Digital Bulletin No 92

February 2026

Panel showing our Club's name, Graham's name as our President and the 2025-26 Rotary theme.

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February 2026

From the editor’s desk

Unfortunately medical problems mean that this will probably be the last Bulletin I produce for quite a while. The first one was No 43 in December 2021, when I took over from Philip Smith, who spent something like twenty years as Editor. I knew then that I would never equal his record, although I was hoping to continue a bit longer than this.

But life is what it is. I am particularly pleased to be able to include in this Bulletin tributes to our late members and Past Presidents Alan Scott and Charles Hirons. My thanks to everyone who has provided material over the last four years or so. I am proud to be a member of our Club.

Words from the President

January 4

Our Rotary New Year started on 4 January with a visit to the Chelmsford Theatre for 25 senior citizens to see the Aladdin pantomime. Arranged by our Club Secretary, Francis, the event went fairly smoothly but for a few cancellations and replacements causing a hiccup. Thanks are due to Francis for making it happen and to the drivers transporting our guests and the members of the reception team at the Theatre. Those guests attending enjoyed the show and the three guests I conveyed home were particularly impressed with the “ginger” ice cream!

January 8

On 8th January we welcomed Sandra Cole from Kids Inspire to our luncheon at the Ivy Hill Hotel. Kids Inspire was the chosen charity by Francis when he was Club President last year. The Club presented Kids Inspire with a cheque for £1,395.08.

Sandra gave Members an insight into the current work of Kids Inspire, which is a children’s mental health charity based in Great Baddow and offers free trauma support to families. Sandra provided members with an impressive amount of data and information on how the charity operates. With over 400 volunteers, qualified therapists and therapy rooms at their premises, the charity can offer specialist services and support to children subjected to family trauma, domestic abuse, drug and alcohol abuse in the home. A large number of referrals come from schools and involve children with anxiety issues. The Christmas 2025 appeal resulted in over 4,000 children receiving gifts and 600 festive food hampers delivered to families. More information can be found on the Kids Inspire website. Francis and I were pleased to receive a certificate from Sandra on behalf of Members recognising the donation made by our Club.

January 9

On 9th January our Club took the lead in showcasing the Rotary Young Musician competition at St. Cedd’s School. I was pleased to welcome the Mayoress, Cllr. Jeanetta Sosin and be the MC for the evening. Thanks go to all the Members who assisted on the night and previously at the Chelmsford Music Festival where the best musicians were identified and invited to attend the Rotary competition. But none of this would have happened without Francis organising the event and special thanks to him for a successful outcome. Events like this really do show Rotary at its finest and for which our Club can rightly be proud. Thanks also to Rivermead Club who provided refreshments to an audience of around 100 people. Twelve young performers took part, each having a 10 minutes slot, and impressed the adjudicators and audience with their immense talent. The winners of the vocalist and instrumentalists categories will now go forward to the Rotary District finals at Brentwood Cathedral on 28 February.

January 15

Our New Year Message meeting on 15 January was held at the Essex Barn, Channels Estate. It proved to be a wonderful setting for the occasion with all the atmosphere of a barn and twinkling lights on the beams. It was great to welcome back Philip and Janice Goodman and to see Honorary Member Brian Collings with his wife June. Mike Littlewood from Phoenix also attended.

Our guest speaker was Clare Martin on behalf of The Wilderness Foundation UK (“WF”). Being a corporate member of our Club, it was fitting that Clare should have the opportunity to update us on the charity and tell us about what was in store for 2026. Using education, therapy and environmental programmes the WF help children, teenagers and adults reconnect with society and themselves. They are committed to preserving wild places and the power of nature is fundamental to the delivery of their programmes. They have a staff of 13, have 53 volunteers and 51 therapists. In 2025 they delivered 39,705 hours of support for education therapy groups, 9,525 hours of group therapy and 3,822 hours of one-to-one therapy. Impressive statistics and it is no wonder that in 2025 they were awarded the Essex High Sheriff’s Shield Award in recognition of their work.

2026 is their fiftieth anniversary and their ambitious plan is to undertake 50 events across the year from wild walks and talks to quizzes and golf and football tournaments. Our Club is already positioned to run another quiz. During 2026 WF aim to provide more trauma focussed one to one nature therapy programmes for children, young people and adults. You can find more information about WF on their website which also gives details of their events and once I get my replacement hip I very much hope to join them on a walk!! Congratulations to WF on their 50th anniversary and winning such a prestigious award last year.

