President's Interim Report for the Year 2015-16

President’s review of the year, well up to 2 May 2016

Ten months have come and gone so quickly and we are now into the last two months of my year. It seemed a good idea three years ago when I said if no one else would take on the Presidency, then I would do it.

And indeed it was a good idea and the year has been challenging, frustrating, and sometimes quite demanding fitting everything in around home life and work. But most of all it has been enjoyable and rewarding.

Our membership increased when we welcomed back Atif, and although we are only 21 members, the attendance at weekly meetings has remained extremely good. Thank you one and all for your continued support.

I hope we can increase our membership further, but I have not made that a priority during my year. If it happens, it happens, but don’t let’s get hung up about membership. In my opinion it is all about existing members continuing to contribute time and effort to support the causes identified by our committee chairman as worthy of our support. How long we can continue, no one knows, but I am certain that over the next 5/10 years local, national and international organisations will continue to benefit as a result of the efforts of the members of Bradford Blaize.

It was Rotarian Alan Morrell who said at one of our meetings how proud he was when he looked at the amount of work we were doing and the list of organisations we had supported. I too am proud of what we have done this year. I wanted to support local organisations in my year and the following have benefited: -

1. Clothing Solutions for the Disabled - £500
2. The Ear Trust Appeal – £1,000 for the CT scanner appeal
3. Martin House Hospice – Boston Spa - £1,270 to purchases seats and benches for their new garden and play area
4. St John Ambulance Bradford - £1,000 for a Defibrillator
5. Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank, with non-perishable food and a donation
6. 4 inner Bradford Schools with 208 Illustrated Dictionaries for Life
7. 93 Bradford citizens through our Stroke Awareness Day
8. Forest of Bradford through the planting of 1,000 saplings at Cold Well Farm, Wilsden
9. Children from Bowling Park Primary School on Kids Out
10. Continued support of RYLA

We have also supported the Cumbria Flood relief and Shipley Flood relief appeals and a full list of donations and contributions are in the Trust Fund accounts and we have so far this year distributed £8,015.

We have also continued our support of the Shoe Box appeal, collecting spectacles, eventually for Vision Aid, together with individual members contributing their time to Drugs Watch, Life Education and helping primary school children with their reading.
Hopefully before the end of my year we can also identify an area for litter collection.

All the money we distribute basically comes from the Annual Golf day and this year we celebrate the 25th year of this event – a truly remarkable achievement. A tremendous amount of work goes into the organising of the event and getting teams to continue their support of the event is getting harder. We do need everyone’s support as without this event, we would not be able to help organisations as we currently do. The continuation of a successful and profitably Golf day I think this is one of the biggest challenges facing the Club.

Nothing lasts for ever and it appears that our Twinning with VL80 is coming to an end. This was inevitable as Clubs change, and it certainly appears there are significant changes happening in VL80. If the Twinning does end, I do believe that to have had an International relationship that has lasted over 30 year has been a success. Don’t let’s forget the youth exchanges we were involved with in the early years. I am certain that friendships with their members will continue long after the official end to the Twinning.

This year we continued with the format of the last few years and didn’t have a Charter but had a very successful President’s Evening, with entertainment from Fox Corner. I understand this format will continue in Tony’s year.

We have had a very successful Fellowship programme and outside visits and we have some additional visits arrange for before the end of the year or in the first few weeks of Tony’s year.

The Club is in a good position with our “Leaders” and we are very fortunate to have the next three Presidents lined up – Tony Ashton, Graham Robinson and John Barrow. What a super position to be in.

Finally can I thank everyone for their support – to Council for their guidance, to Geoff and Mike for their considerable support as Secretary and Treasurer respectively, to committee chairman for the programmes they have pursed during the year and to all other members for their support.

I will be missing from our meeting on 11th May as a result of the Offa’s Dyke Walk. I look forward to seeing all those who are going at the Wetherby Whaler on the 18th, where the combined efforts of the Rotary Clubs of Bradford Blaize, Otley Chevin and Wetherby will raise funds for the Spinal Injuries Association.

Barry Smith
3 May 2016