Tag: Rotary Club Events
Feb 1, 2012 7:30 PM
I collected three students from Aston University, including our Jamaican Ambassadorial Scholar, and drove them to Kenilworth, to the Priory Theatre. My club had booked the theatre out for one of its productions of The Hound of the Baskervilles. We got there just in time due to traffic and settled down on the front row for what we expected to be an intense production. It started very earily on Dartmoor but very soon it became a comedy and continued as a mixture of drama and comedy....
Dec 17, 2011 7:30 PM
After a morning spent in Nottingham working Paul and I went to collect Donnelle from Aston University to head down to Swindon. The reason for going was the Christmas dinner of the club Paul attends whilst working in Swindon. A kind Rotarian came and collected us from our hotel and took us to the Masonic Hall for the event. The club has made Paul very welcome and they did the same this night for me and Donnelle. A brilliant saxophonist entertained us during the meal and then provided...
Dec 13, 2011 5:45 PM
A slightly cold night (but at least not as cold or icy as this time last year) which saw several Rotarians from the five Coventry Clubs assembled together to work their way around the streets of Radford with the Santa Sleigh. Several children (and adults) were pleased to see Santa (which Terry carried off so well) which made up for the houses where you knew people were in but were ignoring you. We wandered around the streets for just over two hours. It was good to work as a group...
Dec 11, 2011 1:30 PM
Nearly 60 of us met together for Sunday lunch at the Hearsall Golf Club. We had families with us as well as previous members of the club. It was great to sit with Mike and Judy Taylor and catch up with their news as well as see other previous members there. The highlight of the lunch was to see George Willan presented with a Paul Harris Fellowship - so well deserved. There was a carvery provided and the ambience of the event was great. A great number of prizes in the raffle meant we...
Dec 1, 2011 7:15 AM
A very early morning meant I got to Kings Coughton well in advance of the meeting. It was great to be with a really friendly group of people. Part of the meeting was spent discussing the Christmas event coming up that they were supporting. It was good to hear all the details of the preparations and to know that Rotary Clubs around the District are making a difference whilst having a lot of fun along the way.
I then shared information on the history of Rotaract, its aims and how it influenced...
Nov 27, 2011 10:30 AM
This is an annual event we try to get to. There is always a relaxed family atmosphere at the charter brunch and we filled Hall 9 at the Symphony Hall. Each table was given several quizzes to attempt some of which were easier than others. We were then given general knowledge and music quizzes about 1990 (the year the club was formed) which were very hard.
Entertainment was provided in the form of jazz from 2 club members which kept the atmosphere bouyant. the morning gave us the...
Nov 26, 2011 3:56 PM
Paul and I drove across to a school just outside of Stratford (admittedly we were late as it took a while for us to find it) to attend a concert put on by Stratford Rotary Club. It was in memory of Past President Nick who had been President in my year as District Governor and had died from Motor Neurone Disease. As a consequence the concert takings were in aid of MNDS. The concert was given by a group called Tarantara. It was a beautiful concert. The harmonies of the singers were...
Nov 18, 2011 7:30 PM
Paul and I really look forward to this event every year. Yardley and Sheldon have for about 30 years held an annual event where they invite students from Aston University out for an evening to one of their homes. 16 students accompanied by a couple of university staff came by minibus to meet the Rotarians and their partners. Great food and company was in evidence and a great evening was had by all. We were able to tell them about Rotaract and get a few signatures for the guild of...
Nov 8, 2011 8:00 PM
I managed to get to the Forest Hotel despite an accident on the motorway. It was great to meet members again and to also meet a few Rotarians and partners from Solihull St Alphege. We had a lovely meal and then had a really interesting talk on engineering geology. This included examples of restoration of some parts of the UK's coastline and work in other countries such as Yemen and Korea. The presentation included some good photos of damage caused by landslides and diagrams of the work...
Nov 7, 2011 12:30 PM
It was great to see so many Rotarians, partners and Inner Wheel members at the Hyatt Hotel in Birmingham for the annual Leverton Lunch. It was lovely to catch up with so many Rotary friends from around the District, not just from the Leverton Clubs. As is usual the RIBI President was present and was the speaker.
The food was very pleasant and the company even better. There was chance to move around tables and catch up with people before the speech whch was up to Ray Burman's usual good...
Oct 17, 2011 7:30 PM
It was great to head off from work across to Henley in Arden to join the Rotary Club members, their families and friends and members of Monkspath Rotary Club for a chinese meal. I enjoyed last year's meal so much that I decided when I saw it advertised for this year that I had to attend. The Sans Restaurant on the High Street was taken over for the evening by us and we near enough filled it.
The evening was full of chatter, good food and great company and over £160 was...
Sep 27, 2011 7:30 PM
It was nice to be able to spend an evening in the week with Paul. He had come up from Swindon this evening to come to his club's evening meeting where a woman from our church was going to talk about her missionary work in Uganda. We managed to get the equipment set up on time and enjoyed conversing over dinner together and with a few couples (as it was a partners' evening).
Helen's parents came as well to support her and seemed to enjoy the evening. Helen gave us a detailed insight into the...
Sep 9, 2011 7:30 PM
The Coventry Rugby Club was the venue for the 25th charter anniversary of Coventry Phoenix Rotary Club. Over 120 people came including our Rotary friends from Doiven in Holland. It was great to see Rotarians from local clubs and another visitng Rotarian from India. The food was very pleasant and the company great. We had a great MC for the evening who kept the whole event moving and kept us all amused throughout the evening. District Governor Brian handed out long service awards in...
Sep 5, 2011 7:30 PM
Fortunately, the traffic was good into Birmingham so I was able to get to the hotel in time to set up the presentation equipment before dinner. It was nice to meet up with old friends again and see a club that has attracted several young members to its fold. I was there to talk about Rotaract as the club is interested in the setting up a Rotaract Club in possibly one or two of the universities in Birmingham. It was great to see people showing an interest and being positive about what Rotaract...
Aug 17, 2011 5:30 PM
We met earlier than our usual meeting time to ensure we could play in the light at Kenilworth Croquet Club. Club members and partners came to try their skills on the croquet lawns. This is the club's third visit (although my first). We split into groups of four and were organised in such a way that 2 games could exist on one lawn without us getting in each others' way.
Some like Niall found they could play very well and others like me found it took a while to get used to the mallet and...
Aug 8, 2011 8:30 AM
Eight of us from Coventry Phoenix Rotary Club met in Southampton on Sunday evening ready for an early start on the Monday. We stayed at the IBIS hotel and had a pleasant meal out together at TGI Friday and met up with Jurgen from the Sailing Trust for a drink as well. Saturday morning began with a 2 mile walk to the ship from our hotel. It was a lovely sight as we got to its dock. Other sponsors were there as well as a group of forces personnel on rehabilitation. Several had lost legs or were...
