RIBI Conference 2015 Belfast day 5 - Coast

Sunday 12th April. This is the last day of the Conference, which is due to finish at 1.30 p.m.  We were all packed up with suitcases and other sundry bags of shopping safely loaded into the car (in the rain) before breakfast. We shared a table for breakfast with Tim and Linda Cowling, and I made an error which may have far-reaching effects. Tim Cowling  and the DG were discussing the DG’s role next year as Chair of Rotaract. During the conversation Tim described a scheme his District (1090) were looking at, whereby ILM (Institute of Leadership & Management) qualifications based on voluntary work, could be offered to Rotaractors or possibly older Interactors. It was a scheme first discussed with the motivational entrepreneur  Seema Sharma, who was very supportive of the idea. The scheme has languished for a year or so, but Tim now wishes to revive it and pilot the project in his District.

                                                               Seema Sharma

In an attempt to show off my consummate knowledge of Further Education after working for 5 years at Brooklands College, I started asking questions about what Level the qualification would be pitched at,  i.e Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) level 3 (A level) or Level  4 or 5 (Diploma). Tim was so impressed with my apparent knowledge of the subject that he invited me onto the steering committee for this project. I cursed myself for not keeping quiet. Tim’s District includes Oxfordshire, so travelling to meetings would take all day, and I had already passed on the sum total of my knowledge about these qualifications, so I had no further value to add. As I tried to wriggle out of this situation, the DG was rather unhelpful in declaring that it was a great idea that I should join Tim’s sub-committee. I was thus out-manoeuvred  and gave in gracefully, agreeing to attend a meeting at Paddington Station in May to discuss accreditation of the qualification.

                                               Brooklands College

The final plenary session got under way with RI President Gary Huang speaking first, as he had to catch a flight to USA later today. He was clearly struggling with a cold, and I felt for him. He spends much of his time flying around the world, and I know from my own experience that aircraft can be unhealthy places. Between sniffles he reflected on the Conference which he said he had enjoyed very much. He did, however admit to being unable to understand 60% of the Irish comedian’s jokes a couple of days earlier, and just smiled broadly to try and give the impression he understood. He reiterated that one of the highlights of the weekend for him was meeting that young girl of 8 who had raised over £70,000 for Charity and consequently was a  winner of the Rotary Young Citizen Award. He told us that he had personally invited her to the Rotary International Convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil in June.

                                                                   Sao Paulo

Another highlight of the morning for me was a presentation from Mark Little, a Rotarian from Norwich, who spoke passionately about a group he has formed, the Action Group of Rotarians against Child Slavery. In 2005 he launched a determined campaign to get the abolition of Childhood slavery recognised as an approved activity by Rotary International. He has travelled to Third World countries all over the world to set up International projects, and has visited child slave rehabilitation and trafficking shelters in India, Thailand and Nepal. His sobering message is that child slavery occurs in countries all across the world, including so-called civilised societies like our own.

A little later we heard from one of the last speakers of the day, Clive Knowles, a Rotarian from the Midlands, who created a large metalworking company in Shropshire. His business, the British Ironwork Centre is engaged in an ambitious project to remove 100,000 knives from British streets.  These are being collected by Local Authorities and Police Forces throughout the country and sent to the Ironwork Centre, where an enormous statue is under construction, created from these knives. What an amazing community project.

                                                        Clive Knowles' stand 

The DG and I left the Conference a little before the end, as she wanted to say her farewells to the Rotaract team at their stand. On the concourse of the Hotel, we met the President of Belfast Rotary Club, Ronnie McLean. His club is 104 years old, the second oldest Rotary club in RIBI (the oldest being Dublin, which is older by a few months). Ronnie’s chain of office looked very heavy, carrying the metal badges of all his predecessors. Unusually for the DG, she didn’t want to hang around, and by 1.30 we were in the car heading North, as we were booked into the Roe Park Hotel  in Limavady, near the North Antrim Coast and the Giants Causeway.

