2018-2019 News

Great weather cycling for charity

ROTARIANS enjoyed a scorching weekend in the sun by helping to volunteer for the Michael Sobell Hospice Charity bike ride.

Led by founding club member, Mark Grimwade, the club assisted with marshalling duties, and even rescued a participant with a broken bike, driving them back to their car at the start of the ride at Mount Vernon Hospital in Northwood

The 30-mile ride started and finished at Mount Vernon Hospital, raising cash for the hospice, dedicated for providing end of life care. The cyclists took part in a scenic but challenging ride around the roads and lanes of Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Northwood School students in the picture

PRETTY as a picture, students from Northwood School took part in a Rotary-organised art competition.

District Governor, Gillian Pearce and Club President, Randeep Reehal, were on hand to present prizes to the category winners.

Ella Ackroyd and Jakia Shahi picked up the Year 11 first prizes. Yaw Anum won the Year 11 second prize and Jennifer Lussambo collected the Year 9 runner-up slot.

The winners received a £30 voucher and a £20 second prize. The competition is aimed at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 students.

Hamburg treat for Rotarians

THE North German city of Hamburg was the destination for four members of the club who attended the 110th Rotary International Convention.

Around 25,000 Rotarians from around the world gathered in the city for the four-day event which was held at the Hamburg Congress und Messe, including 600 from Great Britain and Ireland.

Club member, Gillian Pearce, who is also the 1090 District Governor, made the trip to Hamburg, along with John and Joan Greening, and Dave King.

The convention featured keynote speeches and presentations from an array of international speakers, and in the afternoon, delegates had a choice of attending 30 different break-out sessions. There was also a Hall of Friendship focusing on more than 200 different Rotary projects and initiatives.

The Rotary Convention also hosted a number of lunchtime and evening events, including classical music concerts, ballet performances and river cruises.

Dave King, who is also editor of Rotary magazine for Great Britain & Ireland, interviewed the next two Presidents of Rotary International, Mark Maloney and Holger Knaack.

Food glorious food at the Tudor Club

Eight Rotarians from Elthorne-Hillingdon helped out to provide a tea party for house bound senior citizens at the club in Field End Road. The guests were collected and taken to the Tudor Club for a fine array of refreshments and entertainment.

This is a regular activity which the Rotary club is involved with several times each year.

Rotary flying high for the RAF Benevolent Fund

THE RAF Benevolent Fund is now £3,000 better off thanks to a fund-raising concert organised by Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary.

The Shades of Blue Concert took place at Watersmeet in Rickmansworth earlier this year and, as a result of the event, a cheque was presented to regional fund-raiser, Charlotte Barmby, when she visited the club this week.

Charlotte used the occasion to tell Rotarians about the work of the RAF Benevolent Fund which provides a wide range of support to RAF personnel, amounting to around 1.5 million people. Among this number are veterans - including those from National Service - and their dependents. 

The veterans are helped with mobility aids, serving personnel are supported with access to mindfulness initiatives and service children are supported with clubs and a wide range of other activities. 

The RAF Benevolent Fund is 100-years-old and it is seeking to extend its reach to far more individuals in need within the RAF family.

Charlotte gew up with the RAF, with both of her parents serving. She has worked for the RAF Benevolent Fund for three years, and as their fund-raiser for the south-east,has travelled to numerous RAF station and community groups across the region.

Charlotte is pictured (right) receiving the cheque from Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary President, Randeep Reehal.

Luke puts his back into Rotary talk

LUKE MORGAN, founder of Zen Anatomy Sports Therapy, gave a practical talk on back care to Rotary members at our weekly club meeting.

Luke explained how he started his business after a teenage sports injury stopped him from fulfilling his dream of becoming a professional motocross rider.

He decided he needed to do something positive from his experiences, so founding a business was his way of helping others wanting a second chance.

Luke explained at the meeting, and in easy language, about the back and how it fits together. He put it simply that the back is like an inverted tree, but with built-in shock absorbers.

During the meeting, Luke discussed the issues of sciatica, a common back problem, and also about how the back is built in an S shape to help articulate movements.

Rotarians were treated to a few practical standing back stretching exercises, and Luke finished up by answering members' questions.

For more details: www.zenanatomy.co.uk/

Enter a team for our charity golf day

ARE there any golfers out there for the Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary Charity Golf Day?

On Tuesday, July 23rd, Batchworth Park Golf Club near Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, will be hosting our annual golf day.

We're looking for teams of three for a fantastic day out, and this year proceeds from the golf day will be going to the National Autistic Charity 

London Air Ambulance flying high with Rotary's help

THE London Air Ambulance operates in one of the busiest cities in the world, attending more than 1,600 incidents in the capital each year - yet it relies heavily on fund-raising.

Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary presented a cheque for £2,500 to fund-raiser Tim Beesley, when he delivered a presentation on the service to club members at the weekly meeting held at Uxbridge Cricket Club.

Tim explained that the service serves 10 million people who work and travel within the M25, treating on average five patients a day. The most common incidents are road traffic collisions, stabbings and shootings, falls from height and rail network.

In recent times, crews have attending the Cannon Street, Southall and Paddington rail crashes, and teams treated around 700 patients during the London 7/7 bombings in 2005 where the London Air Ambulance was praised by the coroner at the inquest of the victims, suggesting they saved many lives.

"We can get to anywhere in London in 11 minutes' flying time," explained Tim. "The average s six to seven minutes. We are the world's most effective hospital care, and we can do everything, right up to heart surgery."

The London Air Ambulance has two helicopters, one operating from Whitechapel, and a second on standby at RAF Northolt. Since the organisation was begun in 1989, separate from the NHS, it now costs around £10 million a year to fund the service - of which they have to fund-raise £7.5 million.

"Our operating costs are £10,000 a day, and every helicopter call out costs £1,700," added Tim, who pointed out that the helicopter is unable to fly at night, and during the daytime they have to be mindful of busy air traffic around Heathrow and Gatwick. 

"When the helicopters cannot fly, either at night, or when there is bad weather, then we deploy rapid response cars, and this is so in 58% of cases."

London's Air Ambulance brings the hospital to the patient when time is critical. The medical teams perform innovative and potentially life-savin procedures usually found in the emergency department, before patients are flown to hospital.

Club president, Randeep Reehal presented Tim with the cheque which is from the proceeds of the club's Christmas collection.

London Air Ambulance: www.londonsairambulance.org.uk/

Sabina helps Rotarians to discover yoga

DRU yoga teacher Sabina Furyova had club members closing their eyes and breathing deeply after dinner at a recent club meeting - and it had absolutely nothing to do with the Uxbridge Cricket Club supper of chilli and rice!

