Friday 25th June 2021 at 11.00 am

When I addressed you for the first time as your President last July I started by saying that the situation was unique because of the lockdown which we had then recently entered. Little did I imagine that today I would be saying that I have Presided over what I now hope will be The Unique Rotary Year, one never to be repeated, one in which a President, me, has gone a whole term without chairing one face to face meeting of our Club. 

Before taking over last July I had already lost so many of what I had expected to be my main supports when I first agreed to accept this job. Most significant was the fact that Keith would not be with me every step of the way as I had imagined. Then, all the President Elect meetings were cancelled by the Covid Lockdown and whilst I got loads of written stuff, there was no opportunity to meet other incoming Presidents to talk about, and better understand, the role that I was about to take on. Remember that, after all, I was at that time, only a Rotarian of some six years standing and Keith was my fount of all Rotary knowledge. So I must say a big thank you to Secretary Martin and Past President Chris for doing all they could to help me get started in the job. 

I had always been confident that there was one aspect of the job I would cope well with and that was presiding over Rotary meetings at the Dubrovnik. Because I knew I would be among friends and with the usual good humour and fun atmosphere we had established, I felt that I could happily keep things cheerful and light and going well. But even that has been denied me and instead we have had to adapt to a “virtual” year. I am so grateful to Martin and especially Jane for establishing the Zoom meetings which have in many ways been the saviour of the Club as a means of keeping in touch with, and talking to, one another. It’s been interesting seeing one another in our little Zoom boxes! Did you know that Zoom only started in 2011 and as a company it only recorded its first profitable year in 2019. So had the pandemic and its lockdowns >>> >>> that we have experienced over this last year happened just a very few years ago, the medium which has to a large extent enabled us to have regular meetings and to see and hear one another, would not have been available to us. Where I wonder would we have been without it? To my mind it has been one of the ways in which we have been able to keep the club afloat. Without it maintaining any regular interactive contact it would have been hard and managing to continue the administration of the Club would have been difficult. However, there have been other communication channels which have been important too. So, our Website, WhatsApp, Facebook, Bulletin and Roundup have all played a part in maintaining contact because, as we have all learned, people have differing preferences about how to get their information from the variety of sources that are out there. With that in mind I want to thank all those members who have been responsible for setting up and / or maintaining these communication channels. 

For my part I have tried to respond to every communication with some positive comment or a thank you, as I have been so grateful that so many people have worked hard to keep the club going and giving thanks and encouragement is the very least I could do. I am delighted that against all the odds, and in the light of other Rotary Clubs struggling, we will be able to start the new Rotary year with a commitment to continue membership from a sizeable number of the members we had at the beginning of my year. But I must mark the loss of two significant members. Eric Bentham had been a member for almost 40 years and as Assistant Treasurer, Inter Club Relations Officer, Club ‘Tipster’ and great supporter of all fellowship events he is sorely missed. I am delighted that Julia has accessed our Zoom meetings and I hope that they have been of some comfort and interest to her. More recently we mourn the loss of Past President, long term Club Almoner, Club musician, and another great fellowship supporter, Geoff Toothill. He had been a member for 20 years. Both these actively involved members will leave a hole in the life of the Club. And, as an aside at this point, I would like to thank Marj who has done such a good job taking over the Almoner role. So there have been lots of challenges and setbacks and it is important to acknowledge those but I would not like to leave the impression that we have had a year without positives. All things considered it has been successful in a number of ways. On a simple level, the quality of Zoom meetings has vastly improved from those early days, when we were all blooming beginners – or should I say Zooming beginners! Also the quality of presentations on Quiz evenings and on talks using pictures and PowerPoint have shown how we have adapted. So too has the use and content of the other communication media developed as time has gone on. >>> >>> Sadly the opportunity for direct service has been very limited and really the only thing we have done as a Club was the litter picking before the Remembrance Day Service at Undercliffe Cemetery. Even then I was not allowed to lay a wreath at the Remembrance Day event there and my only other real service outing was with Mike to lay our Club wreath at the City War memorial, but even that was done separately to any organised event. I would pay tribute to some other Rotarians who have, as individuals decided to give local Service and who, in doing so have publicly mentioned Rotary, these include Dalbir, Manoj, Bhavna, Nirmal, Baldev, Simmy and Joseph. 

But whilst direct personal service has been virtually non-existent we have not neglected the giving of service by other means and by that I refer to financial aid. Local beneficiaries have been:- £2000 to my chosen charity the Theodora Trust to continue their service to poorly children in BRI £1000 to the Bradford Metropolitan Food bank £500 Each to Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Inn Churches Bradford, Marie Curie Bradford Then, amounts ranging from £100 to £300 went to nine other local charities. Unusually for our Club we also gave £500 to an individual disabled sportsman in need of a new sports wheelchair whose presentation impressed us. Overall we have given £7,700 (almost exactly two thirds of money we have raised) to local Bradford causes. And on the financial front I can report something amazing. Despite the Covid issues and no meetings or opportunities to collect at supermarkets or run events the Club is on course to have raised over the average annual amount of charitable funds (excluding special events like charity walks) The amazing total of over £11,500 has included; Foundation Donations by members over £1200 Donations to Polio Plus over £ 600 Monthly Prize Draw over £1491 Quiz evenings over £600 (Excluding this month’s quiz or if people made a quiz donation but did not mark it ‘quiz’ it will have been listed under members donations) Members donations (In lieu of weekly raffle etc.) almost £4000 (NB that is £4000 against the normal £2500 raised from Fines and Raffle.) And of course our District Foundation Grant of £1000 An amazing total – 

Thank you all so much So in conclusion. Despite all the difficulties which I had to deal with in the lead up to last July it has nevertheless been my privilege to be your President. >>> STAY SAFE AND KEEP WELL; FACEBOOK POSTS BY PAUL >>> To have enabled the Club to survive this past year would have been sufficient, but we have done so much more and I can hand on a functioning Rotary Club to a new (well recycled actually) President who will lead us through our Centenary Year. I wish Mike every success and I will do my best to support him as he faces a big year ahead. Not only leading us through the special centenary year, but also he has to grapple with the difficult decisions that will be involved in helping the club to emerge from the restrictions on social life which have dogged us over the last year. But this Presidential year of mine would not have been possible, or have led to the Club remaining in existence, if it had not been for the work of the officers, other “doers” in the Club and those members who have shown their interest by attending meetings or otherwise showing that they are willing to contribute or be part of this Club and what it stands for. Can I end by thanking you all for looking after me. 

Tina Bennett, President, Rotary Club of Bradford, 2020-21.