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The Rotary Club of Princes Risborough

Minutes of Council Meeting – November 14/16

                   Present: John Biggs (JB); Bob Haworth(RH); Keith Rosling(KR); Richard Stevenson (RS); Tony Bacon(TB);Trevor Fitch (TF) (for Hugh Poulton); John Holmes(JH); Paul Woodward-Court(PWC) ;Barry Tomkins(BT);

       In attendance:  Al Bowyer.

1.       Minutes of the Previous Meeting

                        The Minutes of the meeting of 14^th September were approved.

2.       Matters arising: are covered in the reports.

3.       President  (JB)

a.       JB is pleased to see his themes of making meetings more entertaining, and having members doing as well as raising money are working well (eg Saunderton Lodge, crocuses).

b.      It is was agreed that all new members should be better inducted. They are to complete the Club’s induction ‘check sheet’. Mentoring will be the responsibility of the member who introduces the new member, supported by BT.

4.       Secretary  (KR)

a.       Membership. With the induction of Jim Stevens the club has 58 active members and 4 Honorary Members.

b.      JHwill attend the District Council Meeting on 30^th November.

c.       Rotary bookmarks – we await delivery. KR to follow up.

d.       A unified login to the website has been introduced. If you have registered for access to the RI website you can now use that login for our Club website.    

e.      KR will be standing down after this Council Meeting. John Holmes will take over the role. Transfer of information and documentation has already taken place in a very helpful and thorough manner.

Council Thanked Keith for his excellent service and support, and wished him well for his time in NZ.

5.       Treasurer (RH)

·         General Account - cash at bank is £7,356.

·         Charity Account - cash at bank is £17,445.A donation has been made to PACE of £3054. £787 has been sent to Prostate Cancer UK from the cycle ride.

The Firework Display produced a surplus of £4,471.82 but this does not include the deposit, paid last year of  £259.50, also there is revenue to come from the sale of Glowsticks to the Council of £57. Advance ticket sales by the Information Office produced £621.30 which is included in the above.

Donations to date, including the above, are £4,541. Cash available for donations is approximately £10,000.

6.       Club Administration (PWC)                                                                                       

Future meetings and events -

a.       Council agreed to a Burns Supper biennially, and St Georges Day annually, probably on a Saturday.

b.      The DG will visit on 23rd Jan. Also, David Clay is organising a presentation on the formation and early history of our Club.

c.       A Film Night, with partners, is planned for 27th February in the Princes Centre, tbc.

d.      Council agreed that our Club’s aspiration to provide more practical support to the community rather than just financial support to worthwhile causes will be assisted by joining with Monks Risborough Horticultural Society (MRHS) to collaborate in developing the Princes Centre garden. This project will now be handed over to C&V (RS).

e.      To reduce the number of ‘business type’ meetings and thereby free up 2 general evenings, it was agreed in future that the SGM would be held at the November and the AGM at the May Business Meetings. PWC to programme.

7.       International (TB)

a.       The Water Survival Box that the Club recently approved has been sent to Haiti. The RGS Interactors contributed £236 to the total cost of £350. The danger of a cholera outbreak in Haiti is high. It was agreed that we donate the cost of 3 Aquabox Golds at a cost of 375. 

b.      Hosting Wasserburg 2017 - the most suitable date seems to be October 1st to 3^rd. This visit will mark the 25th anniversary of the twinning and it intended to do something special to mark the occasion. David Griggs and John Newman will make suggestions, including costs and funding (RP).

