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Amherst News
November 2003

CLUB DIARY

Wednesday Meetings

November 12 Speaker David Lloyds,  a Maritime Pilot and a Rotarian

November 19 Royal British Legion Night.   Presentation of Community Service Award and a speaker, Judith Armstrong 

November 26 "Cars in Whatever Form."   Brian Heston

December 3 Special General Meeting

December 10 Speakers - Julie Barrett and colleague on Volunteer Reading Help

Service and Social Diary

Saturday 15 November "Children In Need" Collection

Tuesday 18 November  District Quiz, at Westerham

Tuesday 25 November Westerham Club's Churchill Dinner

Friday 28 November Sheltered Shopping

Wednesday 17 December - The Amherst Christmas Party

Friday-Saturday 2-3 April  Stroke Awareness Day

Easter  Handicamp

Friday 23 April  Charity Golf Day

Sunday 6 June Fun Day in aid of children's hospices

PRESIDENT HARVEY WRITES……….

Our friends at Roubaix took a leaf from our book and purchased a computer suite for their local school. They invited us to attend the opening on the 21st October. We wanted it to be a productive visit rather than a "jolly". As a result of considerable time and effort on the part of Tony Kemp, and our funding for the crossing, a small group of teachers and pupils went over from Sevenoaks County Primary School. They had a most successful visit and reports indicate that the relationship between the two schools was revitalised.

The 29th, a "fifth Wednesday," saw a raid in force by President John Swatton and members of Catford Rotary Club to hear Eric's talk on the Caravan Fellowship. There were 67 present for a truly memorable evening.

One last deadline approached, namely the requirement to put in a bid for a special grant before the 31st. Thanks to Mike Parkinson, who put together and submitted our bid for funds to help with the scheme to bring some assistance to the pensioners of Harare.

Ray Gulliver graphically illustrated the problem by showing us the stamps on an ordinary envelope posted from there. Stamps to a value exceeding 1,000 Zimbabwe dollars left very little room for the address. A fixed widow's pension quickly becomes worthless in conditions of such rampant inflation and very real hardship is resulting.

Eastbourne, 7.00 am Saturday, flat calm sea, seagulls wheeling below a fresh cloudless sky. The only discordant note, a group of people standing in line holding 8ft long cardboard poles (the centres from carpet rolls). Caber tossing - the "Presidents’ Challenge" was underway. Actually the true challenge was to get to the front of the queue and chuck the giant bog-roll quickly enough to get back to the hotel in time for breakfast.  Distance was not critical but accuracy was. My caber arced gracefully through the air, landed on its correct end and then toppled sideways into ignominy. So it was that I made it back for a "full English" amongst the Christmas decorations!

Many thanks to Philip for his excellent arrangements for hotel and evening meals. It was a most enjoyable weekend and we did some productive networking of which more later.

Late NightChristmasShopping In Sevenoaks

Friday 28 November 6 to 9pm

Do you know of any disabled people or Senior Citizens without transport whom we could add to the list?

Please speak to Tony a.s.a.p.

This year most shops will be open and there will be street entertainment and carol singing.

Summary of the Council Minutes 5^th November

President.

Rotary Centennial:  following discussions a joint committee with Sevenoaks Club has been set up.

The discussion on the Paul Harris fellowship will be held this evening.

Conference was a great success enjoyed by all attendees from the Club. We met and spoke to Tenterden Rotary Club members who raised the matter of the Henry Robinson Goblet, which they offered to return. Harvey has suggested a ‘Bat & Trap’ evening to them.

Discussion on Amherst Ohio Travel vouchers would be carried forward.

Membership Service.

5^th November celebrations went well.   St Julians well pleased and would be again providing wine for the Christmas party.

Community, Vocation and Youth Service.

Council agreed to give £50.00 to the purchase of a series of educational videos which Tony would offer to schools.

Fund-Raising.

Bill intended to ask the head of the Sevenoaks Prep School, who had been so helpful over the Cyclo-Sportive, to a meeting as a guest of the club in order to thank him properly.

The steering committee for the Cyclo-Sportive 2004 had been set up; members are Derek, Jim and Bill. The committee intended to seek a re-negotiation of the terms with Marie Curie and would also seek external sponsorships to cover the club’s expenses for the event.

An opportunity had presented itself to put on a fund raising show of historical films; Bill is seeking to use Bradbourne as a venue.

The committee hoped to organise a fund-raising clay pigeon shoot for Spring 2004.

International

The committee has applied for a Rotary grant of $1000 to aid the Harare Rotary Club in supporting destitute elderly residents of Zimbabwe. Disaster Boxes:  Ron P is going to fill two with the Club’s help before we take further boxes out to other organisations.

