EVENTS DURING THE ROTARY YEAR 2014-15

Lord Mayor's Visit to the Club - 7th May 2015

Immediate Past-President Brendan wrote on 8th May ....
Well, a great evening was had by all last night at the Bingley Arms.
The Lord Mayor of Leeds (Councillor David Congreve) accompanied by the Lady Mayoress (Janet Harper JP) visited us as guests at our weekly club meeting.
We were privileged to be hosted to a reception in the Civic Hall last July during the Lord Mayor’s first month of office and it was indeed an honour to return the favour and host the current leading citizens of our City to an evening at our Club.
What charming and relaxed company they were! Splendidly regaled in the Mayoral Chain of Office, we enjoyed some post-prandial tales of the Mayor’s exploits during his year of office. Thanks to Rotarian Jack Transport for his efforts in arranging this visit.

Here we see President Brendan (with wife Kathy) greeting the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress to the Bingley Arms.

VISIT BY CALIFORNIAN ROTARIAN 2nd APRIL 2015

We had the great pleasure of welcoming Rotarian Roberto (Bob) Romero to our meeting on 2nd April. Bob is a member of the Walnut Creek Rotary Club, California, USA, and was visiting relatives in Leeds. He brought his young nephew Ryan Kimberley to the meeting and it was a pleasure to meet him also. Bob gave us a short talk about how he joined Rotary after he had retired in his mid-50’s and how much he enjoys being a Rotarian. He is heavily involved in a project to procure and distribute prosthetic hands for people unfortunate enough to have lost that part of their anatomy, for example in a vehicle or industrial accident. He brought one of the prostheses to show us, a simple plastic, but very effective, device. Bob arranges distribution of the new ‘hands’ throughout the Americas. It was great to meet with Bob and to hear of his Service through Rotary. We wish him continued success in the future.

The picture shows Rotarian Bob exchanging Banners with President Brendan.

35th Charter Dinner 12th March 2015

Our 35th Charter Dinner was held at Wike Ridge on Thursday 12th March 2015.  And a jolly good evening it was too. The Guest Speaker was Ms Elizabeth Wright - an Australian Para-Olympian (1996 and 2000), and a truly inspirational person. She gave an impressive talk about how she discovered she could swim - and later go on to be a world class althlete - when she was thrown into the family pool by her brother at the age of five. She took part, representing Australia (but we won't hold that against her!) in two Para-Olympics - Atlanta and Sydney. The photo below shows Elizabeth with President Brendan when she attended our first meeting of this Rotary year in July 2014, and Brendan is holding her silver Olympic Medal (the bronze one was there too).

As in recent years at our Charter Dinners, Rotary formality was kept to a minimum. We were delighted that District Governor Rod and Assitant Governor Andrew and their ladies were able to be with us on the night. Rotarian Bill Baker PHF,  our Club Secretary, was the Master of Ceremonies and kept proceedings to time, while adding his brand of humour and wit to the evening. I suggest that everyone went home the happier for the evening.

CHRISTMAS WHISKY DRAW

Just before Christmas 2014 we held a Whisky Draw raffle for a Gallon of Whisky. The draw was held in a local pub - the oldest pub in England - The Bingley Arms, Bardsey, Leeds. Tickets were 2 for £1, and all 500 were sold by two of our Rotarians on two evenings, thus raising quite a sum of money to go towards our projects for this year.Here is a picture of Club Secretary Bill Baker, PHF, presenting the whisky to our winner Mike Earnshaw. We hope you enjoy your prize Mike - but don't try drinking it all at once!

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR MARTIN HOUSE HOSPICE

On Tuesday 10th December 2014, President Brendan and Leeds Elmete Rotarians Bill Baker and Peter Whelan visited Martin House Children's Hospice in Boston Spa, Yorkshire, to present our Christmas Gifts. As with last year, and as suggested by the Care Staff, we presented the Hospice with a large box of assorted toiletries for use by relatives when they have to stay at the Hospice to be with their children. Alyson Wort (Head of Fundraising), as well as several members of the Martin House staff, greeted us and were very appreciative of our donation. 