                                                        DG with Ronnie Mclean, President of Belfast Rotary Club

Within 10 minutes we were out of the city and enjoying some countryside for the first time in days. To get into the mood we changed our Sat Nav voice to an Irish one, Sean , who would be our guide for the rest of the trip. The direct route would have brought us to our hotel in an hour and a half, but we decided to spend a little longer and take the scenic route, via the Causeway Coastal Route. We reached the coast at Cushendall and followed it Northwards from there. The weather was thankfully fine, with good visibility, so we were able to see the magnificent coastal scenery at its best.  I was kind of surprised to have a clear view of the Scotland coast for much of the time, which I presumed to be the Mull of Kintyre.

                                                        Rathlin Island

At Ballycastle, a seaside town where a ferry can be taken across to Rathlin Island, about 2 miles offshore, we stopped for a coffee and cake, which we took to a nearby viewpoint overlooking the island. A few miles further along the road, we stopped at another viewpoint which overlooked the famous Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge. It was a long way below us, but we could clearly see people crossing the bridge. We decided that the rope bridge would present too much of a challenge to us, and decided to move on. On the way to our hotel we passed close to the Giants Causeway, but thought we should save that visit for tomorrow.

                                          Looking down to Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge

I’m afraid Sean didn’t cover himself in glory finding our hotel. Having keyed in the correct co-ordinates, we were taken to the edge of a small town called Ballykelly and told we had arrived at our destination. Fortunately the DG had her I-pad with 3G dongle attached, and a search of the Hotel’s website uncovered a different Post Code. Using this one, Sean led us faultlessly to the Roe Park Hotel, situated in a beautiful natural area, and surrounded by its own golf course.  What a shame I hadn’t brought my golf clubs, although I’m not sure how I could have fitted them into the car. The Hotel was great and we had a superb suite, with comfortable sitting room as well as a four-poster bed. A suitable location for the DG to celebrate her birthday indeed.

                                                           View from our room

After a pleasant meal in the Hotel Restaurant, I thought I would take advantage of the free WiFi available in the Hotel (unlike the Hilton in Belfast which wanted £15 a day) and catch up with some e-mails on my laptop. I never take the laptop with me as a rule, but on this occasion there were a few things I wanted to keep up to date with. When we got back to our room I asked the DG which bag was my laptop in. ‘It isn’t in any of them’ came the reply. It then dawned on her that because it wouldn’t fit in the safe in our room at the Hilton, she had hidden it behind a curtain. And that was probably where it still was! We would have to go back in the morning. That’ll teach me to take the laptop away with me.

                                                         View from our other window

RIBI Conference 2015 Belfast Day 4 - Down to Business

Saturday 11^th April. We had to be up early today. Well at least the DG did, because she was hosting two Rotaract speakers at the Conference this morning and they were due on stage just after 9.00 a.m. with rehearsals at 8.30. The idea of hosting speakers is to ensure they are looked after when they arrive, and that they appear on stage when they are required. One of them, Sean Parry, had been around since Thursday so the DG had plenty of time to make sure he knew where he was supposed to be and when. The other person she was hosting, Emily Scott, President of the Rotaract Club of Chester University, had only been in contact by text before this morning, so the DG was anxious to meet her and make sure her needs were catered for.

                                                        Chester University Rotaract Club

Breakfast was consequently a little rushed, and I didn’t get that extra piece of toast I normally help myself to. We were in the auditorium just after 8.30, where we found Emily, who had just delivered her memory stick to the organisers and was waiting to see what to do next. The DG swiftly arranged for her to get a chance to practice the first few minutes of her presentation on stage, and spent the rest of the time before 9.00 offering words of encouragement. Whilst this went on I was hovering, ready to give Emily the benefit of my vast experience on how to gain the undivided attention of an audience. It is of course true that I have not made as many speeches as the DG to large audiences, but I am always prepared with a keynote speech for every occasion, it’s just that I don’t get called upon to deliver it.

