July 2017

ROTARY CLUB OF CARLISLE

PRESIDENT Nicki Quayle

SECRETARY Mike McNally

THE BORDERER

JULY 2017

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

I feel extremely honoured and privileged to be your President for the forthcoming year and I look forward to serving the Club to the best of my ability.  I am very conscious that I follow in the footsteps of a long line of excellent Presidents and not least our immediate Past President David Morton.  I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him as Vice President and am indebted to him for all the advice and guidance he has given me in preparation for the Presidency.  He has been a brilliant President putting in much work and effort for the Club along with his good wife Jenny and all with good humour.

Since the last Borderer so much has happened.  The Great Ferret Race was an outstanding success and big thanks must go to Marian, her committee and band of helpers for all the organisation.   It was a superb evening, great fun and raising a fantastic amount for the Eden Valley Hospice and Great North Air Ambulance.  Very well done.

The President’s BBQ was an extremely enjoyable occasion – and not quite as cold as that of Past President Nick.    The food and venue were excellent as was the company.  I am very aware that these things don’t just happen so huge thanks to David & Jenny and to all who made the event so enjoyable, particularly to Robin and Jenny for hosting us once again.

What a busy President’s Day meeting we had!  I was enormously pleased and proud to see both Marian and Robin presented with Paul Harris Fellowships. Thoroughly well deserved.  Congratulations to you both.

My first task as President was the very pleasurable duty of inducting Bob Mather as a new member and also Pat Turnbull and Keith Twentymen as Associate Members.   On behalf of the Club a very warm welcome to you all.  I hope you enjoy the fellowship  as much as I do. 

My thanks to all the Committee Chairman who outlined their plans at the recent Club Assembly.    We have an exciting and busy year ahead and I am looking forward to working with you all. I truly believe that our Club is growing and thriving in times of Rotary uncertainty. 

Here’s to a good year, great fellowship and fun.

NICKI QUAYLE

PRESIDENT

CAPTION COMPETITION – SEE DETAILS LATER…..

NEW MEMBERS

President Nicki inducted Bob Mather, proposed by Robin MacLeod, into the Club with a category Local Government – Finance. He will join the Fellowship & Sports Committee under the Chairmanship of Brian Edmundson. Bob is a former  Treasurer of Cumbria County Council.

President Nicki also inducted associate member Pat Turnbull, dairy farmer from High Hesket, a Serious Flower Arranger, and who is rumoured to own a robot lawn mower for her extensive and beautiful garden. Also inducted as an associate member was Keith Twentyman, Group Secretary of The NFU in Carlisle, previous colleague of Past President Nick Utting and who has inherited many of Nick’s potato growing skills and hence is a strong contender for next year’s Rotary competition.

PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIPS

President David pointed out that as a Club we raise a lot of money for charity, about £14,000 each year over the past 5 years

Club members all play a part in raising that money, from the £30 charitable donation that we all pay, to the Rotarians who empty the Wishing well,

to the organisation of the Bonus Ball and the Movember  moustaches.

But there are two people who have organised the raising of a significant part of that the first is Robin Macleod

In addition to being an excellent Santa, Robin contributes an awful lot to our club, not forgetting the Cards Nights, and the Barbecues, but above all he plays a leading part in putting on our annual Golf Competition – that includes the physical side of putting out advertising signs and organising refreshments to raising sponsorship and getting entries for the competition. All of which has constantly raised over £3,000 each year for charity. Robin is a magnificent asset to this club

The other is Marian Reed who, along with her Fellowship & Sport committee, has organised two outstanding fund raising events, The Cabaret Night and the Great Ferret Race, both involving a significant amount of work, finding raffle prizes, obtaining some fantastic promises to auction, and then selling tickets often to friends and family, but above all to people who are prepared to pay big money, sometimes over the odds for the auctioned promises. Marian, your fundraising for charity is excellent. Thank you

In recognition of these labours David asked them to come forward and receive with the best wishes of the club,  Rotary’s  PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIP in appreciation of the charitable fundraising work that they do in the name of this club. 