Sabina, who teaches yoga in the Uxbridge area, gave Rotarians a chance to try some of the relaxation techniques which she practises and passes on in her classes as part of a practical speaker session.

Originally from the Czech Republic, Sabina decided to give up her career as a nanny and also a swimming teacher to become a yoga instructor three years ago. Dru yoga is described as a graceful and potent form of yoga, based on flowing movements, directed breathing and visualisation.

She described training to become a teacher as one of the best moves she has ever made and is a firm fan of yoga as a vehicle for solving many of life's stresses. "I know when I first tried yoga it made me feel so amazing," she said. "It's about mental and physical well-being, there are so many benefits."

Sabina went on a training course, and now successfully teaches Dru yoga, as well as meditation classes. "With yoga, you find a stillness in you," she said. 

For more details, visit the Dru yoga website at: www.trudruyoga.co.uk or you can email Sabina at sabca@me.com

Rotary scholars are an inspiration

ROTARY scholars Janani Sundaresan and Sarah Vahed visited Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary to meet club members and tell their stories.

Janani, 24, comes from Fort Worth in Texas, USA. She is currently studying for an MSc in health and international development, with an emphasis on disease prevention, at the London School of Economics.

Sarah, from Cape Town, South Africa, is studying for an MSc in psychology and child development at Oxford Brookes University.

Janani said that since coming to London last September, she has enjoyed her time in the capital. She was previously a final year medical student at Forth Worth, and her intention after graduating at the LSE is to become a paediatrician working abroad. 

"I am very proud to be a Rotary Global Grant Scholar," she said. "What I am studying at the LSE is complimentary to my medical education in the States."

Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary is part of District 1090, covering the Thames Valley, and Sarah is a District-sponsored scholar. She fought off opposition from 136 applicants in order to study in this country and be sponsored.

Sarah told Rotarians how she comes from mixed parentage, with her father Indian and her mother who is Irish, so her family know all too well the struggles with apartheid in South Africa. Sarah studied law at Stellenbosch University, passed her law exam and worked for Africa's biggest law firm, before heading to South Korea to become a teacher.

Now in England, her MSC is focused on brain science and she works closely with the Baby Lab at Oxford Brookes looking at child development. "I would not be here without the support of Rotary District 1090 and I am so very grateful," said Sarah. "It is an amazing experience.

"I want to go back to South Africa to become an attorney."

Gillian's District Conference hits the high notes

ROTARY Thames Valley District Governor and club member, Gillian Pearce, hosted a successful District 1090 conference in Portsmouth.

The three-day conference was attended by more than 400 Rotarians from across the region who heard from a variety of speakers and participated in a number of workshops.

The district conference is a showpiece event for Rotary and one of the highlights of the District Governor's year, offering Rotarians an opportunity to learn more about what is going on within the region, Rotary and the wider world, as well as the opportunity for fellowship.

Among the issues tackled were dementia, malaria and polio, with an interactive disaster relief workshop featuring the charity ShelterBox. There was also presentations from charities such as Thames Valley Air Ambulance, Ok Our Kids, Arctic One and Kids Out. 

And on a lighter note, experts from the Mary Rose Trust, along with TV documentary maker and nature expert, George McGavin, entertained the delegates.

Next year's District Conference will take place at Newbury Racecourse.

Interactors rocket to success

ONE of the success stories of Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary is the Interact club, which is based at Northwood School.

Interact is a Rotary programme which offers an introduction to the organisation to young people aged between 12 and 18-years-old, to discover the power of volunteering and social action. There are 12,300 Interact clubs in 133 countries around the world.

Recenty, youngsters from the Northwood School Interact club attended an Interact day held at Kennet School in Thatcham, Berkshire. The day was organised by Chas Cairns, who is the youth chairman for Rotary clubs in the Thames Valley district, and was attended by Interact clubs from across District 1090.

The Interactors had to make rockets under the guidance of Paul Rodgers from Faringdon Rotary - and they all worked! Then they head from a Rotary scholar, Teshike Moda , who talked about his work with a Japanese overseas agency working on bulding infrastructure in Iraq, Vietnam and Pakistan.

And then Tim Cowling, also from Faringdon Rotary in Oxfordshire, talked to the students about Rotary's Leadership and Management Certificate programme,

This Rotary programme, which is endorsed by the Institute of Leadership & Management, requires the Interact member to plan, implement and review a project which has to be fully documented. The participants are provided with a tutor, who leads them through the main elements of leadership and project management. And they have access to the Institute of Leadership and Management Resources Centre.

About 60 Interactors from across the Thames Valley District attended the day in Berkshire.

 

Harlington Hospice gets £2,500 boost

HARLINGTON Hospice has received a cheque for £2,500 following the Rotary club's successful Christmas collection.

More than £6,500 was raised from the street collections in Hillingdon and Ickenham in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and proceeds from the fund-raiser will go towards a number of charities.

At the club's Wednesday evening meeting, Donna Heffernon, Harlington Hospice's community fund-raising co-ordinator, was presented with a cheque by club president, Randeep Reehal.

During the meeting, Donna told members that it costs the hospice £5,000 a day to run the operation and half of that money comes from donations. 

Theirs is a day hospice, however plans are in the pipeline to build a 20 bed unit at their site at Lansdowne House, which will serve people from across the borough of Hillingdon. The cost of the project is estimated at around £3.5 million.

"We hope that new building will strengthen our relationship across the borough," said Donna. "A lot of people don't know much about the hospice so this is a way of raising awareness."

Beside the day care, the hospice offers a number of other services, including hospice at home, respite care, counselling and children's bereavement, as well as a lymphoedema service, to support those with the condition which is secondary to cancer and other life-limiting conditions.

Harlington Hospice was born from the vision of Reg and Mary Hopkins more than 30 years ago with a wish to make end of life for local people be more comfortable and peaceful.

They recruited volunteers and this small group initially worked from their homes raising funds and starting out with volunteer-run services. But, as the organisation grew, first in Victoria Lane, Harlington, and then expanding to a building behind the doctor's surgery in Lansdowne House, the hospice eventually bought the St Peter's Way site to secure its future.

"We work very hard in forging links across the borough, with schools, inter-faith groups and businesses," added Donna. "Plans for the new unit have been put forward and we have begun fund-raising for it."

  

RAF band concert hits the high notes

MORE than 300 people flocked to the Watersmeet Theatre in Rickmansworth for a musical performance by the Royal Air Force's Shades of Blue.

The band were joined by singer Emma Kershaw for an evening of music old and new.

