Charities and Christian Aid. 

Three enterprising pupils from Horsforth School also used the opportunity to raise funds for their 2017 Borneo project by selling cakes and buns to receptive walkers.

Club corporate member Leeds Trinity University was delighted to share the overall organisation of the day by hosting the start and finish points.

This successful event is sure to be repeated next year.

 

BAMBISANANI CONTINUES TO FLOURISH WITH CLUB HELP

It does not seem like ten years since David Geldart of St. Mary's, Menston introduced the Aireborough Club to their South African project, Bambisanani (Working hand in hand), building leadership in students through the medium of sport at Mnyakanya school in Kwa Zulu Natal. This year's reporting back session was as lively and encouraging as ever, enhanced by videos from both pupils and the headteacher thanking our Club for what its latest donation had produced. 

The team for the evening this year comprised teachers Cath Chattoe, Giles Wikes and Tom Pringle together with students Mairenn Collins and Joseph Copsey who had both made the trip. As always the working visit centred on developing leadership skills in school pupils through sports like handball, football and rounders culminating in a grand final sports day where course members could utilise their new talents on fellow students. 

 . 

Pictured are Bill Hudson, who made the first contact with the project, Giles Wilkes, President Tony Scaife, Joseph Copsey, Mairenn Collins, Cath Chattoe and Tom Pringle.

Both Mairenn and Joseph also delivered science lessons in classrooms with few facilities and to classes of very large sizes but full of unbounded enthusiasm which helped boost their own confidence no end. They also derived great benefit from seeing at first hand the difficulties students faced, yet were constantly happy and motivated by the attention and training they were being given. Theyalso saw the effect their relatively short visit had on the pupils with whom they worked and on how grateful Mnyakanya students were for the opportunity to be tutored by their Yorkshire peers. 

This year's £2000 donation from the Club had helped generate matched funding from a local Leeds company thereby doubling the provision of computer tablets bought for use throughout the school. Mnyakanya's teachers had undertaken training, with some trepidation they admitted, but now recognised the massive help this modern equipment would give them in developing their pupils.

QUIRKY QUIZ IS MAJOR CROWD PULLER

Brainchild of the indefatigable and irrepressible Janet Kerr, this year's 'Quiz like you've never seen it before' consisted of 7 rounds entitled Mexico, Stewart or Stuart, ABC, Birds and the bees, Space, Cars and motoring and Colours with the chance to play a Joker and gain double points adding to the uncertainty.

On its third runout this unpredictable Quiz drew its largest group of participants ever,104 in number, in 18 imaginatively named teams from 'Hallmarks' to 'Hasbeens' from 'Six under par' to 'Golf mudders'. It was good to see teams from both West End  and Belle Vue Schools as well as the Martin House Yeadon shop team and the 5 teams made up of 30 guests cajoled into entering by Brian and Carol Hall.

In a tense picture round finale of 'Famous Yorkshire people - living and dead' the 'Wilmot Andy's Son' team (pictured and including one Rotarian) triumphed by the small margin of 4 points from the 'Sons of the Alecarts'. The still smiling 'Decorators' each left with a choice of wooden spoon or spatula.

                       .

Special thanks go to question setters Philip Livesey, Doreen Hodgson, Janet Kerr and Robert Mirfield with Philip also taking on the role of all knowing Question Master handling the temperamental microphone with aplomb. Pat Mirfield and Gill White excelled in their raffle ticket selling and Bill Kerr and Janet Appleton scored and monitored wherever necessary.

President Tony Scaife closed the evening by reminding everyone of upcoming events, thanked each and every one of them for attending or helping to organise and publicise an event which would contribute well over £300 to the Club's funds for supporting local and international charities.

YOUNG MUSICIANS ARE CROWD PLEASERS

Organised by the Club for the fourth successive year, fourteen students took part in this heat aiming to be Rotary's Young Musician of the Year 2016. All four local high schools took part: Guiseley, Horsforth and St. Mary's, Menston. together with host school Benton Park at an event very well supported by parents, siblings, Rotarians and music teachers.

Six of the performers were pianists facing the extra challenge of playing an electric piano - not an easy task compared to the usual upright acoustic version. Other instruments comprised flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone and the seldom heard viola and recorder. Composers chosen ranged from Bach to the ever popular Einaudi

.

This year the competition was split into two age groups and once again the standard was very high, giving the adjudicators Elizabeth Kenwood and Mitzi Whitham an unenviable task in choosing two overall winners.

Ben Pritchard, a trombonist from Benton Park School, won the Key Stage 3 category producing a stylish and confident performance with Piece en Fa Mineur by Morel. In the Key Stages 4 and 5 section Oliver Horan, a pianist from St. Mary's lyrically played John Field's Nocturne No. 6 in F major with warmth and sensitivity.