THE GREAT FERRET RACE

Marian and her committee did incredibly well to raise over £5,000 and at the same time organise a most enjoyable evening.

The evening started with a welcome drink and an opportunity for the guests to try their hand at an assortment of games, including Bat The Rat, Shove halfpenny, Carpet Bowls, a coconut shy and, for the younger members, the assorted scary slides provided by Walby Farm.

About 150 people sat down to a very pleasant meal of Steak & Kidney Pie, and veg, followed by a sweet, cheese and biscuits, tea & coffee

The action then moved to the Ferret Race Track where four lanes had been laid out, complete with starting traps, tubes for the ferrets to race down and an appetising bowl of milk on the finish line. Punters were invited to bet on the winning ferret with half of takings going to charity. There was always a clear winner except for the second race when the first ferret popped his nose out of the tube and then promptly turned round and went back down the course, losing the race!

The auction of promises took place during the race, with afternoon tea for 4 at The House of Lords, dinner for 8 at Pat Turnbull’s, dinner for 10 at Judith Pattinson’s and an Ullswater Steamers Day ticket among the prizes.

It was a bold venture to run an untried theme for an evening, and Marian and her team pulled it off in a brilliant and most enjoyable fashion.

Some 80 photographs were submitted to The Borderer and in view of this vast response, the editorial staff took the bold decision to publish a supplement which can be viewed on the internet - please  click here to see the pictures of this excellent event.

THE PRESIDENT’S BARBECUE

Robin & Jenny MacLeod had again very kindly agreed to host the Annual Barbecue, as the President’s garden could not possibly have room for 50 people to sit down and eat.

The Weather forecast was not good – no sign of the record temperatures of flaming June, so an emergency meeting of your Club Council agreed to buy an amazingly cheap marquee. We borrowed Judy Brownlow’s garage-like tent and joined the two (literally) end to give some protection from the elements. In the end the rain held off, but it was a cool day.

The fifty brave attendees enjoyed salads and sweets provided by Jennies MacLeod and Morton and the barbecue itself by Harry Cain of Geltsdale Barbecues. Followed by games of Jenga, Sjoelen and football along with an inspection of Robin’s wall and the bees behind it.

Shame about the weather, but it didn’t rain and everyone enjoyed the party!

 ANNUAL POTATO COMPETITION

Wednesday July 5th 2017

This year there were eight entries, eight people brave enough to put their heads above the parapet and await the Judge’s comments before he announced the winner.

It is always of interest to see how people set about displaying their entries in the most secretive of manners. They approach the table on which the empty plates are displayed look around before   putting their hand into the brown paper bag and quickly withdrawing the contents and placing them on one of the plates. Most forget to put their names under the plate and so have to make a return visit, again hopefully when nobody is looking in that direction. Mission accomplished.

All entrees have now been set on display and it is the turn of this year’s Judge, the bearded Robin MacLeod PHF to cast his eye over a range of potatoes that have commanded the careful attention of their growers these past 90 days.

Initially the Judge is seen at the table in close conversation with a previous Judge and former winner Past President Peter Yates what are they discussing as according to the rules the Judge’s decision is final.

Next we observe Robin making several visits to the table which he circles several times before apparently nodding to himself which indicates that he had made his mind up. Furtive glances towards the table now stop and the contestants start to enjoy their lunch. But not for long!

The time has come for the Judge’s comments explaining in some detail the criteria upon which his judgements were made, appearance and an indication that they would be nice to eat, blemish free and of uniform size.

The plate of potatoes that most fitted the criteria was submitted by Tony Wiseman who was duly presented with the Trophy and the honour of organising the competition next year. Commendations were awarded to the plate of potatoes entered by Vice President Ian being described as “Strong and Stable “and reminding the judge of shiny bald heads. The final words were reserved for the potatoes “allegedly” from Marian which were again in Parliamentary terms described as a “Coalition of Chaos”

Thanks were expressed to all participants, and the hope that they would all enjoy eating the fruits of their labours.

