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Amherst News
April 2004
LILLE - CITY OF CULTURE
by Mike Parkinson
12 eager Culture Hounds from Amherst joined with another 203 French, Belgium and German Rotarians and partners to celebrate an all too brief taste of 'Lille 2004 - the City of European Culture'.
Thanks to the generosity of Roubaix Est Rotary Club we Amherst Rotarians and wives journeyed on Friday 16th April by car and ferry or tunnel through Calais to Lille. We met and stayed at the Best Western Art Deco Romarin Hotel in La Madeleine, Lille - later meeting up with Alain Pollet, Gerard Loingeville, President Michel Masse and other members and wives of the Roubaix Est club. We enjoyed a superb, social meal in the Rue St Jacques area on the Friday evening and met again on Saturday morning at the Place Rihour for the start of the tour.
Our first chance to meet the other visiting Rotarians was at Place Rihour and our English speaking lady guide walked us gently around the central area and 'old Lille' to see new and old Lille Artistic and Architectural sights which demonstrated the Culture of Lille as an exciting centre for visitors.
We lunched at leisure - the 215 all together with little time for shopping ! Later we visited the Musee des beaux Arts for the Exposition Rubens which was a bringing together from around the world of the major works of the Flemish master, Pieter Paul Rubens. We enjoyed the expertise of a young male guide, steeped in the history of Rubens.
We parted from our hosts on Saturday early evening since they were in the midst of their German contacts weekend. The visit was excellent and we enjoyed the hospitality which overflowed with generosity, as always.
Culturally lifted, we spent the Saturday evening variously - some too tired to walk any more - some keen to see the 'lights' of central Lille and it's current Chinese theme. All journeyed back during the course of Sunday.
Thank you Roubaix Est - we look forward to meeting again in early June, when their members and wives visit Sevenoaks.
CLUB DIARY
Wednesday Meetings
21 April, Christopher Holgate – subject Sevenoaks Volunteer Transport
28 April, Our speaker is Edward Oatley - subject World Bike Ride
5 May, Business Meeting
12 May, Rosemary Ferguson of Sevenoaks Tourist Office will be our speaker
Service and Social Diary
23 April, Charity Golf Day - a major fund raising event.
Week of 28 April, raids on other Clubs
5 May, Lunchtime raid by Roubaix Est
8 May, District Assembly
21-23 May, Reunion of European Clubs chartered in 1978.
6 June, District Fun Day - fund raising for children's hospices in the south east
Harvey writes….
According to “Rotary World”, a quarterly publication from Rotary International, there are 1,227,545 Rotarians in 31,561 clubs throughout 166 countries. All very impressive but these figures hide certain realities at least in relation to western clubs. You would have to be going around with your Rotary eyes and ears firmly closed not to have noticed the concern for the health of Rotary Clubs over the next five years.
What a time for Rotary Foundation to send out what amounts to a demand for a levy of $100 per member. The last time they did that it was for a specific and noble purpose namely PolioPlus. Rotarians worldwide, including our members, responded with a huge and generous effort achieving the goal. This time there is no specific goal, it seems to be just because they feel like it. They seem to think that the "Centennial" is an acceptable excuse. A lot of time and effort is going into planning a Centennial project under Gordon’s leadership. We have a record of steady support for Rotary Foundation and will not let this kind of unwanted nonsense from those who should know better, distract us.
Meanwhile this month we have had the Stroke Awareness Day, a well supported weekend visit to Roubaix, and our Charity Golf Day at Wildernesse to come. There is plenty of Rotary work to be done – let’s just get on with it.
Secretary’s Note
Just to confirm what I said at our last Club Meeting.
Should you be organising a charity event on behalf of the Club, will you please
amend our familiar wording from 'and other Rotary Charities' to 'and other Charities
supported by Rotary'.
This suggestion was in the last District Governor’s Newsletter. No specific
explanation was given but you will see there is an alteration of emphasis.
Ken
Summary of the Council Meeting on the 5th April
President.
Council discussed the various items of Club regalia and how they should best be used and preserved.
Treasurer.
The Club account was reported as on budget and there was £1450 in the club charity account.
Secretary.
It was agreed that the District Governor’s recommended phrase ‘other charities supported by Rotary’ should be used in future in all Club pamphlets, advertising etc.