Jul 25, 2011 6:30 PM
The M6 closure meant a delay to get to Leamington Spa but I managed to get to the club on time and set up before I was needed to talk. It was good to meet everyone again and to hear of all the projects that the club is involved with - a lot already taken place in the year and plenty more planned. As always I received a great welcome and the members engaged with the talk throughout. This is a club where questions are asked throughout talks which keeps you on your toes.It was lovely to be back...
Jul 23, 2011 7:00 PM
The Mayor of Warwick joined us at Hearsall Golf Club for our cricket celebration evening. For the past 3 years Krish has organised a cricket competition between teams from local hospitals and the medical school. This culminates in a Charity match and the final being played one Sunday in July. The celebration evening is the chance to present the trophies and share something of what Rotary does with the cricketers.
The Mayor of Warwick was great and related well to all the people there....
Jul 10, 2011 10:00 AM
The day started early at a member's house where eight of us met to make the food for the cricketers. Kala had already made a curry the night before. We spread no end of slices of bread with margarine and then filled the sandwiches either with cheese or egg. Watermelon was cut and cakes had been made by several of us the previous day. After a cup of tea we drove over to Warwick University to where the cricket was being played. Including 4 teams, spectators and Rotarians we probably fed nearly...
Jul 4, 2011 7:30 PM
Paul came up from Swindon and I came down from Nottingham to attend Henley in Arden Rotary Club's handover. We have always had a lovely welcome at this club and tonight was no different. It was great to be joined by Don and Val MConnell, Peter Smith and Yvonne and Wendy Moore. The chef had gone to the trouble of making a German soup which got the thumbs up from the Germans present and a great meal was laid on for us. Don McConnell presented a Paul Harris fellowship to a member, Paul, who will...
Jul 2, 2011 7:30 PM
We returned to Aldridge, a place I lived for several years and where I was a Rotaract member, to the Compass Suites for a barn dance to celebrate the end of a successful year for Erdington Rotary Club. The venue was a nice size for a barn dance and Paul and I immediately got onto the dance floor to join the first dance. In fact we participated in every dance for the time we were there. It was great to see children there and taking part in the dances and even create their own fundraising...
Jun 30, 2011 7:30 PM
After a long day at work and holdups on the motorway due to an accident I felt like I would never get across to Alcester Alauna's BBQ. However, I got there half an hour late but fortunately before the handover itself. As I arrived Graham was busy writing his notes for his speech (nothing like preparation!). He made a great speech because it was heartfelt and then handed the chain of office over to Gerd who was really excited that the chain was in the Swedish colours (the significance? -...
Jun 29, 2011 7:30 PM
Where does a year go? Here we came together to celebrate what has been a great year under David's leadership and to look forward to Bill's year. Old friends joined us - Neil Solman (who also bought 2 guests - let's hope we see them again), Jacquie Worrall, Frank and Francine Campbell and Iris Raine. We all miss Peter but it was lovely to have Iris there with us. All the other Coventry Clubs were represented which was nice to see.
I had the delight of sitting next to Neil's guests and so was...
Jun 28, 2011 8:00 PM
It felt a bit strange going to a Rotary Club handover knowing that Paul had driven back up from Swindon to attend his own club's handover but we would not even get to see each other, let alone spend the evening in each other's company. I promised a long time ago to attend Coventry Jubilee's handover (before I knew when Bedworth's would be) and I keep my promises (fortunately I have a very understanding husband). I have known Warren for several years and had said I would see him...
Jun 27, 2011 7:15 PM
Handover number 2 of the week. Four Seasons Garden Centre was the venue. Luckily in the heat I was placed on the table nearest the open door. We were entertained by a Finham pupil who is a great flautist. The range of music she played was lovely. Ray Thompson was presented with a Paul Harrris Fellowship - an award that is always nice to see presented. The speeches were very focussed and Keith was given the President's chain. He shared the Rotary theme and how he saw it being applied...
Jun 25, 2011 9:00 AM
It is amazing how quickly a year goes by and we are now back into handover season. The first for me was Coventry Breakfast's earlyish (!) on Saturday morning. It was great to meet up again with club members and Rotarians from the other Coventry clubs. It was good to see that Bob had had a really enjoyable year and Margaret and Terry excited and enthusiastic about the year to come. The meeting, as usual, had a very relaxed feel to it. The selection of food was as good as ever and for...
Jun 12, 2011 8:45 AM
The weather forecast was for rain and it was not wrong. Paul took us to our marshalling points and then we had to wait in the rain to cheer the runners as they passed us and ensure the traffic did not hinder them. With me was a Southam 2000 member and another 2 were just up the road from us so a nice conversation kept our minds off the cold until we knew the race would soon be upon us. Just before the race got to us (slightly before the 9km point) the traffic controller arrived with a police...
May 20, 2011 7:00 PM
It is years since I have participated in a safari meal. I used to do a lot when in Rotaract and did one in Holland when visiting Rotarians there. Paul got home early to prepare the main course which we left on a low heat while we went out for our starter. At six thirty we opened our envelope which gave us the address for our starter. Everything is a surprise - the hosts do not know who they have coming but are informed of any dietary requirements (as the only vegetarian I am a give away)...
May 13, 2011 11:15 AM
We drove over to Birmingham airport and met up with the other eight people who were going on our club fellowship visit to a Rotary Club in Holland. We have taken it in turns for several years to visit each other and this was our turn to travel to Doiven. The journey across went well and we were met by several members as we were taken from Amsterdam to our host families' homes. We stayed with Frank and Heirt who we stayed with on our last stay with them. We had time for a cup of tea/coffee...
May 10, 2011 7:00 PM
I managed to get to Warwick Arts Centre early and catch up with many Rotarians. We settled into our seats at the Butterworth Hall, the lights went down and we settled to be entertained. We certainly were! There were fourteen acts, all of which were stunning, We had singers, groups, dance troupes and individuals. The evening went so quickly and the standard of performance was wonderful. The audience and judges agreed on the best act which was the Lion King performed by Coundon...
May 1, 2011 1:00 PM
This is one of those events that automatically goes into the diary every year. The club expects us to be the last to arrive as we always go to church first and this year we did not let them down. We arrived about 1pm with Edvinas, the District Youth Exchange Student, in lovely weather with just the right amount of breeze to make it comfortable walking weather. Paul and I have done this walk for so many years now that we do not need the map (just as well as we gave our copy to another couple...