                                                               Waterfront Auditorium

When the day’s morning session got under way, our first speakers  were from the Cwmtawe Interact Club in South Wales. Interact is basically Rotary for young people aged 12-18 and we had an excellent presentation from 3 of the members about their activities. These included providing referees for a primary school football competition, a week-long charity fundraiser which raised £7,500, and supporting the youth competitions organised by their local Rotary Club. As ever, when I hear young people such as these speaking with such assurance and maturity, I think back to myself as a teenager and how I wouldn’t even have got on to the stage, never mind addressing 1,000- plus people.

Next up were the Rotaractors. Firstly Emily gave a very confident presentation about the work of Chester University Rotaract Club, including fundraising and service in their community. I hadn’t realised it at the time, but Emily was among a group of Chester Rotaractors who climbed the O2 with me a couple of months ago. Sean Parry, Rotaract Chairman of Britain and Ireland followed Emily, and he gave an overview of Rotaract membership in these islands, which is finally starting to increase after a number of years where numbers were decreasing. This will have been music to the ears of the DG, who will be responsible for Rotaract in RIBI next year.

Further presentations with emphasis on Youth followed, one of the highlights being the Rotary Young Citizen Awards, which as usual were filmed live by the BBC News Channel, fronted by Ellie Crissell, who has presented our Young Citizen Awards for several years. The Awards are given in various categories to young people under 25 who have demonstrated their commitment to citizenship, by involving themselves in community projects. It was fantastic to meet young people who have overcome physical handicaps, or worked to find solutions for others less fortunate themselves. The show was stolen by an 8-year old girl whose older sister died 2 years ago. Since then she has helped raise over £80,000 for Charity in memory of her sister. Her extraordinary story moved everybody in the auditorium, including RI President Gary Huang, who has invited her to this year’s Rotary Convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

                                                           Friend of Rotary - Ellie Crisell

Later in the session we heard from Eric Knowles, well known to viewers of the Antiques Road Show on TV. I hadn’t realised that he was also a Rotarian. His entertaining talk, ostensibly in support of the Rotary Foundation, was really an amusing look at other famous people called Eric, from Viking Erik the Red, to Eric Morecambe and Eric Clapton. Personally, I would have preferred a talk about the Antiques Road Show, but I suppose he is always being asked to do that, and fancied a change.

                                                          Eric at work

He was followed by Sally Kettles, a BBC Producer who gave us the sometimes hilarious and occasionally horrifying story of her entry in a cross- Atlantic rowing race as part of an all-female team calling themselves  Rowgirls. Having led the women’s race for over half the race they were beset with problems, including one of the crew deciding she couldn’t continue and being taken off the boat. Down to three members, they then lost their rudder, were attacked by a shark and survived the worst-recorded weather conditions in the Atlantic in 200 years. Her story certainly would give inspiration to anyone facing insurmountable problems, where the choices are to give up or grit your teeth and carry on.

                                                        Rowgirls battle rough seas

With the morning session finishing at about 12.45, we then had an hour for lunch before  the start of the Business Meeting, for which the DG and I were both voting delegates. We headed back down to the ‘We Make’ café where we were yesterday.  There was a very long queue to be served, but we didn’t really have time to go elsewhere, so the DG grabbed us a seat whilst I joined the queue. 20 minutes later I got back to the DG with two excellent soups (we decided against the accompanying sandwich this time), only to find the DG surrounded by Rotarians, with my seat given to Sandra Townsend. Naturally I had no intention of trying to move my new best friend so I managed to find another chair. Unfortunately we were right next to a door and it was blowing a gale outside. Every time the door was opened paper plates, empty plastic cups and anything else not nailed down would go flying across the room. On a number of occasions I saved people around us from being sprayed with hot soup, but it wasn’t the most relaxing lunch break.

                                                                       Keep that door shut!

