Presidents Message 2009 2010
Richard Fry - President Rotary Club of Swindon Thamesdown
When I started to write this message in April the country, indeed the world, had been experiencing a significant economic downturn for at least six months. Two months later the situation has not much improved and indeed the political situation, domestically, is now in a state of turmoil. It is against this backdrop that our club, as with all others world wide, face the new Rotary Year 2009/10. Fortunately however, Rotary is not directly affected by the greed and shortcomings of our national politicians!
The motto for the year is "The future of Rotary is in your hands" and in my case you having entrusted me with the presidency of our club, I find the thought of living up to such motto a somewhat daunting task. Never the less Rotary is a resilient movement and certainly we are a tenacious club. With your help I plan an active year on the service and fellowship, as well as social fronts. Such activities however will be proportionate to the economic climate that we are experiencing which has resulted in lower spending power and smaller returns on investments.
Fortunately the message coming out of our district assembly, which I am pleased to report was attended by 20% of the club, is "do what you do best whilst learning from the experiences of the past". This sentiment is in my view both sensible and relevant, and certainly one that I shall aspire to put into practice.
My national charity for the year will be SENSE, which although not a high profile charity does a truly wonderful job of supporting those really unlucky people, both young and old, who suffer from impaired sight and hearing. A combination of disabilities which, I think you will agree, is dreadful and too difficult to imagine?
In addition to raising funds for Sense I should also like the club to continue the good work started by Bob in his year, and carry on with our support of CCLL, the local charity which helps the forgotten victims of the world's worst peace time nuclear disaster.
My other goals for the year will be:_
• to contribute what is expected of us to the Bill and Melinda Gates $200m Challenge for Polio Eradication through the Thanks for Life initiative
• to increase membership by a net two members
• to encourage greater fellowship within the club by means of a number of social events that will be low cost and
During the first half of the year, with the enthusiastic support of our Club Administration Chairman PP, Phil Skelton, we plan several outside activities that I hope will be fun and I hope too that they will encourage good fellowship. Particularly, I hope that so far as practicable our new members will come along to as many of these events as possible, for it is only by meeting up in less formal circumstances that we will get to know each better and become friends. In short, we will become more effective Rotarians.
On the Social front, the outside activities we plan include a brewery visit, a guided walk around a Laycock village, a tour of the Gable Cross police HQ and, if there is sufficient support for it, a trip to a local theatre, perhaps the Watermill Theatre.
As one of the messages to come out of District Assembly this year was that Rotarians should be encouraged to visit other clubs to see how they do things, I should like the club to scatter at least once during my year. To this end I have nominated the week beginning 28th September as a club Scatter week.
Still on the social front, if felt affordable, I should like to see Occasional Dining return, as well as, a reasonably priced TARTS trip to the city of Crakow in Poland, which our international chairman Barbara has agreed to put together.
Early on in his year, soon to be IPP Bob asked me if I would consider him for an active roll in my year. That request was like "manner from heaven". Not only do we all know that one volunteer is worth at least two conscripts, but also, I believe that each one of us recognises that Bob in his year has been extremely energetic in managing and driving forward Service projects that the club has embarked upon.
Thus I am certain that under the able chairmanship of Bob he will get behind the following fundraising and service projects:-
Silent movie evening in aid of SENSE, Joint event Last Night of the Proms, The continued support of CCLL, The Christmas sleigh, Thanks for Life Rotary Day 23 February 2010, The re-vitalising of the 200 Club , Our Rotary club Calendar and the Walkley midnight walk 2010.
Alan Jefferies has kindly agreed to chair the Foundation committee and he will be assisted by Barbara Goulding her will act as Alan's vice chair and chair of Foundation. As I consider that International and Foundation committees have overlapping responsibilities, this year I propose that these two areas of Rotary are covered by a single but larger committee than would otherwise be the case.
Soon to be SVP, John Fisher, has kindly agreed to act as Sports officer and in the interests of continuity John Flanagan has agreed to continue in his role as Hotel liaison and H & S officer. As in previous years Andrew Whiting has agreed for his office to continue to take apologies for our regular meetings.
Our Club almoner in my year will be Bob Barrett and his budget for expenditure I consider should be kept to the minimum. He will be responsible for organising such things as flowers or other appropriate gestures to be made in times of sickness or bereavement, but in view of the tight budget that the club is running on I have expressed the wish that the practice of sending out birthday cards to members be suspended during my year.
Thank you for listening, for entrusting with the presidential seat for 12 months and let us build upon the great year that Bob has had and work to ensure a strong future for Rotary and in particular, this club.
Club Administration Chairman - Phil Skelton
Club administration is a relatively new committee introduced by RI under the changes to the way clubs are internally organised two years ago. The ground work for our Club has been done by Chris Ockwell who will be a hard act to follow.
From a study of the RI manual the job Club Administration Committee looks more like Deputy President, or dog's body, we do everything nobody else wants to! The Club Administration Committee (CAC) comprises of 12 club members. So, if you are fortunate enough to have been selected to serve on this committee (see president elect Richard Fry's note) you are in the CAC!
