It's the Early Bird Rotarian which catches .... two great games of Rugby
On the road by 09.30 from Billericay, our select and intrepid band of Rotarians set off for "H.Q." (as Max Boyce used to say). We were only a few, but with family and friends, a group of nine of us were able to meet up at Zizzi in Twickenham for a meal before the game. Staple fare, but filling - good quality and very tasty - accompanied by the odd few beers and wine. A great start to the day.
Suitably fed and lubricated we made our way through Twickenham with thousands of others to the Stadium and our seats - in a great position only 7 rows from the touchline, just on the 22 metre line - ready for the start of the first game.
The first game was between London Irish and Saracens - an exciting game where over 60 points were scored including 5 tries, but dominated by Saracens.
The last try by Saracens was scored by Ashton with a desperate lunge in the final minute of the game, enabling Saracens to come out ahead by 42 points to 20, and most importantly, that last try earning them the bonus points.
Then a half hour break, before the second game between Wasps and Harlequins kicked off.
Wasps were first to score with a converted Try, and then a Penalty. Then Harlequins scored two penalties before the game detriorated and apart from a Wasps try, nobody looked like scoring again before the last 10 minutes saw Harlequins score a dramatic try, and a penalty, to take the lead by 16 points to 10. It all seemed over, but then Wasps roared back and, in the last seconds of the match, score a dramatic Try. But ..... the conversion kick hit the posts and bounced back into play, and Wasps were denied their fairy-tale ending!
Harlequins were worthy winners.
All in all our party had a great day - it's not often that you can see four of London's best clubs playing rugby on the same day at such a great venue!
more Celebrating our Founder Member Ben Clarke's 65 years as a Rotarian.
more We celebrate the successes of outgoing President Roger Kettle and welcome new President Patrick Rothon and Vice President Stephen King to their new roles.
more Members had a great social evening at the Billericay Community Cinema
more A new club bell has been acquired, installed on a beautiful quality oak and maple stand, replacing the bell lost at Reids several years ago.
more Club Members and Partners meet together to celebrate the holidays
more Drinks and Nibbles round at president Roger's house
more We take part in the Rotary District 1240's Darts competition.
more We celebrate 64 years of service to our community since the chartering of the club in 1959
more Ten members and wives attended the joint District Conference at Stratford Upon Avon for the weekend.
more Our club continues to attract new members, and we have welcomed four new members to Rotary in the last year
more Our members have led interesting lives - here's a recent talk by member Trevor Bond sharing some of his experiences resulting from his surname, Bond. We were stirred not shaken.
more We've trialed moving from our existing meeting room at the Beauvoir Arms to the bar area to resolve seating and Speaker issues.
more Club members enjoyed an evening out at the Holiday Inn Basildon at the Presidential Handover meal from Ben Rajan to Kevin Howard
more Rotary Club of Billericay Matflower's garden event was well supported by members of our club. A very enjoyable social event amongst friends.
more A social outing for club members in support of our local theatre group.
more We take part in a District Sporting Competition
more Delayed by snow for a week - we all meet up with partners for our Christmas celebration
more Club Members Peter Strong is celebrated on his retrirement as Chairman of the Billericay Almshouse Association.
more Norman Wilson, the club's oldest member and active to the last, sadly passed away in April 2022, four days before his 99th. birthday
more Two members have stepped forward to take on the mantle of leadership as President in the next two years.
more Our Christmas Partners Lunch at the Beauvoir Arms, now our spiritual home. Just great to meet for friendship and fellowship.
more We meet Face to Face again at last, and at a new venue.
more Added members mean added prizes - a special seven prize record
more The final draw of this Rotary year took place on June 28 - five more prizes!
more Virtual Handover of Presidents and Vice-Presidents in the Garden
more The 100 club is one of the club's regular fundraisers. Half goes in prizes, half to the benevolent fund for charitable purposes. Its growth success means that more members mean more prizes, and both our new members were winners in the Autumn Draw
more Forced to end Club face-to-face meetings by Government “Lockdown”, the club has continued AND THRIVED using on-line tools.
more Of the 60th. anniversary of the founding of the Rotary Club of Billericay, members visited our Mother Club in celebration of this acheivement
more Our annual opportunity to host wives and partners at our Christmas Lunch goes well.
more Social interaction and fellowship, and valuable information on a club with a very successful recruitment history
more Our annual Partners Christmas lunch at Reids on Monday, December 10 - fun for all and money raised for St. Lukes Hospice
more Club member Ken Smith and his fellow Morris Dancers travelled to Ypres in the WWI 100th anniversary year to lay a wreath for fallen Morris Men
more A great social visit to see two England teams face the Barbarians at Twickenham
more Founder Member Ben Clarke celebrates his 90th. birthday at the club
more Over 20 Club Members and partners celebrated IPP Les Sheppard’s year of office with a tour of Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal and a matinee.
more Social outing to Twickenham for England vs. Japan, and perhaps a little food and drink...
more The day was built round a trip through the most picturesque areas of northern Essex and south Suffolk, with lunch at the Fox in Finchingfield and a traditional champagne cream tea at the historic Swan Hotel in Lavenham.
more Not just Charity Day, but also Handover to our new President.
more An inspiring conference reminding all how much Rotary achieves, through the conscientious effort and work of club members from across Britain and Ireland. Then add in eradicating Polio and you see the power for good that Rotary represents worldwide.
more Club members enjoyed a terrific evening out at the Presidential Handover meal from Kevin Howard to Mike Barrett
more A great evening out celebrating the Charter Anniversary of our fellow Rotarians at the Rotary Club of Basildon.