Soon it was time for the Business meeting to commence, and back we went to the auditorium. As we entered we were handed electronic voting devices that we were to use when voting. As the DG had two votes every time, she was given two devices. I remember attending the Business Meeting in Birmingham last year. It was my first time and to be honest I didn’t fully understand what was going on. I do remember, though, that there was controversy, which always makes things more interesting. At that meeting, the marketing budget for the whole year was voted out by the delegates. It seems logical to me that an organisation the size of Rotary in Britain and Ireland ought to spend some money on Marketing, just to try and create public awareness of the work we do, particularly if we want to recruit new members. However,  on that occasion the speakers against the proposal were more persuasive than the speakers in favour, and so it got voted out.

                                                             A voting device similar to the ones we used

This year I was a bit more aware of what was going on. Basically at the annual Business meeting, Resolutions agreed by General Council (basically the current year’s DG’s) decide on amendments to RIBI’s Constitution which are deemed necessary. This year there was one resolution put forward by a Rotary Club which, if passed would undo a lot of the work done in General Council. The electronic signal in the hall was a bit variable, as the voting devices wouldn’t work in some areas, and in others, including where I was, you had to hold it up at different angles to make it work. As there were only 20 seconds given in which to register your vote, we all felt under a bit of pressure. Later on, the time to respond was extended to 30 seconds.

                                                           General Council in session - Alcester

 As the meeting got under way, there was no controversy on most of the resolutions, which were passed with 95% or more of the votes. The only controversial one was the one put forward  from the individual club, which had a degree of support around the room, but general Council would have been disappointed if it had gone through. I was, however, very impressed with the way that several DG’s spoke up against the motion, and they won the day. Had they not showed such good teamwork, I feel the motion may have been carried. I congratulated the DG and her colleagues afterwards, as they had won every vote, and their year’s work was therefore vindicated.

                                                                              Bittles Bar

After the meeting, whilst the DG rested in the Hotel, I went out for some fresh air and had a stroll around nearby City areas and along the riverside. There is an interesting looking pub not far from the Hotel called Bittles Bar, which has a narrow frontage, but widens out into a wedge shape. The building is about 150 years old and apparently popular with trendy types, like me. I wish I’d had time to go in for a beer.  A little further away, on Donegall Quay by the river Lagan, is an enormous sculpture of a fish, called simply ‘Big Fish’. It is covered in ceramic tiles, some of which have news stories printed on them, depicting the history of the city. It is about 30 feet long, and I rather liked it.

                                        Big Fish

In the evening we joined Doug, Rosemary, Stan and Sheila at the St Georges Market Bar & Grill. This is situated above the indoor market we had been to yesterday. I hadn’t noticed it then, so didn’t really know what to expect as we went across the road to the market building, although we had heard good reviews about it from others. It was a relief to see that there was a lift and we were soon up in the Restaurant, which was much smarter than I had anticipated. There seemed to be several different groups of Rotarians in the Restaurant, including a very lively group from Belfast. On a different table I spotted our driver from Thursday evening, and I waved my camera at him as proof that I still had it. It was an enjoyable and convivial evening, and a relief to be dining in a place where we could hear each other speak, rather than trying to shout above loud music, as with last night.

                                         Doug, DG, Stan, Sheila and Rosemary at the St Georges Market Bar & Grill

Back at the Waterfront Centre there was a Concert in the main Auditorium starting at 9 p.m. which I fancied attending, as did Stan, Doug and Rosemary. The DG and Sheila were less interested, so whilst they went back to the Hotel the rest of us headed back to the Waterfront. I was looking forward to it for a number of reasons: it was being compered by Gene Fitzpatrick, the comedian from the other day, the Taylor School of Irish dancing were doing a turn, and there was to be a male voice choir.  All good reasons for attending, in my view.