The Secretary raised and the council considered that the club should again have a welfare officer; the matter was carried forward for future discussion.
Membership Services.
District had put forward a number of initiatives and events to celebrate the Rotary Centennial; Council agreed that the Club would have to make it’s own choices.
Community, Vocational and youth Services.
Stroke awareness - Council agreed that we should only be involved in future if we organised the day.
Sheltered Shopping - Council agreed that if a specific need was identified the club would support.
Sail Training - a candidate has been identified who will be expected to make some financial contribution. The expected cost to the Club is expected to be no more than £400 and other sponsorship is being sought.
It is hoped that representatives from both Sevenoaks Primary School and Dorton House would be available when the Roubaix Est Club visits for a lunchtime raid on the 5th May.
The committee asked Council to consider two projects subject to funds being available - the refurbishment of the Dunton Green Primary School Swimming Pool, and the ‘Find a Voice’ organisation.
Fundraising.
Council whole-heartedly supports the Clay Pigeon Shoot.
The film Show raised £1450 and Council congratulated all involved.
District Fun Day - Council agreed that we could only support the planned Club event.
The British Legion had expressed their thanks for the offer of help with the administration of the appeal in the Seal area. Council confirmed that the Club would support Mike.
International.
Roubaix Club to visit Wednesday 5th May. Three Rotarians and three members of the contact school are expected.
The committee is looking at two projects that may be suitable to release a District Foundation discretionary grant; the first is working with a Rotary Club in Harare to re-furbish the kitchen in an old people’s home, the second is Care and Comfort Romania. The committee is looking for £500 for either project, subject to funds.
Philip
Membership Services Committee
Colin has now circulated a board to organise the Murder/Mystery evenings with dates convenient to those members who will be acting as Hosts.
Don is circulating a board for members to indicate their choice of the Club they wish to raid during the week beginning 28 April 2004.
Simon is in contact with the Westerham Club with a view to having larger numbers for the 1st War Battlefields visit to make it viable. This will probably now be in the Autumn
Malcolm will form a group to organise the Ladies Night on Saturday, 26 June 2004. The President and Jacqui have chosen a menu of Cream cheese filled pears with tarragon cream dressing - Braised lamb shanks with rosemary and red wine - Coffee ice cream in brandysnap basket with chocolate sauce followed by coffee and chocolate mints.
A group of 19 people will be attending ‘An Evening of Laughter’ with Richard Digance at Ightham Mote on Friday 2 July.
The Committee noted the feedback on recruiting new Rotary members is that the best approach is for all members to consider inviting their friends, neighbours or other contacts to come to a meeting and then to follow up any interest.
Gordon
Report from the Fund Raising Committee
23rd
April - Charity Golf Day. Simon and Gordon have reported that we now have
sufficient entries to ensure the event is a financial success. A board requesting
helpers has been circulated with a response which ensures that all needs on
the day are covered.
6th June - District 1120 Funday. Council have agreed that
Amherst will only
be providing support for the day with our Party Pentathlon as we do not have
sufficient resources to provide manpower for that event and also meet the requests
for support elsewhere.
It is considered highly unlikely that Club Members will be able to sell any tickets to the public in the Sevenoaks area due to a lack of publicity - the Kent Messenger is not available in Sevenoaks.
David Bowley has now been made aware of that gap in the Funday’s publicity.
12th June – Musicathon.
Philip has booked seven of the ten bands required for the day. Amherst has still to decide on which charity the event will support.
1st July - Charity Clay Shoot. Council have agreed that this event will be held in support of Hospice in the Weald.
The venue will be the West Kent Shooting School at Paddock Wood. Entry will be £60 per person and the itinerary will be Coffee, 40 Clays with Instruction, 40 Clay Competition with prizes and Ploughman’s Lunch.
Publicity
material and entry forms are currently being drafted. Amherst will need to sell
the entry places, advertise the event, provide car parking attendants and run
a raffle in aid of our own Charity Account.
15th
July - Quiz of Quizzes. Nothing to report.
19th
September - Cyclo Sportive. Eileen Williams has now issued over 80 letters
requesting support, either financial or otherwise, for this enlarged event.
Approximately 20 replies have been received - a cheque for £250, seven letters stating that our request will be considered at their next meeting, one offer of a van for the day and three offers of financial support but no figures as yet. We are therefore optimistic that we will be able to provide an improved Cyclo Sportive for the increased number of riders that we are planning for.