We have received some proposed dates from Roubaix Est for meetings in 2004.

Foundation.

We have approximately two tables for the Foundation Quiz.

MONTSERRAT

Last Wednesday Victoria Hook spoke to us about her recent visit and in particular about the new Primary School’s desperate need for books – the library has none at all.

Needed – reading and reference books for the 5/6 to 10/11 range of ages.  International Committee is standing by to hear what you can offer.

We should be able to arrange shipping through Ranfurly.

Letter to the President

Marie Curie Cancer Care Maidstone

Dear Harvey

I am writing to say thank you to you and Amherst Rotary Club for such a well-run and well-received event.   We have had some great feedback this year, the weather was wonderful and the operation very smooth.

Marie Curie could not achieve all that it does, providing free home care for the terminally ill, if it did not have the support it has from volunteers and organisations like yours.   So thank you once again to you and the club for your continued support and for such a lovely fundraising event.

Amanda Stewart

Community Fundraising Manager.

That is what Marie Curie thought of our efforts on their behalf.   This what Bill thought of…..

A Sunday at Godden Green

6.45 am            “Autumn mists and mellow fruitfulness” - 5°C, wish I hadn’t worn these shorts!

6.50                  Edward Oakley (Headmaster at Sevenoaks Prep. School) wearing shorts and a singlet comes out of the morning mist pushing a trolley – strange!

6.55                  Derek and Eileen arrive – that’s good, I must be here on the right day for the Cyclo Sportive

7.00                  Mel, Pat and Tony arrive so I explain the carparking issues to them.  First cyclist arrives – he’s keen!

7.05                  Marquee opened ready for the registration team – Jane will be glad that it wasn’t vandalised during the night.

Philip comes out of the morning mist pushing a barbeque – strange!

7.30                  Cars now flooding in: Tony, Mel and Owen (Vallis) are great carparking attendants.

Derek and I are panicking as Marie Curie representative, Naomi, hasn’t arrived with the details of pre-registration cyclists.

7.45                  Naomi arrives with news that our arrow sited at Wilderness traffic lights is pointing in wrong direction – she was therefore misdirected.  Mel sets out to turn arrow round to point to Godden Green.

8.00                  Registration is going well, cars still pouring in, Raynet complain that riders are “putting rubbish in their rubbish bags” – strange!

8.30                  Cyclists everywhere!

Mel, Tony and Owen set off to their marshalling points.  Cars still pouring in – fortunately two strangers take over carparking duties – hand them a tabard each – wonder if I will ever see those two tabards again.

Derek and I getting concerned that Phil, the timekeeper, hasn’t yet arrived.

8.45                  Phil arrives.  Some local gent arrives to tell me that there is a “horse event” at the bottom of Carter’s Hill and could be a danger to cyclists (and horses!)

9.00                  Start all ready, riders start queuing for the ‘off’.  They leave one at a time.  Some look extremely fit, others make me wonder if their insurers are aware of their participation in this strenuous event!

9.24                  All riders are away, including Edward Oakley, Graham and Jim.

9.26                  Car containing two more entrants arrives – they have mistakenly been to Golden Green, near Tonbridge (they are from Essex!).  Passenger looks very unwell.  Say they are not riding – start to ring Don (the sweeper) to tell him that last rider has left.  Two late arrivals change their minds, they will ride.

9.30                  Last two riders leave.  Try to ring Don – can’t get through – finally realise the Amherst Directory has the wrong number for Don’s mobile.  Aided by bad language, perseverance and logic I finally contact Don.

Sit down for a coffee and two of Philip’s bacon butties – they taste very good!

10.00                Rider returns – he’s given up as “course too hilly”.

Start to prepare and decorate the finish.  Lots of help from Naomi, Pat, June, Eileen and Jan.  Blowing up balloons is obviously a female thing.

First rider returns having completed the 50 mile circuit – feeling of relief as if one can complete circuit then riders can all do it without getting lost.

12.00                Riders now coming in every few minutes.

First rider from 80 mile circuit returns – he was out for 4 hours and 3 minutes (20 miles an hour for 4 hours).

Grounds now strewn with cyclists recovering from their exertions.  Masseuses working hard – an appreciative audience of female helpers stand nearby!

1630     Last rider returns.  Cars now leaving the site – barbeque being dismantled, marquee coming down.  Harvey filling his car with helium filled balloons – is he going to see if it will fly – strange!

Site all dismantled, Eileen and Derek are packing their car.  Ken Marsden is attempting to put Philip’s 6ft barbeque into his 5ft van – strange!