January 22

A gentleman in his shirtsleeves with glasses and a white beard and hair It was a pleasure to introduce Warwick Aldham as our speaker at the Ivy Hill lunch on 22 January. Warwick presented members with his Job Talk using visual aids to explain the various stages of his career. Warwick served 15 years in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) leaving with the rank of Squadron Leader During that time he was involved in the research, development and approval methods relating to the transportation of military assets. He was also associated with aircraft crash recovery and RAAF safety crash investigation. Subsequently Warwick worked on military aircraft engines, overhauling, testing and their reinstallation. While serving, Warwick also developed his academic achievements, gaining an MSc at Cranfield University UK and at the Defence Force Academy in Canberra he studied for a PhD and lectured in aerodynamics.

Upon leaving the RAAF Warwick entered the business world making use of his knowledge on gas turbines. Employed by different companies he had jobs in sales, management and as a project director. In Brazil he worked on an international joint venture bringing natural gas and gas fired power generation to a hydro dominated country. Back in Victoria and New South Wales he fast tracked gas compression projects and introduced new technologies to the market such as steam injected and recuperated gas turbines. A varied career in a specialised industry.

Warwick retired 10 years ago, moving recently to Chelmsford where it will be a central hub for travelling in the UK where he has family and trips to Europe. Warwick is no stranger to Rotary, having been a member of a Rotary Club in New South Wales

January 29

On 29 January, together with a number of our Club Members I attended the Joint Clubs Dinner at Little Channels arranged by Chelmsford Phoenix.

The speaker was Mark Stacey from Stacey’s Auctioneers and Valuers. Mark gave an entertaining talk with a picture quiz asking us to each value a number of items. Mark then visited each table to given an opinion and value to various items brought in by Members. Having recently seen an item of Rolling Stones autographs on the BBC Antique Road Show with an estimated value of 2 to 3 thousand pounds I took in my small autograph book containing numerous pop star autographs accumulated in 1964 at the Odeon Cinema in Romford where I was on duty behind the stage. The book contained autographs of all the Rolling Stones, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Helen Shapiro, Mike Berry, Heinz, Jet Harris, Joe Brown and others. Mark gave this a similar value of 2/3 thousand pounds. It was an enjoyable evening with a difference.

January 31

District 1240 banner On Saturday 31 January I attended the District 1240 Forum at the County Hotel, Chelmsford. Anne Moriaty was also in attendance in her capacity as Past District Governor and Chair of Community and Vocational Service. One of the speakers was Dan Skeates of Cool to be Kind charity and Dan updated those present on the role and success of the charity in Chelmsford. Members will remember Anne’s request to help fill rucksacks with warm clothing, other items and a sleeping bag. Anne was able to present nine rucksacks on behalf of our Club and thanks go to our Members for helping Anne to fill the rucksacks.

We also heard from Graham Everard, Chair of Environment and he spoke about the Wilderness Foundation UK, our Corporate Members. Members are reminded that this is the 50th year of Wilderness and they have a challenging programme of events which may be of interest to our Members. Full details are on their website. We received updates on a number of District projects including the eradication of polio worldwide. Currently there are 10 cases in Afghanistan and 31 in Pakistan. The target is for the world to be polio free by 2027.

We received updates on a number of initiatives and projects in the District and were reminded that February 23rd is Rotary Day.

Random jottings

Any economist will tell you that the best time to buy was last year.

The problem isn’t that obesity runs in your family; it’s that no one runs in your family.

The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it’s still on the list.

It often happens in people 60 years and older that they complain that they lack memory. The information is always in the brain, it is the “processor” that is lacking.

If poison expires, is it more poisonous or no longer poisonous?

Which country’s capital has the fastest-growing population? Ireland. It’s Dublin every day.

Life is too short to waste time matching socks.

How do you make holy water? Boil the hell out of it.

Two great men

Thanks for these memories of our late members Alan Scott and Charles Hirons go to President Graham, Jenny Black, Keith Dabbs, Francis Whitbread, the Club Bulletin and Alan and Charles themselves.