                                                              The Waterfront

The show opened with more jokes from Gene, none of which I heard yesterday, and he introduced a superb performance from the Northern Ireland Youth Jazz Orchestra, who had some brilliant soloists and a couple of great singers. They were followed by another dancing show by the youngsters of the Taylor School of Irish dancing, who wowed us once again with their dancing skills and also the gorgeous costumes they were wearing. The Bangor Light Operatic Society came on next, with a varied routine of popular operatic songs including some dance routines which were eye opening from the point of view that some of the troupe were built more like divas than dancers, if you see what I mean. They were nevertheless great fun and very entertaining.

                                                             Irish Dancing (picture from Internet)

The stage was then cleared for the Donaghadee Male Voice Choir. It had to be cleared, because there were 70 of them! They were quite elderly, I thought, with an average age well over 70. Some of them needed walking sticks and at least one was blind. But none of this detracted from the quality of their singing, which was beautiful. They sang a number of standards and songs from musicals, all of them delivered with an amazing depth of sound, although nothing too lively, which was probably a good thing. Only later, when reading the programme, did I realise that the choir is of International renown, having performed all over the world and won many choral festivals. Their Musical Director and conductor, Robert Wilson MBE has been with them for 46 years.

                                         Donaghadee Male Voice Choir

Another highlight of the show was a performance from an operatic duo who took us all by surprise. The male singer started off letting us think he was an official coming in to report a badly parked car and surprised us when he burst into song. He then dragged an unwilling woman from the audience who turned out to be his singing partner, and they sang a succession of arias and songs from musicals to rapturous applause. The attractive female singer also moved among the audience, worrying several middle aged men by flirting with them, even sitting on some of their laps. Unfortunately I was stuck in the middle of a row, so avoided being accosted by this young lady. We had repeat performances from the male Voice choir and from the Bangor Light Operatic Society before Gene Fitzpatrick brought proceedings to a close at about 11.30. As I left the auditorium heading for my bed, I came across Ron and Helena Daniels, who also thought it had been a terrific evening’s entertainment.

An example of  'surprise opera' 

RIBI Conference 2015 Belfast Day 3 - Mary Peters

Friday 10^th April. Today the Conference gets under way at the Waterfront Conference Centre, just around the corner from our hotel. This morning I awoke to a problem.  To my horror I realised that I hadn’t brought the camera back from the Titanic dinner last night.  Having searched all my pockets and checked every drawer in our room (three times) the only conclusion I can draw is that I must have left it on the table when we left last night. To make matters worse, it isn’t actually my camera, it is the DG’s, as she pointed out to me once or twice. I phoned the Titanic Belfast early on to ask if it had been handed in, but was told that it hadn’t. However, they said, there is still hope. They suggested I call back after 10.30 by which time the cleaners will have finished, and may have found it.

                                                            The Waterfront Conference Centre

I went down to breakfast in a worried state of mind, and came across the chap who kindly drove us there and back last night. I asked him if, by any chance, a camera had been left on the seat of his car. He said he would have a look and let me know. Fifteen minutes later he called back to say that, regrettably, no camera had been left on the car seat.  Just after that DG Sandra Townsend came over and said ‘Is this yours?’ and pulled my the DG’s camera out of her bag! How relieved I was, and demonstrated it by giving her a big hug, vowing my undying loyalty to my new best friend. It is remarkable how much of a lift you get when a nagging problem has been resolved. I felt better than if I had never lost the camera in the first place.

                                                         Breakfast room at the Hilton

After breakfast we walked around to the Waterfront to register and pick up our ‘Attendee packs’, which were essentially plastic document folders, containing the Conference programme, various visitor guides to Belfast, and surprisingly for us, tickets to a tour of the Titanic Belfast this evening followed by a fork supper. As I had already been to the Titanic last night as a VIP, I didn’t think it appropriate that I should go there again with ordinary Rotarians, so I persuaded the DG that we should find a different establishment to grace with our presence tonight. Incidentally, although we weren’t given Conference bags by the organisers, the Belfast Tourist Office had a stall near the registration desk  handing out ‘Visit Belfast’ canvas bags for free, which were ideal to hold my attendee pack and any other stuff I might pick up.