Apr 16, 2011 7:15 PM
Having been out all afternoon I rushed back and got changed quickly so we could get to the Manor Hotel in Meriden for the charter anniversary of Coventry North. Over 80 of us were there for what was a great evening. The hotel put on a great meal for us. Assistant Governor Alan James spoke on behalf of the District Governor and shared some of the history of the club. The Deputy Lord Mayor also attended the event and helped present some of the long service awards. After the...
Apr 7, 2011 7:15 PM
A lovely evening and view across the golf course awaited us when we arrived at the Tidbury Green Golf Club. Nearly 60 people came out for the evening which was great. The menu was lovely and very filling and we were very well looked after by Ted Holt and his family and friends as we shared their table. Steve Cartwright, District Governor Nominee, represented the District Governor and bought his greetings. After the speeches we were entertained by a harpist who played beautifully. It was...
Mar 23, 2011 7:00 PM
We held our Club meeting at the leisure centre in Wood End to take a look at regeneration projects we had heard about several years ago at a club meeting. We were reminded of the history of the project and then taken on a tour of the new homes that are being built in the area. They are lovely and great starter homes. We were joined for a lovely meal at the leisure centre by the sales agents for the new homes and heard more about how the area will be further developed. It was encouraging to...
Mar 11, 2011 7:30 PM
After a very long day with a journey to and from Manchester I managed to get to the Bedworth Charter Dinner at Weston Hall halfway through the starter. I had to catch up with people between courses by visiting tables to make up for the chance I missed before the meal because of my train times. The meal was very pleasant and the venue is a great one for Rotary events. We had speeches from District Governor David, the Mayor of Bedworth and Nuneaton (he deliberately put them that way...
Mar 5, 2011 7:30 PM
It was good to have Chrissy and Eric Dance come and join us for my own club event. So five of us headed to Binley Wood Village Hall where the room was already full of people. Kala, as usual, provided a fantastic spread of Indian food (with English for those who preferred it). We were entertained by young children who were taught by Kala's daughter to dance in the Bollywood style. Then several people got up to learn how to dance in the same style to differing degrees of success. It was a...
Feb 12, 2011 8:00 PM
A member of the Coventry Phoenix Club most years arranges a dinner out for us all close to Valentines Day. It is open to all members, not just those in couples, and really is an excuse for a nice night out with friends. This year it was held at the Old Mill in Baginton and we had a nice room set aside just for us. The set menu was great (4 courses and a glass of sparkling wine for £20 each including a tip for the staff) and the room set out lovely with red and white balloons, heart...
Feb 7, 2011 7:30 PM
This is an event Paul and I attend most years. It is a chance for Ambassadorial Scholars to share something of themselves and their culture with Rotarians and their partners. This year 2 of our ambassadorial scholars (Shu-Han from Taiwan and Asami from Japan) were able to make it as well as Laura, our returning scholar from Australia. Edvinas, our Youth Exchange student, came as well to meet Rotarians but he will have his own speaking engagement at the club in a few weeks time....
Jan 25, 2011 7:30 PM
Although I had a slight panic on the way from Nottingham as the traffic was bad I did manage to get to the Atherstone Red Lion Hotel in time to set up the projector and laptop for the talk I was to give. The club had several interested people and partners and wives there for a membership information evening. It was a good crowd as we sat down to a buffet meal (not that I felt like eating as I still get nervous before speaking). I was asked to give a presentation on the international and...
Dec 16, 2010 6:00 PM
A really cold night tonight. I unfortunately got to the sleigh just as it set off so missed the warming mulled wine others had had from a local shop before setting off. We travelled the streets of Earlsdon where people were very generous. The streets were quite icy in places which made it a bit difficult to keep upright but our spirits were high. Clive had the challenge of turning the sleigh round in 2 roads as they were dead ends but we still managed to collect down them.
At the end we were...
Dec 14, 2010 7:45 PM
Although slightly delayed I did manage to get to Wylde Green Rotary Club and still have time to set the computer equipment up in advance of the meeting. It was great to see old friends from the club and also several members of Sutton Coldfield Club were there. The club had its Special General Meeting in record time - mainly because names were in place before the meeting - none of those pregnant pauses in the hope someone will volunteer. They even got a volunteer...
Dec 13, 2010 6:00 PM
Although I left work later than I wanted I did get to the starting point for the sleigh on time. It felt colder than the last one I did but we kept the pace up so we did not get too cold. This is my favourite route because there is always a family who come out with warm mince pies for us - such a treat when you are walking out in the cold. We knocked on doors for 2 hours and collected £671 which was again up on the previous year. It was good to have such a large group working...
Dec 12, 2010 7:00 PM
I do not always write about my own club events but as I wrote about Paul's club dinner I thought I should write about my own as well. Having visited my own parents today I still managed to ensure I was back for my own club's Christmas dinner. We gathered at the Woodhouse, Princethorpe - our usual venue. A very relaxed evening was evident and the food was very good. A nice choice of menus and good company on our table made it a fun event. The Christmas crackers made us laugh as every...
Dec 9, 2010 7:30 PM
Paul drove back from Swindon so that we could attend his club's Christmas dinner at Nuneaton Golf Club. He collected me and Edvinas and we headed over to a warm welcome from club members and their families. We had a very relaxed evening talking with those on our table and playing with the contents of our crackers.The food was as good as ever and the chef as entertaining as you would expect the Irish to be. He entertained us with a few jokes and then people continued their round table...
Dec 7, 2010 7:30 PM
I had enjoyed this service last year and so was keen to go again this year athough I had to leave a poorly student curled up on the settee feeling sorry for himself. It was a cold night and was actually snowing when I arrived - a lovely sight. The church was lovely and warm and we enjoyed ourselves listening to traditional readings and all the favourite carols. Representatives of all the local Rotary, Inner Wheel and Rotaract clubs did readings as well as the Assistant Governor for...
Dec 3, 2010 6:00 PM
Although the temperature was very cold (and at least it was not raining) there were lots of people milling around the market square in Shipston at the Rotary Victorian Fayre. Paul and I met there from our different work directions. Stalls were down several streets and I must admit the mulled wine and mince pie were very welcome that we bought at one stall. Several stalls were there from charities and the Rotary Club had a few of its own. DG David and his wife Sue braved the weather...
Nov 26, 2010 7:30 PM
Jo Cross organised an evening on behalf of the Godiva Group to give Coventry based Rotarians the chance to meet our Youth Exchange Student, Edvinas. A group of 15 of us gathered at Hearsall Golf Club. We started the evening with Edvinas' talk so that people would feel they knew him a bit when it came to socialising afterwards. He did a great job with his talk - it was very entertaining and his sense of humour really came across today. He sold Lithuania to us all and created a great...