The event, which was organised by Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon, was also attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Hillingdon, Cllr John Morgan and hiw wife Fiona.

Local Air Cadets also attended the fund-raiser where around £3,000 was raised in aid of the Royal Air Force's Benevolent Fund.

Ugandan midwife project

DISTRICT Governor and club member, Gillian Pearce, was centre stage for an international evening which was staged at Uxbridge Cricket Club.

Numbers to the weekly meeting were swelled by several guests who enjoyed a veritable gastronomic feast of curry, before Gillian gave a presentation on the District 1090 Vocational Training Team. 

Last autumn, she and a fellow midwife, headed out to Kamuli in Uganda to teach emergency obstetric and newborn life support.

Gillian showed video clips and pictures of their work in Uganda which has helped to improve the skills of midwives working there.

A vocational training team visits Uganda twice a year to train staff at the Kamuli Mission Hospital and Health Centre. The course was adapted from UK resuscitation guidelines for newborn life supprt, and over the past four years, around 560 people have been trained.

Michael joins the fold

MICHAEL TINEY has become the latest member of Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon.

Michael, who is a funeral director with Southall Funeral Services, was inducted by club secretary, Norman Jones, and club president, Randeep Reehal, at a recent meeting.

In 1996, Michael joined Southall Funeral Services, becoming the second generation of the family business. 

Prior to this, he worked in the motor trade and was also in the Territorial Army, serving as a driver in the Royal Corps of Transport. He spent 24 years in the Territorial Army, attaining the rank of Warrant Officer Class Two as a Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant, serving all over the world in Europe, and the USA.

Michael is heavily involved with business networking, He is currently chairman of the Western District of the London Association of Funeral Directors. He also serves on the executive committee of the London Association of Funeral Directors as chairman of the education committee.

His claim to fame is a TV appearance with Pauline Quirke on the 1998 detective drama, Maisie Raine.

It's a record-breaking Christmas!

WHAT a fantastic build-up to Christmas for Rotarians from the club, with fund-raising records broken.

Two major festive fund-raising exercises have fetched more than £6,500, which will be split between the London Air Ambulance and Harlington Hospice, and other Rotary-supported charities.

For six nights in December, Santa cruised around the streets of Ickenham and North Hillingdon in his mobile sleigh. Local residents came out in their scores to say hello to the bearded wonder, who was full of festive cheer and dishing out sweets to the youngsters. In return, kind-hearted folk gave generously to the accompanying Rotarians to raise close to £5,500.

Then, for three days at the Waitrose store in Ruislip on the last weekend before Christmas, club members raised a further £1,000 to top up our impressive fund-raising tally. For both the Santa and Waitrose collections, these were record figures.

It capped a fun, but hard-working week for the band of Rotarians, who were joined by friends and family to help with the collection and ensure two very worthwhile charities enjoy a very happy Christmas.

Meanwhile, the Hillingdon Hospitals' NHS Trust has benefited from 12 Christmas hampers which have been donated by the Rotary club. The hampers were provided with the support of the Uxbridge-based charity, the Fassnidge Memorial Trust. 

Each hamper contains 27 items, ranging from tea and coffee to a small Christmas pudding. The Topaz Midwifery Team at Hillingdon Hospital have been handing them out to vulnerable women and their families.

Tickets on sale for RAF Benevolent Fund concert

TICKETS are selling well for the Royal Air Force's Shades of Blue concert which takes place in Rickmansworth this February.

The fund-raising concert, which is being staged at Watersmeet in Rickmansworth on Friday, February 15th, is being organised by Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon. Proceeds will go directly to the RAF Benevolent Fund.

The RAF Shades of Blue Orchestra was formed in 1999, with the relocation of the Band of the RAF Regiment to RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

This full, 18-piece ensemble, is renowned for performing the music of some of the greatest bandleaders to have ever recorded, including Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, Ted Heath, Stan Kenton, Francy Boland, and Maynard Ferguson. Their repertoire also includes more modern arrangers such as Gordon Goodwin, Mike Tomaro and Callum Au.

Following the re-structure of RAF Music Services in 2015, Shades of Blue relocated with the Band of the RAF Regiment to nearby RAF Northolt.

The band is regularly requested to perform at military and civilian events across the UK, and also abroad. They have recently performed at the Bournemouth and Portrush Air Shows, as well as 'Jazz on the Lawn' at Halton House in Buckinghamshire and for the anniversary Battle of Britain Memorial Dinner held at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham, Wiltshire.

Trombonist and orchestra leader, Hamish Dean, joined the Royal Air Force Music Services in 2004 after emigrating from New Zealand where he had served with the Central Band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Navy Band.

He was the lead trombone for the RAF Squadronaires Big Band from 2005 to 2015, before joining the Band of the RAF Regiment.

His personal highlight has been performing at the world famous Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London on numerous occasions.

Tickets for the concert, which begins at 7.30pm, are priced at £20, with £18 for concessions. 

The RAF Benevolent Fund, which will benefit from the proceeds. It is the RAF's leading welfare charity, providing financial, practical and emotional support to serving and former members of the RAF - regardless of rank - as well as their partners and dependents.

Founded in 1919, the RAF Benevolent Fund has been through thick and thin supporting the RAF family. They are an independent charity which receives no regular Government funding.

For more details about the concert and to buy tickets, visit: www.watersmeet.co.uk

Access not all areas!

UXBRIDGE Cricket Club is, of course, synonymous with cricket, but it is also the home every Wednesday evening for Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon.

However, over the next few weeks, the club building is having work carried out which is going to cause some disruption.

Work began on November 26th to improve disabled access, and so the normal way into the building will be blocked for two months. This means access to the cricket club will be round the back of the building where you enter the cricket club by the stairs into the bar area.

Disabled parking may also be unavailable. However, everything should return to normal in the New Year.

The end of an era

 

FOR 20 years, Rotarian Brian Redding and his wife Margaret have been the focal point of a series of afternoon tea parties for elderly people in Eastcote, Ruislip and Northwood.

The couple have regularly organised the social events at the Tudor Club on Field End Road, in conjunction with the Rotary club, and which have all been well attended.

Last Sunday was Brian and Margaret's final time in charge when they have handed over the reins. Naturally, Santa was in attendance for the December party which featured food, music and dance - as well as the traditional giving of gifts.

Thirty local residents attended when Brian and Margaret were thanked for all of their work by current Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon President, Randeep Reehal. 

It is hoped that the parties will continue with the Ruislip and Northwood Old Folks Association picking up the mantle, while still supported by the Rotary club.

Several Rotarians helped with transportation, as well as serving food and tea.

Brian Redding

Get ready for Santa!