Get in my car to drive home.  Edward Oakley, wearing singlet and shorts, disappears into the evening mist pushing a trolley – strange!         

17.00                Driving home – I wonder what Raynet do? – now they are really strange!

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From Oak Leaves the monthly newsletter of Sevenoaks Athletic Club:

“The Club would like to express its thanks for the £175 provided by The Rotary Club of Sevenoaks and Amherst Rotary Club, Sevenoaks.”

A letter to Ken Marsden

Dear Mr Marsden

I am writing to say a huge thank you for the chance of going on the tall ship.

I had such a fantastic time and I can’t express how much I enjoyed it.   I have been given the opportunity to Volunteer on the Tall Ships and become a volunteer for The Sail Training Association, which I am going to take up.

Yours Sincerely

Louisa Waller.

I have learnt how to climb the riggings, set sail and different  knots.   The experience has helped me gain confidence which I never knew existed.   I also shared and learnt about commitment.   It was a new opportunity which has influenced me in what to do in life.   I learnt how to cook, take the helm and make the most of a situation.

Once again, thank you for this life changing opportunity.

p.s.  I would be more than happy to come and do a talk and show my photographs if you would like.

An e-mail to President Harvey

May I on behalf of the members of the Rotary Club of Catford and their partners, thank you and your club for a delightful evening when we visited you to hear our Honorary Member Eric give his talk.

Without using too many superlatives, the welcome we received was excellent, as was the meal, but the friendship and fellowship were outstanding.

Eric’s talk was so interesting we could have listened to him a lot longer but I, and others, felt he was not alone in his presentation, yes Audrey was there to round off a perfect evening.

To sum up, an evening full of good food, good fun and wonderful fellowship amongst very good friends in a true Rotary way.

Yours in Rotary

President John.

p.s. we have a new website at rotaryclubofcatford.org

Eastbourne 2003     Social Diary

We arrived in Eastbourne in what remained of this year’s Indian summer, the hotel welcomed us and I dropped the luggage and drove off to park in Hastings. I did not intend to park in Hastings but there seemed to be some pressure on parking - perhaps it is easier in high season.

Dee and I walked round to the Conference Centre, an arduous 80 yards or so. We unfortunately just missed the welcoming of the guests but we were in time to hear Jeremy Troughton speaking about the Round the World Yacht Race, an excellent speaker who set the standard for the rest of the weekend. A veritable feast of speakers on serious topics enlivened by super comedians, I wish I could remember some of their jokes.

Friday evening we went to an Italian restaurant ‘Martini’ and retired to the Conference centre in good order to hear the last hour and a half of the ‘String of Pearls’ Orchestra.

Harvey represented the Club at the President’s challenge on Saturday morning, Caber Tossing at 07.00.   We were proud of you Harvey.  Do not ask Harvey to explain the rules of Caber Tossing unless you have the rest of the evening free!

Saturday afternoon we tried to improve the standing of the club by attending the Quiz. Unfortunately it was a Quiz and Wine Tasting or perhaps more appropriately a Wine Tasting and Quiz.  I have never had full glasses of wine at a Wine Tasting before, we did not even come in the first three.

It must be a record; the only shopping Dee managed was in the Hall of Friendship!  A worthwhile part of the conference that Eric had assisted Catford Club in setting up, we were amazed to learn that district owns the carpet and that it is re-laid each year and then taken up and stored.

In the evening Harvey and Jacqui went to the Presidents’ March Past while we relaxed in the Hotel bar.  We then all adjourned to ‘Browns’ restaurant where we enjoyed a meal and an impromptu hat making competition.   We were in good form for the last third of the dinner dance back at the Conference Centre with much hilarity all round.

A subdued group appeared for breakfast in the morning but soon recovered after a blow in the Sunday morning gales and rain on the walk to the Conference Centre. 

The Speakers on Sunday morning were well up to the standard of the previous two days.

 It was great to hear Amherst getting a mention through Grant’s contribution to the organising committee.   We parted regretfully at Sunday lunchtime after coffee and cakes.

During the weekend we chatted with and made the acquaintance of many other Rotarians and old friends, notably members of the Crofton Club, the Southborough and Pembury Club, the Tenterden Club and the Sevenoaks Club. They all expressed the wish to improve inter club contact and we seem to have challenges from them all to inter-club bat and trap.

Philip.

Remembrance

A small party of us (including Ken Marsden with Chamber of Trade hat on) attended the Sevenoaks Service on Sunday and wreaths were laid on behalf of the Club and Inner  Wheel in suitably wet and cold conditions.