Nov 21, 2010 10:30 AM
This is a great annual event that if we can, we get to. Over the past few years we have had to slip off early to get to other events so it was nice to spend the whole morning there today. We took Edvinas with us (even if he was a little worse for wear having been at a party and having had no sleep at all) who tucked in well to the breakfast. It was great to see so many people there and as usual to have a real family feel to the event.
There was the usual table top quiz which was very...
Nov 13, 2010 7:15 PM
We have been to this event in the past and enjoyed it so were looking forward to going again this year. It was great to take Edvinas, our youth exchange student, so that he could mix with many students from various countries who are studying at Aston University. It was a lovely evening. It was great to see students from all over the world mixing, mingling and in conversation all evening. Malcolm and Karin Leonard opened up their lovely home to us all. The ambience of the...
Nov 13, 2010 12:30 PM
This weekend is always an amazing one. To see competitors come from all over the country to take part in a variety of competitions at different levels is great. This year saw 12 teams take part and the competition was as strong as ever. It is humbling to watch some people overcome real adversity to perform to their best whilst supported by their own team members and those from other teams. The whole weekend was fun. My own club organised the pit stop event on the Sunday morning which was...
Nov 12, 2010 7:30 PM
We enjoyed this event so much last year we decided to go again this year and we were not disappointed. We took Edvinas, youth exchange student, with us to show him a Rotary fundraising event. He certainly enjoyed himself and did quite well in choosing winning horses. He had my permission to spend my money and by the end of the evening had not lost too much of it. I was reminded what an awful gambler I would make as I only chose one winner. We did have the delight of...
Nov 7, 2010 6:30 PM
We arrived a little late due to the time I got back home after the West Bromwich Albion football match but it was lovely to have Eric and Chrissy Dance welcome us to join their team. I am normally not very good with quizzes but this one was a little different and very enjoyable. There were 30 rounds of 3 questions each plus a 50 question blockbuster in the middle. It did mean the pace was good and you did not have to endure a round of 10 questions...
Oct 25, 2010 7:30 PM
It was lovely to visit Brierley Hill & Kingswinford Club again and especially to hear the Brazilian GSE team talk. I have met several of the GSE team members over the past few weeks but this was my first chance to hear them give their presentation. I was lucky to sit next to the team leader and catch up on how it has gone for them over their stay. Those who have done anything to help along the way can rest assured that the team has really appreciated everything that has been done for...
Oct 22, 2010 7:30 PM
The Coventry and North Warwickshire Cricket Club was bedecked with ensigns and flags from ships to celebrate Trafalgar. It was good to see others apart from just Rotary members and their families there. After a hearty three course meal we had a really interesting talk about Nelson. What really impressed me was the details given of the battle lines taken during several of Nelson's campaigns. The presentation was well put together and held our attention for its duration. The speaker obviously...
Oct 15, 2010 7:30 PM
The Brazilian GSE team and our Lithuanian Youth Exchange student came to relax and enjoy the concert organised by Bedworth Rotary Club at the Bedworth Civic Hall. The concert featured the John Cleveland College Orchestra, Jazz Band, clarinet and flute ensembles and Barber Shop Quartet. The music was very varied and played extremely well. All were obviously well accomplished musicians and they seemed to enjoy performing to an audience.
After the interval youngsters from the Nicholas...
Oct 14, 2010 7:15 PM
Hogarths is a lovely venue and it certainly suited the size of Knowle and Dorridge's Charter Anniversary dinner. It was great to see several clubs represented, even a couple from a Dutch club Knowle & Dorridge has links with attended and the International flavour was extended by the presence of our Lithuanian Youth Exchange student. We started with a talk (during starters) on the present economic climate in the UK which was interesting and certainly encouraged lots of questions later...
Sep 24, 2010 7:00 PM
It took a little time to find our way to Barnacle as there was an incident down one of the roads leading to the village. Once there we had fun playing the 3 types of skittles in our teams and having a fish and chip supper. It was a well organised event by Walter who had everything sorted so the evening ran very smoothly. It was a good event and nice to encourage our team members at each skittle base. Some we did better on than others but we had fun anyway and we did manage to come...
Aug 1, 2010 1:00 PM
A nice drive over to Goldicote Hall to join Shipston on Stour Club for its annual BBQ. The lovely grounds of the Hall made a lovely backdrop to the BBQ. As usual the food was great and the puddings something to die for - so much choice and so many opportunities to put the calories on. The weather held off and the sun did shine at several points during the afternoon. It was great to be with good Rotary friends and to catch up on their news. The club raised a good amount through its raffle and...
Jul 29, 2010 7:15 PM
It was great to see so many Rotarians from across the District at the charter celebration of the Alcester Alauna Club and for me it was good to take our German student along (he could taste the wines on my behalf and help me choose a few bottles to buy). It was different to previous charter events but had a great relaxed atmosphere to it. Those who wanted to taste the wines had plenty of choice (13, including a port) and walking around the warehouse there was plenty more...
Jul 26, 2010 7:30 PM
A lovely warm welcvome is always given when you visit Henley-in-Arden Rotary Club and tonight was no exception. Family and guests from charities settled down to a nice meal and good company in the lovely surroundings of the golf club. The purpose of the evening was for the club to make cheque presentations to the chosen charities from last year. It was done in a really nice way. David, Club President, introduced each charity whose representative then gave a few minutes update on their work...
Jul 20, 2010 7:30 PM
The Corus Hotel in Shirley was the venue for the celebration of 50 years of Rotary and Inner Wheel in Shirley. A great number turned up to join the Shirley Club members (approx 115) for this evening. It was great to be able to chat to so many people I know from my visits to clubs and to be able to totally relax knowing I didn't have to make a speech. It was great to see Chrissy and Eric Dance there as well. We had a lovely meal and I had great company on my table. We had speeches from David,...
Jul 12, 2010 6:30 PM
This is the third year I have been to this event. I love seeing the youngsters getting their certificates after all their hard work over the past year. The awards take three evenings to get through as so many schools and children participate which certainly shows the worth of the event and award itself. The award expects the youngsters to cover several areas of service and extension of their knowledge and skills. We were treated to several youngsters sharing with us their musical skills...
Jul 9, 2010 7:30 PM
Although no longer DG I have kept a diary since I was 12 and I can't quite kick the habit so I have decided to keep my blog going. It was a lovely warm evening as we drove over to Wishaw (becoming one of my favourite places to go for events). There were many people there including 5 Immediate Past Presidents (Sutton Coldfield, Nuneaton, Sutton Coldfield Vesey, Erdington and Wylde Green) who along with me were obviously the 'out with the old' brigade. There were also...