 

SANTA is starting to feel the pressure with Christmas Day little more than three weeks away. And he's got to pack in some visits to children on the streets of Ickenham and Hillingdon later this month.

Word has been received from Lapland that Father Christmas will be taking time out of his busy schedule to tour the streets on six nights, in conjunction with Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon, to raise money for charities.

Because of the small likelihood of snow in Middlesex this month, Santa has left his sleigh and reindeer at home, and so he will be touring the neighbourhood in a specially converted sleigh-car.

Father Christmas will be making his rounds on:

• Thursday, December 13th: Ickenham - Gibson Road (but not between Campden & Nettleton, Campden Road, Charlbury Road, Enstone Road, Malcolm Road (but not between Nettleton & Woodstock), Nettleton Road, Woodstock Drive (but not between Swakeleys & Gibson), Halford Road, Swakeleys Drive, Thornhill Road (between Woodstock & Gibson).
• Friday, December 14th: Ickenham - Lawrence Drive (but not between Crosier & St Giles), Crosier Road, Glebe Avenue (but not between Long Lane and Crosier Road), St Giles Avenue, Austins Lane (between St Giles & Glebe), Sussex Road (between Glebe & Burnham), Tavistock Road, Burnham Avenue (but not between Glebe & Milverton), Edinburgh Drive, The Paddock, Long Lane.
• Monday, December 17th: Ickenham - Greenacres Avenue (between Derwent & St George's), St George's Drive, Copthall Road West (between St George's & Derwent), Derwent Avenue, Wallasey Crescent, Hoylake Crescent, Woodland Close, Eleanor Grove, Rectory Way, Swakeleys Road (between Rectory Way & Derwent).
• Tuesday, December 18th: North Hillingdon - Snowdown Avenue (but not between the ends of Oakdene Road), Brampton Road, The Larches, The Dingle, Weald Road, Glisson Road (but not between Gresham & Harvey), Gresham Road, Harvey Road, Misbourne Road.
• Thursday, December 20th: North Hillingdon - Granville Road, Windsor Avenue (but not between Richmond & Merton and Ryfield & Sedgwick), Richmond Avenue, Merton Avenue, Ryefield Avenue (between Windsor & Sedgwick), Sedgwick Avenue, Denecroft Crescent, Burleigh Road, Regent Avenue, Victoria Avenue.
• Friday, December 21st: North Hillingdon - Berkeley Road, Floriston Avenue, Lynhurst Road, Oakleigh Road, Lyndhurst Crescent (but not between Oakleigh & Berkeley), Leybourne Road (but not between Hazeldene & Petworth, and the loop into Grosvenor), Hazeldene Gardens, Cowdray Road (but not between Ryefield & Hazeldene), Petworth Gardens, Grosvenor Crescent (between Woodcroft & Court), Sutton Court Road (between Grosvenor & Woodcroft), Woodcroft Crescent, Midhurst Gardens.

He will be accompanied by up to a dozen Rotarians and friends, who will be collecting for a number of charities. 

This year, the money will go to the Harlington Hospice and London Air Ambulance, as well as a couple of other Rotary charities. Last year, together with a series of collections at Waitrose in Ruislip, plus a generous top-up from Barclays, the Rotary club raised just shy of £7,700.

Out in force for Children in Need

PASSENGERS arriving at Heathrow Airport on Friday were relieved of any spare cash from their travels by Rotarians from across the Thames Valley district.

Among the possee of tabard-wearing Rotarians were members of Elthorne-Hillingdon who joined colleagues from across the 1090 district for the Children In Need collection. It was one of a number of events organised by Rotary clubs across Great Britain and Ireland to raise cash for the BBC fund-raiser. 

This year, Rotary has set a target of raising £130,000 with the Heathrow collection, which was led by Misbourne Matins and Marlow Thames Rotary clubs, hoping to raise around £35,000 on the day.

Elthorne-Hillingdon club member, Gillian Pearse, who is also the current District Governor, was a busy lady travelling up and down the M4, since she was on hand to support both the Heathrow Airport and Reading Station Children in Need collections.

Children In Need has raised over £1 billion for good causes since it was first launched in 1980, and this year's star-studded appeal was Friday's most watched programme on BBC1, raking in a record-breaking £50.6 million.

Meanwhile, at a recent club meeting, Rotarians honoured one of our longest-serving members, Brendan O'Rourke, who was presented with a certificate to mark 25 years with the club. Brendan was presented the certificate by Club President, Randeep Reehal.

 

 

You'll want to hear The Noise Next Door!

THEY have been described as one of the UK's leading improvised comedy groups, and they will be performing in Ruislip later this month as part of a fund-raiser for Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon.

The Noise Next Door is a band of quick-witted comedians who all went together at university and whose stand-up routine has been highly acclaimed.

This is improvised comedy at its best. The energetic quintet transform audience suggestions into scenes, songs and scenarios in the blink of an eye - and with hilarious consequences. 

With their perfect blend of ludicrous characters, barbed one-liners, epic stories and musical extravagance, this team of slightly posh English blokes will have you in stitches with their fresh brand of off-the-cuff humour.

The Noise Next Door are ten-time sell-out veterans of the Edinburgh Festival and widely regarded as one of the country's most sought after comedy club headliners.

They will be performing at the Comedy Bunker based at Ruislip Golf Club in Ickenham Road on Friday, November 16th. Doors open at 8pm, with the performance starting at 8.30pm.

Tickets are available from: www.comedybunker.co.uk/events/the-noise-next-door-gareth-richards-matt-rees/

Call the midwife to Uganda!

THIS is club member, Gillian Pearse, who was in Uganda last month as part of a Rotary District Vocational Training Team who were training midwives.

Gillian, who is also the District Governor for Thames Valley (District 1090), was part of a three-strong team who flew out to Africa where they visited the 160-bed Freda Carr Hospital in Ngora, in north-eastern Uganda.

Over four days, Gillian, who is a midwife and a nurse, was joined by consultant paediatrician, Jide Menakaya and practice development midwife, Stella Milanian, where they taught health professionals about new-born life support and osbtetric emergencies.

They trained 244 staff during their stay in Uganda who were drawn from students, midwives, nurses, doctors and clinicians from 14 different health centres.

Both Gillian and Stella gave a presentation of their visit to the Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon club meeting. 

Stella said: "I am very passonate about midwifery and caring for women in that most precious of moments in life's cycle. Thank you to Rotary for sponsorsing me to be able to go to Uganda. I enjoyed teaching there, and I would like to return one day."

The hospital itself is being redeveloped as part of a Rotary Global Grant which will provide for a new operating theatre and a maternity suite. 