President Tony Scaife presented a certificate to every performer and £50 cheques to each of the winners who will now go forward to the District final at the Early Music Centre in York on 13 March.

Special thanks went to Dave Pritchard (Head of Music-Benton Park) for once again hosting the event and to all the accompanists, supporters and refeshment providers. The event was organised by the Education and Youth Activities Committee and was compered by its Chairman Brian Whitham. 

IT BEGAN TO LOOK A BIT LIKE CHRISTMAS

The Club's annual Christmas Dinner drew an impressive array of festive gear from the assembly with some having already taken advantage of early retail sales. Gratifyingly most also came bearing gifts thereby ensuring that a fair number of local households would enjoy a better Christmas provision wise with Heather Read organising this Foodbank collection.

Following the welcome traditional meal it was over to volunteer M.C. for the evening Brian Whitham aka Lil Elf to enliven and manage the evening's proceedings. First on the menu was community carol singing. Which tables excelled was difficult to choose before 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' provided a more challenging task.  The President's table following instructions with care produced the most lively performance (some said).

Off the cuff items of humour were then bravely offered by Pat Wilkinson, Patrick Glenn and Robert Mirfield before Janet Kerr brought the audience encouragingly to its feet for 'Stand up, sit down bingo'. With some members delighted to be swifly eliminated, last person standing was once again a lady with Anne Waite taking home the hamper after what seemed a record breaking series of numbers.

Early musical attempts to encourage dancers on to the floor fell on stony ground - blame the 'Strictly hangover' before the adventurous duo of Bill Hudson and Pat Wilkinson broke the ice with a quickstep. After that Lil Elf's evening improved with sixties and even fifties music bringing people unselfconsciously to their feet in celebratory fashion and giving cause for more lively after dinner conversations.

Eventually drawing the evening to a close President Tony applauded all those who had helped to make the evening such a success, particularly M.C. Brian, thanked all those who had attended for their support before wishing everyone both a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  

'WE LEARNED THAT WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO IN LIFE'

So you are told at interview these courses are all about developing leadership skills. Some weeks later you find yourself in totally alien surroundings with a group of people you have never met before, facing taxing challenges on the high seas, with a plastic bucket as your best friend, or being regularly soaked to the skin by pouring rain in a place seemingly miles from anywhere. Yet on the final day of your week away you can hardly tear yourself away from your new mates and you are seeing yourself in a newly positive light. Result or what?

Jeremy Naylor-Wardle and James Bedford from Benton Park School and Caitlin Elliott and Laura Kitching from Horsforth School, with the help of photographs of their exploits, subsequently spent more than an hour explaining to interested Rotarians, guests and parents just how this conclusion was reached. This in itself provided real proof of just how much their communication skills and self confidence had been improved.

For Jeremy and James their testing ground was the North Sea between North Shields and Whitby taking in one 82 mile 11 hour excursion on the Ocean Youth Trust's 60 foot schooner Ocean Venture. Highlights were the sighting of dolphins and a whale and taking command of the group when they felt most vulnerable on the daunting night sail. 

In Caitlin and Laura's case their challenges were met during long days on a Rotary Youth Leadership Award course in never to be forgotten Hebden Hey. Top of their list were finding and rescuing an injured hill walker by stretcher as well as raft building and learning from inspirational speakers with their all round results making their by now close-knit team the overall winners. 

All felt they gained massively from bonding into and operating as a successful group, which each of them had to lead, motivate and manage in turn. Putting trust in others was paramount and became second nature. Skills learned overall could in their view be applied and transferred thoughtfully to thier eventual career choices. 'We learned just how much we could realistically achieve out there'.

All thanked Rotary and the Aireborough Club in particular for being given this opportunity and pledged payback in the future through local community work. Their progress will be watched from a distance with great interest, especially on the new found art of cleaning out fridges!

THREE'S COMPANY

Regulars attending our annual Brass Band Concert have a very good idea just what they are going to hear and enjoy and this year proved to be no exception. Twelve years since he first took to the Yeadon stage Frank Renton returned bringing with him his now regular choice of band, the Hepworth, and giving another opportunity to a former band member as vocalist.

Frank's encyclopaedic knowwledge of brass band music and his opinions on composers and arrangers mean that each item is introduced entertainingly with performers subsequently praised and applauded. On the way this time Frank took time out to correct the programme notes, debate which of two individuals on the stage was the younger 14 year old to join the prestigious Black Dyke Band and to muse over the phrase 'radio veteran'. He even halted and re-started one item to point out his own error in tempo note reading and to congratulate those band members who had ignored the conductor.

