Digital Bulletin No 90

December 2025

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

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December 2025

From the editor’s desk

Another calendar year has almost gone. November and December are always busy months for many of us. The period starts off with a bang on Guy Fawkes Night and Diwali and often ends with another one as midnight approaches on New Year’s Eve. These days Pat and I go to bed around 10 o’clock knowing we’ll be woken up by loud fireworks around midnight.

It is a busy time for the Club as well. The Purple Crocus Project is underway. We have held our regular Autumn Jumble Sale. We have run the autumn quiz in support of the Wilderness Foundation. We are well into preparations for our annual visit to the panto for senior guests and, at the other end of the age scale, for the local heat of Rotary Young Musician.

Yet we still have the second half of the Rotary year to come. I look forward to continuing to act together with you all to make concrete this year’s Rotary theme: “Unite for Good.”

Computer image of a line of coloured lamps for a tree

Words from the President

November has been a busy month for the Club starting with a business meeting on the 6th, which as us usual was minuted by Francis, our Secretary, so will not be repeated here, apart from confirming that after much deliberation and consideration our formal meetings commencing in 2026 will continue to be held at the Ivy Hill Hotel.

November 7

Commencing the 7th November, and running over that weekend and the one following, was the Chelmsford Music Festival where young musicians perform in front of a panel of judges who award marks and feedback. The winners of the various classes are given an opportunity to take part in the local heat of the Rotary Young Musician competition held on 9th January at St Cedd’s School. This year the Rotary event has been organised by Francis Whitbread and I am delighted to say that he has a programme of 12 young vocalist and instrumentalist taking part. Thanks also goes to those Members who assisted at the Festival to identify the suitable candidates. Having attended myself on one of the days I know we can be assured of an enjoyable evening of music at our own event in January.

November 13

On 13 November it was a pleasure to meet our District Governor Mark Williamson and his wife Liz who visited our meeting at the Ivy Hill. But before Mark addressed the Members it was an equally pleasurable occasion for me to induct our new Member, Warwick Aldham. Warwick arrived in the UK from Australia in August and after attending a few of our meetings he decided to join our Club. He is no stranger to Rotary, his father was a Rotarian for many years and Warwick was himself a past member of a Rotary Club in New South Wales. Welcome aboard Warwick, who incidentally won our lunchtime raffle on his first time entry.

District Governor Mark initially talked to us about his journey to becoming DG. Mark referred to the international structure of Rotary which had 1.2 million members and the importance of setting goals at the national, district and local levels, thereby contributing to this years motto, “Unite for Good”. He spoke about the District challenge to increase membership and the goal of each club having a minimum of 15 members. Mark also spoke about the importance of Foundation and the proposal for a “End Polio Now Club” within our District. Details of this initiative will become apparent in the near future.

November 20

The 20th November saw eleven of us meeting at the Cote Brasserie for an informal fellowship/friendship meeting. These are always enjoyable events and this was no exception. The restaurant was again pleased to accommodate us and the day before had introduced a revised menu which we were happy to enjoy.

Two men at the end of a restaurant dining tabley During the evening of 21st Francis and I attended the quiz night run by our corporate member, The Wilderness Foundation, and held at Chatham Green. Whist I assisted with organising the furniture and doing the raffle, the event could not have happened without Francis who not only prepared the questions for the quiz but was also did a splendid job as quizmaster. We had our own entry team comprising Anne and Steve, Bob and Jean, Alison and Philip. They were pipped into third place by Phoenix and it was fitting that Wilderness came out as winners. There were 10 teams totalling 64 people. Clare Martin and her colleagues were the organisers on behalf of Wilderness and a total of around one thousand pounds was raised of which £300 was raffle money. The competitive rivalry apart, it was a fun night of banter and laughter and massive thanks goes to Francis who was the main player and even provided the winners’ prizes.

November 22

Saturday 22nd was our jumble sale event at Danbury Village Hall. Always enjoyable it was again an opportunity for members to enjoy setting up the tables, sorting and displaying the jumble and selling it during the afternoon. Special thanks to Alison who arranged the occasion and Bob who had the job of sorting the money and counting the box full of silver coins at the end. A total of £546.97 was raised for our charities. Less than the previous two jumble sales but a handsome sum mindful that we had a lesser amount of jumble. Thanks to all who took part throughout the parts of the day, it was great team work and a lot of fun.

November 27

On 27 November our speaker was Anne Moriaty, accompanied by her husband Steve doing the technical equipment and occasional input. Anne spoke about their trip to the ‘330 days of sunshine’ city of Calgary in Canada to attend a Rotary International Convention.

On their arrival it wasn’t sunny but raining! Nevertheless this convention was widely advertised throughout the city and participants from over 120 countries attended. I have watched some of the convention on YouTube and it is very impressive. Anne showed us photographs and spoke about the presentations, the first impressive display being the parade of 180 flags, with the first six being of the First Nation Canadians.

Anne spoke of a special memory being the presence of Dr Sylvia Whitlock, the first female Rotary Club President and her presentation Pushing the Boundaries of Rotary on YouTube. Anne mentioned several inspirational events at the convention.

A Brown Bear standing on a railway line Their visit was also an opportunity to see the wonderful scenery and more great memories. The Banff National Park, the Bow River which originates in the Rocky Mountains to the Hudson Bay, the Canadian Pacific train with up to 200 freight wagons and of course the bears, after all they were in bear country. Some wonderful photographs. It’s a long way to Calgary and it was fitting that Anne and Steve should extend their stay by visiting Kamloops and Vancouver. But then a six and a half hour flight to Charlotte, North Carolina passing through three time zones.

It was all worth it since that is where one of their daughters lives with her husband and Anne’s and Steve’s grandson, Felix. And since they lived on the same continent it was an opportunity not to be missed.