DONALD EDGAR

REPORTS FOR CLUB ASSEMBLY

Here are the reports of each committee as given to our Club Assembly on 28^th June

Communications Committee

THE COMMITTEE’S OBJECTS

1. To inform and entertain our own membership

2. To promote Rotary as a whole

3. To promote our club

4. To be able to react quickly to any adverse publicity

THE BORDERER

We intend to publish the Borderer Monthly on the internet, but this is your Borderer and we need reports and photographs of our social events and of our speakers from our members who organise the events and provide the speakers. The Committee will welcome any suggestions from our membership for improving the content and format.

PRESS AND RADIO

We will continue to feed news stories to the local media, but we need quirky photos and attention grabbing stories if our articles are to get any prominence.

SOCIAL MEDIA

We intend to investigate having a presence on Facebook and other trendy media with the intention of publicising our Club and funnelling enquiries to more traditional means of communication

OUR WEBSITE

We will continue to use the Rotary Template Website. Our venue, meeting times and officers will be kept upto date and amended as necessary. The Borderer will be included each month in the ‘What we do’ section.

DAVID MORTON

FELLOWSHIP and SPORTS COMMITTEE

Sports

All the old sports favourites will be there – from Bowls in July to Snooker next April – and in between some Pitch & Putt, Golf, Ten-Pin Bowling, and Curling.  We hope also to add the occasional match of ‘something or other’ with our neighbouring clubs and enter as many District competitions as we are able.

Fellowship

The committee will be involved in Charter Night in November, are looking at an Alternative Burns Supper, an International Meal, and the return of a Murder Mystery Dinner which proved so popular a year or two back.

There will be Autumn and Spring Walks, a Cards Night, Two Theatre Nights and the return of a Treasure Hunt next Summer.

 We are looking to upgrade from Ferrets to Horses with a visit to Carlisle Races, and the taking of Afternoon Tea at Lowther Castle & Gardens next June.  Also a couple of more commercial outings such as Aspatria Creamery or Nestles and Annan Distillery. The President’s Barbecue will round off the Rotary Year.

Successful events are not necessarily all about large attendances.  Some are – particularly if we are fundraising -but there can be good fellowship in small groups, and if anyone wishes to introduce a minority sport or activity which we can organise through Rotary please let us know

.

Following Nick’s successful membership lead with his ‘Bring a Friend’ challenge last year I would make a similar challenge so far as social and sports activities are concerned.  What better way is there to display to others how we couple fellowship and fun with our commitment to serve.

To help everyone manage their ‘home’ diaries we are committed to providing full details of forthcoming F & S events in the Borderer.  After all we are never quite sure how many entries in the Blue Book get home to Management

These are our plans and aims for the year ahead. We might not hit every target, but we hope you all enjoy the ride

BRIAN EDMUNDSON

Youth Service Committee

 Stephen had written to all schools bringing to their attention 3 events which will be organised by the Rotary Club of Carlisle, and asking them to consider getting your students involved.

9 - 13 October 2017 : Rotary Youth Programme of Enrichment (RYPEN) : Castlehead Field Centre, Grange-over-Sands, LA11 6QT

Applications to be submitted by Mon 11 September 2017. Our Club plans to sponsor two applicants in full, and we may help with transport.

18 October 2017 : Rotary Youth Speaks : 6 pm at The Shepherds Inn. Any school planning to enter Youth Speaks is encouraged to consider getting advice in advance from the Carlisle Speakers Club, who kindly provide our judges on the night.  

March 2018 : Rotary Young Photographer

Further information will be available just before Christmas 2017.

The committee have listened carefully to feedback about Young Photographer 2017, and plan to simplify the entry process for next year, while still ensuring that winners may progress to further rounds of the national competition.

Stephen Higgs

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE 2017/18

The membership of our Club is extremely strong.

