President's Final Report for the Year 2015-16

President’s review of the year ended 30 June 2016, presented to the Club meeting on 29 June.

28 years ago when I handed over following my first term as President, the Club presented a This is Your Life evening. I trust there are no such surprises this time and that I can stay in control of the meeting.
A few weeks ago I was looking forward to tonight and handing over the chain to Tony, but now tonight has come, I handover with a bit of regret that the year is coming to an end.
Two events have happened in the last week that having made me extremely proud to have been President of this Club for a second time.
Firstly the Golf Day last Wednesday – we should all be proud to be celebrating the 25th running of this event. This has been a great achievement and all who have been involved over the years need to be complimented. To have raised nearly £160k over those 25 years is a magnificent result and has helped us support so many worthwhile organisations over the years. It is a great achievement but I am pleased that Tony is looking at other ways of generating income. We shouldn’t rely totally on the Golf Day
The second event was attended by just two of us – John Watson and myself. We were at Pulse Radio and John did a brilliant interview about Bradford Blaize and our community work, in particular the donation of a defibrillator for St John Ambulance. I hope some may here the interview when it goes out.
The year has come and gone so quickly. 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 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.
This year I wanted to support local organisations and the following have benefited through our giving
Clothing Solutions for the Disabled - £1,000
The Ear Trust Appeal – £1,000 for the CT scanner appeal
Martin House Hospice – Boston Spa - £1,270 to purchases seats and benches for their new garden and play area. (Alan Morrell is representing the Club at the official opening of the garden this Thursday).
St John Ambulance Bradford - £1,000 for a Defibrillator
Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank, with non-perishable food and a donation
4 inner Bradford Schools with 208 Illustrated Dictionaries for Life
Spinal Injuries Association following our Fish & Chip evening at the Wetherby Whaler
93 Bradford citizens through our Stroke Awareness Day
Forest of Bradford through the planting of 1,000 saplings at Cold Well Farm, Wilsden
Children from Bowling Park Primary School on Kids Out
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 including our share of the money raised at the Wetherby Whaler event, we have so far this year distributed nearly £9k.
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.
Thank you one and all
Nothing lasts for ever and our Twinning with VL80 has come to an end. This was inevitable as Clubs change, and it certainly appears there are significant changes happening in VL80. In my opinion we have had a successful International twinning for over 30 years and although we did more in the early years with Youth exchanges, friendships have been forged which will continue long after the official end to the Twinning.
Wim Goedendorp of the VL80 club takes over as DG of District 1600 on Friday and I have emailed him with best wishes from Bradford Blaize for a successful year.
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 I thank all those who have made visits in the year to other Clubs. Charters have been attended at Bradford, Idle and Greengates, Otley Chevin, Bingley Airedale, Bradford Bronte, Leeds Centenary Charter, together with Bingley’s Ladies Evening, Otley Chevin’s Sportsman’s Dinner and Bingley Airedale’s President’s evening. What great timing it was to go to Bingley Airedale on Monday and not stop in to watch the football.
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 personally have had a super year. I have missed just one Wednesday meeting when we were on Offa’s Dyke and although work and family commitments have had to be juggled at certain times, it has been a privilege to be President of Bradford Blaize.
I look forward to the Hello/Goodbye at Janet and Mike’s on the 10th and thank them again for hosting the event.
I now have pleasure in handing over the reins to Tony. The Club is in good hands and I know he will receive great support from all of us.
Barry Smith
29 June 2016