                                                                                Conference bag, with folder

Having registered for the Conference, I then had to find my way up to the next floor, to a desk mysteriously called ‘Credentials’. As one of two voting delegates representing Shepperton Aurora at the Business Meeting tomorrow, (the other being the DG), I had to present myself to be ticked off their list. I then got a green sticker to proudly wear on my delegate badge, indicating that I was a voting delegate at the business meeting, with clearance to enter all areas of the auditorium.

                                                                  Impressive - Auditorium at the Waterfront

Actually, any Rotarian can attend the Business meeting (I can’t for the life of me think why they would want to) but they have to sit in a separate area from the VIPs (or Voters in Permanent Slumber). To my extreme annoyance the DG managed to get two green stickers on her badge, meaning she had two votes every time something had to be voted on. When I asked for a second sticker I was politely refused, as this is apparently a privilege of the DGs only. I don’t really understand why they should be singled out in this way, when I, as Consort, go to just as many events as the DG does, and I frequently get  praised on how I perform my duties. Only the other day somebody said to me ‘You’re unbelievable!’’.

The President of Belfast Rotary Club. Even with that impressive chain he only has one green sticker on his badge

Anyway, once registration and credentials had been sorted out, we had some free time, as the first session of the Conference wasn’t due to start until about 2 p.m. So, with the whole city of Belfast at our disposal for 2 or 3 hours, what did we do? Go and visit a historical building, like City Hall or the Crumlin Road jail? Go for a cruise on the river Lagan? Have a more in-depth look at Titanic Belfast?  No, you guessed, we went shopping.

                                                        St Georges Market

St George's Market, a fine indoor market just yards from the Hotel, was our first destination. The building dates back to Victorian times and is one of the city’s oldest attractions.  It really is very impressive, full of fresh local produce, and several fresh fish stalls. The DG didn’t waste much time in buying two more handbags for her collection, one of which was brought into use immediately.  I  bought a new wallet. We both found the stallholders to be very friendly and only too happy to stop for a chat with passers-by. There was a good atmosphere about the place which seemed to encourage even me to buy things.  At a watch stall, I tried to buy a new strap for my watch as the existing one was falling apart. However the stall holder said it was too good to throw away and repaired it for me for just £2. How’s that for service?  We met several  other Rotarians in the market and we had quite a laugh as we wandered around.

                                                        Inside the bustling market

We then walked on a little further to the Victoria SquareShopping Mall where the DG found several shops  to her liking. The best thing about the mall for me was the viewing gallery at the top of the building which afforded panoramic views across the city. From this vantage point, it was noticeable how many churches and cathedrals there are in Belfast, there must be dozens. By now it was lunchtime, and we headed back towards the Conference Centre.

                                                           Albert Memorial Tower, seen from the viewing gallery

Attached to one side of the Waterfront building is a small café, called ‘We Make’. We popped in here for a soup and a sandwich, and met up with Ron Enticott and his lovely wife Gwyneth. She was originally from Northern Ireland and still has a lot of family near Belfast. They were both off to a family get-together today, although Ron planned attending the Conference on Saturday. The sandwich I had was the biggest doorstep I have had in some time. Whilst the soup was delicious, I struggled to finish my sandwich, and the DG gave up on hers half way through. I think this was just another example of the big portions you tend to get whenever you eat out in the city.

                                                               Inside 'We Make' cafe

By now it was almost time for the Conference to start. We headed into the House of Friendship (a quaint name for the area where various charities and Rotary-related organisations set up stalls).  I had a chat with a young lady from the Wheelpower charity, which helps to provide specialised sports wheelchairs to athletes. I remembered her from the DG’s handover last year at Halliford School, when she attended on behalf of the Charity. I also spoke to Sheila Elsey on the Philippine Community Fund’s stand. I was a bit sheepish, as I had spoken to her a year ago and promised to get her along to speak to Shepperton Aurora about the charity, but had forgotten to do so. Being a good hearted person, she forgave me, and I renewed my promise to invite her to speak. This time I must remember to do it.