Lovely photos and an interesting talk about their adventures.

Bicycle repair

An edited extract from “Three Men on the Bummel” by Jerome K Jerome. Specially for Francis Whitbread.

Ebbson said “This front wheel wobbles.”

I said “It doesn’t wobble if you don’t wobble it.”

He said “This is dangerous; have you got a screw-hammer?”

I ought to have been firm, but I thought that perhaps he really did know something about the business. I went to the tool shed to see what I could find. When I came back he was sitting on the ground with the front wheel between his legs.

Black and white drawing of a bike He said “Something has happened to this front wheel of yours.”

“It looks like it, doesn’t it?” I answered. But he was the sort of man that never understands satire.

Before I could stop him he had unscrewed something and out rolled all over the path some dozen or so little balls.

“Catch ‘em! We mustn’t lose any of them.” He was quite excited about them.

We grovelled round for half an hour, and found sixteen. I put the balls for safety in my hat, and I put my hat upon the doorstep. It was not a sensible thing to do, I admit. I am not as a rule addle-headed; his influence must have affected me.

He then said that while he was about it he would see to the chain for me, and at once began taking off the gear-case. I did try to persuade him from that. I told him what an experienced friend of mine once said to me solemnly: “If anything goes wrong with your gear-case, sell the machine and buy a new one; it comes cheaper.”

He said: “People talk like that who understand nothing about machines. Nothing is easier than taking off a gear-case.”

I had to confess he was right. In less than five minutes he had the gear-case in two pieces, lying on the path, and was grovelling for screws. He said it was always a mystery to him the way screws disappeared.

We were still looking for screws when Ethelbertha came out. She seemed surprised to see us there; she said she thought we had started hours ago. She told me that if she met Kate they would probably go for a sail; but that in any case she would be back for lunch. I would have given a sovereign to be going with her. I was getting heartily sick of standing about watching this fool breaking up my bicycle

He gave up looking for the rest of the screws. He said screws had a knack of turning up when you least expected them; and that now he would see to the chain. He tightened it till it would not move; next he loosened it until it was twice as loose as it was before. Then he said we had better think about getting the front wheel back in its place again.

I held the fork open, and he worried with the wheel. At the end of ten minutes I suggested he should hold the forks and that I should handle the wheel; and we changed places. At the end of first minute he dropped the machine, and took a short walk round the croquet lawn, with his hands pressed together between his thighs. He wrapped himself up in a couple of dusters, and we commenced again. At length we did get the thing into position; and the moment it was in position he burst out laughing.

He said “We’ve forgotten the balls!”

I looked for my hat; it was lying topsy-turvy in the middle of the path.

He was of a cheerful disposition. He said “Well, we must put back all we can find, and trust in Providence.”

We found eleven. We fixed six on one side and five on the other, and half an hour later the wheel was in its place again. It need hardly be said that the wheel really did wobble now; a child might have noticed it. Ebbson said it would do for the present.

He appeared to be getting a bit tired. If I had let him he would, I believe, at this point gone home. My pride in the machine had been killed. My only interest lay now in seeing him scratch and bump and pinch himself. I revived his drooping spirits with a glass of beer and some judicious praise.

Thus encouraged, he set to work to refix the gear-case. He stood the bicycle against the house, and worked from the off side. The he stood it against a tree, and worked from the near side. Then I held it for him, while he lay on the ground with his head between the wheels, and worked at it from below, and dropped oil on himself.

Then he lost his temper and tried bullying the thing. The bicycle, I was glad to see, showed spirit; and the subsequent proceedings degenerated into little else than a rough-and-tumble between him and the machine. One moment the bicycle would be on the gravel path, and he on top of it; the next, the position would be reversed – he with the bicycle on him.

At a quarter to one, dirty and dishevelled, cut and bleeding, he said “I think that will do.”

The bicycle looked as if it also had had enough of it. Which had received the most punishment it would be difficult to say.

Recent events

A smiling man standing next to a Christmas tree ddcorated in purple People sitting around tables in a large wooden structure The front of a wooden stage with various things on it and a table in front of it, also with various items

Above: At Writtle Christmas Tree Festival, Wilderness Foundation Quiz, Autumn Jumble Sale.

Graham writes: “On behalf of the Club I entered a Christmas Tree at the annual Writtle Church Christmas Tree event on 6/7 December. Of course I needed help from Kathryn who spent hours crocheting the Rotary wheels on the tree. The message was simple, Unite for Good, and our Club banners from around the world and collected over many years sent out that message. I was also aware that we should show visitors a powerful message with regard to End Polio Now. Hence the purple theme and crocuses. No points for guessing who made the crocus at the top of the tree. I think the point was well made with regard to Rotary and in particular our Club.”

Forthcoming meetings

December 18: Christmas Party
At the Ivy Hill Hotel
Entertainment by Paul Clancy of Prestige Conjuring

January 8: Sandra Cole: Kids Inspire
At the Ivy Hill Hotel
Vote of Thanks: Francis Whitbread

January 15: New Year’s Message
At Little Channels
Vote of Thanks: President

January 22: Rtn Warwick Aldham: Job talk
At the Ivy Hill Hotel
Vote of Thanks: President

January 29: Joint Clubs’Dinner
Evening meeting
At the Ivy Hill Hotel
Organised by the Rotary Club of Chelmsford Phoenix

February 5: Business meeting
On Zoom

Christmas Greetings

The following members have made a donation to the President’s Charity and send their Christmas greetings here instead of sending individual Christmas cards to everyone.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

David Axon
Bob Booker
Keith Dabbs
Angela Dickman
Geoff Dickman
Graham Furnival
Peter Kemp
Anne Moriaty
Keith Otter
Mo Sadiq
Ajay Sinha
Francis Whitbread