more On his visit DG Nick Sillitoe motivates us all with news of the Rotary Wood, membership trends and international charity.
more Club members, partners and friends visited the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden London for an official back-stage tour on May 27, 2016.
more The club congregates to celebrate its 57th year since it received its charter
more A group of our members - Mike, Keith, Peter, Ed, and Ben - visited the Rotary Club of Chelmsford Mildmay to socialize and share experiences and plans.
more Members, partners, family and friends gave retiring President Ed Harrison a great farewell for the annual President"™s Day at a garden party and barbecue on June 19, 2016
more The club took over the top floor of the "Giggling Squid" restaurant for a Fellowship dinner with Partners and Rotary friends. A great time was had by all.
more Fifty Six years and still going strong
more Club members help other Rotary clubs with the why and how to use websites, Facebook and Twitter to get the message out about Rotary's achievements etc.
more Only a few months after adopting a new category of membership, Associate Membership, the club welcomes its first Associate member
more An evening of fun and fellowship
more An informative and information seeking visit to our local newspaper
more Members of the club will celebrate President Mike's year of office with a trip on the Bluebell Railway steam trains departing 09.30 from The Coach & Horses. Bluebell train between Sheffield Park Station and East Grinstead. Carvery at Sheffield Park Stati
more The District Media Workshop on May 16th, 2015, promoted new ways to get our events and good works publicized. Better publicity, more public involvement, better fundraising .... and more membership?
more The majority of club members, their partners and friends, visited the new Royal Opera House Workshops to experience this great institution.
more A very successful Charter Lunch celebrating 55 years of service to our community
more Great Fellowship and a heartfelt and erudite talk from the first female President of the Islamic Society of Britain
more A Fellowship visit to Stort Valley Rotary Club and a brilliant talk by Baroness Shirley Williams
more A Company Plane before a Company Car! - Member Norman Wilson regales us with tales of his life with the Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company (1939-65).
more We celebrated President Keith's successful year as our President with a formal meal in this local restaurant, accompanied by partners and our fellow Rotarians from Billericay Mayflower and Basildon Clubs.
more Past President Malcolm Acors was awarded his Paul Harris Sapphire in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Rotary in general and the Rotary Club of Billericay in Particular.
more Plum Valley event - the club members and their partners get together for a convivial meal out.
more We were privileged to have Arthur Edwards at one of our lunch time meetings. Arthur has a unique insight on the Royal family. He been royal photographer at The Sun since 1977. He has photographed 7 royal weddings, 4 funerals, and 6 royal births.
more The advantages of becoming a member of Rotary.
more A fellowship visit, three weeks before our joint twining visit to Beausoleil and a talk by Harry Payne, Secretary of the "Rotarian Action Group against Child Slavery" which left us all moved!.
more Our club is one of those recognised by Rotary International's Board of Directors for its membership development.
more On a very few times in the year, there is a fifth Monday in a month, so the club tries to do something different from its usual lunch time meeting. In July, nearly forty of us met for a convivial evening meal at a local restaurant.
more Open House to Club members at President Keith Wood's house thanks to the hospitality of Keith and Gill.
more The final meeting of the year saw club members, partners, and guests, celebrate their achievements during 2013, and handover a cheque from the proceeds of their October Concert to St Luke's Hospice.
more Rotary Club of Billericay's Charter Lunch celebrated its 54th. year with Lunch at "The Chichester" Rawreth. District Governor Peter Dowse, and Honorary member The Lord Petre (who also gave a talk about his early family history) attended.
more Members, wives and visiting Rotarians meet to celebrate the successes of outgoing President Trevor Stansfield and welcome new President Keith Wood and Vice President Michael Ginn to their new roles.
more We celebrated the end of Trevor's successful year as president with a trip on the Chelmer & Blackwater canal for members, partners and friends. A great day was had by all.
more A final lunch of 2012 to celebrate our work during the year and, with Inner Wheel, to present cheques to the beneficiaries of our joint fundraising Autumn Musicfest.
more Rotary Club of Billericay's Charter Lunch to celebrate its 53rd. year was held at "the Chichester" Rawreth. Honorary member The Lord Petre and District 1240 Governor Ian McMeekan also attended along with members and friends.
more A trip was organised to attend the Laithwaites Wine Festival at Vinopolis in London. Transport left Billericay at 4 p.m. members tasted a multitude of wines followed by a great steak meal afterwards at a local restaurant before returning home.
more A Group of members went to the Essex Shooting Ground at Fyfield Essex on October 24th, for a very enjoyable day's shooting, including a tasty buffet lunch.
more Some of our members planned an outing to Twickenham to see the London Derby matches between Wasps, Harlequins, Saracens and London Irish. Two great games for the price of one.
more The 2012 RIBI Conference returned to Bournemouth this year, with nearly 2,000 delegates attending the event under the chairmanship or our District's own - President Ray Burman
more A very enjoyable social event - a day out at the Sunday Times Wine Festival.
more The club has nominated six people for Paul Harris Fellowships in recognition of their outstanding contribution to Rotary and to the wider community.
more Trevor Stansfield accepted the honourship as 2012-2013 President of The Rotary Club of Billericay from Malcolm Acors, and 2 further Paul Harris Fellowships were awarded.
back The Rotary Club of Billericay is part of the international Rotary movement of 1.2 million members and welcomes new members. It is a thriving club with an enjoyable social dimension.