                                                        The DG talks to Sheila Elsey

Eventually it was time to take our seats in the auditorium for the first plenary session as the Conference got under way. Peter King welcomed everyone to the Conference, and he was followed by Philip Beggs, District Governor for Ireland (all Irish clubs, North and South, are in the same District) who welcomed us to Belfast. We then heard from a remarkably youthful looking Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Guy Spence. He spoke eloquently about many of the good things happening in Belfast these days. Next up was RI president Gary Huang, who delivered a keynote speech, underlining his theme of ‘Light Up Rotary’ this year and reminded us of his favourite philosopher, Confucius, who once said ‘It is better to light one candle than to sit and curse the darkness’. Gary pointed out what a difference 1 million Rotarians could make to the world if they all lit a candle.

                                                       Peter King opens the Conference

After Gary, we had another very young politician in the form of Simon Harris, Minister of State at the Department of Finance in the Irish Republic.  He spoke very well, and with an authority that belied his youth, about the state of the World today from an Irish perspective. I really enjoyed his presentation, as his was a viewpoint we don’t usually hear in the UK.  A bit of light relief followed with some superb dancing from the Taylor School of Irish dance. Some of the girls only seemed about 6 or 7 years old and seemed to have rubber legs, with the way they flung themselves around the stage. They seemed to enjoy it immensely, as did the audience, because the dancers got the loudest applause of the day so far, and deservedly so.

                                                        Irish Dancers wow the audience

The highlight of the day for me though, was a talk by Dame Mary Peters, probably Northern Ireland’s most famous athlete (if we exclude footballers). I remember vividly when she won an Olympic Gold Medal for the Pentathlon in Munich in 1972. It was a time when Britain didn’t tend to win many medals, so it was particularly memorable. She is now 75 years old, and I must say she looks pretty good. I hadn’t realised that she was a Rotarian, and does an enormous amount of charity work. One of her greatest achievements was the creation of an International Athletics track for Belfast, which unsurprisingly is called The Mary Peters Athletics Track.

                                                           Mary Peters

The first session was brought to a close on a high note by a presentation from local comedian and compere Gene Fitzpatrick. I would liken his style to that of the late Frank Carson, a fellow Ulsterman. I haven’t laughed so much for a long time, but if you were to ask me now for one of his jokes I would have to confess I can’t remember a single one. When good comedians are on stage I often wish I had a recording device so that I could recall jokes another time. But I suppose that would be unfair to the comedian. Most of his funny stories were at the expense of hapless Irishmen, but they seemed funnier because an Irishman was telling them. As Frank Carson would say ‘It’s the way I tell ’em’ .

                                                                             Gene Fitzpatrick

Whilst I was in the auditorium, the DG had spent most of the afternoon at the Rotaract stand in the House of Friendship, and that was where I found her after the Plenary Session had finished. It was probably the most popular stand in the room, because of the number of Rotaractors who had attended the Conference, including Tom Silverson , Lou Moss and Sean Parry. They gave the stand a party atmosphere which attracted people to it. The DG and I and the Rotaractors (who included two visitors from Italy) were probably the last to leave the Convention Centre and I noticed that staff were waiting patiently for us to leave so they could lock up.

                                                           With Rotaractors - can you see me?

That evening there was a formal Dinner Dance at the Hilton Hotel, but we decided to give it a miss, as dancing is not really for us these days.  We had just decided to head off into the city to look for a Chinese when we met up with a number of other District Governors who weren’t going to the dinner dance either.  We were invited to join them at a Restaurant they had booked. As we needed  5 minutes to get ready, they all headed off, leaving instructions on how to find the Restaurant, called the Vaudeville which, they said, was opposite City Hall.

