Business Meeting - Live

ROTARY CLUB OF CHESTFIELD

Minutes of the meeting held on

Thursday, May 18^th at The Plough, Swalecliffe

President:                   Pat

Apologies:                    Dave C., Ian M., Lesley and Margaret,

Birthday Greetings:  Andrew B. whose birthday is on May 22^nd.

Grace:                            Paul

Jean Sawyer:

Jean is seriously ill and has been in intensive care and is now on a respiratory ward.   Pat will pass on best wishes from the Club.

Twentieth Anniversary of the Founding of the Club

2024 will see the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Club and Hilary, who has very kindly undertaken to draw up proposals for a celebration, needs suggestions.      Attached to these minutes is a questionnaire from Hilary asking members to let her have their suggestions as to how to mark the anniversary which falls on May 6th 2024.     Possibilities include a marquee somewhere or, possibly, the Crescent Turner where a tepee can be hired for £10.00 per person which together with a meal at £30.00 and wine at £10.00 gives a cost per head of £50.00.     A party pack from the Crescent Turner is also attached to these minutes.   

Annual General Meeting:

Reports from committees to be available at the AGM on their activities should be sent to Pat as soon as possible. 

Committees:

Pat reminded the meeting that every member is expected to be take part in at least one of the committees and that each committee should meet at least quarterly and circulate a report on their discussions.      Some committees have not met for some time and Pat proposed that this should be tightened up in 2024 and this was agreed.     She will circulate a list of committees and members.

Race Night, July 8^th;

David M.  reported that all races had been sold but that there were still some horses available.     The need was now to sell tickets for the evening.

Gift Aid:

David M. is about to make Gift Aid claim for 2022/23 and estimates that the Club should get back over £2,000.      David also needs to update each member’s Gift Aid record and circulated to everyone a declaration to be filled in and returned to him as soon as possible.

Chestfield Fun Day

A Chestfield Fun Day .  will take place on August 28^th  and it has been agreed that the Club will have a stall for which volunteers will be needed.   David M. is seeking further details from the Parish Council which he will circulate.

Herne and Broomfield Fun Day:

Andrew B. confirmed that the Herne and Broomfield Fun Day will take place in July and the Club will be managing the parking for which two shifts of four volunteers each will be needed.

Christmas Food Collection, December 10^th:

David M. has been in discussion with MacDonalds which would like to be involved in the Christmas Food Collection at their branches in Chestfield, Sturry and Canterbury High Street.     The Food Bank will provide a wire basket for collection at each branch for which volunteers will be needed to collect donations on a regular rota.    David will draft posters for MacDonalds and will update the Christmas Card.     He proposed that the Club purchase three donation buckets at a cost of £21.00 and this was agreed.

Canterbury Food Bank:

Following the recent talk to the Club by a representative of the Canterbury Food Bank a member has made a donation of £500.00 which David M. has passed on.

International Committee Meeting May 16^th:

  Ukraine

District has raised over £110,000 in the past year of which our Club contributed over £4,000.     No further contribution to Ukraine was recommended at this time.    Another proposal from District was for Clubs to consider setting up a Contact Club in Ukraine but it was recommended not proceed because this needs personal contact which is impractical at the moment.   Agreed.

      Turkey

The shelter phase has moved on to a need for medical supplies.    The Club has made a contribution through Shelterbox after the earthquake but no further contribution is recommended at this time.  Agreed.

       Climate Change

It was recommended that it is up to members to make their own decisions regarding their environmental impact in response to climate change.  Agreed.

       Walk4Water

£4,500 has been raised so far this year and David M. expects the total to reach £5,500.       David has recently circulated a proposal to contribute to the cost of a borehole and water storage tank at Museywa Primary School in western Kenya.    The project has some funding from the US and the contribution from the Club should enable it to be completed with work due to start at the end of June.    This was agreed unanimously.

       Shelterbox

Pat and Andrew B. recently visited the Shelterbox event at the British Museum.

Andrew proposed a donation of £500.00 to Shelterbox following the storm which has devastated the parts of Bangladesh in the area of Cox’s Bazar where the refugees from Myanmar are housed.     This proposal was seconded by Andrew M. and agreed unanimously.

       Open Your Heart to Bhutan

The District grant for Open Your Heart to Bhutan has been received and the money has been sent.   Andrew B. is in touch with Emma Slade to see if she has any other project that might require funds.

       Mercy Ships

If any funds are left at the end of the current Presidential Year, Andrew B. will be making a proposal to the Club for a donation to Mercy Ships.

       TWAM

There was good support this year and a tentative date is suggested for next year of April 20^th 2024.      Andrew M. and Jean had recently had a call from a lady who has a shed full of her husband’s tools.     TWAM has been asked to organise a van to collect the tools but volunteers will be needed when the date has been confirmed.

Any Other Business:

       Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital 

Georgina has recently met the new matron who she described a ‘breath of fresh air’ with lots of ideas.

Raffle:

Chris won a bottle of Presecco.

Master of Alms:

Nick did the usual.

Toast:

Hilary