Alan Scott

Alan was born in the East End of London and spent his childhood in Ilford. When he was eleven his parents emigrated to Australia. As the family lived in a remote part of Central Queensland his education was by correspondence course. They returned to England when Alan was fourteen.

His Higher Education was at East Ham Technical College where he gained an HNC in Electrical Engineering. Following his apprenticeship he became an Electrical Engineer and ran an Electrical Contracting Company for over 25 years.

Two people standing at a Totepool dest and banner Alan Scott joined our Club in 1999 and served as our President for 2011-12. He made a significant contribution to our Club and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He organised some excellent outings for us.

A keen golfer, he was Captain of Channels Golf Club in 1992. Some members will recall that he was a regular on the “golfing table” at our meetings. From time to time Alan and his wife Anne hosted,at their home in Great Leighs, deprived children from Belarus who were brought to this country for short periods for health and social reasons. He became Chairman of Great and Little Leighs Parish Coiuncil.

A man crouching and listening to a tree with a stethoscope He remained a very active member of our Club until very sadly he had a bad stroke after going home following one of our meetings some years ago. He never recovered,although Anne was able bring him to a few of our more formal dinners. He died shortly before Christmas last year.

The first picture shows Alan presenting one of the prizes at Chelmsford City Racecourse. But what is he doing in the second? You will find the answer at the end of these tributes.

Charles Hirons

Charles joined the Club in 1988 and was President in 1998-99. Like Alan, he became a Paul Harris Fellow.

He spent his career working for the Lord Chancellor’s Department, initially in the County Courts in Brentwood and Ilford. In 1971 he was moved to Chelmsford to set up the Court Administrator’s Office as part of the court reorganisation that took place that year, to the chagrin of many judges were opposed to the abolition of the Assize and Quarter Session Courts.

After periods of responsibility for maintenance of court buildings in Southwark and as Listing Officer for the Family Division, Charles returned to Chelmsford as Area Chief Clerk for the Crown and County Courts in Essex.

Smiling bald man wearing a red blazer bearing Rotary badges and a Rotary tie Many of us will remember him as the archetypal English gentleman. He would often turn up at Club meetings wearing his striking red Rotary GB&I cricket jacket, having taken part in a Rotary cricketing tour of Australia some years ago.

The other sport he loved was greyhound racing. Over the years he was part-owner of a number of greyhounds. He and the other owners wisely entrusted them to a professional trainer. It didn’t seem to be the chance of winning that drew Charles to the sport, it was an enthusiasm for the dogs. He and his companion Pamela occasionally adopted one when its racing career came to an end.

For some years he was our regular “car park attendant” at the local heats of Rotary Young Musician at St Cedd’s School. He did it cheerfully even though, being held in January, the temperature could drop to near freezing in the car park.

We were sad to see him go mentally downhill towards the end of his time as a full Club member. At least once he forgot the route home from Chelmsford. He eventually stepped down from full membership of the Club to become one of our Honorary Members. He and Pamela ended up in different nursing homes.

That second photograph

To answer that question on the second picture: It shows Alan checking the health of a tree in his capacity as a National Trust volunteer in Hatfield Forest.

Backpacks

Thanks to everyone in the Club who supported this project we were able to donate nine full backpacks, three for women and five for men, together with four cosy sleeping bags to Cool to be Kind.

In all, thirty backpacks were collected at the District Forum on 31 January. Dan Skeates, CEO of Cool to be Kind, will distribute them to the rough sleepers in Chelmsford and other parts of Essex.

Dan will be coming to the Club later in the year to tell us about the charity which he confounded ten years ago.

Red backpacks on a carpet

Young Musician

We had 12 competitors for this year’s Chelmsford heat of Rotary Young Musician. Our adjudicators were Emma Gibbons, Director of Music at Chelmsford Cathedral, and Tim Worrall, Head of Music at the King Edward VI Grammar School.

Henrietta Lawrence won the instrumentalist category, playing a pedal harp. Chloe Marler was the winning singer. They will now go on to the District Final.

We congratulate the winners and, indeed all the competitors, on their performances. Our thanks go to the adjudicators, the staff of St Cedd’s School, the competitors and their families, the Mayor and Mayoress of Chelmsford, and various Rotary members for supporting the event and helping on the night.

The photographs show: