Twilight, SGM

HENLEY ROTARIANS WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

At the ‘twilight’ meeting of Henley Rotary Club at the Red Lion Hotel on Tuesday of last week, President Maria Bunina welcomed two ‘transferee’ members from Aylesbury Rotary Club, James Frost and Elsie Frost, who now live in Henley.

Their arrival has followed shortly after the acceptance of another ‘transferee’ from the Rotary Club of Kensington and Chelsea, Nigel Hay, who lives near Benson, as well as the two recently-inducted members, Hilary Shaw and Yasmin Butt.

The meeting was the occasion of the special general meeting of the club, at which the president-elect for 2018-2019 is voted for, the current president-elect (Peter Thomson) having been elected last year to succeed automatically as president at the end of June 2018.  Barry Prior, who has already served as president on a previous occasion, was elected to the post, with a view to him taking office as president again in the middle of 2019.

Philip Fletcher was re-elected as secretary for 2018-2019 and David Rusman re-elected as treasurer, responsible for the club’s general account and the charity account. He later presented both sets of accounts for the years ended June 30, 2017, at which it was revealed that the club had made donations totalling nearly £12,000 to over 20 different charities, ranging from local good causes to various international projects in Malawi, Kenya and Uganda, as well as supporting the Rotary Foundation’s ‘End Polio’campaign.

Club ‘guru’ John Grout reported that a more recent donation had gone to Year 5 at the Sacred Heart School to assist in re-equipping their library with dictionaries. He handed over to the secretary 28 separate letters of thanks from all the pupils in the class.

The day of the club’s meeting this week was changed to Monday when a Christmas party for members, partners and guests was held at the Red Lion, where honorary member Ken Fitt organised an evening of Christmas music after the traditional fare.