Business Meeting - Live

ROTARY CLUB OF CHESTFIELD

Breakfast Meeting 07.30am Thursday 16^th December 2021

Present:               Spyros, Pippa, Pat, Dave C, Lesley, Margaret, Godfrey, David M, David K, Paul, Andrew B, Nick, Sue.  Robert, Pete & Kathy joined on Zoom.

Apologies:           Elaine, Andrew & Jean M, Hilary, lain, Jackie, Myfanwy, Marian, Reggie, Trevor, David B,

Guests:                None

Grace:                   By Paul

BREAKFAST

Lesley:                  Lesley referred to the notes of last week, about the Xmas run and bedding.  No decision has been made about not accepting bedding at next year’s Xmas run.  The problem is that Catching Lives won’t accept duvets and pillows, so we have struggled to offload them for the last two years.  Homeless people want sleeping bags, not duvets.

                                Lesley drew attention to the article in the Rotary magazine by David M about Walk4Water.  The magazine is encouraging everyone to complete a walk in March next year.

                                Lesley said thank you to Godfrey for organising last Friday’s Xmas meal, also Pat for the baby photograph competition.  Lesley thanked all the members who did the Splat the Rat game at the Tankerton Xmas fair last Sunday.  This raised £103.

                                Lesley has suggested that in view of the success last November, we have another Quiz night in the Spring.  Nick said he has asked Trevor about being the quizmaster.  Trevor said yes, but why don’t we have a Race night instead?  After discussion it was decided to Have a Quiz night on Saturday 2^nd April 2022 at All Saints, as before.  Perhaps we can have a Race Night in Godfrey’s year.

                                Andrew B confirmed that Loren and her boyfriend enjoyed the Xmas meal and their visit to Chestfield.

                                Regarding the post-Xmas breakfast on 30^th December.  At present only 8 people have confirmed attendance.  Also, we don’t know how the rules about going out may change due to growing numbers of Omicron infections.  Therefore it was agreed to cancel this.  Note: if things do become serious, members may be asked to act as volunteers for the booster programme.

                                Margaret asked about having adhesive stickers for future fund-raising events.  As a supply teacher she knows how much children like being given stickers.  Dave C said that Coastwatch did very well at a fund-raising stall at the summer’s Titanic exhibition by having a tub of Chupa Lollies and sheets of stickers to give away.  In fact, the national Coastwatch shop has stopped supplying stickers, so we had a load printed locally for a reasonable sum.  All Rotary has to do is agree a design and how many we want in the new year.  (Dave has checked to see if Rotary have stickers for sale as part of merchandising, but apparently not).

                                Andrew B referred members to a TV advert last night about the crisis threatening famine in Afghanistan, and requesting donations to DEC (the Disaster Emergency Committee).  Andrew said he will be donating the money he would otherwise have spent on Xmas cards.  In response to Dave C’s question, Andrew confirmed that Shelter Box are not part of DEC.

                                David M drew members’ attention to the new card reader for taking donations at fund raising events, including car parking.  David tried this out with a couple of cards during the meeting.  Note all the money from the card reader goes in one account so,  if you take money for flapjacks etc using the card, take an equivalent sum in cash from the bucket and put it in the appropriate pot.  There is an Idiot’s Guide to using the card reader.

Pat’s Quiz:           Everyone took part in a short quiz about the Highway Code (to the embarrassment of many).

Greetings from Other Clubs:  None this week.

Raffle:                   Was won by Andrew B and David M.

Master-at-Arms:  According to Nick, today is Re-gifting Day.  It is also National Pear Month.

Lesley:                  Reminded everyone that we start back after the break on Thursday 6^th January – assuming we aren’t prevented by a new lockdown.  It will be another Fun morning.  Lesley wished all our members a Peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year and proposed the final toast.