District Conference - Oct 2013

October 2013 and a good crowd from Beckenham travelled to Eastbourne for the District Conference.

Glorious autumn sunshine which lasted over the conference weekend, shows off the pier at Eastbourne to good effect

 FfffhhhFellows and wives relax before the grand dinner

 Fellows and FffFThe Band of the Royal Marines played a selection of popular melodies

A Victorian Ladies Bathing Machine

President Richard accepts the trophy for the the best club attendance at conference report by David Hynes: -

Weigh Anchor, Set Sail and Steer a Course for Eastbourne was the invitation from District Governor Chris Barnett to join fellow Rotarians and partners at the 84th District 1120 Rotary Conference in Eastbourne in October. 

So it was that 43 delegates from Beckenham made the trip to Eastbourne carefully navigating motorised Wheelchairs and armies of Pensioners defending their space with a variety of walking aids! 34 of us stayed at the Langham Hotel where we were made most welcome.  As the title of the event indicates the theme was an association with the sea which figured in many of the presentations.

We got off to a nicely lubricated start with a Reception hosted by our President Richard Harknett no Grog or Rum rations but some of us might have managed two glass of bubbly which set us up for the evening meal together and the coach ride to the Conference Centre to be entertained in stirring fashion by the Royal Marines Band.

Saturday saw most of us back at the conference to listen to a number of excellent presentations.  We started with a Young Musician Winner Hannah Boxall Singing beautifully to us well actually the day started with a talk on Inner Wheel no match for our own Free-Wheelers!

These were followed by most inspiring talks by Rob Smith of South East News describing his fund raising round the UK sailing expedition and from Col. Stuart Tootal, former commanding officer 3^rd para who led the peacekeeping mission to Afghanistan a Hearts and Minds mission about which unfortunately the Taliban had different ideas.  The shots from the soldiers head cameras and the scale of the mission were indeed sobering and we learned a lot about leadership and the British Armys ability to succeed against the odds, improvise and make the best of what resources they had to try to bring peace to the country. District Governor Chris awarded the paras the highest award in Rotary a Paul Harris Fellowship.

Next to speak to us despite a foot injury and poor health was Sir Peter Snow patron of the Jubilee Sailing Trust, whose mission is to promote the integration of people of all physical abilities through the challenge and adventure of tall ship sailing aboard two very special ships, the Lord Nelson and Tenacious. We were inspired by the achievements of youngsters less fortunate than ourselves and the indomitable spirit of Peter Snow himself.

Whilst there were some sessions in the afternoon, most of our delegation escaped either to scale the heights of Beachy Head or were dragged screaming and protesting around the local shops.  The evening was taken up with the Conference Ball.  It was good to see Rotarians letting their hair down in a competition to see who get the most balloons in the highest stack to reach the ceiling of the Ballroom.  A very jolly event but spoiled for some of us by the overwhelming heat of the venue one our number, a conservative gentleman of some standing and a stickler for protocol and the maintenance of standards was even seen removing his jacket! And that before the DG had invited us to disrobe!

On Sunday morning we were taken on a journey celebrating the achievements of Rotary both at home and worldwide by Sir Richard Stilgoe and the young people from the Orpheus charity he founded that supports housing and a diverse curriculum of performing arts, independence, functional and life skills to over 40 young disabled adults every year.

Of course there were other presentations, but it would be impossible to recount them all.  Suffice to say we all enjoyed a very inspiring and sociable weekend that I would recommend to any Fellow as being well worth attending.  Not least because we won the award for the highest number of delegates attending which I believe we have won before.  But more importantly it was worth attending to share with fellow Rotarians in the success of Service before Self in changing the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves and perhaps to allow ourselves a tinge of pride in what we and Rotary International can achieve to make the world a better place for others.

David Hynes

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