More news later.
?th
November - Poppy Appeal. Judith Armstrong, District Coordinator for Kent,has thanked Amherst for providing a Poppy Appeal Organiser for Seal (Mike Parkinson).
February 2005 - Fund Raising are seeking an event to arrange for this slot.
Applause has not provided a suitable "act" so far. Any club member
having a suggestion please forward it to ….
Bill
AMHERST INNER WHEEL
Didn't we do well! Organising a Bridge Tea at Otford Village Hall for some 100 dedicated Bridge players raised a considerable sum for Demelza House. The tea proved to be a very popular break for the card players. Inner Wheel members had prepared a delectable selection of scones, sandwiches, cakes and pastries all washed down with plenty of ‘Rosie Lee’.
Thanks are due to the Rotarians who assisted with the placing of tables and chairs and to Ray who also helped with the washing up.
Our April meeting is being arranged by Jeanne Stevens and is a trip to Sissinghurst Place Gardens - this will either encourage or depress the gardeners amongst us!
In May we have Mary Bradbury as our speaker to tell us of her work as a guide at Windsor Castle. If any other Rotary wives would like to join us on that occasion we shall be delighted to see them - so get in touch.
Ena
Improving Thoughts
The Roubaix Est Club set up a committee under Jean Pierre Sternheim to consider ways of making the Club better, and to advise on recruitment. (They currently have 38 members, compared with our 31, and seem to attract new members often, although they lose more than we do.)
The report made the following proposals (if I translated the minutes of their 25 March meeting correctly) which might also be relevant to Amherst.
Look after new members.
Contact every member who misses two consecutive meetings, whether excused or not.
Thank those who apologise for absence.
Every member should invite a guest to a meeting each
year, either as a potential member or not.
Anyone
interested in the Club should be sent the previous year's calendar of events.
Geoff
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Harold has received deposits from and made a booking for 22 of us to make this visit on September 11, starting at 10am.
That’s a long way ahead – so please make sure it’s in your diary.
Punctuation Matters
What a significant difference just a few commas etc can make. Which of the following letters would you rather receive?
They are an example from the book "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" by Lynne Truss.
“Dear Jack,
I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you.
I have no feelings whatsoever when we are apart. I can be forever happy - will you let me be yours?
Jill”
“Dear Jack,
I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men I yearn!
For you I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart I can be forever happy - will you let me be?
Yours, Jill”
Geoff
DISTRICT CONFERENCE EASTBOURNE 22-24 OCTOBER
Features Ann Widdecombe, Nicholas Parsons, the Joe Loss Orchestra, Sir Jeremy Elwes, Jill Cochrane, The Searchers, Professor David Purdey etc etc etc
Come and be surprised!
Enjoy the company of Rotarians - other people just like us.
Gordon will soon be offering the opportunity.
The Locker Room
Golf is topical in the Club this month and this is said to be the kind of thing that goes on in the holy of holies.
****
George answered a trilling mobile in the corner of the locker room and a breathless female voice said “Darling – you know that Armani we looked at on Saturday – this week it is only three hundred and ninety five – what do you think?” Being a man of action, George immediately answered “I think it seems too good a chance to miss and am sure your husband’s credit card can cover it.”
“Oh darling, you are so kind!” There was an imperceptible pause. “Did you know that Rawsons still have that car we fell in love with?” “Who am I” George said “to come between you and the thing you have set your heart on?”
“Oh darling, you are so wonderful!” A slightly less imperceptible pause. “Jeremy tells me that ‘The Hollows’ is back on the market and he thinks that after being let down twice the Smiths would be prepared to consider an offer. We did say that we could stretch to 950” “Not a penny more” said George. “I love you so much! Get home as soon as you can!” and she was gone.
George closed the mobile and waved it around the locker room. “Anybody know who this belongs to?”
***
The husband of that lucky woman is probably the same one who ‘phoned home to see if she were OK when he heard that someone had been driving the wrong way down a motorway she had used that day.
“Oh I’m alright, darling. But it wasn’t just one car going the wrong way – there were hundreds of them!
CLUB DIRECTORY 2004-5
The wording of the Directory will shortly begin circulation among members for them to check personal details, in particular telephone numbers and e-mail addresses.
If anybody wants their own picture(s) to appear this time, let the news editor know asap!