Whilst our average age might be a ‘little’ high, the involvement by all members is excellent,

 whether it be at our weekly meetings, our various events or community activities.

One aspect that many members always remark to me, is the great friendship amongst us all and in Cumbrian terms the amazing crack and banter of which no one ever takes offence!

Having said that the average age is high, the new and associate members about to join will reduce this considerably and I am sure will complement the current family of the Rotary Club of Carlisle.

May I ask that members continue with the membership challenge originally suggested by Vice President Elect Ian and introduced 12 months ago, whereby at least one potential member is invited during the year by each existing member. This way, I am sure we will maintain the enthusiasm of our Club and increase our numbers still further.

Most importantly, we will continue to have fun and along the way do good in our Community!!

Nick Utting

FOUNDATION & INTERNATIONAL

Last year we spent a record amount of £1500 on International/Foundation.  We donated £1000 to Foundation and £500 to a project promoted by Penrith Club. Unfortunately Penrith could not get the support they needed from the local clubs in Tanzania so our £500 was returned to us. It is my intention to seek Club Council and Club approval to donate this £500 to Rotary Foundation.

I also intend to seek approval to donate a further £500 to Foundation. Thus this coming year’s total donation to Foundation will be £1000 as last year. We should not forget that Foundation is Rotary’s own charity and does valuable work across a whole range of different appeals and causes from Polio eradication to Peace Scholars.

We have not supported Shelter Box for a few years so I intend to seek Club approval for this worthy cause. If there is any doubt as to the value or effectiveness of this organisation then I have established that Shelterbox is prepared to send a Speaker to tell us all more about Shelterbox. I will discuss this with my Committee and Council to establish if this would be useful.

Doctors for Nepal
One of our Rotarians - Norman Butler - has a family connection with this charity and he and I agreed that we would try to get local support for a joint project to raise awareness and possibly funds for this charity. Unfortunately I got no support from local clubs for this. At this early stage all we wanted to do was get a decent audience together to hear about this charity.
Norman and I will have further discussions to establish if there is anything further to be done.

Tom Dawson

COMMUNITY COMMITTEE REPORT

We have already agreed to support two evenings of Santa Sleigh and distribution and collection of RBL Poppy Boxes.

Carlisle Castle who are taking over the running of the Santa Sleigh are looking for a new “garaging” site for the sleigh. Club members to be asked if anyone knows of a suitable site.

The Wishing Well rota is in hand until the end of year to include Carlisle Key, Motor Neurone Disease, Samaritans, RBL Poppy Appeal, Food Bank, Animal Rescue, RABI, Hospice at Home, Blood Bikes.

Any Club members with further suggestions please contact Michael.

Michael advised that the old £1 coins would cease to be legal tender on Sunday 15^th October, and suggested that we could arrange a collection of these coins from a variety of sources and hope to cover the Lanes logo with these coins, (the logo is on the ground at the entrance to the Lanes) on Friday 13^th October prior to the coins ceasing to be legal tender.

Michael has since met with the Marketing Manager of the Lanes who is very supportive of the idea and is prepared to help us with contacts for collecting points, publicity, etc. Coin amnesty on theme “Shed a few pounds for local charities with Carlisle Rotary “. Monies collected will be divided equally between President Nicki’s preferred charities RABI, Hospice at Home and Blood Bikes.

The idea for this has been supported by our Club as a whole together with Council.

Michael has also since contacted Cumberland Building Society who have a Marketing meeting on Wednesday 28^th June and have agreed to discuss how CBS may also be able to assist.

MICHAEL PEARSON

DUKE OF EDINBURGH QUOTES

Part Two

2000

To guests at the opening reception of a new £18million British Embassy in Berlin: "It's a vast waste of space."

At a Buckingham Palace drinks party, he told group of female Labour MPs: "Ah, so this is feminist corner then."

