Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
A Rotarian’s A Rotarian’s search for search for Noah’s ArkNoah’s Ark
Informing
in East Anglia
Ten-EightyNEWS
District Governor: Jonathan King(Wroxham Bure Valley Rotary)
Editor: Rodney Howell(Diss Waveney Rotary)
Volume 9 Issue 6December 2019
Informing
in East Anglia
Ten-EightyNEWS
Disclaimer: Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor or RIBI. Every effort is made to ensure that the magazine’s contents are accurate. Information is published in good faith but no liability can be accepted for inconvenience arising from error or omission. The Editor reserves the right to edit for clarity or length.Contributors must ensure that all material submitted is not in breach of copyright or other laws.The magazine welcomes all contributions from individual members and clubs covering events and activities throughout the year. Wherever possible, please supply copy in an editable format by email and include any images as attachments in as high a resolution as possible.
COPY DATEAll material for inclusion must be submitted by the 24th of any month via the following email address:
6
11
18
District Officers 2019-20District GovernorJonathan King ---------------------Imm.Past DGDavid Simpson ---------------------DG ElectJonathan King (2-year term) ----DG NomineeIan Elliott -----------------------------District SecretarySteven Seager ----------------------Assistant District SecretarySteve Munns ------------------------District TreasurerPhilip Peters -------------------------Assistant GovernorsLinda Eastaugh----------------------Peter Summers ---------------------------------Vicky Burman------------------------Nigel Wordingham ----------------------------Ian Elliott -----------------------------Peter Senior--------------------------------------Janet Turner -------------------------Lindsay Pearson --------------------------------Jonathan King (Acting)------------Peter Harris --------------------------------------Comm/VocKeith Tovey ---------------------------------InternationalRobert Lovick ------------------------------Youth ServicesDorothy Pulsford-Harris-----------------Public ImageIan Elliott ------------------------------------Rotary FoundationDerek Rothwell ----------------------------MembershipRay Burman --------------------------------Leadership & TrainingAnne Guymer -----------------------------WebmasterIan Elliot ------------------------------------EnvironmentKeith Tovey ---------------------------------RYLADavid Simpson ----------------------------Conference DirectorDiane Harber ------------------------------Peace OfficerPat Webb ------------------------------------
Noah’s Ark and cats that swim
Recruitment the Ipswich East way
Time for something new
2
Jonathan’s
Journal
Our Governor’s thoughts for the month
Old dogs can be taught new tricksNovember has been another
busy time, comprising club visits, committee meetings and
an excellent 50th Charter Night at Swaffham, where our RIBI President, Donna Wallbank addressed a full house of Rotarians, partners and local dignitaries. Chris and I attended the Boudicca Ball in Norwich with several Norwich clubs, as well as 20 members from Wroxham Bure Valley, supported the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Breast Cancer campaign. A visit to RIBI Headquarters at Alcester for Governor Elect Training was surprisingly different from the previous year as cost-cutting resulted in the use of ‘Head Office’ instead of an external venue and it being held without a Rotary Institute attached. Different presentations and workshops focusing on Growing Rotary, Diversity, Leadership, modern communication methods and Public Image, resulted in Strategic Planning ideas to be incorporated in our District Continuity Plan. The different and improved training showed that, each year, Rotary Training should be attended even if you been to previous events. This also applies to the President Elect Training in District. In D1080 we have been evolving our own PEPs to be more participative and to reflect
the changing world of Rotary and, as a result, even Past Club Presidents do benefit from our local PEPs.Arrangements for our next District Conference at Potters on 11th July are well underway, details of booking will be released on 1st December when all Rotarians with a valid email address will receive a Mailchimp email
communication. Great news from RI regarding World Polio Day on 24th October - more than 5,600 events in over 125 countries raised awareness and funding. It was confirmed that the wild polio virus type3 has been
eradicated. I would like to remind you that Rotary Foundation donations for End Polio Now are still being increased by twice the donated sum by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Please support fundraising activities for Polio Eradication as funding is still needed to complete global eradication.Most clubs have great plans for Santa Collections during December, please maximise the opportunity to market your Rotary Club and increase the awareness of what we do in our communities and internationally during this period of good will.On behalf of the District Team, I wish you and your families a happy and peaceful Christmas and I thank you all for your Rotary work and support.
“even Past Club Presidents do
benefit from our local PEPs”
This year’s Rotary Young Photographer Awards organised by the Rotary Club
of Saffron Walden attracted 21 entrants from the Joyce Frankland Academy and the Saffron Walden County High School.Entrants were asked to submit three photographs under the theme of “Through my Eyes”. Entries were judged on technical merit, content, composition, style and imaginative interpretation of the theme.The winners, announced at an award ceremony at a meeting of the Club held on 13th November, were presented with certificates by Rotary Club President, Alan Dawson. Also present at the event were the judges - Roger King, photographer from the Saffron Walden Reporter and Garry Crompton, of Saffron Walden Photographic Club.The overall winner, Emily Bide, from Saffron Walden County High School, will take part in the East Anglian District heat early next year and, if successful, will be entered into the national final in March.Geoff Woollerson, the lead for the award project, said, “We would like to thank all the participants who entered the competition, the judges for their time and Ian Rutherford of McGowan and Rutherford for his continued support in sponsoring the event”.