Jun 30, 2010 7:30 PM
This was the last event of the Rotary year on my last evening as District Governor. A very appropriate event to come to as Barry Wheeler, the outgoing President, became Club President as I became District Governor Nominee and AG for his club and 3 years later we were both finishing our term of office on the same day.
We met for dinner at the Regis restaurant with over 60 people present. We enjoyed the company of Rotarians, Inner Wheel members and guests at a very relaxed event. Barry...
Jun 29, 2010 7:00 PM
Ettington Park Hotel proved a beautiful venue for this event. The gardens were stunning as we sat and had pre-meal drinks together. The meal was served in the long chamber which was up a couple of flights of stairs but definitely gave you that feel of a medieval long hall. Gareth, the outgoing President, started with his speech before the lovely meal we were served. The real funny moment was when the waitress was looking at my place card to see what my desert was and then promptly...
Jun 28, 2010 7:15 PM
It was good to be back amongst local Rotary friends who have supported me a lot this year. We all met at the Four Seasons Restaurant and representatives from 2 of the other Coventry Rotary Clubs were also present alongside the soon to be District Governor Elect Brian Kimberley and his wife Sheila. We were entertained by a very talented young Inner Mongolian girl who played a traditional chinese instrument who had previously participated in the Coventry Jubilee Young Entertainer...
Jun 27, 2010 9:45 AM
Although I could not go to Meriden itself to see the end of the Megaride and visit the stalls at the event it was good to be able to get to the Arrow Mill at Arrow (near Alcester) to see the motorbikes set off. The weather was beautiful and already very warm. Something near to 150 bikes met in the car park before setting off through the countryside to stop at Royal Leamington Spa and then Meriden. A few Rotarians bought their bikes to join the ride and it was great to see so...
Jun 25, 2010 7:30 PM
A lovely warm evening added to a good venue and great entertainment. The Westlake School was the venue for an evening of Jazz provided by a club member of Edgbaston and his band plus a couple of singers. A marquee was decked out for the event and people bought table decorations that were gold and cream or wore clothes of those colours. The evening was put on in aid of the MS Society and the raffle raised over £400 for this cause.
Everyone bought their picnics which made great...
Jun 13, 2010 3:30 PM
Major Samuel Edgar, President of Birmingham Rotary Club, organised a most beautiful service in Birmingham Cathedral to celebrate what Rotary does. It was an amazing setting with great acoustics. The Salvation Army band gave real depth to the music and accompanied us well (or is that the other way round?). We also had a couple of songs from the New Testament Church of God which had a more Gospel feel to them and then there was the Cathedral choir and organist who contrasted so well with...
Jun 13, 2010 1:00 PM
A lovely afternoon of weather hung over the Excel Sports centre where Coventry Jubilee Rotary Club was holding its summer fete. A selection of stalls and entertainment kept everybody occupied. We took my youngest niece and nephew and 2 language students who all enjoyed themselves. A pony ride was a hit but the biggest hit of all was the air balls on water where you are put inside a ball of air and launched onto the water. Unfortunately, I was wearing a skirt so could not have a go. When...
Jun 12, 2010 11:00 AM
On the River Leam by the bridge at the Jephson Gardens we saw 27 teams register for the Raft Race between Leamington and Myton Field in Warwick. Several teams were soaked before they started as several rafts had water cannons and water pistols at their disposal. Some teams did not look too secure on their rafts but only 2 did not make it to the end.
After registering the teams and seeing them off I then drove over to Myton Fields to see the teams arrive at the finish. Tired, but still...
Jun 11, 2010 7:30 PM
It was a really pleasant evening to go to Wishaw for the Wylde Green President's Night. It was great to meet up with Chrissy and Eric Dance again and good friends within the Rotary Club. As usual, we were presented with a really lovely meal and people certainly had seconds - I managed to resist.
We were entertained by a good keyboard player and singer - we even sang along to a few of the songs. It was nice to have the chance to sit and talk with people. What was especially nice...
Jun 7, 2010 7:30 PM
The Sans Restaurant was taken over by the Henley in Arden Rotary Club on this evening with over 50 people turning out for a great evening of fellowship. Members bought partners and friends and the whole evening was filled with laughter and very good humour. A superb meal was given to us with plenty to eat and of good quality. The raffle raised almost £200 with some good prizes.
The time certainly flew by - I couldn't believe it when I looked at my watch at the end of the evening that I...
Jun 6, 2010 7:00 PM
The Macready Theatre was the venue for a lovely concert given by Rugby Dunsmore Club President, Bob Bradbrook, and his talented musical friends. It was a great evening with music covering all genres. We had guitar duets, piano solos and cornet solos alongside vocal solos and duets. We had classical, jazz and musicals represented.
The concert was well attended and should raise a good sum for Bob's chosen charity. A nice way to spend a Sunday evening.
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 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 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...
Apr 27, 2010 7:30 PM
Over 50 people attended Oldbury Rotary Club's 75th Charter anniversary including RIBI President David Fowler and Daphne. It was well supported by other local clubs which was great to see. I think I counted 8 other clubs represented and some by several members.
The venue was very comfortable and was able to seat the numbers comfortably. The meal was nice and we were entertained afterwards by a band called After Hours (led by one of the club's members). Alan, the Club President, gave...
Apr 25, 2010 9:30 AM
A very early morning to make sure I could get to Stratford in time for the marathon before the roads were closed. We started in Chapel Street where Ken, Vice President, and I and race organisers started the race - my first experience of using a claxon. A slight panic as the lead runners came round on the second run down the road when others were still on their first run down that road but fortunately they managed to avoid getting in the way.
We then went to the finish line at the...
Apr 15, 2010 8:00 PM
I had been told by several PDGs to keep my eye out for this event as it is a great one - they were right. Although work issues had made me late home I did just about manage to get to the Worcestershire Rugby Club on time. I don't remember being asked to do the grace but glad I asked if I was expected to do anything when I arrived as I had just enough time to write one before I was paraded into the room with the other top table guests.
The meal was lovely and it was great to be...
Mar 30, 2010 7:30 PM
A nice restaurant (La Brasserie) in Kidderminster seated 82 of us for the Rotary Club of Kidderminster's President's Night. It was good to see other clubs represented including Stourport, Solihull St. Alphege, Bewdley, Birmingham Breakfast and Paul's and my clubs. A lovely meal was provided and good friendship was obvious around the room. While we had our meal 2 magicians came around the tables to entertain us - none of us know where the one managed to hide 2 onions!
