Club Meeting

President Annette's Installation Address

President Annette outlined to the assembled members, her vision of the way she would like to see the club go forward in her forthcoming Presidential Year.

She began by reminding us of what the world had been through in the past two years and what President Peter and Christina had had to contend with.

She foretold the effects that Covid would leave us with and dwelt on the fall out of Russia’s barbaric invasion of the Ukraine.  Wirral is expecting the arrival of many refugees and she foresaw our joining with other Wirral Rotary Clubs to ease their suffering and help them settle in.  Along with her stalwart husband she hopes we will be able to organise a “Concert for Ukraine” to raise money for much needed medical supplies.

Other Rotary Clubs have been shaking buckets outside supermarkets, she thought we may well join them but the concert remains her main focus of assistance, let’s throw our weight behind her in this.

Annette then turned her attention to the effect Covid has had on our charitable activities.  Club leads are dusting down their pet projects, reanimating some and quietly dropping those that are now less relevant.  She would like to see an emphasis on local community projects, especially those focussed on the elderly and for making it possible for youngsters to learn to sail.

Turning to membership and recruitment she very sensibly reminded us that “The times are a changing” and that attempts to attract people in their 30’s and 40’s are unlikely to be fruitful and that we should be concentrating our efforts on those in their 50’s an 60’s.

She then praised the enthusiasm of her support team and asked us to support them in their efforts with renewed vigour.

She closed her address by saying that she was not a good public speaker and contradicted herself by showing us this was not the case!  She promised to continue the lead given by President Christina and emphasised that fellowship and fun are the twin drivers of all our efforts to support our local community. If it stops being fun people will lose heart and drop out.  Annette is determined that we shall have much fun, fellowship and friendship and a great year helping those around us.

May she receive our wholehearted support and may she thoroughly enjoy her Presidential year.

Reporting by Steve Davies