Business meeting

This meeting was held on Zoom. Twelve members took part, including Keith Otter and John Watkins, who are both unable to attend physical meetings at the moment. Francis Whitbread joined from his holiday in Yorkshire.

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved. in the absence of Bob Booker, there was no Treasurer’s report.

Anne Moriaty reported on District activities. She had attended the District Final of Young Musician the previous Friday. Chelmsford’s Deputy Mayor presented the trophies. When Anne spoke to her she expressed an interest in coming to a Club meeting. The Regional Final of Young Musician will be held later this month.

Anne also attended a RRGB&I virtual meeting on AI.This included a warning on giving personal information to AI as it is retained.

John Watkins has successfully repaired the Club bell and is happy for his expertise in this area to be publicised. John commented that the bell is made from a very old form of brass. It is nearly a hundred years old.

£260.69 was collected at Morrisons for Marie Curie. The members present agreed that the Club should absorb the fee for the £80 collected via SumUp.

The quiz in support of the Wilderness Foundation will be held at Essex Young Farmers Club on 15 May. The Foundation will publicise the event. Some prizes have already been donated.

A speaker from Essex & Hertsfordshire Air Ambulance will give the address at our President’s Lunch on 25 June. We hope arrange a visit to their airfield.

Five members have volunteered to help all day at the forthcoming jumble sale. One has offered to help in the afternnon.

The Senior Guests’ Summer Party will be held at the Chapter House on 4 July. It was agreed that we should arrange a bingo session this year instead of the usual quiz, in the hope that more of the guests would take part. Angela Dickman has acquired some bags suitable for the “goodie bags” and will look for suitable small bags of chocolates to go in them. We have booked five tables of eight each at the Chapter House.

Francis Whitbread has booked 25 ickets for the pantomime at the Chelmsford Theatre on 3 January 2027 for the Senior Guests’ Panto Visit.

The Club agreed to donate £84.95 to the Chelmer Village Pre-school to pay for a privacy screen and £100.00 to Chelmsford Scouts towards the cost of attending next year’s International Jamboree.

We debated membership of the End Polio Now Club. It was agreed that the Club should take out an annual subscription at a cost of £48. When Bob Bookeer returns we will discuss the possibility of members taking out subscriptions via the Club.

We also debated possible celebrations of Rotary’s 100 years in Chelmsford next year. It was suggested that among them the six Chelmford Rotary Clubs arrange for 100 events for the 100th year, in line with the Wilderness Foundaiton Uk’s aim of holding 50 events to celebrates its 50th year. The normal events the various Clubs organise could be counted towards the total.

Peter Kemp is in touch with Farleigh Hospice with a view to siting the memorial bench to George Harris there. He wondered whether we could have some sort of dedication ceremony.