May 2010
May 29, 2010 6:30 PM
A 2 hour drive took us down to Brentwood to attend the RIBI Final of the Young Musician Competition. It was great to see members of Solihull Rotary Club and their partners and Bryan and Sandra Carpenter there as well to support our young pianist (only 11 years old). Unfortunately, our vocalist was ill and could not attend.
The talent on display was amazing and the range of music was varied so that there was something for everyone. I heard pieces I'd never heard before and was just stunned by...
May 27, 2010 9:00 AM
No words can describe the way I feel after today. The week leading up to the event had moments of feeling sick, nervous and worried. We drove down the night before to Amesbury to make sure the journey this morning was not long (Warren came down this morning as he had an event last night). Chrissie and Eric Dance came down with us and it was great to have friends there with us.
We arrived at the airfield and found ourselves with almost 30 other jumpers and their friends and family. The...
May 24, 2010 6:00 PM
A large group met at Drayton Manor Park to meet and hear from the General Consul of India, Mr. Gururaj Rao. Tamworth and Arbury Club members were well represented as they both have links with Rajahmundry Rivercity Rotary Club which was represented at the meeting by Lieutenant Murthy Josti, who also brought his family with him. He told us about the projects both clubs have been involved in with his club which have made a real difference to local people. Several other clubs were...
May 22, 2010 6:15 PM
A great evening awaited us as we drove to Stratford Racecourse to join members of the ICFR. As we arrived there were almost 90 caravans in the caravan park facing onto the racecourse. A lovely sight was the 3 hot air balloons taking off from the racecourse into a blue cloudless sky.
We were made very welcome and joined the President of ICFR for drinks at his caravan before heading to the room where the meal was to be taken. It was great to see so many people enjoying true Rotary fellowship...
May 20, 2010 1:15 PM
As my work commitments took me longer than I had hoped I ended up walking into Drayton Manor Park jut as the afternoon was about to start. I was there to bring the greetings of the Rotary District and inform the Inner Wheelers of what our Rotary Clubs are doing internationally. The Association's International Chairman was also there and she was lovely. There were also speakers from 2 international charities which certainly got people talking and thinking.
The room was packed and it was...
May 19, 2010 8:00 PM
Hagley Community Centre was full of people ready for a great night of country and western music provided by Bev Pegg and his band. As I was brought up on this type of music I knew I would have a great evening and I did. The music covered a wide range of styles and certainly got people clapping, tapping their feet and singing along.
A fish and chip supper was very welcome and gave us the energy to join in even more in the second half. It was great to see so many people there from...
May 18, 2010 7:30 PM
The Manor Hotel was a lovely venue for the Presidents' Night for Meriden and Coleshill. It was lovely to be part of the welcoming line as it gave me a chance to meet everyone at the event and it was great to see several clubs represented. Over 100 people attended and everyone had a good time. The meal was very nice and over £1000 was raised from the auction and raffle. This will be supporting MS sufferers and Young Carers.
Don McLean provided the after dinner entertainment...
May 17, 2010 7:30 PM
A large group gathered for the 50th anniversary celebration of the inaugural meeting of Kenilworth Rotary Club. We had a similar menu to that served 50 years ago and the menu card contained within it the original menu with all the original signatures. So to ensure that history was maintained we all signed a menu card so that the club can put our signatures into its history books and hopefully pull them out in 50 years time. David Tall ensured that the music playing during the meal was...
May 16, 2010 1:00 PM
This is one of those events a District Governor hopes for - the official recognition of a new club. We met together at the Kings Coughton Hotel with the Alcester Alauna members, who are now officially its founder members, for a celebration lunch of the recognition of the new club. Now we just have to wait for the charter certificate to arrive in a few weeks time which will be presented at the end of July when hopefully many people from clubs around the District will attend a wine tasting...
May 15, 2010 7:30 PM
Although slightly stiff from our long walk during the day it was lovely to make our way to the Halesowen Golf Club to celebrate with Halesowen and Rowley Regis its 75th charter anniversary. A lovely friendly atmosphere pervaded the room and it was great to see many from Hasbury and Cradley in attendance as well.
We were well looked after on our table and the meal was great - just too much for me. It was great to hear the history of the club from 2 members who recounted stories and...
May 15, 2010 9:30 AM
An early morning was needed to ensure we got across to Arley, near Bewdley, for the Stourbridge on Severn walk along the Severn Way. The Club has worked hard on getting people walking parts of the Severn Way so that the whole length will be covered. It gave people the chance to raise money for their own charities by doing a sponsored walk. One guy is walking the full length of 225 miles! Made my 15 miles seem very pathetic.
Arley was a lovely place to start the walk and it...
May 14, 2010 7:00 PM
The Victoria House, Royal Leamington Spa, was the venue for the joint Presidents' Evening for Warwick and Leamington Spa Regency Rotary Clubs. As the two Presidents are married to each other it was logical to hold a joint event. Most husbands take their wife out for a romantic meal on their birthday - not Keith, he holds their joint Presidents' Night on Rachel's birthday. At least she had a big group of people to celebrate it with.
We had a lovely meal and it was obvious everyone was...
May 13, 2010 7:30 PM
Atherstone Golf Club was a great venue with lovely views over the countryside and a really nice ambience inside of it. President Joe and his wife Tracy-Ann looked after us well and the whole evening had a really relaxed feel to it. It was good to see representatives from other local clubs there as well and conversation certainly flowed freely at the tables.
The entertainment was a great singer who sang a lot of Sinatra songs and others from that era. He was very humourous as well and...