Above: Holding their winning entries in the Rotary Young Photographer Awards are from left, Chloe Nash (SWCH), Harry Townsend (JFA), Emily Bide (SWCH) and Polly Bullman (SWCH).
Essex Young Photographers make it snappy
3
Well over 300 cyclists - men, women and children of all ages - took part in the Woodbridge Rotary ‘Ruff Stuff’ charity cross-country cycle ride on 17th
November. It started and finished at Butley Village Hall and covered 25 miles through Tunstall Forest, across country and around Rendlesham Forest. Participants ended up covered in mud even though the weather conditions were dry and cool, just right for the event which raised money for ‘Bike Active’ and Rotary charities.The Bike Active charity operates special needs cycling on Fridays at Alton Water sailing club. They use specially designed and built cycles so the clients can enjoy themselves and see the superb countryside as well as trees, flower, birds and other wildlife.The day was organised and run by about twenty Rotarians and refreshments were all made, supplied and served by members of Rotary’s sister organisation, Inner Wheel.Photographs by Geoff Springett
down and dirty in the ruff stuff
Above: A display of some of the custom-built cycles designed to provide access to the countryside by the charity.
4
From theEditor’s Desk
To contact the Editor, click here
Welliphant and his colleagues in the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service Prevention Team are busier than ever. In the six months ending 30 September, they have fitted 1142 optical alarms and 224 sensory
systems - This will protect individuals living in some 1000 homes and would not be possible without the financial support provided by Rotarians from D1080 and The Rotary Foundation.District 1080 has again granted the Smoke Alarm Project matched funding for 2019/2020 and we now need support from our fellow Rotarians in Suffolk to continue saving lives.Our team is always pleased to visit Suffolk clubs, as are our colleagues from Harleston and District Rotary covering Norfolk, to provide more information to our fellow Rotarians.Please contact Arnie Bennett (Stowmarket Gipping Valley Rotary) for further information relating to your postcode area or to arrange a visit to your club.Arnie can be contacted via the button below or telephone 01449 737393.
Thank you for all your support this year and we at the Norfolk Smoke Alarm Project wish you all a very happy Christmas and a safe New Year.If you would like a presentation to your club, please contact John Archer at [email protected].
Copy Date is 24th of any month
Wave to Welliphant
Help spread the word around
This is the last issue of the calendar year so, along with the traditional expression of wishes to all
readers to have a “Merry Christmas”, it is perhaps appropriate that our lead story also has a biblical theme.The author, Diss Waveney Rotarian Don Black, is in his nineties now and a visit to the land of Noah’s Ark has long been on his bucket list. His account of fulfilling that dream is well worth a read and, if there are other members out there who have a similar tale to tell
of an ambition achieved then please let me know and we can get you a wider audience.On the subject of ambition achieved and a wider audience, our feature story from last month highlighting Shaun Good’s triumph over a fear of water to compete in an Ironman Triathlon has been picked up by our RIBI magazine and will appear in those pages in the future.The next issue, out on January 1st, is always a difficult issue to fill as December is rather a “dead month” for report-worthy Rotary activities so why not take the opportunity to look back over the year, take stock
and tell everyone how your club has progressed? How do you match up to the growth still going on at Ipswich East and reported in these pages? If you have a personal theory on where Rotary may be going wrong or needs improvement then let me have an article and spread the word.I have been asked whether I am excluding our District Committees from the magazine. The answer is no, for some reason those bodies seem lothe to submit material, which seems odd given that D1080 News is sent direct to every member. Perhaps they will up their game and tell us what they are up to in the new year.
5
As a founder member of both Stowmarket and Diss Waveney Rotary Clubs and Past President
of the older one at Felixstowe, I have a confession - My benefits from Rotary have far outweighed my input. For example, for many years I wrote about container terminals around the world, often feeling lonely when away but always finding a welcome and local knowledge in Rotary clubs.My most recent and possibly final journey abroad was, however, purely for pleasure and it was made to the only major place I’ve known, apart from the former Soviet bloc, that is without a Rotary club.It happened this way: My childhood dream of visiting “Noah’s Ark country” came true at the age of 88 - better late than never. A mix of fact and legend, it’s reached by travelling to Van, a city in southeast Turkey and rarely seen by holiday tourists. While millions of people know of Noah and thousands of Britons name their boys after him, very few visit his legendary homeland. Not many more buy plastic replicas of his Ark at Christmas and the wooden sort seems to be extinct.Faith is required for evidence of Noah’s Ark. Baby facts from the Office for National Statistics, on the other hand, show that there were 225 new Noahs in 1996, rising to 4,305 in 2106 (making it the sixth most popular name) and 4,273 in 2017 (fourth most popular).
One certainty about Mount Ararat, said to be the resting place of the Ark, is that climbing it should only be attempted by people experienced in such adventures. My first view of the mountain, after a two-hour drive from Van through gentle countryside, made the journey worthwhile. A volcano that last erupted
In search of the real
Noah’s Ark
Above: Wearing shorts is not a good idea when sitting among affectionate animals in Van city’s “Cat House”.