This year's theme, chosen by band organiser Steve Hoppie, was 'A Musical Affair' giving the band, complemented by named guest musicians plenty of opportunities to display their talents. The euphonium/baritone section shone in 'Surrey with the fringe on top' and the trombone section took the lead in the brash 'Seventy six trombones' before the appreciative audience were encouraged to join in with the closing medley 'Abba goes brass'.

Iben Maersk, the former band member 'who sang a bit' returned for a second time now well on her way through her music degree. Beginning with the soulful 'I don't know how to love him' from 'Jesus Christ Superstar', she breezed her way through the bouncy 'Got the sun in the morning' from 'Annie get your gun' before finishing with the testing 'Defying gravity' from 'Wicked'. It is always noticeable how band members enjoy each other's performances and are quick to join in the applause.

This year the Club experimented with handing out 90 tickets to the primary schools we support throughout the year so perhaps this evening introduced a new batch of recruits to brass band music.

This is one occasion when the whole Club's membership has a role to play and with Brian Whitham as paparazzo the picture gallery will eventually tell the story.

MAKE MINE SCARBOROUGH

This year 25 Rotarians, their partners and Inner Wheel members enjoyed the District Conference before departing the Red Lea Hotel for at least two years.

Following the President's champagne reception and a lively private black tie dinner the move away from 'Aireborough's Got Talent' to entertainment provided by the hotel provided an early unimagined and at times unintentional highlight. Or was it just superbly orchestrated? Comedian cum vocalist Adam North's first view of his audience, dressed in their finery prompted his first salvo of 'class' jokes before Janet Kerr enlivened proceedings by supplying him with the stream of ammunition for a hilarious spontaneous impromptu double act. Soaking up the barracking and quickfire repartee the rest of us filled in as and when required as the Last of the Summer Wine, the Chuckle Brothers, Hinge and Bracket and the Witches of Eastwick.

Then it was back to reality with Conference as always providing the range of speakers designed to motivate, educate and above all entertain.

Kathryn Leverett of Action on Hearing Loss provided the most poignant moments with her video of the immediate responses to cochlear implants by individuals from baby through to teenager and adult. 

Luke Simon and Clive Knowles provided the impetus to get up and do something. Luke's loss of his brother, 4 feet away when the tsunami struck Thailand, leading to the setting up of the Piers Simon appeal and School in a Bag with 56, 000 schoolbags so far delivered to children in 27 countries. As an immediate result 5 Camem Bears have arrived in one Aireborough household, each one ready to collect 15 pound coins in his natty rucksack to help 5 more pupils.

Clive Knowles from the British Ironworks Centre  introduced 'Save a a Life - Surrender a Knife' so far 30,000 fearsome weapons collected on his way to a 100,000 target prompted an immediate visit to an M.P.'s surgey to see if West Yorkshire Police had taken up his imaginative offer. His progress on building his 26 foot high knife made Angel Sculpture will be watched with interest.

Major Lil from the Rotary Club of Himalayan Ghurkhas detailed how funds from District 1040's generous response  to the Nepal earthquakes brought satisfaction that Aireborough had done their bit.

Colin Alderson, Head Pastry Chef to the Royal household via a farm in Arkengarthdale and Scarborough Technical College, deserved first of all our respect for his enterprise but then entertained both cooks, bakers and menial washer-ups with his behind the scenes anecdotes including 'lost 2,000 gold spoons'. Ann Widdecombe, after a 6 hour car journey from Devon brought the proceedings to an end with laughter showing that life after the Houses of Parliament can be enjoyably different while still presenting the opportunity for caustic barbs aimed at erstwhile colleagues??

The afternoon breakout sessions saw President Tony take a leading role in the Visioning section of the Membership and marketing presentation at the same time as the ladies enjoyed a memorable? Spa afternoon. Both produced stunning results.

Later everyone enjoyed the Northern Showtime Orchestra's 'Story of Frank Sinatra' particularly when the adjoining bar opened! One courageous couple expertly took to the the floor even upstaging the flamboyant Louis Marciano and several sported fashionable trilbies.

And then the next morning the platform told us the dates for next year! Aireborough's views have been forthrightly expressed to the planners and there has been an immediate welcome response with the next 2 years' dates on the District website.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 CELEBRATING LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS

 The two main items on the evening’s programme saw the Club making Leeds Trinity University (LTU) its second Corporate member and St. Mary’s, Menston being given an award for its ground-breaking Bambisanani project in Kwa Zulu, Natal.

Welcoming LTU as a Corporate Member President Tony described this as part of the Club’s efforts to both widen and increase its membership with a resultant effect on its abilities to support local organisations and individuals. Kim Somerville. Director of Marketing and Operations described the University’s development and its striving for excellence particularly in the teaching subject area. The local community was most important to the University and the links to Rotary would enable that connection to be enhanced.

