Evening General Meeting

ROTARY CLUB OF CHESTFIELD

Evening Meeting 18.30 for 19.00 Thursday 28th September 2023 @ The Plough

Present:               Andrew M, Chris, Dave C, Ian, Jean, Kathryn, Maureen, Margaret, Pippa, Robert, Spyros.

Apologies:           Andrew B, David K, David M, Gerry, Godfrey, Hilary, Lesley, Myfanwy, Marian, Nick, Pat, Paul, Pete, Reggie, Sue, Trevor, David B.

Guests:                Diane Coupland

                                Ann Small

Speaker:              Roger Simpson, Hon Sec Whitstable & Herne Bay Bee Keepers

Welcomes:         Robert was in the chair.  He welcomed everyone present, including our two guests and our speaker for this evening.

Birthdays:            Birthday wishes to Lesley and Pete.  Other notable birthdays include: Confucius, and the singers Helen Shapiro and Ben E. King.

Grace:                   Given by Kathy.

While we were Waiting for Dinner:           Kathy remarked that she had attended the Whitstable Rotary evening meeting at the Crescent Turner.  The speaker's subject was a bit controversial: capital punishment.  The meal wasn't great.

                                Robert said he has recently visited the Sikh temple in Gravesend.  It is said to be the largest Sikh temple in Europe.  Maybe we should go for a visit, as a social activity?

DINNER

SPEAKER:             Mr Simpson spoke about the variety of bumble bees and honey bees found in the UK ( including a variety known as the 'Sweat Bee').  We heard how female worker s attending the young will randomly feed some a richer diet causing them to become queen bees.  At the end of his talk, Mr Simpson described the threat from an invasive species of hornet, alien to the UK, know n as the Asian hornet.  We were shown how to identify an example and what steps are being taken to eradicate it.  It is present in Kent; one hive has been found in Herne.

Vote of Thanks:                 Given by Chris

Final Toast:         Proposed by Margaret

Next Meeting:

07.30am for 08.00am Thursday 5th October 2024 @ The Plough