Left: The map shows to location of Mount Ararat on the borders of Turkey and Armenia.
6
in 1840, its summit at 5,165m is the highest in Turkey and is permanently cloaked with snow. According to Genesis, the Ark came to rest in the Ararat range and the creatures that Noah saved had boarded “two by two,” a phrase loved by small children everywhere.Millions of toys and pictures of Noah and the Ark survive and scores of them watch over worshippers from the stained-glass windows in East Anglian churches.A roadside sign in English directed me to “Noah’s Ark”, a mapped place that comprises a rock formation identical to the dimensions as given in Genesis.An enterprising Kurd has gathered evidence including the “original anchors” into a small museum that is the one building overlooking the site. It has been empty and locked for some time and will not reopen until many more visitors arrive. One legend that’s both living and lovable is the Turkish Van breed of cats and their traditional ability to swim, a divine escape plan in case the Ark should sink. I had been first to the Cat House, a tourist attraction in the old city of Van. Here I realised that I had made a big mistake by wearing shorts that let affectionate Vans climb up my bare legs. The scratches, however, were outweighed by my pleasure in stroking their downy white coats and their purring as they lay on my lap. Van University’s newly-built cat research centre has been equipped with two pools paid for by a local business man. “Now we can teach the kittens to swim,” predicted the director, Abdullah Kaya.Our efforts to persuade cats in the female wing to enter the water had no success at all. They seem to have lost what ancient affinity they had with swimming. There was no point in repeating our experiment in the male wing. All cats are expert sleepers and these were all enjoying their afternoon siesta.Items as small as key fobs faithfully reproduce a unique feature - blue and amber or yellow eyes, often in the same animal. They give work to many craftsmen as well as being a symbol of
peace for different races and religions.We found a good example of religious harmony in the church of the Holy Cross, a former cathedral of an independent Armenian kingdom standing high on the small island of Akdamar in Lake Van. Long in danger of collapse, it has been restored by the Turkish government. We mixed happily there with people of differing faiths. Two other interesting places, one secular and the other religious, provide man-made attractions on the mainland of Noah’s land.An Ottoman palace, Isak Pasa Sarayi, has a cliff- top location near Ararat. Its harem buildings, with their secluded garden, epitomise our fantasies.Most accessible of monastery remains is “Seven Churches” although we waited for an hour on our way there while a section of mountain road was quickly finished for our benefit. The monastery that housed 300 monks in its heyday is cared for by a Kurdish family.
The nearest ship that I could see resembling an up-to-date Noah’s Ark was a train ferry that crosses Lake Van from Tatvan to Van itself, thereby avoiding a mountain barrier. It brought back memories of the old Harwich to Zeebrugge train ferries. I encountered just one problem in Van - road kerbs more than two feet high assist snow clearance mechanisation in winter but didn’t help me. Thankfully, airport wheelchairs let me cross their vast expanses in comfort. But returning to Stansted at midnight we found that all the hotels there were full. No room at the inn, as the nativity plays tell us.
Above: Stone feature said to be the shape of Noah’s Ark when it came to rest.Below: Restored carving at the Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island, Lake Van.Cover: The church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island looks across Lake Van to the Ararat mountain range, where, according to Genesis, Noah’s Ark came to rest.
7
On Tuesday 28th October, a special remembrance ceremony was held in the Tower Gardens in King’s Lynn. Pupils from several West Norfolk schools had
been enlisted to turn plastic drinking bottles into poppies and wreaths and their work was displayed on the railings around the gardens and in front of the war memorial.The ceremony also saw the unveiling of two new wrought-iron benches commemorating the First World War that were
jointly purchased by the Rotary Club of King’s Lynn and the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council. Ribbons were cut by the Mayor, Mr Geoff Hipperson and Rotarian Ian Mason.Last year the Borough Council and the Rotary Club purchased two “Tommies” which are positioned behind the new benches and can just be seen behind the group in the photograph above.
The Rotarians (from left to right) are: Pip Rippengill, Ian Mason, Michael Walker, Paul Robson, Mel Robson and Michael Pellizzaro together with the Mayor and Mayoress and children from Howard Junior School. Photo courtesy of Lynn News.
Memorial Benches unveiled in advance of King’s Lynn Remembrance Sunday Service
Pupils in Year 5 at Palgrave Primary School were recently presented with Usborne Illustrated English Dictionaries by members of Diss Waveney Rotary Club. The children were delighted to receive
their Dictionaries and eager to write their names inside the cover.In September, Diss Waveney Rotary Club held a Quiz which raised £500 towards the cost of purchasing a Dictionary4Life for every local Year 5 pupil in September 2020. The number of Year 5 pupils in the 10 local schools in 2020 will be significantly higher than this year, indicating that over 285 Dictionaries will be required.