Despite working in sometimes difficult conditions, with sometimes limited resources, Gillian said the visit, which is one of a series which the District Vocational Training Team has made to the Freda Carr Hospital, had been worth it. They left with the team in Ngora some equipment to help the midwives. 

"Our aim was to train staff and future trainers," she said. "We made sure each health centre was provided with some kit so they could carry on with the work."

Connor's confidence boost in Snowdonia

NINETEEN-year-old Connor Butler this summer flew the Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon flag at a five-day Rotary camp in North Wales.

The teenager from Uxbridge, and a former pupil at Vyners School, was funded by the club to take part in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards scheme.

Each year, thousands of young people from across the globe are supported by Rotary clubs to take part in the leadership camps, where they are taught some of the keys skills of team-work, strategic thinking and overcoming obstacles.

Connor spent five days at the Rhos-Y-Gwaliau Outdoor Education Centre, which is situated in the Snowdonia National Park near to Lake Bala.

The youngster was joined by his family for this week's Rotary club meeting to describe his adventures. "I was hesitant at first because I wasn't sure what I was letting myself in for," Connor told Rotarians and their guests.

"But after a week at the camp, it helped me to cope being comfortable with the uncomfortable. I think it has helped me to become calmer. I have also moved school to Dublin over the summer, and I think attending the RYLA course helped me with the challenge of moving to a new environment."

During the week, Connor and the team of teenagers took part in a number of physical and mental challenges in the beautiful Snowdonia countryside. This included blindfold navigation, hiking, sailing and abseiling.

Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon will soon be looking to interview candidates to send on the 2019 course. You don't need to be a high achiever with outstanding academic grades, just someone who is willing to try something new through activity-based learning, while discovering new talents along the way.

If you are interested, or know of a youngster living in the London Borough of Hillingdon who would be suitable, please get in touch.

It's 40 years of Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon

SO what happened in 1978? The film 'Grease' with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John premiered in cinemas across the country, Louise Brown, the first test tube baby was born, and the first Sony Walkman was introduced. 

It was also the year when Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon was born, and on Saturday evening a 40th anniversary charter dinner was held at the Bull Hotel in Gerrards Cross.

Rotarians from the club, past and present, were joined for this celebration event by Rotarians from across the District, as well as the current Mayor of Hillingdon, Councillor John Morgan, and his wife Fiona, the Mayoress.

It was a fun evening, with ruby the theme of the evening when guests dressed accordingly. A special cake was cut by some of the original charter members who started the club 40 years ago.

Teenage Cancer Trust receives £7,500 boost

THE Teenage Cancer Trust is £7,500 better off thanks to a donation from Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon.

Fund-raiser, Laura Woodcock, was presented with the cheque by club president, Randeep Reehal, at the weekly meeting, held at Uxbridge Cricket Club. The money was raised from the proceeds of the club's golf day, held earlier this summer. 

"I cannot thank you enough, this is wonderful," said Laura, who admitted she had no idea how much the club had raised until Randeep presented the cheque.

Laura presented an absorbing and, at times, a heart-rending account of the work of the Teenage Cancer Trust which has been in operation for 28 years. 

The charity grew out of the dedication and passion of a group of women, who included life president and founder, Myrne Whiteson, who fund-raised for a children's intensive care heart unit at Guy's Hospital in 1989.

The group met a mother whose 13-year-old son had cancer, who was being treated both in a children's ward and alongside older people in an adult oncology ward. Not only was the teenager facing the trauma of cancer and cancer treatment, but he was also isolated from other young people going through the same thing.

So together with husband and fellow co-founder, Dr Adrian Whiteson, the couple set out to provide a 'teenage environment' to help young people with cancer. The group raised £330,000 and in November 1990, the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, opened the Teenage Cancer Trust's first specialist cancer unit at London's Middlesex Hospital.

Today, Laura revealed that there are 28 units dotted about the country, built within NHS hospitals, providing first class care to youngsters with cancer aged between 13 and 24-years-old.

"It is incredible to believe that seven young people are diagnosed with cancer every day," explained Laura. 

"That's 2,500 a year. Sometimes these can be the rarest and most aggressive forms of cancer, but what we provide is a home from home for these youngsters - an environment designed for young people, by young people.

"We want the youngsters to be with their peers and we try to make the facilities as appealing as possible during their stay.

"What you have to imagine is that for a young person going through the cancer journey, it really is like going through a storm. 

"What the Teenager Cancer Trust has done is to revolutionise cancer care, and with our specialist nurses they work with the young people to treat them as young people and give them the very best care."

President signs up friend as newest member

JO Lovett became the newest member of Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon - and for club president, Randeep Reehal, it was also a very special moment.

Both are very good friends, and as she inducted her into the club, Randeep admitted she was thrilled to have Jo join the fold.

Jo, who lives in Gerrards Cross, is a qualified chartered accountant. After working for a national estate planning company, a small will writing firm and also for a solicitors' practice, Jo started her own company in August 2018, whilst consulting for a hedge fund in Mayfair, where she still consults part-time with tax matters.

She has been a regular visitor to club events in recent years and, after being inducted, Jo said that she was delighted to have joined as she was keen to get involved as much as she could.

Rotary Pinner win the Big Ed quiz

FRIDAY night was quiz night, as ten teams of Rotarians and friends packed into Ickenham Village Hall for the club's annual, and popular, Big Ed quiz.

Rotary Pinner proved themselves as the brainiest team of the night with a convincing victory during a fun evening which was hosted by quizmaster, Brenda Udall.

There were nine rounds of questions, a couple of marathon rounds, and plenty of jokers! Some £252 was raised from the raffle and with entry fees on top, money from the event will go towards future club projects. 

Shaping the professionals of the future

THE Young Professionals' Leadership Award is a Rotary qualification, accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management.

At our most recent club meeting at Uxbridge Cricket Club, Mike Ware explained to members about the award and how it can help shape the businessmen and women of tomorrow.

The award is a level 2 qualification, equivalent to a GCSE. It contains 14 hours of guided learning and is aimed at youngsters aged between 14 and 21-years-old - for example, Interact and younger Rotaract participants. Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon currently runs an Interact club at Northwood School.

The content is delivered through workbooks, with a rigorous assessment and validation process to ensure the integrity of the qualification.

For the award, candidates have to work in small teams of up to six to plan and deliver a community project.

The programme is relatively new, so few candidates have completed this award in Great Britain and Ireland, but Mike is hopeful more Rotary clubs will get involved.

Mike and his colleagues have contacts in Zambia where the programme was recently delivered to 24 young people. Everything was completed within two weeks, and one example of a project was a fund-raising car wash.

Oscar makes a flying visit from Kenya

IT is always good to receive an unexpected visitor, but it was especially nice to welcome Rotarian Oscar Salim to our weekly club meeting at the Uxbridge Cricket Club - just four hours after he had flown in from Kenya.

Oscar, who works as a member of the Kenya Airways cabin crew, flew into Heathrow Airport from Nairboi, landing at 4pm. He checked online to see if there were any Rotary clubs meeting locally, and managed to find his way to our club meeting a few miles from his West Drayton hotel.

Only 24 hours earlier, Oscar had been attending a club meeting with the Rotary Club of Ongata Rongai to listen to a talk on mental health. And mental health was also on the agenda for Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotarians, when club member Justin Tyas also spoke about the issue.

Justin, who works for the City of London as a Health Safety & Wellbeing Manager, spoke about destigmatising mental health in the work place and the modern phenomenon of mental health first aid.  

"The idea first came from Australia and it recognises the fact, particulalry among men, that they don't like to talk about mental health," explained Justin. "What we are doing is giving people information to help them through things like depression, anxiety or even psychotic behaviour. What we do is non-judgemental."

The current slogan is: "It's ok to say I'm not ok", with a staggering one in four people suffering from some form of mental distress every year.

As for Oscar, he was flying back to Nairobi the day after our Rotary meeting. A Rotarian for just seven months, it's not the first time he has cold-called on a Rotary club. Recently he was on a flight to Amsterdam, and cycled an hour to find the nearest Rotary club which was holding a meeting that day.

Oscar has promised to return to Elthorne-Hillingdon, and will be encouraging his other Kenyan Rotary colleagues to do so likewise!

Meet Buster, our sponsored guide dog

ISN'T he gorgeous? Meet Buster, an adorable Golden Retriever cross Labrador, who is little more than two months old and is the wonderful guide dog who has been sponsored by Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary. 

Buster was born on July 10th, and has been with his puppy walker for the past two weeks as they begin the long training programme.

According to the Guide Dogs for the Blind: "Buster will have been introduced to a lead and collar and taken on gentle walks in the local area. The lead and collar will usually be made of a very soft leather and the collar will have an identity disc on it.

"The pup will have met plenty of people and will be getting used to the sights and sounds of the big wide world. A pact should have already been established between the new puppy and any other pet which might already be in residence.

"This is rarely a problem; in fact another dog in the house can help the puppy build confidence."

Over the coming weeks, Buster will be having his innoculations and getting used to trips in the car. And house training has also begun in earnest, although a few accidents are expected. 

The charity added: "House training is achieved only by showing great patience; the puppy is frequently taken into the garden and is praised when he 'performs'.  Slowly, the 'busy' command is introduced, which most pups quickly learn."

DASH making a difference in Hillingdon

DISABLEMENT Association Hillingdon, more commonly known as DASH, has been at the forefront of ensuring disabled people reach their potential since 1984. 

Now, the charity is working with thousands of people in the borough and, according to deputy chief officer, Rob Burton, it is helping the cash-strapped National Health Service.

Rob was the latest guest speaker to Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary when he talked about DASH and how it challenges people's perceptions of disability. He also outlined the impressive range of activities and support which it offers to some 500 clients and a further 4,000 carers.

"When DASH first started, we were a campaigning charity, but now times have changed and people with disability have far more opportunities to work and lead independent lives," he said. 

Rob, who has been with the charity for eight years, spoke about how the charity has taken over the old Post Office in Uxbridge and converted it into an activity area known as 'The Hub'. They were actually being paid to take on the lease, and such is the financial prudence of the charity, that running costs of 'The Hub' and its offices in Judge Heath Lane in Hayes are minimal.

And he also outlined the success of an innovative partnership called 'Hillingdon For All' which has seen DASH join forces with Age UK, Mind, Hillingdon Cares and Harlington Hospice to form a community interest company which is working together in conjunction with the Hillingdon Clinical Commissioning Group.

He claimed that the various initiatives they have put in place is saving hundreds of thousands of pounds a year to the NHS - notably saving wasted visits to GPs, which costs £82 a time.

By organising sporting activities, helping with job opportunities and offering advice, DASH was making a difference, he insisted. Rob added: "What we are doing is giving thousands of people with disability confidence and self-esteem, and we are empowering them to be part of the community."

For more details about DASH, log onto: www.dash.org.uk

Get involved with the Big Sleep Out

FOLLOWING her successful talk to Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary earlier this month, Sue Serret from the charity Trinity & SHOC (Slough Homeless Our Concern) is urging folk to get involved in their Big Sleep Out later this year.

TV star Russell Brand is spearheading the campaign by producing a video encouraging people to raise £250 each by sleeping in a box overnight to understand the plight of the homeless - and raise some money as well.

The event takes place on Friday, November 30th and the organisers are using the Twitter hashtag #itcouldbeme to highlight how homelessness can affect anyone.

Here is a link to the fund-raising video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vxtbWhMJck&feature=youtu.be

And if you want to sign up, log onto the Trinity website at: www.wearetrinity.org.uk

Here's a taster of how last December's event went from an article on Trinity's website:

Once again, hundreds of people braved a freezing cold night in December to bed down for our Big SleepOut event. Flat-pack boxes, flasks and three or four layers clothing were all that people had to protect themselves from the elements, as we spent a night under the stars for a mini taster of what street homelessness might be like.

As always, we had a wonderfully diverse range of participants; from schools and scout groups to professional organisations, activists and performers. The camaraderie was infectious from the off, and as the crowd was addressed early on by Russell Brand, we were all reminded of our reasons for gathering together.

The Big SleepOut is as much about raising awareness and having an impact on people, as it is about raising money. Everybody knows that it’s nowhere near as bad as being street homeless. But when the lights go out, and you’re alone in your cardboard box with a sleeping bag and (hopefully) a woolly hat, you suddenly feel very alone and very vulnerable.

It isn’t a comfy night’s sleep, because it isn’t meant to be. Those of us that toss and turn will have limbs aching from resting on the hard ground. A few may have struggled in the cold. A few will have had to get up in the early hours to use the toilet; which is far worse when you’re stepping into the dead of a December night.

The point is, it’s such a vivid experience – both physically and emotionally – that it drives people on to make more noise, take more action and draw more people in to the campaign against homelessness. So many street homeless people become invisible: the dehumanisation that they face from every angle is intolerable when confronted.

