40th Charter Anniversary Celebrations - 2015

10.00am – all those going met at The Secret Nuclear Bunker, Kelvedon Hall Lane, Kelvedon Hatch, Brentwood, Essex, CM14 5TL

This tour lasted approximately an hour and a quarter. Audio narrative - area by area - was available in Dutch and English. It proved an interesting visit.

Footnote: The nuclear underground command post built in 1952 in complete secret to house the entire UK Government and military command, near Ingatestone, in case of attack from Russia. This astonishing complex was sold to the local farmer after the Cold War. Some of the air filtering and power supply equipment is still kept operational, and the farmer opens the place to the public.
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The group then drove from the Secret Nuclear Bunker to the next venue is about 10-15min (4 miles)

Next we drove from the Restaurant to Lee Valley White Water Centre - about 25-30 minutes (18.5 miles) to the West via M25 Orbital Motorway.
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14.00pm

Lee Valley White Water Centre, Station Road, Waltham Cross EN9 1AB

A raft for up to nine persons had been booked. None of our visitors elected to join the raft, so members, friends & family members made up the raft number to the required nine people.

Briefing for the rafters began at 14.30pm for our raft booked at 15:00.

Those who do not ride in the raft enjoyed watching the spectacle as the rafters negotiated the rapids. There is a full gallery of photographs showing our raft in action - linked from here

The Centre is a very popular spectator attraction at the site of the London 2012 Water Olympics with plenty of enthralling and exciting viewing.
Afterwards we returned from the Lee Valley White Water Centre to the Ingatestone area and The Ivy Hill Hotel - a distance of approximately 35min (24.6 miles)

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A three course meal with coffee and mints, wine on the table, close-up Magic by Michael J. Fitch and a one hour show of live music and dancing by Rita B & Ray Dee.

We had over 100 persons attending,including past and present members, guests and friends of Ingatestone Rotary for what turned out to be a first class evening of entertainment and celebration. A number of former members of the Club also attended.

Toasts
Rotary Club of Ingatestone - proposed by Lord Petre -Her Majesty's Lieutenant for Essex and Honorary Member of the club.
Response by David Fincham - President & Founder Member of RCOI

Rotary Club Twenterand - proposed by John Metcalfe - International Chairman and Vice-President of RCOI
Response by Klaas Palstra - President of RCT

Our Guests - proposed by Barry Turner - Founder Member and Past President of RCOI
Response by Mike Farley - Former Member and Past President of RCOI

The Presidents exchanged gifts. A special presentation was made to the two Rotarians who took their courage in both hands and ran the rapids of White Water in the raft - two bottles of wine gifted by Gill Harste.



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Sunday 14th June

11.00am - mid-day start

BBQ Barbecue Lunch with a Pimm’s Welcome Drink on arrival, was held at Alan & Sally Pudney’s House, The Hyde Coach House, Little Hyde Lane , Ingatestone, CM4 0HL for our guests from Rotary Club Twenterand and others who attended. Helder Lemos was i/c the BBQ - Sally managed the salad and sweets - with help from members' wives.
Our visitors left after lunch to catch their planes home.

A full and enjoyable weekend - tanks to a special committee for the purpose of ensuring all went well. A special note: the weekly "Wine Draw" raffle - the idea of Ron Elliston - as instrumental in permitting us to entertain in such a manner