8.       Rotary Foundation (TB).

a.       9 people represented RCPR on a visit to the PACE Centre on 2nd November and presented a cheque for the purchase of specialized items of equipment. The cheque was for £3054, made up of a donation of £1554 from RCPR and a District Grant of £1500.  

b.      The devaluation of the £ against the US$ since the Referendum means that it will be more of a challenge to qualify for the maximum amount of District Grant next year. However, we should still be applying for another District Grant for 2017/18, and so we need to identify suitable projects by the Spring of 2017.

c.       Our Rotary Global Scholar Jonas Richter thanks everyone for their warm welcome and hospitality when he visited us. He said that our meeting was very enjoyable and a great contrast to the Rotary meetings that he experienced when worked in the hotel in Germany.

d.      The Paul Harris Fellows Lunch will be held at the Oxford Spires 4 Pillars Hotel on Sunday 26th February.

8.       Community and Vocational (RS)

a.       Fireworks, 29th October- were a great success with record numbers attending (1400) and record receipts. The contingency sum has been increased to £3,500 (RH). Agreed a donation of £500 to the School.

b.      Masque Players Pantomime Trip, Wednesday 30th November. 85+ guests and 15 Young Carers. 30+ Rotary drivers have volunteered. The Community Bus will transport the Young Carers with Alan Turner driving the Princes Centre bus.  A donation of £400 was agreed, the same as last year.

c.       Xmas Lights 2nd December - Rotary will man the road closure barriers Two pitches have been requested from the Town Council outside Barclays Bank. A stall with mulled wine and mince pies and the Shelter Box will be in situ. Budget of £200 was agreed.

d.      Xmas Collections, December 23^rd/24^th.  We will be present at M&S on both days at the front and back doors; Tesco on 24^th; and a high street collection on the 23rd. In addition Tony Maisey and Chris Brooks will do a street collection on 24^th.

e.      Equipment Inventory - John White and Paul Shields continue to capture the equipment whereabouts.  Members are asked to respond asap.  It was agreed to store our equipment (except electrical) in the permanent storage facility at the Council lock up in Wades Park.

f.        Saunderton Lodge - painting and gardening will be delayed until the spring. It was agreed to invite Sarah and Dennis Williams to address Rotary next year, date tba (PWC). Lacey Green Horticultural Society had agreed to help with gardening JH to check status.

g.       It was agreed to follow up the Monks Risborough Horticultural Society (MRHS) suggestion to collaborate with us to develop the Princes Centre garden. This would add to projects where this Club provides practical rather, than just financial, support to worthwhile causes (RS).

9.       Youth Opportunities ( HP)

a.       Bucks Young Carers - Wycombe Rotary Club haveoffered 8 volunteer drivers for the BYC. The Xmas Party is on Sunday 11 December; face painters booked; presents being sought.

c.       Rotary Youth Leadership Award - Peter Capstick (Hypnos) will present his experience of the RYLA course to the Club on 21 November.

e.      School Interviews – a successful event held at the School when Graeme Card and Rob Healey were the interviewers.  The next session is planned for 9th February.

f.        Youth Chess Competition- John Syner will organise the Youth Chess Competition in June 2017, date tbc (HP).

g.       Proposed Art Competition - all Schools in the area have been contacted and the responses have been very supportive.  The exhibition of the winning entries for each age group would be held in the weeks before and after Easter.  The owner of the Art Gallery in Duke Street has offered his upstairs studio for the event and there will also be an exhibition in the Library for entries from Princes Risborough School.  A budget of £650 has been agreed to cover cost of picture frames and prizes and this will be from a grant from the club of £400 plus donations from two members for the balance. 

g.       Interact - Princes Risborough School.  Three will assist at the Children in Need collection at Heathrow, two will help at the carers Christmas Party, and they will be involved in a 24 hour basketball marathon with the BETEC group. One member is working for the ILM qualification, which will involve fundraising for a childrens’ charity to support orphans in war torn Syria. The RGS group now has 21 members.

10.   Recruitment(BT)

There are no potential members in process. The RAF corporate membership suggestion has not developed.

11.   AOB: It was agreed to replace our aged Club laptop at a cost of £300.

                Next meeting: Wednesday 11th January 2017 at the President's house at 2.30 pm.

Signed as agreed………………………………………………………………. Date…………………………………………………………………………….