Business Meeting

ROTARY CLUB OF CHESTFIELD

Club Meeting Online Thursday 18^th February 2021 @ 19.30pm

Present:                               Dave C; Pat; Andrew & Jean M; Lesley; David B; Paul (Chair); Sue; Iain; Margaret; Robert; Andrew B; Jean S; Pete; Godfrey; David K.

Apologies                            Hilary was late, by which time we had all gone!  (Gone, and never called me ‘Mother’ – as it says in the Irish lament).

Discussion:

Margaret’s Induction:  Pat as Margaret’s sponsor spoke first recommending Margaret to the club’s members.  Margaret will be one of our younger members!  She brings a number of skills with her including knowledge of child protection law.  Paul said that the members have been balloted about Margaret’s membership and have unanimously agreed, with no dissensions.  Lesley read the Aims & Objects of Rotary and also the Four-Way Test.  Paul formally welcomed her to the club.; he has already delivered her badge and welcome pack (normally this would be presented face-to-face, but we have to work with the current restrictions).    Paul thanked Lesley, and also Dave C for his notes of last night’s board meeting.

Walk / Cycle Ride from Reculver:  This took place last Autumn, and raised £125.  Our Treasurer, David M, has indicated that the club needs to indicate where this money will go, in order to complete our books for the auditor.  The Board meeting last night proposed that this money be donated to Shelter Box.  The members present voted on this and it was agreed unanimously with no dissenters.  Currently we have £2116.29 available to spend in the Charity account, and £96.12 in the club account after all commitments are accounted for.

Online meeting with Apeldoorn:  Robert has been in touch with Eric from Apeldoorn.  Our Dutch colleagues have invited our members to attend an online meeting on 3^rd March to compare the UK and Dutch experience of the pandemic and lock-down.  We will also be invited to another online meeting on 17^thMarch to talk about Brexit so far.  Andrew B said we need to check the status of this invite; is this a formal invite from the club or just a personal one from Eric?  Robert sent a text to Eric and was able to confirm that this is a formal invite.  One fly in the ointment is that the Dutch use Microsoft Teams for online meetings.  Dave C said he has had very negative experiences when he has attempted to use Teams for his KCC meetings.

Baking for the NHS:  Godfrey said that this continues to go well.  He took a load of cakes to NHS sites today, including Estuary View.  Members supported Godfrey in keeping this initiative going; Godfrey has also been in touch with the WI.  On behalf of our club, Godfrey thanked the members and members’ partners who have baked cakes so far:

Pat Brealy (Andrew’s wife); Jean Martin; Lesley Robertson; Hilary Brian; Pat McFarlane; Sue Vargyas; Wendy Thomson (Pete’s wife); Irene Benning (Ron’s wife); Marian Ahern; Kathryn Wilson; Sharon Brown (Godfrey’s wife).

Gordon:  Jean M said she has had a lovely telephone chat with Anne, Gordon’s wife.  Gordon was at hospital having treatment, but Anne says he is still maintaining his good humour.

Anniversaries:  David B said that next Tuesday it will be 116 years since the first meeting of what became Rotary International.  Originally, members used to meet in each others’ houses in rotation, hence the name.  Also, Margate club will shortly celebrate its centenary.  Last year we all received invitations to a dinner dance, but of course any celebration now will have to wait until after lock-don ends.

Walk4Water:  Andrew B explained for Margaret’s benefit about this event - an annual six kilometre sponsored walk for year six children to raise money for clean water in parts of Africa.  This normally takes place in March, but we won’t know until mid March whether all the schools will be back, and then they will have a lot of catching up to do.  So we don’t know if it will go ahead this year.

Quiz Night:  Robert reminded members of this online fundraising quiz which will be on Saturday 6^thMarch.  We can have up to 100 screens participating, so there are still a lot of screens to be sold.  Dave C originally forwarded the email invitation on 28^th January; he will re-send this.  Or you can click on the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/food-for-thought-quiz-tickets-137333579433

Absent Friends:  Ron asked about members who don’t attend these zoom meetings.  Is anyone in touch with them?  Ron is keen on members using Whats App to keep in touch, but other members are less so.  Jackie our Almoner has been keeping in touch with a number of members by phone.  Robert reminded people we also have the Facebook page.

Speakers & Other Activities:  Jean S mentioned a friend who is a local author of crime novels; would she be someone we could invite to speak at an evening meeting?  Sue said that she could always get us a speaker from one of her charities.  David K said he would note this.  Dave C made a light-hearted comment about making chocolate cakes in a mug in two minutes in a microwave – and was challenged to prove this at our next meeting.  At our next meeting, we need to decide whether we can go ahead with the Easter Parade, or defer it until Whitsun.

Next Meeting: 

Club Meeting Thursday 4^th March @ 8.00am