May 13, 2010 1:00 PM
OK so I got it wrong and it was not this meeting I was supposed to be attending but I stayed anyway. I am due here in June but I had originally given the club 2 dates and had not taken this one out of the diary. I was glad I came though. It was nice to sit amongst the members and to chat with some lovely Rotarians - one of 93 who has 100% attendance, not bad going at all!
It was the club assembly so I got to hear what the club is planning for next year. It was strange to sit in the meeting...
May 12, 2010 7:30 PM
Nearly a full house of Executive members and next year's officers met for the final Executive meeting of the year. I was very grateful to Roger Coopey for driving me to the Arden Hotel especially as I only just got home from work as he knocked on the door to collect me. There was a fair amount of business to get through but what I do like about the executive structure is that it allows time to discuss issues in depth so that decisions can be informed ones.
What also strikes me...
May 10, 2010 7:00 PM
Having found my way to the hotel I should have guessed the club had had to move the venue that night when the receptionist did not know anything about them. Fortunately, after a little while, I phoned the father of one of the Rotaractors, who phoned his daughter who then sent a member of the club around to the hotel to collect me. They had moved to the pub around the corner so a little stroll down the road and I found myself with the 5 Rotaractors there.
They spent some...
May 8, 2010 1:00 PM
Stratford High School was the venue for the RIBI Youth Speaks Final. Seven teams from around the country took part in the Intermediate and eight in the Senior competitions. Our Rotarians did a good job at hosting the event and ensured that everyone was well catered for. A wonderful spread of food was laid out for everyone in the sports hall - there was a huge amount.
The 2 competitions ran in parallel to each other and we had a team in each competition. I was able to get between...
May 7, 2010 7:30 PM
The event I was supposed to be at tonight was cancelled. I could have had a quiet night in but I decided to take up the offer of attending a concert put on by Bewdley Rotary (in conjunction with Wollaton Free Church) for our polio campaign - I am so glad I did. The Kidderminster Male Voice Choir and the Wollaton Free Church Choir put on a fantastic evening of song. We were entertained by the MC who had us laughing much of the time and then the choirs had us spellbound as the...
May 6, 2010 7:15 PM
It was great to return to Sutton Park, which I have not been to for years, to join the members of Erdington Rotary Club for their meeting. I had not been able to get to the funeral last week of Secretary Keith Edwards so I was particularly pleased to be able to join the members for their meeting. They are always a very welcoming club with a very good sense of humour.
It was particularly enjoyable as I was asked to present a long service award to Tony for 25 years as a member....
May 5, 2010 7:30 PM
The Limes near Redditch was the venue for the District quiz final. We were welcomed by Colin Bell of Solihull Club playing his keyboard which gave a lovely relaxed atmosphere to the evening. We held 2 semi finals and the final together on one evening rather than as previously at the District Assembly. 84 people came along for the evening. 3 quiz masters handled the 3 matches. Our 4 teams were Atherstone, Stourbridge, Southam 2000 and Solihull St. Alphege. In the semi finals...
May 4, 2010 7:30 PM
A drive through areas of Solihull we have never driven through before bought us to Tidbury Green Golf Club where Moseley & Sparkbrook was holding its President's Night. It was lovely to see so many people there and from so many clubs (10 clubs were represented). We were served a lovely meal (one of the best vegetarian options I have had) in lovely surroundings.
Herbert (Club President) and I did short speeches (mine based upon song titles from 1974) to allow more time for the key...
May 3, 2010 7:30 PM
The Priory Theatre in Kenilworth is a great venue used by several Rotary Clubs as they have some evenings available to charities to raise funds from. The idea is you sell the tickets at a price above the one they charge you for the ticket and buffet and make money from the excess you charge. Clubs often put on a raffle as well. Tonight Henley in Arden put one such evening on. It was the first night of the performance of Allo Allo. The theatre is very comfortable and Henley did well...
May 3, 2010 12:15 PM
I took a break from work and took myself off to Rugby for Rugby Dunsmore's Spring Fair. A large collection of stalls were in the field from local charities and groups. Many were glad of the gazebo's they had as on a few occasions the heavens opened and it rained very heavily and at one point there were hailstones. Then within minutes the sun was out again.
It was good to see many people there supporting the charities by having goes on their tombolas and buying goods. I seemed to come away...
May 2, 2010 2:45 PM
We had to miss the first part of the day because of another event but we were glad we managed to see a fair amount of the event. The leisure centre was a hive of activity with competitors all over the place taking part in a large number of competitions. There were many in the swimming pool participating in many races. Starts were staggered to ensure that the competition was as close as possible.
Other events included curling, mini golf, scrabble, shove ha'penny, darts, dominoes to name a...
May 2, 2010 10:15 AM
Paul and I participate in the Shipston walk every year - 7 miles of beautiful countryside and Gloucestershire villages. We usually start in the afternoon but this year because we had another event to go to we set off in the morning. At least going in the morning meant we saw far more walkers than our usual amount as we are usually the last to set off.
This year the wind was colder and there had been a lot of rain the night before which meant there were some very big puddles and some...
May 1, 2010 1:30 PM
Although the clouds threatened the rain stayed off which was great news for Shirley Rotary Club as it held its Donkey Derby. This is a great event. It is one of those rare occasions that you actually get to see donkeys racing. There are enough donkeys at the event to have 4 racing and a similar number allowing children to ride on them.
The donkeys were the stars of the show. They were so placid and were almost snoozing as they stood patiently between races. They...