The club ...
Mar 22, 2010 7:30 PM
A lovely evening was spent with the members of Solihull St. Alphege, their wives and guests at their President's Night. I sat with a visiting Rotarian and his wife from Rochester who are hoping to move up here.
It was a lovely evening with good food and good company. Each lady had a great gift and a lot of good humour was evident around the tables. Our entertainment for the evening was Lizzie Wiggins, the Duchess of Dudley. She kept everybody laughing for the whole hour and a quarter that...
Mar 20, 2010 1:30 PM
It was good to get to West Bromwich Albion's football ground early to help West Bromwich Rotary Club with its bucket collection. The rain got worse when we were inside the ground which meant we were dry but the same can't be said for those coming through the turnstiles later.
Fifteen of us were spread around the entrances with our tabards on and armed with buckets to take any spare change off of the fans as they came through the turnstiles. Bill and I took part of the East Stand and...
Mar 19, 2010 7:45 PM
Although it was a dreadful night weatherwise as we drove over to Rugby it was certainly sunny and warm inside the Benn Hall. The decorations looked great - both the tables with their beautiful flower displays and the Hall itself with hands displayed around it to fit in with the Rotary theme and there were reminders of the three clubs chosen charities and our polio campaign.
Paul and I were hosted for the evening by the members of Rugby Saturday Breakfast Rotary Club. We certainly...
Mar 13, 2010 7:30 PM
This was an evening that was unforgettable and exceedingly entertaining. It was great to see 4 other club Presidents there and another couple of clubs represented as well as the Mayor. The venue was great, the food good and we were well looked after.
It is always difficult to know how to make your speeches different for such occasions so this time I used the titles of songs from the year of the club's formation (1978). At least it kept people listening as they tried to see how many...
Mar 7, 2010 3:00 PM
A pleasant drive to Fentham Hall resulted in a lovely organ concert. I have only ever been in the small room before so was pleasantly surprised to see a large hall with a stage and the place already full when I got there. Friends from Halesowen and Rowley Regis and Yardley and Sheldon Rotary Clubs also came as well as Chrissy (Inner Wheel Chairman)and Eric Dance. We made a group of almost 30.
The organ came up from under the floor of the stage and we were entertained for...
Mar 6, 2010 7:30 PM
Paul and I had a lovely relaxing evening at Hagley Community Centre with the Stourbridge Rotary Club. Approximately 100 people came to listen to a superb trio of musicians and singer. All of them were great musicians independently and as a group were superb.
The songs got your feet tapping most of the night and people were singing along as well. A fish and chip supper was much appreciated. We were well hosted by the Rotarians on our table and had a great evening. We look forward to attending...
Mar 5, 2010 7:30 PM
Henley in Arden Golf Club was the venue for the Race Night. The room was full and people were certainly there to enjoy themselves. The organiser of the races was a great guy who entertained all evening and certainly had us all laughing and smiling most of the evening.
I am not sure if I can say that I had a successful evening as I lost money on races and whenever I owned a horse it seemed to fall or come in last. Mind you Paul seemed to choose the horse that led the race until the last few...
Mar 4, 2010 7:15 PM
I managed to not get lost tonight and found the venue easily for a change. Both of our Ambassadorial Scholars gave a talk to the club members and their guests giving insight into Japan and what they have learnt about our culture and country. They also told us about their studies and future intentions.
The club had several guests and partners come for the evening which was great as it gave the students a good sized audience to speak to and gave a great feeling of fellowship in the venue.
The...
Feb 26, 2010 7:15 PM
Admittedly I was not sure what to expect at this event. Over 450 people (mostly non-Rotarians) came to the National Motorcycle Museum to have a great time (and they certainly did). One lucky person went away with £1000 and several others won great raffle prizes.
The venue put on a good meal and several presentations were made by the club, one to a local school and £2500 to our Thanks for Life campaign. This was a combination from the club and Solihull School where the...
Feb 21, 2010 12:30 PM
A lovely drive through snowy scenery took us to Droitwich Spa for the charter lunch of Droitwich Spa Rotary Club. As usual we got a great welcome from the members and a lovely afternoon was had. Several of us had banter about the football matches on that afternoon and Paul kept the Villa fans up to date with their scores throughout the meal through receiving updated messages through his phone (I got the West Brom ones through my own phone!)
We had a lovely lunch followed by a...
Feb 20, 2010 2:31 PM
A great afternoon in Warwick to be shown how to cook Italian food as the Italians do. We were shown how to make several dishes including Tiramisu (a favourite of mine). It was also great to learn a few tricks such as how to peel a butternut squash and if you don't have an airing cupboard how you can make your pizza dough rise.
It was good to see a large audience there but not too many so we could all try the food that was made. I have found a new risotto I shall look forward to making...
Feb 19, 2010 7:30 PM
A lovely evening spent at the Copt Heath Golf Club with Solihull Rotary Club and guests. The food was lovely and it was great to get to know President John's family. A really relaxed atmosphere was evident across the event.
John's brother Ted gave a fantastic talk about the history of parts of Birmingham. Having the family context to it added a great quality to the talk. Everybody was engrossed and had great admiration for Ted as he shared his own path to his degrees and becoming...
Feb 11, 2010 7:30 PM
It was great to go across to Bewdley for their 20th Charter Celebration. It was a lovely evening - very relaxed and well supported with 104 guests. It was good to see other clubs there to support as well.
Speeches were kept short which meant people had the chance to mingle and talk with each other. The Mayor and local MP were guests and praised the Rotary Club for its work. Dave, the Club President, gave a very good speech and reminded the club of some of the work it has done over its...
Feb 2, 2010 8:00 PM
It is not often a District Governor is asked to come and do his or her speech again at a club but Coventry Jubilee wanted a version of my club talk for prospective members. I tweaked it slightly but kept the same theme and some of the same text.
The evening gave people the chance to hear about the work the club does under each of its committees which gave a clear picture of the variety of work undertaken. There was also a presentation of cheques and certificates to 2 young athletes...
Jan 30, 2010 7:30 PM
Warwick Avon linked with the Warwick School to put on a fantastic jazz concert. Different groups from within the school performed at the Bridge Theatre playing a variety of types of jazz. The standard was amazing and it was a real treat to be so beautifully entertained.
The real treat and pleasant surprise was when the Club President got up to do an introduction to the charity they were raising money for, The Jennifer Trust, and then performed a song on a trumpet with one of...
Jan 29, 2010 6:30 PM
I was glad to be able to add this event to my diary. It is always a joy to hear youngsters sharing their views on the world. We were entertained by 4 teams as a few had to pull out this week but the quality was still there. We heard about a range of topics including the rich and famous, inequalities and age restrictions.