Before lights out, we had “busking” performances from the Sgt. Pepper’s Homeless Hearts Club Band; spoken word from #PoetsAgainstHomelessness, a thumbing DJ set from ‘90s icon Brandon Block; and a stunning music set from loop artist Paolo Morena. We also had testimonials and stories from some of the people that Trinity have had the pleasure of working with over the last few years; people who did bed down in the freezing cold for real, and who’ve gone on to see their lives improve drastically.

#BSO2017 was a celebration, a confrontation, a coming together and a challenge. We can’t be thankful enough to everybody that took part, and can’t wait for an event better event in 2018. For the time being, donations are still open until 1 March – so please keep sharing your fundraising pages, and making an incredible difference to Trinity and our services!

Sue inspires with talk about homeless charity

THE plight of the homeless was the theme of this week's speaker at the club meeting for Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary.

Sue Serret, who is the head of fund-raising for the charity Trinity & SHOC (Slough Homeless Our Concern), spoke about how they support homeless people in the area. She gave examples of the sort of situations which can easily lead someone to suddenly become homeless.

Trinity, which has an office in Uxbridge, was founded in April 2007 by founder and CEO, Steve Hedley. They provide days services, housing, training, work placements and support to the homeless to help them move on.

One of their founding principles is to 'live our values' and the charity believes that true independence means paying your own way. Sue said that if the charity is helping people to move on from a life of dependency to achieve their full potential.

The other arm of the charity, SHOC, is a day care centre which provides care for the homeless in Slough and those who are at risk. It is the only centre within a 20-mile radius which offers the homeless both crisis care and long-term help towards securing independence.

In the last two years, the charity has replaced £1.5 million of government funding with charitable trading income. Throughout the last five years of cuts, they have increased income by 20%, decreasing costs by 10%, yet still housing three times the amount of people.

Sue's talk was inspiring, informative, and she spoke with passion and commitment.

It's time for tea at the Tudor Club

IT was time for tea at the Tudor Club in Eastcote this weekend - one of three afternoon events Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon organises each year.

The tea party has been adopted by the Rotary club after the original, non-Rotary volunteers became too frail to continue.

Many of the elderly who enjoyed the tea party, regularly attend the lunch club at the over-60s venue. Most of the attendees were driven to the Field End Road venue by volunteer drivers.

The afternoon fare featured, tea and biscuits and a raffle, with entertainment provided by Nicky Blake ,who sang a collection of mostly 1940s' favourites.

Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon's chair of community, Brian Redding, and his wife Margaret organised the event, and were supported by a number of Rotarians, including current President, Randeep Reehal.

Quizzers, join us for the Big Ed Quiz

We're staging our annual Big Ed Quiz at Ickenham Village Hall on Friday, October 5th, and we're looking for teams to take part. All of the money raised will go towards deserving Rotary charities.

We've got our own verion of The Governess to supervise proceedings, with Immediate Past President, Brenda Udall, acting as quizmaster - or should that be quizmistress? - for the evening.

We've got tables of between eight and ten people, so even if there is just a couple of you, please come along and join a team. If you enjoying quizzing and can bring along a team for what will be a fun quiz, then even better.

Proceedings start at 7pm for 7.30pm at the village hall in Swakeley's Road, costing £8 per head. For more information, contact Mike Udall on: mbudall@btopenworld.com or call 0208 845 3990.

See you there!

Life coach Adele's moving battle against cancer

ADELE King shared the story of her amazing rollercoaster life at a recent meeting of Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon, which has seen three members of her family claimed by cancer.

Now, after taking redundancy from a major company in the New Year following a 20-year corporate career and setting herself up as a life coach, Adele was recently been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer after spotting a lump on her breast. She has just begun chemotherapy at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.

"All you can do is to live your happiest life," Adele told Rotarians at their weekly meeting at the Uxbridge Sports & Squash Club. 

Adele, who is originally from Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, said she reached her "epiphany moment" in the New Year when she decided to set up her life coaching business called Transcendence Coaching Limited. Studies have shown the link between health, happiness and productivity, explained Adele, who admitted she is passionate about supporting people through change and towards their happiest lives.

"Change is all around us. We all have choices and options," she said. "I take particularly enjoy supporting disadvantaged young women aged between 18 and 30-years-old, helping them to move forward in their lives."

Adele has written a moving blog about her battle against cancer, and has posted a video of her first chemotherapy session. You can find that blog here: http://www.transcendence-coaching.com/my-first-chemo-session/

Alice goes for Duke of Edinburgh gold

"I NEVER dreamt that, at the age of 21, she would be embarking on her Duke of Edinburgh gold award" - so said mum, Nadine Woodland from Ickenham, about her daughter, Alice.

Alice was born with a rare chromosone abnormality, and has had to fight hard for most of her young life.

But now, thanks to some financial support from Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon, tenacious Alice has finally achieved her goal to earn the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh gold award.

Mum Nadine admitted that in the early days, the family had no idea whether Alice would ever walk or talk. "The truth is, no-one really knew," she admitted.

By Year 2 at The Breakspear School in Ickenham, the family knew that Alice was a long way behind her peers, and so she began her journey through special education.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme has, for the last seven decades, inspired and transformed the lives of millions of young people engaged in a variety of challenges - from volunteering to physical activities, and learning life skills to going on expeditions.

Valued by employers and universities, it is still regarded by as a passport to a brighter future It is something which Alice latched onto while a student at Alfriston School in Beaconsfield, and this continued when she moved to Derwen College, near Oswestry in Shropshire, in 2015.

"The college has been fantastic for Alice," said Nadine. "She has developed her independence skills and has loved all the work experience opportunities she has been given.

Bronze and silver Duke of Edinburgh awards were swiftly snapped up, and when the possibility of the gold award was mentioned, Alice was unsure because Snowdonia was mentioned as a venue for the expeditions.

Nadine added: "We had tried to climb Snowdon as a family,in pouring rain and Alice hated it - she voweed never to step foot on the mountain again. With a little persuasion and some time explaining that Snowdonia and Snowdon was not the same, Alice was ready to go.

The college had a walking and camping expedition in Snowdonia earlier this summer, before taking part in a residential placement with another special needs school at an activity centre on the shore of Lake Coniston.

There, Alice passed all the elements of the gold award, by carrying out daily talks and taking part in a number of outdoor activities. The Duke of Edinburgh Award was presented at a special ceremony before the end of term at Derwen College for all 52 successful students - including Alice!.

 

Rotary really is for everyone - whatever age!

IT was the perfect day to get out in the sunshine to watch the golf.

Even though he has reached the princely age of 86, Alan Lane has not retired from Rotary, and remains an honorary member of Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon.

He was watching the action during the Rotary club's annual charity golf day at Batchworth Golf Club sat beside the 17th hole, with a beautiful view of the course waiting for golf teams to come by and measure their shots.