District Governor Hazel Haas praised the Aireborough Club for its innovative approaches to Rotary life whilst at the same time keeping fun as a major element. Internationally there had been great news for Rotary with their long -running End Polio Now campaign seeing Africa being finally declared polio free. She ended by presenting a Paul Harris Award to David Geldart and Cath Chattoe of St. Mary’s, Menston for their Bambisanani Project.

David Geldart thanked the Club for becoming the school’s first partner and for its continued support over a six year period.  With their financial help close to a hundred St. Mary’s pupils had benefited from their time in South Africa raising the aspirations and awareness of Mnyakanya pupils through the yearly young leadership sport programme.

President Tony Scaife was looking for a more informal atmosphere for the Club’s 62^nd Charter and the musical entertainment with a mission by Liz Kenwood and Mitzi Whitham brought a boisterous and fitting finale to a notable evening.

 

TEAM EFFORT BEHIND BARBECUE'S SUCCESS

The third Back to School Barbecue hosted as usual by Bill and Janet Kerr did not enjoy quite the same brilliant weather as the next day's Tea at the Dorchester but contained its own by now characteristic features.

The kitchen was its habitual well oiled hive of activity even before anyone had consumed their first drink preparing a variety of salads and desserts with internet sourced experimentation to the fore. 

Chief barbecuer Graham with a brand new set of implements ( tools to some) was aided this year by Brian Whitham resplendent in his genuine Harrods apron and together they kept the assembled diners well supplied with food befitting the occasion.

Conversation and fellowship continued well into the evening before the crowd dispersed carrying unexpected gifts of tea towels and garden cuttings.

Well done. particularly to the hosts, but to all who attended helping to raise £150 for the President's charities.

 

 

 

READING BETWEEN THE LINES

Returning to schools as old friends for the seventh or eighth time to present Illustrated Dictionaries to excited pupils continues to be a yearly pleasure. So far this year seven primary schools have welcomed visitors bearing gifts and telling them a little bit about Rotary. 

A receptive and at times boisterous welcome has been met in Guiseley at St Oswalds, in Yeadon at Rufford Park, Queensway, St Peter and Paul Catholic and Yeadon Westfield Junior and In Horsforth at St Margaret's C of E and Broadgate Lane. 

Next term Newlaithes Junior and Rawdon St Peter's will be added to the list bringing the total number of recipients up to a record 408 and underlining one of Rotary's main messages the importance of literacy for everyone.

For many of these pupils the dictionaries will hopefully help their transition to secondary school. Eight years on it would be marvellous to know just how far these dictionaries have travelled and how they have helped their owners' development.

 

THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

Though the challenge this year was not as fierce numerically or the team names quite as imaginative, all took to the green in hight spirits on the evening when the Rufford Bowls Club bravely opened its gates to enthusiatic amateurs (for the most part!). The four ends offered a range of tests beginning and finishing with the three ringed targets. Cunningly placed coins pointed the way to success as long as the term 'bias' was understood and bowlers had the ability to tell their fingers from their thumbs (evidently not all did). The middle two tasks, the bottles and the tyres, relied more upon brawn and a requirement for the advisers to be fleet of foot.

The winning team, Bill and Janet Kerr, Brian Hall and Robert Mirfield benefited from a solid contribution from each member and accepted their prizes from President Tony with undue modesty and a minimum of posing.  A plentiful, well earned supper followed, prepared and provided by Inner Wheel members accompanied by yet another of Carol Hall's brain teasing quizzes - this time on the theme of sport. Prize for the best answer had to go to 'quidditch'!.

All proceeds from yet another successful social occasion went to the Inner Wheel Club of Aireborough's charities for the year.  Thanks go to all responsible for the evening's organisation, Brian Hall, Janet Mills and their helpers as well as the Rufford Park Club.

 

LOOKING BEYOND THE CHEQUES

President Barry Mills brought down the curtain on an impressive year for the Rotary Club of Aireborough with a typically thoughtful and humorous summary at his Outgoing meeting at Bradford Golf Club. It was almost a full house as far as members were concerned befitting his final evening in the hot seat. Although he ended by presenting cheques to his chosen charities for the year : Childline, Martin House Hospice and the Forget-me-not cafe, Yeadon plus the stop press addition of Candlelighters, his main message was to spell out enthusiatically the magnificent range of charitable activities, projects, fund-raisng initiatives and social events which members had wholeheartedly supported throughout his soon to end year.

 

It would be unfair to pick out highlights: every individual Aireborough member will look back with personal pride on their part in a favourite episode duly recorded on this website as the year has moved steadily on.

President Elect Tony Scaife thanked Barry for his exemplary leadership through yet another success filled year (Rawdon Fun Day excepted)  before four days later taking on the mantle of 'the easiest job in the Club' that of President for 2015-2016.