Dictionaries eagerly received
8
Four teams recently took part in a round of this competition organised by the Rotary Club of
King’s Lynn – Marshland High School, Smithdon High School, Springwood High School and Terrington St Clements High School. The debates covered topics relating to the influence of social media, police carrying guns, the privatisation of the NHS and human organ donation.The winning team was that from Springwood High School comprised of Alexandra Ampomah, who proposed
the motion that the NHS should be privatised; Elizabeth Mathew, who opposed the motion and Jeremy Mathew, who chaired the debate. They will represent the King’s Lynn area in the District level round of this national competition at Bury St Edmunds in February or March.Two years ago, a team from Springwood High School got through to the National Final in Exeter and last year another Springwood team reached the South-east Regional Final in Redbridge.
The Springwood High School team (from left to right): Alexandra Ampomah, Jeremy Mathew, Elizabeth Mathew together with the President of the Rotary Club of King’s Lynn, Steve Roberts.
Springwood High are best again in Youth Speaks heat
On Thursday 31 October, Ipswich Rotary Club President Alfred Reeves was pleased to announce that the Club
had awarded Michael Warren a Paul Harris Fellowship. President Alfred spoke of Michael’s contribution since he joined the Club in 1984, becoming president in 1992. Michael has served on many committees and has always lived up to the Rotary ethos of “Service above Self”.
Past President awarded PHF by Ipswich Rotary
Kay Baker, a member of Hadleigh Rotary
Club, is an Associate with Gotelee Solicitors in their Hadleigh office and has been commended as a ‘Rising Star’ by the Legal 500 UK Client Directory, which is published at the end of September each year to provide a benchmark for law firms across East Anglia. Kay’s commendation is for her work in relation to wills, trusts and probate. She is the standout practitioner and clients remark that she is an “excellent lawyer combining legal expertise with empathy to achieve a solution to some of the most complicated scenarios”.She is delighted to be recognised by the industry and really enjoys her work, helping the Hadleigh community and meeting local people, which is also evident through her work with Hadleigh Dementia Action Alliance.Adding yet another string to her bow, Kay has also recently qualified as a mediator, which means she can help families and businesses work through disputes as an impartial third party with the aim of reaching an agreement outside of court. She says that mediation has a high success rate, most disputes being resolved in a day which is a real contrast to some court or tribunal cases which can take months to reach a conclusion.
Rising Star in Hadleigh
9
Following this year’s highly successful Heritage Coast Walk/Run, which attracted well over 800
entrants, a cheque presentation to the main charities supported recently took place at Halesworth Golf Club.The event is organised jointly by the Rotary Clubs of Saxmundham and Framlingham and the Presidents of both clubs presented cheques for £6000 to Prostate Cancer UK and £1000 to East Suffolk Prostate Cancer Support.Accepting a cheque on behalf of Prostate Cancer UK, Bill Turnbull, the radio and TV celebrity, stressed the importance of men getting checked out by their GP if they suspected any problems and went on to cite his own particular circumstances.Framlingham President Steve Emmett presented a cheque to Jeff Willmot on behalf of East Suffolk Prostate Cancer Support, which is principally based at Ipswich Hospital. Jeff also explained how local support groups and services work and stated that the money would go towards the purchase of new test equipment.For the past twenty years, the John Paul Rose Bowl has been presented to a person or group that is considered to have made a significant contribution to the event. This year, Rotarian Ron Geater presented the rose bowl to Vernon and Brenda Readhead in recognition of their invaluable contribution. Saxmundham President Steven Seager also presented them with Paul Harris Fellowships for their services to Rotary and the community.Since the Heritage Coast Walk/Run was started some 37 years ago, the event has raised well over £500,000 and this has been distributed to a wide number of charities both locally and nationally. Next year’s event takes place on Sunday 3rd May.
Heritage Run helper couple recognised and cheques given
Above: They’re off (last May).Below: Bill Turnbull accepts the Prostate Cancer UK cheque (left) and the East Anglian Support Group receive their cheque (right).Bottom: Ron Geater (centre) with Vernon and Brenda Readhead.
10
What is the recruitment of new members to Rotary all about? It is definitely not about
policies and procedures, it is much more than that, it is an ethos that permeates a club. Our club, like may others, has some senior members who will cease to be active Rotarians in the foreseeable future. As a result, we needed to take proactive steps to ensure that our capability of as Rotary club was not diminished. A proactive and positive approach to recruitment has meant that we have been able to maintain our club membership at 78, with other new potential club members in the pipeline.My mentor in Rotary is a founder member of our club and has been a Rotarian for nearly fifty years. He has always said that Rotary is about doing some good in our local and international communities but also having fun whilst we do it. Fun is at the heart of our club, in our meetings, our charitable works and our social activities. At a member’s induction, we stress that Rotary membership involves duties and obligations. However, we approach everything with flexibility, fun, understanding and a desire for inclusiveness.Frankly, a lot of nonsense is spoken and
written about recruitment and a lot of time and effort is wasted on useless forms of recruitment. There is only one method that really works. It is about individual Rotarians telling and selling Rotary. It is about individual Rotarians talking to and encouraging people to attend our meetings so that they can see what we do. It is about individual Rotarians taking responsibility for the future of our club.In Suffolk, there are some 5000 charities, good causes, support and social groups. It is a competitive market. They are all seeking the same people that we are seeking. Therefore, if we want to succeed in recruiting new club members, we have to be an attractive organisation that people
want to join in preference to any other organisation in our area.I started by saying what Rotary recruitment is not about. I finish by saying what I believe it is all about. It is the effort of individual club members to encourage people to attend our meetings where they are welcomed and made to feel welcome and wanted, whilst instilling the concept of an active group where fun, fellowship and contribution really does matter.The question I would pose is: “What is happening in other clubs? What initiatives do they find useful?”.