It was nice to have a chance to tell them a little about the work of Rotary and other opportunities for the youth to take advantage of through Rotary.
Well done to the...
Jan 26, 2010 7:30 PM
A very well attended event by Rotarians, their families and friends. Over 100 people were there and we had a great evening. We started with the Address to the Haggis which David Bell, last year's Mayor of Solihull, said (as well as playing the bagpipes). We had a lovely meal and the evening moved well.
The entertainment of the evening was brilliant. I must admit I wasn't sure what to expect when told there was a lady playing the ukulele but she was superb and kept us laughing all evening. It...
Jan 22, 2010 7:30 PM
Our second Burns' Night in 2 evenings but they were a little different to each other. Having had a slight accident in the car (not our fault) on the way we eventually found the correct country lane to Wishaw Country Club! It is a lovely venue and the food is stunning - it is one of those places where it is hard to stop eating although you know you should.
Sandy Aiken did a superb job of running the evening - addressing the haggis and giving the immortal toast to name a few of his jobs...
Dec 27, 2009 12:15 PM
A nice sunny day welcomed me as I joined the Edgbaston Rotarians at the toll bridge over the River Thames near Eynsham. The club has 2 days of collecting the toll and charitable donations from those crossing the bridge at Christmas. I had enjoyed helping out when Assistant Governor for the club and so was delighted to come back and help this year. It is usual to do half hour stints of standing in the toll booth holding out buckets for the toll (5p) or more generous donations to be...
Dec 18, 2009 6:00 PM
A much colder night this time never getting above freezing. We seemed to hit the same problem of Round Table hitting some of the streets a few days before us but we still did well and children were still keen to see Santa.
It is great when members of the different clubs in Coventry come together and work on a project that sees them having fun together whilst raising money for 2 of our favourite causes - Air Ambulance and Myton Hospice. All 5 Rotary Clubs were represented tonight and we...
Dec 17, 2009 7:30 PM
A lovely venue was the place of Lichfield Rotary Club's Christmas Dinner. The Oak Barn was very pleasant and the food was lovely. Although it was cold outside and some came through snow on the way a warm welcome from President Peter was there to great us. It was good to see Rotarians and their partners and friends with them all relaxing and enjoying a great evening together.
A couple of humourous readings were a great start to the entertainment and then we were sung to by a...
Dec 15, 2009 6:00 PM
It was lovely to help my own club and the others of Coventry with the Santa Sleigh around some of the streets in Coventry. At least it was not raining and it wasn't too cold. I looked daft in the Santa hat with pig tails but one has to join in with the spirit of the thing. It didn't help that Round Table had been around a few of the streets the night before but, fortunately, most were ok.
At least it helps keep the weight off as you wander around the streets for 2 hours knocking on...
Dec 14, 2009 7:20 PM
We have been made so welcome by the members of Arbury Rotary Club and tonight was no exception. Over 80 people attended their Christmas meal at the Weston Hall Hotel. It was nice to see David and Bernice Robinson there as well.
The food was lovely and was served up very hot which meant it was still hot by the time everyone got their vegetables. The hotel served us well and the meal was got through pretty quickly.
After the interval we were entertained by the Fillongley Hand Bell Ringers not...
Dec 10, 2009 5:30 PM
A sleigh on a co-op van was ready with Santa in place - all we needed was the school's students to arrive to help with the collection. They were a group who are going to climb Kilimanjaro in July so this was part of their training. We set off in what was actually quite mild weather and spent 3 hours knocking on doors trying to get money out of people. Some people had obviously been saving up for it and came out with lots of change. I had one person come with her pockets full of...
Dec 8, 2009 7:30 PM
A lovely evening awaited those who came to the Rugby Methodist Centre for the carol service. The three Rugby Rotary Clubs and 2 Inner Wheel clubs had their annual carol service. They also bought some people from the blind club as well.
The service was a traditional service of carols and readings. It was great to have the carols up on the screen so we could all sing enthusiastically. It was a lovely service and gave us all the time to enjoy our preparation for Christmas.
It ws lovely...
Dec 7, 2009 1:00 PM
A lovely lunch was served up at Drayton Manor Park for the Tamworth Club Christmas lunch. Good company and food made it a great time. The event was made even better by the choir from a local Primary School that came to sing for us. They sang beautifully and were so enthusiastic. All of them looked like they were really enjoying themselves and they certainy made all of us smile and we all really enjoyed their contribution. It might have been wet and damp outside but there was a warm glow and...
Dec 5, 2009 7:30 PM
A glass of mulled wine and a mince pie was available for those who arrived at St. Thomas' Church before the concert began - a nice start. The concert was well attended and was a beautiful occasion. There was a real mixture of choirs, soloists, handbells, a pianist and a youth choir. The variety kept your interest and by the end you were certainly feeling 'Christmassy' if you weren't before you came.
The high spot for me was to listen to the youth choir called Stream of Sound who...
Nov 22, 2009 10:30 PM
It was nice to see so many people gather at the ICC for Birmingham Breakfast's brunch. The room was full of people who were there to have a great time. It was especially lovely to see Wendy Moore and Brian's son William and his wife there as well. There were many clubs represented and several members brought their families as well - there was a real family feel to the event.
A great breakfast was available for us all and a 80s TV programme quiz kept us all challenged...
Nov 21, 2009 7:30 PM
This annual event has been taking place for 18 years. The Coventry Rotary Clubs have a skittles evening in which they are in teams and do their best to score as highly as they can for a silver cup to the winning team and a prize for the highest scoring male and female.
As well as the skittles we have a fish and chip supper and a great time mixng with each other. This year Bedworth joined us and did incredibly well as they won all 3 prizes.
It is a great event which is very relaxing and it...
Nov 20, 2009 7:30 PM
Had a fantastic evening at Lichfield Club's Review Evening. Around 120 people came together to be entertained by Just Us - a group that perform sketches and songs for free for charities. They kept us amused and entertained for a couple of hours with entertainment that just made us all laugh again and again.
A lovely supper was provided which was a great start to the evening - well done to those who helped prepare it. I must admit after a difficult week at work this was a great way to start...
Nov 19, 2009 8:00 PM
A really lovely evening. Nearly 100 people came to the Manor Hotel for the evening. A lovely meal and company made it a very relaxed event. John Hockin gave an amusing talk which gave a nice feel to the evening and David Fowler gave a historical speech about Leverton (as Yardley & Sheldon is a Leverton Club). Well done to Liz Moran who managed to make an amusing talk when those who had spoken before her had used the content of her speech - she did really well.
