Southampton 2011

The story begins in 2011, when Vivian became the District Governor Nominee Nominee (a strange title, I know - henceforth I will describe her as District Governor Nominee x2). Consequently I became Consort to the DG Nominee x2.   My first official engagement in this position came with Rotary District 1140's annual conference in Southampton in October 2011.

I thought the best way to recount my experiences that weekend would be to share the article I wrote immediately afterwards in Shepperton Aurora's magazine 'Ship Ahoy'.  Here goes...

"I was really looking forward to the Southampton Conference this year. For the first time I had an exalted position to uphold, that of Consort to the DGNN, or District Governor Nominee Nominee (Vivian, in other words).  I was very aware of the uniqueness of my position, knowing that I was probably the only Consort to the DGN who would be present at the Conference.

It was not a position I took lightly. I spent hours beforehand rehearsing a gracious wave to ordinary Rotarians, and ways to make people feel at ease in my presence without appearing condescending. I had an early opportunity to put this into practice, as the DGNN and I were accompanied by Peter and Christine Jackson on our journey to Southampton, and halfway there we met Ken, Audrey and Richard Wilson for lunch.

If they were aware of my new status, they hid it very well, and I was slightly disappointed at what can only be described as a lack of deference on their part. In fact I started wondering why it was me driving at all, shouldn’t there have been a car laid on?  Naturally I didn’t let my disappointment show as that would have been inappropriate to my rank.

In due course we arrived at the Novotel, which was of course the Conference hotel, I wouldn’t have accepted anything less in my position. A further surprise awaited at the hotel, when I found myself having to carry not only my own luggage but that of the DGNN as well, up to our suite (more like an ordinary room actually, but I suppose it was the best the hotel could do), while she went off to find the DG from Wales she had been assigned to.  Well I understood of course that I wasn’t the only VIP at the Conference, but I was beginning to wonder whether I needed to speak to our DG, Mukesh about the lack of special treatment I was experiencing.

Things started to look up at the Club dinner arranged at the nearby Holiday Inn (although once again I was expected to drive there). It really was an excellent dinner, with everybody in good spirits. The Welsh DG and his wife turned out to be very easy-going and full of bonhomie, but I suspect they hadn’t been briefed about my rank, as they treated me like everyone else. Not their fault, of course which is why at one point I stopped myself from exclaiming ‘Do you know who I am?’

          Club dinner in Southampton (Mike Parry, visiting Welsh DG and wife are on left)

At breakfast the next morning, the DGNN introduced me to several of the District team, and I started to feel at last that I was mixing with people of the right rank. I can’t remember all of them, but one was called Dan Ronalds, I think, and  another one was wearing a kilt.

As the conference got under way, I somehow failed to find the VIP area, and decided instead to grace some fellow Aurora members with my presence. I’m sure they appreciated this gesture on my part, but I did wonder what had happened to my host (all visiting VIPs get ‘hosted’ you see). I assumed that some emergency had kept him away, and the organisers were too embarrassed to tell me. Naturally I was far too gracious to make a fuss about it.

When it came to the dinner and dance on Saturday night, I was determined to finally make my presence known. I didn’t wear the usual Dinner Jacket, but thought instead I would dress in a Batik shirt I had picked up in Indonesia, which is what formal dress looks like in those parts. Now I’ll get noticed, I thought, and people will see that the Consort to the DGNN doesn’t need to bow to normal conventions of formality. Imagine my surprise, then, when I turned up at the ballroom, to find that half the attendees had had the same idea as me. It looked more like a United Nations gathering than a Rotary dinner. As for Mukesh, he was wearing his fifth exotic outfit of the day. Talk about being upstaged! Only later did I discover that the theme for the evening was 'International'.

                               DG Mukesh in one of his  many costumes

After the dance had finished, I spent a couple of hours in the bar explaining to Nigel and Mary how I wanted to develop the role of Consort to the DGNN. Obviously they had had a long day and reluctantly needed to get to bed, so I promised I would continue outlining my plans in the morning, over breakfast.

By Sunday morning I was really starting to enjoy the Conference. Once again I met many of the District team at breakfast, some more cheery than others (they would never survive at a breakfast meeting club, I thought). Although I hung around RIBI President Ray Burman’s table for a while, I didn’t get introduced, although he did ask me at one point if I could refill his coffee.  Strangely Nigel and Mary were nowhere to be seen.

There can be little doubt that Shepperton Aurora created the biggest noise for our President, Douglas at the parade of presidents. I did check the programme to see if there would be a parade of Consorts to the DGNN, but I suppose it would have been a short procession.

                                Shepperton Aurora Rotary (and a couple of friends)

In conclusion I should say that despite the grievances mentioned above, it really was a great conference, possibly the most enjoyable I have been to. Some of the speakers were superb, and we have booked one of them for our prestige lecture in March. The DGNN has already booked us for Bristol in 2012. Let’s hope I get the treatment I deserve there."

Well, that was my first outing as a Consort, and although I didn't feel I received the acclaim that I deserved, I felt sure in coming months and years, I could ensure that this would improve.