Handover meeting

It’s not often 1 July falls on our Thursday meeting day. It did this year. What’s more it was good weather, so we were able to hold our Handover Meeting as planned in the garden of 2020-21 President Jan and her husband Phil (President 2016-17). It was good to see so many members in person.

We started in what has become the traditional way for us, with a Thought for the Day, given by Bob Booker, and the raffle of a bottle of wine. In one of her last official acts, President Jan presented well-deserved Paul Harris Fellowships to Eddie Cassels and Francis Whitbread for their outstanding contributions to the Club and to fund-raising.

She then formally handed the President’s chain of office to 2021-22 President Peter.

President Peter invested Mo Sadiq with the 1st Vice President’s collar. Mo would have invested John Scammell with the 2nd Vice President’s collar but he had forgotten to bring it. He did it in spirit instead, to John’s great amusement.

President Peter then presented Past President Jan with her Past President’s badge and jewel. He paid tribute to all she had done through a very strange and difficult year and the leadership she had given the Club. Despite the lockdown restrictions she had managed to raise a record amount for her President’s Charity, so much so that it had been decided to give some of the money raised to other charities. She in turn wished him success for his Presidential year, which hopefully will be less fraught.

After that Past President Jan said grace before inviting us all to eat the refreshments she had kindly provided. Over a year has passed since we were all able to eat together, so we made the most of the occasion. If the lockdown is eased on 19 July, our meeting on 22 July will be an evening meeting at Little Channels and we will then return to our usual lunchtime meetings at the Ivy Hill Hotel. We are all looking forward to it.