Business meeting

For this meeting we made a return to the Chelmsford Rugby Club after a two-year absence. The bar manager made us feel very welcome.

Unfortunately the Club was unable to keep its chef during the lockdowns. Our member Janice Goodman kindly organised the delivery of sandwiches and desserts from an outside supplier. Whilst the Club is a good venue for us in many ways we won’t be able to use it regularly unless and until alternative catering arrangements can be made.

The usual reports were given during the meeting.

Treasurer

Our Club finances are good. The balance in our Trust Fund is also reasonable but we do currently have less money to give to good causes than would normally be the case.

Club Administration

The procedure for arrival at meetings is being changed slightly. In future those who have special dietary requirements (eg fish only or vegetarian) will be given a ticket with the nature of their choice to put by their place on the dining table. This is to help the staff know which type of meal to serve to each person.

Club members will now be speaking at all the Club meetings during February. The external speakers who were scheduled to address us then were deferred to later dates when there was some doubt as to whether we would be meeting face-to-face.

It is hoped to arrange a walk in Suffolk for February or March and other events, such as visits to Layer Marney and Ingatestone Hall, in subsequent months.

Membership

Some membership enquiries have been received. One of these was from a gentleman from Sahiwal, Pakistan! He was referred to the Rotary Club of Sahwial.

One of the other people who had approached us was at today’s meeting and two others are expected to attend in the near future.

There are plans to hold an Information Day for Businesses during the Summer.

Foundation & International

Indu Tiwari read a report from Chuda Karki about his continuing visits to projects we are supporting in Nepal.

Community & Vocational

The Community & Vocational Committee has organised a jumble sale at Danbury Village Hall on 23 April and booked the Cathedral Chapter House for a senior guest’ summer party on 9 July. Twenty-five seats have been booked for senior guests at the pantomime performance at the Civic Theatre on 2 January 2023.

£250 has been donated to a young woman who will be undertaking a trek to the Everest Base Camp to raise funds for Marie Curie.

Youth Services

The untimely death of John Scammell has left an urgent need for a new Chair to be appointed to the Youth Services Committee, which is down to just three members. Leadership is required to enable us to pursue the plans that John had and to build on our existing relationships with local schools.

A very successful local heat of Rotary Young Musician was held at St Cedd’s School on 7 January. It was the best local heat that some people could remember and the quality of the instrumentalists was outstanding. The two winners, violinist Sophia Azzitzoglou and singer Libby Simmons, will be taking part in the District Final in Chelmsford Cathedral on 19 February.

In view of Keith Otter’s wish to stand down as Young Musician Coordinator, President Peter will shadow Keith for a year after his Presidential Year ends and take the reins over from him after that.

Environment

The Club’s Treekly group now has eleven members. 57 trees have been planted as a result. Anne Moriaty, the Chair of the Environment Committee, said that one tree would be planted for every 5,000 steps trodden by a group member in a week and urged other members to sign up.

The Committee is liaising with The Beaulieu Park School regarding their environmental projects and waiting for a response from Love Your Chelmsford about planting trees as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy. It also intends to raffle a watercolour by the late John Scammell to raise funds.