Tony BakerSecretaryRotary Club of Ipswich East
If they can If they can do it why do it why can’t you?can’t you?With 78 members, Ipswich East is the largest Rotary club in D1080 and it’s growing. How do they do it when so many of our clubs are dying?Club Secretary Tony Baker offers his own theory.
President Liz Harsant of Ipswich East welcomes the latest batch of recruits.
11
The East Anglia region of Rotary each year organises a whole week in September of leadership
development for young people aged 18 to 26 at Grafham Water. Each young person is sponsored by one of the Rotary Clubs or by employers. For this year’s RYLA, the Trinity Rotary Club of King’s Lynn sponsored Jordan Peacock from the Purfleet Trust in King’s Lynn and Adrian Flux Insurance Services generously provided the funding for the cost of the weeks training. Jordan recently made a presentation to Trinity Rotarians on what she had experienced and the effect it had had on her. She said “I was very nervous, especially as I arrived late and was thrust into the company of 50 people I did not know. However, it turned out that we all felt the same and, after being divided into our groups, we quickly became more relaxed and able to join in with confidence. I say relaxed but the week was
anything but as we were kept busy from morning till night! We all learned a tremendous amount, especially how to conduct ourselves and gained enormous confidence in our own abilities. I feel it has transformed me into a much more capable person and, as a bonus, I have made great new friends and we meet up as much as we can”.Paula Hall, the Chief Executive of the Purfleet Trust confirmed “I knew Jordan could take on much more responsibility and leadership and this course stretched and developed her. She now wants to take on much more which helps me a lot!” Jordan was presented with her course certificate by the retiring RYLA organiser, Robin Wraight. John Thorpe, Trinity President, confirmed “The Club has sponsored a young person nearly every year and the life-changing impact it has on them is always obvious, making them much more confident and capable”.
From right: Carl Pickett of Adrian Flux Insurance Services; John Thorpe, Trinity President; Jordan Peacock; Robin Wraight and Paula Hall of the Purfleet Trust.
Trinity’s RYLA sponsorship made “life-changing” impact
Norwich Marchesi Rotary Club have donated some 10,000 bulbs to enhance the grounds
of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital over the past four years. Crocuses (the symbol of Rotary’s worldwide Polio Plus campaign) and daffodils bring pleasure to staff, patients and visitors alike, particularly on the Colney Woodland Walk that winds through the grounds. Next year, snowdrops will add to the display. Community Service Chair, Derek Bond, together with Louise Cook, who is responsible for fund raising for the hospital’s charitable foundation, are seen planting welcome signs indicating the main areas where, next spring, the blooms will bring cheer to the many people who seek solace from a stroll in the grounds.
If you go down in the wood next Spring
12
A team from Ipswich East Rotary Club joined forces with regular FIND volunteers on Saturday
9th November to shift tons of food and equipment from Hines Road to their new home alongside Gainsborough Sports Centre in Braziers Wood Road. A convoy of cars, trailers and vans beetled back and forth transferring everything from tins and packets to furniture and display materials. The whole operation was conducted with good humour and laughter despite the traffic problems. Once the first transporters had worked out a good route, the message was soon passed around and a journey which, earlier in the day, had taken 25 minutes was soon reduced to five minutes. The new premises are much larger and better suited to the purpose - they are
designed for the job and will enable greater efficiencies (they might even be warmer).It’s a sad fact of life that the whole enterprise is even needed but the band of volunteers that run it do a splendid job helping people who have been let down by ‘the system’.
Finding FIND a new place to call home for the Food Bank
Downham Market Rotary has been one of the first to introduce Junior Technology Tournaments
into its local primary schools. The aim of the Junior Tournament is the same as the tournament the Club offers to senior schools: to challenge students’ creative skills in a ‘fun’ way to better their understanding of design, technology and simple engineering, with the aim of encouraging them to become our future engineers. Downham Rotary’s latest tournament was in Southery. Working closely with the Principal and staff of the village’s Academy, Club Youth Chair, Alan Culley, introduced the engineering challenge to the pupils of Kingfisher class. The task was to design and build a scale model of a bridge over a pedestrian path in an animal sanctuary that would enable small animals to reach feeding areas without encountering humans. The model had to be wide enough to span the path, high enough to allow people to pass under it safely and strong enough to withstand strong winds. By comparison with the Senior Tournament, the Junior version allows for a more comprehensive briefing at the start of the exercise from the teaching staff. The students, aged
from 9 to 11 years, were all equipped with the same materials and, working in teams, given two hours to design and build their bridges. This was the first time they had been given such a task, but each team was soon working busily to achieve the right type of bridge. The students’ briefing packs contained information on the basics of bridge building and part of the judges’ evaluation was how well teams worked together in producing their models.
