The Rotary Club of Sevenoaks Amherst
November 2006
THE PRESIDENT
A short month between newsletters this time round. Thanks to Mel ‘et al’ for earning wine for our Xmas party - I’m sure they’re just big kids at heart and use it as an excuse to watch the fireworks!
If I’m honest, Torquay didn’t really live up to its billing! There was nothing wrong with the conference centre although it was further from the town centre than ideal. With only 750(ish) of us there, it was packed and wouldn’t, in my opinion, be a viable venue year on year. Perhaps that’s why next year’s DG, Denis Spiller, returns Conference to Eastbourne. Nonetheless, a varied diet of speakers with interesting things to say, if not on matters Rotary, entertained four Club members over different parts of the weekend. Thanks to Colin and Elaine and the caravaners (Eric, Maureen, John and Val). Should you wonder how we fared with the DG’s challenge, £28,000 has so far been raised. That’s two whole containers of wheelchairs; double what the DG hoped for. Our £500ish was average, Whitstable turned the original £1 investment into over £2,500!
Nick Pears gave an entertaining and informative talk on HopeHIV and its relationship with the Social Entrepreneurs Project, something we have already supported and in which we maintain an interest. There is an opportunity for a deeper involvement via Derek’s contacts in Durban, perhaps in HopeHIV supporting their ‘Grandma’ initiative for HIV orphans. If we can make it work, such end to end involvement of two Rotary Clubs should allow us to attract matched funding: hopefully an exciting opportunity for us to look forward to.
We’ve also experienced another spirited debate; this time on the constitution of next year’s Council (Board). It is my belief that the structure to be adopted will reduce Council’s authority and increase its accountability to the Club. This is not to be confused with the Club’s committee structure; itself subject to a changed format that the Club agreed would be trialled for a reasonable period. There will be a debate on the trial in due course, if not in 2006 then early in 2007.
Congratulations to Philip and Dee on their first Grandchild.
Simon.
COUNCIL MEETING
Main Points from the Council Meeting on Wednesday 1 November 2006.
1. Matters arising.
(a) Roubaix. The Eltham Phoenix Club are interested in forming a link.
(b) Archives. Further response needed from Harvey.
(c) Dorton House. The support for the garden party is to be reviewed.
2. President.
The balance on the General Account and the Charity Account has now been established.
The amount to be ‘ring fenced; for International has to be confirmed.
In the Charity Account an amount of £580 was allocated to Foundation
in 2005/6. A further £280 has now been added and a transfer of £800
to RIBI was approved to enable the Club to appoint a Paul Harris Fellow.
3. Treasurer.
The balances are:
General account - £4,919 (International £1,283).
Charity account - £2,346.
Cyclo Sportive - £19,028.
Rockdale - £23 (following payment of £2,550).
4. Membership.
(a) A rota for visiting Albert has been drawn up.
(b) No progress on monthly events.
5. Community, Vocational & Educational Services.
(a) A donation of £100 to the John Aspinall Trust was approved.
(b) A donation of £125 to ‘Send a Cow’ for the purchase
of 2 goats was referred to Grant to review. (This donation was approved at
a special Council Meeting, and by the Club members, on Wednesday, 8 November
2006)
(c) Cyclo Sportive. Allocations approved (60:30:10)
Hospice in the Weald £10,800.
MacMillan Cancer £3,400 net. (A direct payment of £2,000 has already
been made.)
Club £1,800.
(d) Bradbourne School. Issues discussed included 6 Form CV’s, Young
Enterprise Projects and Social Enterprise Projects. Equipment for presenters
costing £1,000 may be required. Grant will investigate the benefits
of these schemes.
(e) Wildernesse School. Tutors for the Business Studies course have been requested.
(f) Achievement Award for Primary Schools.
The merits of making an Award to a boy, previously at Amherst school but now
at Wildernesse School, who has supported his Mother who has cancer is being
reviewed.
6. Fundraising.
(a) Elaine, Edward, Mel and Brian are reviewing the programme of events.
(b) Simon’s concert will be at the Ship Theatre on 9 February 2007.
(c) Edward is planning a PTA Quiz for all interested schools.
(d) Children in Need. Approval is being requested for a collection at Sevenoaks
station on 17 November 2006.
7. A.O.B.
(a) 2 family tickets for a day at the John Aspinall Trust will be given to
St Johns; it should be checked that they are used.
(b) Special General Meeting. It was agreed that nominations for 1st Vice President,
2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and 3 Ordinary Members should be
obtained from Club Members.
(c) Approval of Payments. It was agreed that payments which had been budgeted
should be approved by the Council but that any other payments should be approved
by members at a Business Meeting.
(d) St Julians car park lights. Simon will raise this when he talks to St
Julians.
8. Date of next meeting.
(a) Wednesday, 6 December 2006, at 6.30 p.m. at St Julians.
PROGRAMME
November 2006
1.11.06 Business Meeting
08.11.06 Jeannie Essex—Medical Student’s Efforts to Help Others
15.11.06 Amherst Evening—International Evening—Links with Overseas
Clubs (Ken Marsden)
22.11.06 The Kenward Trust—Tony Williams
29.11.06 PARTNERS EVENING/Speaker—Nick Bracken, OBE, Mass Disasters
December 2006
06.12.06 Special General Meeting—Election of Officers 2007-2008/Approval
of Accounts 1005-2006
13.12.06 Speaker--Mike Parker—A surgeon’s story
20.12.06 Christmas Party
January 2007
03.01.07 Julia Sorenson—Kenya Project Partnership
10.01.07 Business Meeting
10.01.07 District Council Meeting, Hadlow Manor, Hadlow
17.01.07 Amherst Evening—Topic TBA
24.01.07 Lucy Miller—Adventures in Sport
31.01.07 PARTNERS EVENING—Linda Steward—Master Chef Programme
February 2007
07.02.07 Business Meeting
14.02.07 John Thurston—A&E Tales
21.02.07 Amherst Evening—Topic TBA
28.02.07 Peter Hartley—A Royal Interlude
Have Your Say
From Roy
Subject Membership
If, like me ,you groan with a feeling of ‘Déjà vu’
every time this topic is discussed then perhaps we could share a few thoughts.
Firstly, if we look at numbers alone, we have actually done well in comparison to other similar organisations. Round Table only 8 members now; Lions15; Westerham Rotary 19;Sevenoaks Rotary down to half its former membership.
However resting on our laurels is not an option since our real problem is that each year our average age has increased and, while applauding Grant’s initiative in producing Club leaflets and also creating our web-site, we have failed in other respects such as special membership meetings, to have any success at all.
The brutal fact is there is only one way to get new members. If we look at our own introduction into the organisation, in every case we can point to a particular individual who brought us along to meetings in the first place So, I suggest the following as the only way to approach this problem.
1) Look among your friends, family, neighbours, work colleagues etc for the type of person who would make a good Rotarian.
2) Don’t be put off by Rotary professional categories, we can always get round these.
3) Bring them to meetings of general interest. We did agree that meals would be free for the first 3 visits.
4) There is no magic answer. It’s up to every member, especially younger members, to get involved. The gratitude you will receive when this member discovers the fun of Rotary will make it more than worthwhile.