The RI emphasis this year is on looking after your club by promoting fellowship. RI president elect John Kenny's message for the year is -
IT's YOUR CLUB - YOUR COMMUNITY THAT COUNTS and the RI logo for the year is four linked hands with the message THE FUTURE OF ROTARY IS IN YOUR HANDS.
The one thing that was stressed at District Assembly is that clubs should not feel duty bound by unwritten conventions. This includes, but is not limited to, dress code, meals or lack of them, venue, format of club meeting etc: Also those rules that are in the RI constitution such as attendance, classification etc: should be interoperated and if necessary adapted to suit the successful operation of your individual club. There is no "one size fits all" policy. Your club should be run to suit the needs of your members.
There is a manual produced by RI detailing how they recommend the Club Administration Committee set about performing their duties. I have a copy and would be only too pleased to make it available to any member to who would like to peruse it (your sense of humour does not change Phil - Ed). You will appreciate, I am sure, that CAC members have priority and all applications will be dealt with on a strictly "first come first served" basis. Or, should you wish, you may purchase a copy direct from the RI web site.
A draft programme has been prepared for the first half of the Rotary 2009/2010 year which is as follows. Our aim will be to try to promote fellowship within the club by organising a limited number of good value events, involving the ladies and trying not to put too much demand on member's time or money. Any member that would like to propose and/or organise and event would be welcomed.
JULY Club Handover - Presidents "At-Home" - Walkley Walk Presentation - CCLL Party.
AUGUST DG's Visit - Brewery Visit Wed 5th.
SEPTEMBER Guided Tour of Laycock - Scatter Week Contest
OCTOBER Scatter week - Silent movie evening - Polio Day 26th.
NOVEMBER Police evening with visit to Gablecross Police Station.
DECEMBER Christmas Float - Christmas Party 22nd Chiseldon House.
Other events that are currently under consideration are as follows:-
Surprise dinning evenings. (Continue with existing format, Theme Group Supper (French Evening, Feb 2010), Car treasure hunt, TARTS trip Poland (anticipated in May 2010 to Krakow), Skittles evening, Presidents Night (June 2010), Sunday walk & Pub lunch, Antiques Evening, Theatre Trip, Barge/Boat Trip with picnic, Clay Pigeon shooting, Go Cart Racing, Private escorted visit to a National Trust property, Factory visit,
Forrest B-B-Q, Auction of promises.
And finally, if you have any ideas for an event you would like included in the club calendar, have any other suggestions as to how you think the club could be improved or feel you are not getting the support you deserve then please mention it to a member of the Club Administration Committee who will bring it to the attention of the club council, anonymously if required.
Alternatively, every club member has a right to attend the club council meetings. If you do have a matter you would like to bring up directly at a council meeting then please ensure you advise the club secretary Richard Goddard in good time so he can include on the agenda.
Club Service Projects Chairman & Immediate Past President & Junior Vice President - Bob Barrett
I will be setting a meeting with all the service project team members early in the new Rotary year to discuss the way forward and the projects that the team will be getting behind. Listed below are the main projects that Club Service will be looking at:
24th July - Walkley Midnight Walk Presentation.
12th & 13th June 2010 - 20th Walkley Midnight Walk.
26th July - CCIN Kids Out Cotswold Wild Life Park & Kids Tea Party at the True Heart Bishopstone.
Late Sept - Westlea School Physically Disabled School Playground. The
GWR Christmas Appeal of £10,000 for Swings etc for the children to play with their able bodied friends.
S.T.E.P - Swindon Ten to Eighteen Projects Help Children from Difficult Back grounds to rejoin mainstream activated and society.
Hands on projects - mentoring young people.
14th Nov - Last Night of the Proms - Richard Stilgo & Orpheus Trust & Traditional Second Half - Prospect & Swindon MS Therapy Centre. Joint Project with Charlotte Mannion (Old Town Rotary) & Steve Brain (Swindon Rotary) - we hope that there will be more Joint Projects with other Swindon Clubs.
2010 Club Calendar - Virginia Winton has agreed to supply photographs and I want the service team to help market and publicise the calendar. This is both a fund raising and PR project.
CCIN Matching Grant - David Pratt RC of Swindon Old Town - Richard Goddard and I are currently investigating this.
Membership - Peter Goldsworthy and I are working with all Rotarians to encourage the clubs growth. We wish to
build on the 6 New members this year.
Polio Plus Day - I have contacted Heart FM & Community 105.5 FM Radio and the Advertiser as a preamble for the event.
Foundation and International Chairman - Alan Jefferies
This year Foundation and International will be combined on one committee with Barbara Goulding looking after International and Alan Jefferies heading up Foundation. Additional committee members are Fred Child and David Dukes.
We have already obtained at no charge 10 Aqua Boxes which must be filled. The committee will be deciding how this will be done.
International (Barbara) will be looking into organising a visit to Poland.
The main fundraising effort for Foundation will be an evening in Liddington Village Hall based on the T.V. series 'Allo Allo'. Tickets will be £20 including the meal and there will be a rather unusual fundraising event. It should be fun with the 'Gestapo' and the French resistance along with 'silly ass' escaping airmen. We should all have a laugh and raise some Polio Plus money.
The committee will also be looking into some of the changes in Foundation funding and report back to the club.