For more information about Martin House, and the marvellous work they do, CLICK ON THE MARTIN HOUSE LOGO ABOVE.

VISIT TO RACING STABLES 10th SEPTEMBER 2014

On the morning of Wednesday 10th September, a group of 25 of us visited the Richard Guest Racing Stables at Ingmanthorpe, just outside Wetherby. Kindly arranged by our  Secretary Bill Baker, this was a very enjoyable, entertaining and wonderful social outing for the Club.

Richard Guest is a former jockey, having won the Grand National in 2001 riding Red Maurader. Sure enough, we were honoured to meet the star himself and shortly afterwards, the poor jockey he had to carry around through the mud of Aintree that year!

We were given a tour of the stables, watched the horses gallop in training and were hosted to a lovely buffet at lunchtime.  Great to see a major racing stable in action in the heart of Yorkshire. Our sincere thanks to Richard Guest and his team at Ingmanthorpe for their generous hospitality.

VISIT TO LORD MAYOR'S CHAMBERS 23rd JULY 2014 

The highlight of the Rotary week was our visit to the Lord Mayor on Wednesday (July 23) last.  A group of 21 of us visited the Civic Hall and were hosted to a short reception by our new Leeds Lord Mayor - Councillor David Congreve.   It was a very informal relaxed occasion and we were invited to partake of some municipal wine in the Ark Royal Room!  Leeds Council Tax payers finally get their moneys worth. A short tour of some of the Lord Mayor's official rooms followed including a visit to the Lady Mayoress's private Ablution Suite by most of the female members present - out of curiosity of course.

Most of us then adjourned for Fish 'n' Chips in Headingly to round off a perfect evening. Our thanks to Rotarian Jack Transport for organizing this visit.

CHARITY COLLECTION DAY - SAINSBURY'S 12th JULY 2014

We held another succesful 'bucket collection' outside Sainsbury's Moor Allerton Store, Leeds 17, on Saturday 12th July (in the sunshine - for a change!). Thanks to the generosity of Sainsbury's customers, we raised £389-39. Our thanks go to them, and to the very helpful Staff of the Store. This money will be put to good use helping to fund our local and international projects in this Rotary Year (2014-15).

GREETINGS FROM LLANELLI - August 2014

 We did not know why President Brendan should be in South Wales when he sent his greetings and this picture of himself with some other good blokes in Llanelli, but he explains below:

Brendan writes: Recently, my wife and I visited the Welsh Eisteddfod at Llanelli. Whilst waiting for a taxi from our hotel, on the Saturday morning, we were suddenly surrounded by Rotarians from the Llanelli club. They were hosting Rotary GB&I president Peter King who was visiting the Eisteddfod in his official capacity. It was wonderful example of Rotarian Fellowship! Within minutes, we were having coffee with the official party, on the courtesy bus out to the Eisteddfod park and invited to the Llanelli Rotary Dinner that evening in honour of Peter Kings visit. A wonderful day and evening and sincere thanks to those South Welsh Rotarians who made us feel so welcome.

INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER ON 3RD JULY

Our speaker at the first meeting of the New Rotary Year was Ms Elizabeth Wright - a Para-Olympian (1996 and 2000) and a truly inspirational person. Elizabeth told us of how she started swimming - when her brother threw her in the pool (in Australia, of course) at the age of 5. It was sink or swim, so Elizabeth opted for the latter and became very, very good at it, winning a Bronze Medal in the Atlanta Para - Olympic Games (1996), and a Silver and a Bronze on home turf (soil?, water?) in Sydney in 2000. She still swims, but makes a living by giving inspirational and motivational talks, mainly to schools, and how she made good despite her physical disabilities. She is studying for a Doctorate in Fine Art. Below is a picture of Elizabeth with our New President Brendan (although he will not be formally installed as President until 10th July when the District Governor will be Present).

 Who has the biggest medal?