It was a great evening made...
Nov 18, 2009 6:30 PM
As much as I am not a person for shopping it is nice to be in a shop after normal hours and be able to relax whilst walking around. I've never been to an event with so many chains of office - at least 4 Mayors and Mayoresses. It was great to meet the Mayoress from Hereford as she is a rotarian in Ross on Wye where Brian Coles from Coventry has moved to (President of Coventry Rotary at same time Paul and I were Presidents of Coventry Breakfast and Phoenix).
The event was opened by Phil...
Nov 17, 2009 1:00 PM
A lovely meeting was held at the Tally Ho Club in Birmingham. The Lord Mayor of Birmingham and the Lady Mayoress were present and the Lord Mayor spoke to the assembled Rotarians and guests. A large number was present and the venue and good meal added to the good ambience of the meeting. It was great to sit and chat to the Lady Mayoress who is really friendly. she and the Lord Mayor have certainly been supporting Rotary events over the past few weeks.
It was a really relaxed and very...
Nov 6, 2009 7:30 PM
The Tower Suite was the venue for a great Presidents' Night. It was lovely to see the Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs sharing the evening. Approximately 100 people were there which was a great number and there was a lot of good conversations around the tables. A very relaxed evening with entertainment provided by a local singer and a comedian. The event was also supported by people from other clubs which was great to see and Chrissy Dance, Inner Wheel District 6...
Nov 2, 2009 7:30 PM
It was lovely to go with Paul to visit Solihull St. Alphege to attend their meeting where Miles Hilton-Barber was to be the speaker. I have heard him before and found him to be an inspirational speaker.
It was great to meet people again after conference and to see so many from Henley-in-Arden there on a scatter night as well as Peter Mayer, the area Assistant Governor. It is nice to walk into a room where you feel to be made so welcome by all in the club.
Miles did not disappoint. He is one...
Oct 27, 2009 12:30 PM
It is obviously not my week for travel this week. Managed to get myself stuck in traffic on the A46 which added an hour to my journey. Fortunately, people were only going into lunch as I arrived. The event was held at the lovely Barcelo Billesley Manor Hotel.
After a nice lunch Cordelia, the dress shop in Stratford, did a fashion show. I must admit I started to panic when the owner said the jackets were well over £200. As much as I loved some of the evening dresses which were...
Oct 21, 2009 7:30 PM
After a busy day it was great to come out for an evening and just relax. After managing to find the Wolvey Bowling Club I walked in on a room where there was a lot of laughter and frivolity. There were frogs jumping around the floor being pulled by strings (very badly in some cases). It was lovely to see people from Nuneaton and Tamworth Rotary Clubs there and friends of the members of Bedworth Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs.
There was a lovely supper available to us all which was very...
Oct 18, 2009 11:15 AM
Had a lovely drive over to Hanbury. As I drove down School Road I wondered where the church was but as I went round a corner I couldn't fail to see it up on the hill. A lovely church to go to although it was strange to have to drive around the church and park right up the side of it (one corner was a little tight but managed to keep away from the stone work).
Admittedly, the church was cold but the service was lovely and the 2 Presidents read...
Oct 10, 2009 7:30 PM
Had a great evening at Nuneaton's Foundation Evening in memory of Gerry Dison. A good number of people attended including our 2 ambassadorial scholars. We were entertained by Phil Holt who did a great talk on the Red Arrows - their history, the planes used, the pilot training, how the formations work and how they make the coloured smoke to name a few areas covered. It was a really interesting talk and kept everyone's attention for almost an hour. It was a very relaxed evening and one...
Sep 12, 2009 7:00 PM
The Metropole Hotel was the venue for this dinner and dance. It was great that this was not just attended by Rotarians but by people from several Birmingham agencies who had played a significant part in the Convention and its success.
The evening was well organised as you might expect from anything run by Brian Fuller. The meal was good and the band for entertainment was also good and enjoyable. People got up and danced and appeared very...
Sep 12, 2009 10:30 AM
A bright and early start for the members of Nuneaton Rotary Club as they set up a blood pressure day ion the Ropewalk shopping centre. Members and NHS staff combined to put on a good display and offer the chance for members of the public to get their blood pressure taken.
It was very rare that someone wasn't there to have their pressure taken, even the Mayor and Mayoress came and had theirs taken - it was great to see them supporting the Rotary Club's efforts.
The majority of peple's...
Sep 11, 2009 7:00 PM
What a beautiful setting for this event - Wroxall Abbey Estate. A gothic style house with beautiful gardens and the weather just set this off nicely. The dining room was set out beautifully and all tables had Union flags on them to get us in the mood.
The food was lovely and the dining room was a wonderful place to watch the sky change colour as the sun set. A relaxed atmosphere supported the whole evening and everyone really enjoyed themselves.
We were then...
Aug 30, 2009 1:45 PM
After rushing home from one event to pick up cases (for 2 days away from that evening) and garden chairs I went with Paul to Goldicote Manor for Shipston-on-Stour's BBQ. It was very well attended and although it did rain a little the sunshine was certainly in people's hearts as they ate and drank to their heart's content.
The BBQ was impressive (even for a vegetarian) and the puddings were amazing. I did just about manage to resist second helpings but I was pleased to see so many...
Aug 12, 2009 10:30 AM
A really great way to spend my birthday. We first travelled through the M6 traffic (or is that sat in it!) and the rain to go and collect Sasha (Ambassadorial Scholar) to drive to Worcester to catch the river cruise boat with Stourport on Severn Rotarians and children and their families from Birmingham Children's Hospital Burns' Unit. The coach eventualy arrived and as it did the rain stopped. In fact the whole boat trip went without rain. Drinks and hot dogs were available on board for...
Aug 9, 2009 12:00 PM
The afternoon started with lunch for 20 of us from Coventry Phoenix Rotary and Inner Wheel clubs at the Loch Fyne Restaurant in Kenilworth. Good company and conversation got the day off to a great start.
We then drove across to Stoneleigh Abbey in glorious sunshine for a guided tour. The guide was great (not too much detail, not too little) and the Abbey grounds and house were beautiful. (I now know why some apartments there sell for such large prices!). It was lovely to watch the cricket...
Aug 8, 2009 10:00 AM
Well the sun shone and the rain from the previous few days was nowhere in sight as I headed for the Long Marston airfield for the Bulldog Bash. What a wonderful experience!
It was great to be amongst thousands of others there for a great weekend. Bikes, bikes and bikes galore! Eddie Kidd was there, a wall of death and the Stratford Rotary Club. A fantastic stall offering a great selection of fruit, milk and other drinks which were very popular with those attending the event was run by the...