Alan, a former banker who retired in 1988, joined Rotary in 1985 at the age of 54 because he wanted to do something to help people and grow his social circle of friends. 

Recalling his most memorable club project, Alan said that it was an initiative based at Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where the club sponsored a school to help them develop and stabilise. Alan said seeing the development of the school and students was deeply rewarding. 

Alan would highly recommend Rotary to anyone who wants to make life-changing moments for others. He also emphasised how Rotary is not only for retired people, but it is for anyone, of any age.

Sizzling golf on a scorching day for charity

PHEW, what a scorcher, as the sun sizzled on Batchworth Park Golf Club in Rickmansworth for Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon's annual charity golf day.

The 23rd staging of this annual fund-raiser was blessed with fast greens and some hot golf, with monies from this year's event going to the Teenage Cancer Trust. 

The charity, founded in 1990, is a cancer care and support organisation which strives to improve the experience for young people aged between 13 and 24-years-old. The Trust provides specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals.

Club President, Randeep Rehal, was on hand to present prizes to the winners at the end of the day.

        

Didn't we have a lovely time the day we went to Bala!

CLUB member Gillian Pearse is not one of life's wallflowers - she loves to get involved.

And that's just as well, because Gillian is this year's Thames Valley Rotary District Governor. Gillian recently attended a Rotary Youth Leadership Awareness course at Lake Bala in North Wales, where she got well and truly wet in a coracle. 

"It was inspiring," said Gillian, who saw at first hand how students aged between 18 and 25-years-old coped with various leadership tasks. They were given instruction in leadership theory in the morning, before putting into practice the theory, culminating with building a coracle out of canes, duct tape, string and a black bin liner.

They then had to race the coracles around a buoy and invite a Rotarian to try it out - in this case, our Gillian. "Did they use coercion, democracy or a pace-setter?" asked Gillian. "I was in Sheep team's coracle, and the I had a lot of fun."

Rotary's Thames Valley district, or District 1090, covers 58 clubs and around 2,000 members across Berkshire, Oxfordshire, South Buckinghamshire and Middlesex. Each District Governor serves a term for one year, with a wide brief which looks to strengthen clubs, organise new clubs and grow membership, as well as promoting the Rotary Foundation and promoting Rotary across the region. 

   

Lillie's passions on show at the Conservative club!

WE are very fortunate at Rotary Elthorne-Hillingdon to have an award-winning playwright among our members.

Joan Greening is regarded as one of the best, having written situation comedies for television and theatre plays which has been performed nationally and internationally.

One of the perks of being a Rotarian at Elthorne-Hillingdon is that you get a sneak preview of some of Joan's work.

So at the Ruislip Conservative Club, on a warm July evening, club members were given a preview performance of the play The Amours of Lillie Langtry, which will be featuring at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer.

Lillie was a captivating and wicked woman of her time, but who carries with her a scandalous secret. The question is: will Lillie reveal the secret and save her daughter from society's scorn? Sarah Archer and Emma Hopkins star in the new comedy which takes you on an emotional rollercoaster.

Joan has written ITV situation comedies such as The Cabbage Patch and Troubles and Strife. Her theatre comedy Madame Blavatsky Lives had an extensive tour in 2013 and 2014, including performances in Australia. The historical play Mistresses had a national tour, and another comedy, The Book Club of Little Witterington was performed in Washington DC, USA, and won the Best Comedy Award at the 2014 Maidenhead Festival.

Joan has premiered many new players at the Edinburgh Festival over the past few years. The Allergic Audience was a tremendous hit in 2016, and the play The Rape of Artemisia Gentileschli was extremely well received last year.

The Amours of Lillie Langtry will debut in Edinburgh from August 3rd to 27th.

  

Petrolhead heaven at the AutoShow

THE weather was sweltering hot as thousands of visitors flocked to the Uxbridge Charity & Autoshow which took place at the Middlesex Showground in Uxbridge.

The AutoShow is run by Rotary Uxbridge to raise money for their charities, but Rotarians from Elthorne-Hillingdon got involved helping out with various marshalling duties on the day.

The event has been running for 34 years raising more than £605,00-0, and this year the chief charities benefiting from the show will be Dementia UK and the Lullaby Trust which focuses on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Club president, Randeep Rehal, was in here element, along with dad Gur, whose family business Courtwood Car Services have sponsored a cup for the last 15 years presented to the best looking car in one of the categories.

"My passion to empower women in the motor trade continues," said Randeep. "Last year was a milestone for me when my dad empowered me to judge the cars. Wow, it was an eyebrow-raising reaction, but I did it, and so I have again this year."

The top three cars was an MG YB 1953, an Austin Somerset 1954 and a Bentley MK 1951, which were all featured in the classic post-war category from 1945-1959. The cup was presented to the winning owner by the Mayor of Hillingdon, Councillor John Morgan.

Randeep added: "It was a great pleasure talking to the owners and listening to their stories."

     

Northwood schoolchildren get arty

ROTARY Elthorne-Hillingdon enjoys close ties with Northwood School in Potter Street, and before the end of the summer term, a number of students took part in a portrait competition.

Hollie Brodie, a top artist from Ruislip who has displays in London galleries, judged the entries, the best of which went on display in Uxbridge Library. Roisin (bottom left) Lexi (bottom middle) and Megan (bottom right) were the top prize-winners, and they were presented with their certificates by Brenda Udall, in one of her final duties as club president before handing over the reins.

    

We've got a new president

THERE may have been a World Cup semi-final going on, but that didn't distract Rotarians from gathering at Gerrards Cross Golf Club to mark the presidential handover to Randeep Reehal from Brenda Udall.

Outgoing president Brenda wished Randeep well, saying that she had thoroughly enjoyed her year as president. Randeep said that the theme of her year at the helm would be about creating visibilty and awareness in the community. "They need to hear about the work we do," she said.

One of the first presentations Randeep made was to give out two Paul Harris Fellowship awards. These awards, named after the founder of the Rotary movement, were first established in 1957 to recognise both Rotarians and other individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the work and ethos of Rotary.

Randeep presented the first of these awards to Margaret Redding who, along with husband Brian, regularly run tea parties for senior citizens several times a year. Some of them are house-bound, and they are ferried to the venue by Rotarians.

And the second award was made to Randeep's dad, Gur! He has been a central figure in the club's Christmas Appeal which raises money for local charities every festive season. In particular, Gur has been responsible for converting a car to a Santa mobile which has been the talk of the town.

Norman Jones and Mike Udall shared the silver plate for the best attenders to club meetings over the past 12 months.