On being offered fine Italian wines by Giuliano Amato, the former Prime Minister, at a dinner in Rome, he is said to have uttered: "Get me a beer. I don't care what kind it is, just get me a beer!"

"People think there's a rigid class system here, but dukes have been known to marry chorus girls. Some have even married Americans."

2001

To Elton John: "Oh it's you that owns that ghastly car is it? We often see it when driving to Windsor Castle."

2002

While touring a factory near Edinburgh he said a fuse box was so crude it "looked as though it had been put in by an Indian".

To Australian Aborigines during a visit to Australia with the Queen he asked: "Do you still throw spears at each other?"

To the Aircraft Research Association, he said: "If you travel as much as we do, you appreciate the improvements in aircraft design of less noise and more comfort, provided you don't travel in something called economy class, which sounds ghastly."

2009

To a young fashion designer at Buckingham Palace he told him: "You didn't design your beard too well, did you? You really must try better with your beard."

On asking a female Sea Cadet what she did for a living, and being told that she worked in a nightclub (as a barmaid), the Duke asked “Is it a strip club?” Observing her surprise he dismissed the suggestion saying that it was “probably too cold for that anyway”.

2011

On approaching his 90th birthday: "Bits are beginning to drop off".

To the managing director of a wind farm company, the prince said wind turbines were "absolutely useless" and "an absolute disgrace".

Others that are undated:

"YOU have mosquitos. I have the Press."
- To the matron of a hospital in the Caribbean.

"If it doesn't fart or eat hay then she isn't interested"
- speaking about his daughter, Princess Anne.

"Can you tell the difference between them?"
- The Duke's question after President Barack Obama said he met with the leaders of the UK, China and Russia.

"The problem with London is the tourists. They cause the congestion. If we could just stop the tourism, we could stop the congestion."

Purple4Polio Jam

Our Treasurer has informed The Borderer that he hasreceived £343.86 collected in the jam jars and forwarded this amount to Rotary Foundation.

ROTARY CLUB OF CARLISLE SOUTH

CHARTER NIGHT – 23^rd June

A substantial group from our Club attended the 50^th Charter Anniversary of the Carlisle South Club – 50 years since it was founded by our own club.

The event started with some comic poetry from Les Barker

It is impossible to experience
déjà vu for the first time.
I reckon, the first time déjà vu happens,
is the second…………………..and so it goes on!!

This was followed by the traditional Charter Night formula with some big guns joining in. Rotary GB&I President Eve Conway replied to the toast to Rotary GB&I and District Governor Malcolm Baldwin proposed the toast to The Rotary Club of Carlisle South.

The achievements of the PolioPlus campaign featured strongly during the evening and some time was spent in giving awards to all members of the club with more than 20 years’ service. Several members also received Paul Harris awards.

The evening finished with more humour from Les Barker

THE JOY OF SKIING

With our Mayor’s illness, at short notice President David announced that he would fill the gap with a talk on the basics of Downhill Skiing. He started out by pointing out that there were 4 basic ingredients, stunning mountain vistas, cloudless skies 70% of the time, well-groomed and marked pistes and, of course, chairlifts to take people back to the top of the mountain.

He went through some of the safety features:

• All skis are fitted with toe & heel bindings which open in an emergency

• Skis are fitted with ‘brakes’ to stop the ski after it has released

• Most skiers now wear helmets

• There are big ‘SLOW DOWN’ signs where pistes join or finish

• Most serious accidents occur now where skiers/boarders run into each other

• Snow Grooming machines work at night!

  

  David showed a short video of downhill skiing followed by a brief discussion about snowboarding and cross-country skiing.

   

  The evening meals on chalet holidays provided a chance to socialise with other like-minded people and long lunches outdoors at mountain restaurants added to the enjoyment.

   

  David suggested that it was best to try skiing before committing to a holiday. There was a plastic artificial slope at Edenside in Carlisle, but far better would be to pay a visit to the real snow at Chillfactore, Trafford Park in Manchester or Xscape near Glasgow Airport.