The final part of the exercise – testing the design and construction of the models – was watched by all the students and their teachers. Every team had risen to the challenge with a variety of bridge designs that met all the required specifications. Teachers and judges congratulated everyone for the way they had worked together. Pupils too said how much they had learnt and all were agreed it was an exercise worth repeating.
The winning team displays its handiwork to staff and Rotarians.
Southery kids build bridges for the future
13
A day of fellowship and fascination was held at the Industrial Steam Museum at Forncett St
Mary, Norfolk. This amazing working museum was started in the 1960s by enthusiast Dr Rowan Francis, a now retired consultant anesthetist. Over the years he has amassed a significant variety of large and small steam engines which he and his team of committed volunteers have rebuilt and brought back into full working order. It is now an award winning collection of spectacular stationary steam engines, hidden in the depths of the beautiful South Norfolk countryside.For the day, Dr Francis opened the museum specially for our Rotarians and partners and fired up the large wood-burning boiler to show all the engines in full working order. Some of the engines are small and quiet whilst others are enormous and work at impressive pressures, from the little Parsons Steam Turbine to the massive Dover Engine. This latter was the last large water works engine to be built and probably the last steam engine to enter service in the water industry in this country. The pumps driven by this engine lifted water a total height of 420 feet at a rate of 96,000 gallons per hour. As an example of how Dr Francis acquired and commissioned these engines, The Folkestone and District Water Company, owners of the engine, had intended it to be scrapped. However, the Forncett Museum were able to purchase the engine for a
nominal sum and move it to Norfolk. Work on dismantling the engine began in February 1977. The team completed that part the job in eight
months. It took some 30 trips in lorries to transport all the parts of the 85ton engine from Dover to Forncett. The team reassembled the largest parts of the engine in 1978 and built the new engine house in 1979. It is now in full working order.The engine in the photograph is one of a pair of engines that were used to operate Tower Bridge in London. It was
acquired, transported and rebuilt in a similar manner to the Dover engine, also in the 1970s.Rowan Francis then provided lunch for all of us before we returned home. It was a magnificent day of awe and wonder complemented by excellent fellowship.The fellowship theme will be continued at the end of November when several members of Wymondham Rotary Club and some partners will visit Cologne at the invitation of the Rotary Club of Izegem, Belgium. Wymondham and Izegem have been ‘partner’ clubs for over 30 years, completing many reciprocal visits over the years and joining in International fundraising efforts. We will be joined in Cologne by members of the Rotary Club of Amsterdam Nieuwendam with whom we have similar reciprocal arrangements. In one tripartite fundraising enterprise four years ago, we jointly raised, with grant aid from Rotary Foundation, a sum of $79,000 for an education project in one of the poorest areas of rural India. This venture continues to be hugely successful.Over the last 12 months, Wymondham Rotary Club has undertaken several fundraising events and has donated to many local and international causes.
Steam Power was highlight of Wymondham’s varied yearThe club reviews 12 months fun, fellowship and fundraising
14
In January, the ever-successful Burns Night Ceilidh, organised jointly with the Wymondham Lions Club, raised total of £1700. This was split between Rotary and Lions. Money was allocated for a part of our annual donation to the Eradication of Polio campaign (£1000 was given to the campaign again this year, as it has been for many years), for a part of a ShelterBox (three have been funded by the club this year) and for local charities. It was also a very enjoyable evening!The club hosted a musical “Soiree” in April and Wymondham “Question Time” in June. Both were very enjoyable and successful, raising about £1500 between them. Once again local and International charities benefitted.The Club’s enthusiastic Satellite Group have also been busy, raising over £22,000 within the year. The events included a detector weekend, two hugely popular quizzes and a joint Santa event with the parent club at the local Garden Centre for most of December. One of the local charities which has benefitted from the Club’s fundraising and pastoral care is Chapel Green School for children with severe profound and multiple learning difficulties. With help from the Rotary Clubs of Watton, Wroxham Bure Valley and Diss and District, a successful Grant Application to District 1080 was made. The local Lions Club were involved once more. Including the Grant, a cheque for £5800 was given to the school for specialist play equipment (see photo on left). The swing has now been installed and is proving both popular and an indispensable part of the teaching curriculum for some of the pupils.In addition to the fundraising, the Club is involved in many local events and charities. For example, we co-founded and now are the chief organisers of the local Food Bank, assist at Crucial Crew and are involved in the Wymondham Dementia group. We also participate in town events to try to assist, amongst other things, in the reinvigorating of the town centre.It has been and eventful and fulfilling year. Plans are afoot to make 2020 equally successful.
