News Items
RIBI Conference report from Donald
BOURNEMOUTH, April 2007
Oh! It's so nice to be beside the seaside.
I had not been to a RIBI Conference for 10 years and did so this year only really because my friend Peter Offer from Coventry was presiding. He was the Fat Controller but put on a very varied and interesting programme of speakers and events. The round trip of over 1,000 miles was very nearly worth it, although I should have been a voting delegate for the Club.
10 years ago R.I.B.I. annual income was £1.8m and the subscription was increased to £26.60. In 2006/7 income was £2.4m but we increased the subscription in Bournemouth to £43.50. This highlights that membership is dropping. Certainly the overall impression at the Conference was of an organisation of old people. Mind you, I didn't exactly reduce the average age, at least, not by much. George (whom I spotted from a far on one occasion) must have felt very much out of his age group.
President Peter
The venue in Bournemouth's International Centre was very spacious and modern. The speakers were shown simultaneously on a large screen above the platform and the accoustics and organisation were superb. Julian Fellowes, who spoke about the need for cancer research, was wonderfully eloquent , as were a host of others. The star turn was the R.I. President Bill Boyd from New Zealand. He spoke effortlessly without notes about the good that the Rotary movement is doing round the world. Our District received the award for the best District Magazine.
Entertainment was a fancy dress dance on one evening:
on the other there was a musical extravaganza. The
music was so loud we left half way through. That showed
our age!
Donald McDonald
We were all under Offer.
Fancy Dress
Rotary Road Show and Pier
Vintage car display
Age shall not weary them!
Rotary District 1010 District Assembly April 2007
From Brian Raine
District Assembly 2007 was held in the Caird Hall, Dundee and it was a particularly good venue, in that the morning sessions were held in the very large main hall and the group meetings, scheduled for the afternoon, were held in the various, spacious meeting rooms below and around the main hall.
After the welcome by District Governor Bill Leslie, District Governor Elect, Clive Bartram addressed the Assembly with the theme "Rotary Shares" and passed on the message from RI President Wilf Wilkinson that the emphasis this year should be:-
- Literacy,
- Health and Hunger,
- Water and
- The Family of Rotary,
There were some very interesting talks given by the respective Chairmen of Foundation, International, and Membership. Strong emphasis was placed on the Rotary Foundation as Rotary’s own charity and the tremendous work it achieved world-wide and Water Aid Initiative-projects over a few years eg. the very successful project in Nepal carried out by the Cupar Rotary Club. On membership we should aim to attract rather than recruit- source new members, substantiate , sign them up, stimulate them and share Rotary. Another talk was given on marketing where it was stated that we should be educating, informing, promoting and monitoring, stressing service above self as the internal message and humanity in motion as the external message. which may well resonate better with those who do not know anything about Rotary.
The afternoon session reflected the new structure with, for example, Youth Activities being linked with Community and Vocational in which, as the incoming District Chairman, I was involved along with Cath Chorley( District Chairman- Comm-Voc ) and my Committee- Arthur Taylor( RYLA), George Berstan( Interact )and David Cruikshanks( Youth Exchange ). We had a very good informative and interactive session.
It was a very good day all round!
NB-"Opportunities to Serve" leaflet produced
by District 1010
"Opportunities to Serve"
booklet should be with our Club Secretary.
..and a date for your diary, District Conference-
Aviemore 14-16 September.
Brian Raine.
Fife Walk - part 5 - East Wemyss to Lower Largo
Tuesday 8th May with the usual start at Broxden Park and Ride, we made our way leisurely to Lower Largo where we had a good lunch and left one of the cars. The aim this time was to walk the route from East Wemyss, ending at the Rotary Club of Leven in time for their meeting at 18h15; some 7 miles in total.
Getting ready
The first point of interest was immediately after the start; the first of the neolithic caves of East Wemyss. The cave entrance was covered in official graffiti warning the public to stay out and had crude brick pillars ostensibly holding the rock above. The neolithics must be turning in their graves!
Undeterred by the graffiti Michael, followed by a hesitant camaraman, ventured in for a photocall. The cave was much bigger than it looked from the outside and Michael disappeared into the gloom, but not before getting a photo.
In the Caves
For more details on the caves click here
From the caves the route climbs to the cliff-top, past McDuff Castle and along the old railway track to Buckhaven, where the sea defences are being renewed.
A view of the sea defences
at Buckhaven
At Buckhaven the route reverts to the main road then along the B931 towards Methil. No photographs were taken as there was nothing of interest to see, just the greyness of the architecture and the shuttered shop fronts; the place looked deserted.
Coming out from Methil and into Leven the architecture slowly began to improve.
Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital
In Levenmouth, the Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital caught the eye. It was opened by Lady Eva Wemyss in 1909 to commemorate the life of the said Randolph. It is now part of the local NHS Trust. The old power station at Innerleven, looking sad but proud on the shoreline, marked the end of the industrial scenery as the welcoming site of Leven beach came into sight. So too was the, 30p a go, public lavatory; carefully supervised to make sure that we were not sharing a session!
Levenmouth Power Station
Stonechat
The route takes us along the beach on the edge of the Leven Links golf course and the past the Lower Largo Links. This part of the route is full of wildlife. We saw kestrels, skylarks, stonechats, many finches and a Garden Gnome! How does he know where to find us?
It's that Gnome again....!
What on Earth is that!?
From the links and into Lower Largo, a picturesque village with nice photographic aspects but spoiled by the cars parked along the main street. Alexander Selkirk, of Robinson Crusoe fame was born here in 1676 and to commemorate his birth a statue has been erected at his birthplace, although the original building no longer stands.
Click here for an interesting account of the life of Alexander
The end of the walk. Time to go back to East Wemyss, pick up the car and go to the Rotary meeting.
The meeting location in the Old Manor Hotel was stunning with great views out over the Lundin Links and the Forth. We were made very welcome by President Brian Birrell and his committee. A nice touch was the tab at the bar for visitors! At the end of the meal and after an interesting job talk by a new club member the Club banners were exchanged. Another enjoyable walk had been completed.
Convenors' Reports
SPORTS EXTRA. ( Read all About it ) MAY 2007 / EDITION.
FROM SPORTS CONVENOR. GEORGE DELGATY.
PERTH KINNOULL CLUB - GOLF LADDER 2007.
Following a recent Club Business Meeting and at the request of the Club Members the “ Original Rules” of the Golf Ladder are now re-instated and these are summarised below:-
- Competition runs until 18th September 2007 - 6pm.
- Top Four Players contest Semi – Finals. 1 v 4 and 2 v 3.
- Semi Finals to be played by 9th October 2007.
- Final to be played by 30th October 2007.
- Club Handicaps to apply.
- Matches played on Full difference.
- Challenger provides two dates and venue.
- Can only challenge a maximum of 3 steps up the ladder ( i.e. 3 places above)
- Michael and Harry ( past winners) give additional 2 shots.
- Match Play ( normal rules)
- Any disputes- Sports Convenor has final say.
Anyone not on the ladder who wishes to play, add your name to the bottom of the list and start challenging.
GOLF COMPETITION – WYLKEDIN QUAICH. CARNOUSTIE CHAMPIONSHIP ( VENUE OF THE OPEN GOLF 2007) & BURNSIDE COURSES.
ON WEDNESDAY 2ND MAY 2007.
Our team that represented the Club were as follows:- On the Championship Course, Michael Thomson ( who was defending his Individual Title from 2006) and George Delgaty and on the Burnside Course, Mike Graham and Harry Cooper. Conditions were good, fairly calm for Carnoustie and our Team Score of 220 saw us lying in 3rd place when we left, but there were many Teams still to compete their Rounds. Leaders were the Dundee Club on 209 which looked like the likely Winners. We all enjoyed the day and meeting other Rotarians from all over Scotland.
JACKSON CHRISTIE GOLF COMPETITION.
I played at Pitlochry Golf Club on Wednesday 9th May in the Zone Qualifying Round, in the company of 2 Pitlochry Rotarians, Dugal Spaven and Alistair Robinson and managed to win with a net 66, 79 less 13. I now go forward to represent the Club in the Final at Forfar Golf Club on Tuesday 19th June. This will be 36 holes with the Winner going to play in Pennsylvania, USA. So I am hoping the putts will drop ok on the 19th June!
A FINAL WORD ON ROTARY GOLF……..
Michale Thomson and I are playing Bill Low and Sandy Mitchell of the Cupar Club on Thursday 17th May in the 21st RIBI Rotary Club Golf Championship at Blairgowrie. The Winners of this Tie go on to play in the Semi Finals against either Pitlochry B or Stirling with the eventual winners of District 1010 South playing in the National Final at Notts Golf Club, Holinwell in Nottinghamshire with a chance to win £3, 000 First Prize and other prizes fir the Rotary Club’s own Charity Account. Last year, St Andrews Kilrymont Club won £750 for finishing 3rd. I will let you know how we got on in the next edition of Chatters.
ROTARY FISHING AND BOWLING COMPETITIONS.
Details of these Competitions are on the Club’s Notice Board for those Members wishing to take part.
The Dates are:-
- 6th June 2007 - Harry Rankin Fishing Trophy - Loch Fitty, Dunfermline and also on 5th September.
- 5th July 2007- Scottish Rotary Bowling Championships. Entry £24 per team . Play commences 2pm. Entry Form on District Website or Contact District Sports Officer. John Caldwell on 01241 855599.