General Meeting - Live

ROTARY CLUB OF CHESTFIELD

Present:               Dave C, Ian S, Pat, Elaine, Pippa, Spyros, Lesley, Andrew B, Paul, Robert, Kathryn, Maureen,  Iain M, Andrew M, Jean M, David M, Gerry, Pete, Chris, Nick, Hilary, Godfrey.

Apologies:           Sue, Marian, Margaret, David K, Reggie, Myfanwy.

Guest:                  Margaret Collins.

Welcomes & Birthdays:                 Pat welcomed our guest, Margaret.  This week's birthday boy is David K.

Grace:                   Paul

BREAKFAST

Business:            

Fundraising:       Car Parking last Bank Holiday Monday went well, despite Whitstable High Street being very quiet.  We made £503.99 parking and £38 on the stall. 

                                Pat reminded members that the date for the Race Night, Saturday 8th July, is fast approaching,.  All the races have now been sold, but there are still some horses to buy at £2 each.  Can members get busy on selling the tickets at £10 per head.

                                David M said that the club is still looking for a main sponsor for the Charity Golf Day on Friday 8th September.  Ideally, this ought to be a business rather than an individual - so they get the benefit of the publicity.  It will cost between £500 and £750.

                                David added that the Board have discussed the Christmas Collection which will be on Sunday 10th December.  Some volunteers have said that going round the whole route is a long walk.  So, this year there will be two teams (A and B) who will each walk half the route.  Pete said we are only having one Santa 'though.

                                Pat reminded members that the presentation breakfast for children taking part in Walk4Water will be on Thursday 15th June.  Can we have a good turnout, please?

International:    Andrew B and Pat went to the British Museum for the Shelter Box exhibition this last week.  Both were impressed by the sturdiness and quality of the tools and equipment provided; they are clearly meant to last.  Pat said that Shelter Box are always looking for ways to improve the kit provided; she gave the example of the Water filters which at one point were good for a few hundred uses but can now be used for many thousands.  Pat said she spent part of the evening talking to a volunteer working in Cameroon, which has a lot of problems which however often go unnoticed.  While they were there, Pat and Andrew visited a exhibition about Persia and Greece 500-300 BCE.  Pat read aloud a warning from a Greek author about the effect of drinking too many bowls of wine; nothing changes.  Jean M mentioned that she and Andrew will be visiting the local exhibition for Shelter Box at the Archbishops School in Canterbury.

Any Other Business:       

                                Dave C thanked everyone who has responded to his email a few weeks ago about updating the In Case of Emergency list, but said that that a number of members haven't.  He will attach a reminder when he circulates the notes of this meeting.

                                Dave C has circulated the agenda for the AGMon Thursday 25th May.  Pat asked if we can have reports, preferably in advance of the meeting, from the committee chairs.  Pat noted that we have a new committee, the Gardening Committee, headed by Elaine and Maureen.

                                Pat gave members an update about Jean S who is very poorly.  Pat visited Jean yesterday.  A number of members asked Pat to pass on the club's best wishes.

                                Nick reported that the Board meeting earlier this week discussed the club's 20th anniversary in May next year.  Hilary has volunteered to draw together the ideas for celebrating this.  So, we need some suggestions for club members.  Hilary asked for a couple of months grace 'though so she can deal with other thing first.

                                Kathy said she went to the Kent College last night to see the Railway Swing Band.  The Arena at KC is very large and can accommodate a lot of people.  Kathy wondered if we could think of a project to host an evening there?

                                In response to a question, Andrew B said that one of the sponsors for Shelter Box is JTI - which stands for Japanese Tobacco Industries.

Greetings from Other Clubs:        Robert brought greetings for Canterbury Sunrise.

Raffle:                   Won by Gerry.

Master-at-Arms:              Nick did his thing.  Dave C wanted to cross fine Reggie in absentia for making up words in a game of Scrabble.  Nick informed us that today is World Ego Awareness Day as well as Twilight Zone Day.  It is also Barbecue Month.  On this day in 1812 Spencer Perceval was assassinated in the House of Commons, the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated in office.

Final Toast:         Hilary gave the toast to Rotary the World over, and also to King Charles III.

Next Meeting:

07.30am for 08.00am Thursday 18th May @ The Plough