Beccles Cycle for Life representatives, together with Donna Harmer from The Sir John Leman High School, visited the Norwich Airport base of East Anglian Air Ambulance on 18th November with a cheque for £3,500
raised for them at this year’s event. Half of the proceeds of the annual Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride, promoted by the Rotary Club of Beccles, go to East Anglian Air Ambulance and the other half to the club’s charitable trust. Donna Harmer has been a member of the Beccles Rotary committee representing the Leman School in the organisation of the event.The visit coincided with one by Emily Gilbert from Lowestoft and her Mum, Denise. In July, Emily sustained a Segway accident and broke her leg, an accident from which she is still recovering. The air ambulance came to her rescue and since then she has raised £5,633 for EAAA as a gesture of thanks.Ben Walker, EAAA’s Community Fundraiser, together with a pilot, doctor and paramedic were on hand to show the visitors the helicopter and its facilities. EAAA are looking forward to developing the base next year to facilitate round-the-clock operation.John Swanbury, the Beccles Rotary Club’s publicity officer, said, “Thanks again to the Leman School for its valued help and to all our BCFL cyclists and fundraisers for what they do”.
Photo: Donna stands at second left with Rotarian Paul Randle beside her to the right, Denise and Emily in the middle and Rotarian Phillip Smith third from the right, Ben Walker at second from the right, with the flying team.
Air Ambulance cheque visit segued nicely with Segway crash casualty
How are we going to keep the down on the farm? This is what your RIBI President-Elect has been getting up to! The photo was taken on 15th October when Tom and Deirdre Griffin were at Terminal 5, Heathrow Airport collecting for Children in Need in a 4-hour stint for London clubs. The sum raised is currently unknown but last year they collected just over £33,500 at the airport, both airside and landside.
15
Yarmouth Rotarian Tim Thomas sent in the image above and wrote: “Just found this cutting from an old Telegraph magazine. It must be 5-10 years old. It
might amuse the district as it is so true. Interesting that he is holding up a leaflet from ‘Shelterbox’, a reminder that there was last Saturday, a Shelterbox seminar in Norwich!”For those who have not seen it before, your Editor can advise you that it actually dates back to 2006 during my final year
as RIBI Editor and we featured it in one of the editions that I produced in that year.It was clearly written by someone with a more than passing knowledge of Rotary clubs and their foibles (only one error) - perhaps Victoria Mather’s father was a Rotarian.What is slightly shocking is the slow pace of change within Rotary as most of the things mentioned can still be found alive and kicking in many clubs today.
How true these words are even today
The Rotary Club of King’s Lynn regularly supports a variety of local, national and international charities. In recent weeks, for example, £500 has been donated to the King’s Lynn Night Shelter, over £1000
for a new memorial bench commemorating those who have died in wars, £500 to the East Anglian Air Ambulance, £200 to Children in Need and £500 to Street Child. Two of these charities featured at the District Conference in October.On occasions, the Club helps individuals who are in need of financial help to further their studies or their careers. On 11 November, Club President Steve Roberts presented a cheque for £600 to Beth Mortimer, a 21-year old studying dance and musical theatre at Bodywork Performing Arts in Cambridge (pictured left). This has enabled her to buy specialist dancewear and shoes for auditions and showcases. In the past the club helped a boy who went on the play Billy Elliot on the London stage so we hope that Beth too will achieve her dreams.
Aiming for stardomin dance and music
16
Once again, Woodbridge Rotary Club have donated the Town’s Christmas Tree to the people of and the town of Woodbridge. On 19th November, a team of Rotarians erected the tree in the town square opposite the Shire Hall.
Town’s tree is thanks to Rotary
Now in its second year, the King’s Lynn Night Shelter re-opened its doors in November for the
winter period. It offers a hot meal and a bed for the night to 22 vulnerable adults and, so far, there has rarely been an empty bed. The Rotary Club of King’s Lynn has decided to make it one of its supported charities, as it did last year.The photo above shows King’s Lynn President, Steve Roberts presenting Lucy McKitterick, the Night Shelter Manager, with a cheque for £500 towards the cost of new beds.
King’s Lynn cash helps open doors to Night Shelter
On October 17th, at Lanwade Hall in Exning, Newmarket Rotarians and children from Exning Primary School planted 4,000 crocus corms to mark World Polio Day and raise funds for Polio Eradication.This will be followed up by the annual Sponsored Snowdrop Walk on Sunday February 16th 2020 at Landwade Hall.
“Last year’s Sponsored Walk allowed the Rotary Club of Newmarket to send £1000 to the Rotary Foundation for the eradication of Polio, which would pay for over 3500 vaccines for children” said a spokesman.
Primary planting in Newmarket
17
Volunteer Expo is the new and exciting event that Rotary is bringing to the charity sector,
and we want you to be part of it! The event is the first of its kind in the UK, connecting people and organisations who do good in their community and around the world.Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland General Secretary, Amanda Watkin has recorded a special video address to explain to you why this event is perfect for you as a member of Rotary – just click on her photo to hear the message.
The event will take place from the 1st-3rd May 2020 at the NEC in Birmingham. Tickets to Volunteer Expo are completely free, whether you choose to attend one, two, or all three days.It is a move away from the traditional Rotary Conference towards a public-facing exhibition of all things community, charity and volunteering. But there will still be plenty of your favourite elements on show, including speakers, workshops, a showcase of Rotary projects in a large area of the exhibition and an Awards Gala Dinner. Plus, experience the live finals of three Rotary youth competitions; Youth Speaks, Young Musician and the Young Citizen Awards.You can register via our online booking portal (just click on the adjacent logo)
or alternatively, if you’re travelling as a whole club, you can
download and complete the group booking form and return it via email to [email protected] and they’ll take care of the rest!