   

  Skiing is a most enjoyable sport, but not to everyone’s taste!

  DAVID MORTON

BEEKEEPING

Trish has been keeping bees since retirement and began by attending a course run by Cumbria beekeepers association. The talk focused on the life and behaviour of honey bees in the hive.

In understanding this the beekeeper is better able to control the colony and maximise the production of honey and bee products.

Honey bees have threes forms, Worker, Drone and Queen. Each has its own role in creating a successful colony.

The worker is female and numbers tens of thousands and can overwinter. It has many roles, from beginning by cleaning the hive and keeping the larvae warm, feeding and looking after the Queen, to finishing as a forager bringing in honey and pollen. Their lives are very structured. Communication via the bee waggle allows them to communicate where honey is to be found. There is still much for us to learn.

The Drone is a male bee numbering fewer than hundred and whose purpose in life is to mate with the Queen, on her mating flight. This ensures that a colony is created via the eggs laid by the Queen. They also protect the hive against robber bees and wasps. They do not survive mating or the winter!

The queen is a female worker bee who is given a special cell called a queen cell and fed on royal jelly. She is the future of the hive and may live a few years. The early years are the most productive. She is fed and looked after by the worker bees and when the colony reaches a certain size may encourage up to half the bees to join her and establish a new colony. Her role in life is to lay eggs to produce thousands of worker bees and maybe a hundred drones.

Many challenges need to be met by the successful beekeeper, such as varrowa disease and colony collapse, as well as insecticides which obviously affect all insects including honey bees.

The talk was very interesting and well supported by videos, photos and diagrams illustrating the life of honey bees.                                                             JULIAN VENABLES

WISHING WELL

The amount collected from the Wishing Well for the Lanes One Great Day charity was £108 which we will make up to £150.

Current Wishing Well recipient is Carlisle Key, to be followed by Motor Neurone Disease, Hospice at Home, RABI, Blood Bikes, Samaritans, RBL Poppy Appeal, Food Bank and The Animal Refuge.

Membership Challenge

What a month it has been for Club membership !

New Full members, Associate members and returning members, all adding extra strength to the Club.

This is not an onerous challenge and only requires you to bring one potential member to one meeting in the year.

Let’s keep the momentum going !!

CAPTION COMPETITION

This month we will run a caption competition.

Take a look at the two change-over pictures at the start of this newsletter. We MAY offer a prize to the person who submits the best captions for both photographs.

Email your entries to David Morton or any member of the Communications Committee.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

GREEN BOWLS

Wednesday 12^th July 6.30pm

Green Bowls at Wetheral where Peter Yates assures me the sun always shines. Guests welcome and please remember flat-soled shoes on the green.

PITCH & PUTT

August –

Pitch and Putt at The Swifts or a related alternative if that venue is not available. A fun evening with clubs etc. provided where necessary.

THEATRE BY THE LAKE

Saturday 30^th September 2017 at 7.30pm

We have booked 20 seats at the theatre for ‘Handbagged’, a comedy about the relationship between The Queen and Margaret Thatcher.

We have also booked 20 seats at Morrell’s for a pre-theatre meal. Please note that the start time is 7.30pm, earlier than previously.

YOUTH SPEAKS

Wednesday 18^th October starting 6.00pm

AUTUMN WALK

October

The Autumn Walk this year is to be organised by Peter Atkinson.  Details nearer the time.

CHARTER NIGHT

Wednesday 29^th November 2017

Our Main Speaker will be Peter McCall Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner

CHRISTMAS LUNCH  13^th December

RECEPTION DESK FOR CLUB MEETINGS

July           5              Ian Watson

                12             Robin MacLeod

                19             Brian Edmundson

                26            

August       2              Marian Reed

                9              Peter Yates

                16            

                23            

                30             David Morton

September 6             

                13             Ellis Amos

                20             Phil Beadle

                27            

October     4             

                11            

                18            

                25            

November  1             

Club Council Meetings

Club Meetings Programme