Volunteering is about having fun, making a difference and bringing people together.
The three Learning Zones within Volunteer Expo will include a range of workshops and seminar sessions on a wide range of topics to help you do just that. These Learning Zones will focus on:◊ Environmental and Social Impact◊ Health and Wellbeing◊ Disaster RecoveryThese themed zones will allow you to delve deeper into the areas you love or discover something completely new.You can also book appointments with fellow visitors, charity representatives and organisations in our Network Hub, a relaxed area within the main exhibition.
Frank Bruno
Former world champion boxer Frank Bruno has risen above the boundaries of his discipline to
win a place in the nation’s hearts. After a career going head to head with the likes of Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis, he has a new fight on his hands: to knockout the stigma associated with mental health. He uses his profile to normalise discussing mental health, something he introduces to young people through the Frank Bruno Foundation.
Don’t forget that the RIBI Annual Business Meeting will be held on the afternoon of Saturday 2nd May and that our own Steve Munns is organising a Foundation Dinner on the evening of Friday 1st May (full details to follow).
18
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards
29th Aug to 5th Sept 2020 Grafham Water Centre
£685TBC per Delegate
Restricted to 50 delegates
BOOK NOW www.ryla.co.uk
Visits/information/Registration etc.
David Simpson 01394 385839(H) 07718 889482(M)
Email: [email protected]
A life changing experience for people age 18 to 26
Robin Wraight’s final RYLA year has drawn to a
close and the majority of the year’s candidates have now returned and made their post-course presentations to their sponsoring or mentoring clubs.It has been a real pleasure to join Robin and many of you on these recent visits. They have demonstrated two important issues to me. Firstly, the really warm affection clubs and candidates have for Robin and, secondly, the very real development clubs have seen in the candidates resulting from their commitment and experience of seven intensive days at Grafham Water Centre.We have recently held our post-RYLA review at Grafham Water with the team that delivers the diverse elements of the course. This annual event ensures that the course is fine-tuned and develops to meet all expectations without wholesale change.I will include a fuller entry for the January Issue with details about the 2020 course and reservation procedures. Please continue to support this really life-enhancing event for young people which can help mould their future.David SimpsonRYLA Lead 2020.
RYLA moves forward
Reepham Rotary Club members, Roy Sherlock and Robert Briggs, slept rough in Norwich on the 14th November in what was The Benjamin Foundation’s most successful
Norwich Sleepout to help end youth homelessness. ‘Briggsy and Sherlock’ raised over £2,500 in just 10 days through the generosity of family, friends and fellow Rotarians. Not even the hard tarmac and a temperature of around 3 degrees C, plus a heavy shower at 3.00am, dampened their enthusiasm. Their Virgin Money Giving page remains open until the end of the year so anyone wishing to join in and support this wonderful cause just needs to search ‘Briggsy’ and/or ‘Sherlock’ at that site. (Click on this button).
Sleep-out not Sleep-in
The 16th November was very special for Deben Rotary with the celebration of the Club’s
30th birthday at their Charter Night Dinner.The diners were entertained by Yeoman Gaoler Robert Loughlin MBE. His talk, entitled `Life of a Yeoman Warder`, was an extremely humorous description of life serving both tradition and dignitaries during their visits to The Tower of London.The raffle for the President’s chosen charity raised £334 for The East Suffolk Prostate Cancer Group.
Yeoman Warder told of life in the Tower of London
19
Bressingham Church
at
Friday 13th December 7:00 for 7:30pmDiss Waveney Rotary offers a rare opportunity to hear Barber Shop harmony performed on a choral scale when the Fine City Chorus sings close harmony in the excellent acoustical setting that is St John the Baptist Church, Bressingham.
Club of Diss WaveneySponsors of Pabulum Cafe
£ 10including
LightRefreshments
Call 01379 640211or 01379 688291or [email protected]
BOOKNOW
FINE CITY CHORUS
To reserve your ticket
Rotary in Norwich is proud to be supporting the Boudicca Breast Cancer Appeal.
One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetimes. The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Breast Cancer Unit is being updated to provide faster diagnosis with ‘state of the art’ equipment and environment.We need your support to raise the £800,000 needed to complete the new unit which has seen an 80% increase in demand seen since 2012. Help us fund the new technology available to improve and speed up diagnosis.The five Norwich Rotary clubs are working together to raffle this new car donated by Desira Motors and East Bilney Coachworks.
Please donate to Boudicca and enter by clicking on the image, by email via this button
or 01603 702281 for ‘traditional’ tickets
Every one’s a winner
The Final of the District 1080 Knockout Golf competition was played
in mid-November with Ipswich East B triumphing over Kings Lynn Priory A at Bury St Edmunds Golf Club.Following the deduction of the cost of engraving the District Trophy the entry money has been shared between the two clubs on a 60/40 split with Ipswich East winning £260 for their nominated charity and Kings Lynn Priory receiving £170 for theirs.
Knockout Golf Final ends at Bury Golf Club
20