                                                        City Hall

We knew where City Hall was, so didn’t anticipate any difficulty finding the Restaurant.  We were wrong. City Hall is a very big building with busy roads on four sides. Starting at the front entrance and working our way round, we saw a number of Restaurants which might be described as opposite City Hall, but none of them were called the Vaudeville  So we walked round a second time with the same result. We were now 20 minutes overdue and were about to give up and revert to Plan A, which was to find a Chinese, when the DG received a text from Les Wilson ‘Where were we?’  ‘Opposite City Hall’ was our reply. ‘Ah, well it isn’t actually opposite City Hall, its near City Hall, in a road called Arthur Street. It’s actually called the Café Vaudeville. You can’t miss it, there is a bouncer on the door’.

                                                                  Cafe Vaudeville

This was a novelty, establishments that require bouncers to be stationed on the door are not the sort of places we tend to frequent.  There’s always a first time for everything, so off we went to Arthur Street, which we remembered passing earlier. On the way we met Doug Price, who had kindly come out to find us. We soon arrived at the Restaurant, where the bouncer  found a side entrance for us to enter, as there were steps up to the main entrance, and finally we were in. We joined many of the usual suspects: Les, Pat, Martin, Wendy, Stan, Sheila, Martin, Gill, Doug, Rosemary and a few of Les’s friends from his District, some of whom we had met in Southport last November.

                                                         Sheila, Martin, Rosemary

Food and company was good, but my overriding memory was constant loud music blaring out, making it difficult to hold a conversation with our friends.  Looking round at the clientele, I couldn’t see much reason for a bouncer on the front door, but maybe things got a bit livelier after 10 p.m. when we left. Back at the Hotel, we decided to give the bar a miss tonight and retired to bed.

RIBI Conference 2015 Belfast Day 2 - Titanic

Thursday 10^th April. The DG and I are aboard the overnight ferry to Belfast from Birkenhead.  We have our own cabin and at 5 a.m. a loud tannoy announcement tells us that we will be docking in Belfast at 6 a.m. This announcement was intended to wake us up from our slumber, but we were already wide awake. The DG likened her bunk bed to a Medieval torture chamber as there was so little space, and if she moved too suddenly she would have injured herself on the various grab rails which were suspended just above her head. I decided to get up at 4.30 after very little sleep and found the DG was already up and had gone to persuade one of the stewards to make her a cup of coffee.

                                                  Bunks similar to ours, but without instruments of torture

In the lounge we met up with a number of Rotarians also on their way to Belfast for the RIBI Conference. We  also saw our companions of yesterday evening Martin and Wendy Williams, who had access to the Executive Lounge, leaving the rest of us poor souls looking enviously through the door. Although our car was already seriously full of luggage, I suggested that they might like a lift to the Hotel, which would save them a taxi fare. Like us, they were booked into the Hilton Hotel, a short walk from the Conference venue.  I warned them it would be uncomfortable, but shouldn’t be a very long drive, and we decided to give it a go.

                                                                        Belfast Hilton

When the time came to disembark, we all went down to the car deck and squeezed into the car. Martin, Wendy and the DG all had suitcases across their laps, whilst I, as the driver  had no rear visibility, and could only see one of the wing mirrors. Also I almost lost my door to a lorry which decided to move past as I was getting into the car. Luckily it was a near miss, we were unscathed and were soon off the ferry and into the sparse early morning traffic. Jane, our Sat Nav voice confidently directed us to the Hotel, and we were there within 10 minutes. The only issue was that our rooms were not available until the afternoon, but the problem was avoided by the Hotel staff kindly storing our luggage, leaving us free to explore the city.

                                                       With Tim Cowling - red carpet treatment for 2 DGs

Over breakfast in the Hotel, we decided that a bus tour would be a good way of getting our bearings in the city. Several other DGs and their Consorts, including Wendy and Philip, Keith and Mary, Stuart and Janice, Stan and Sheila and Sandra Townsend, some of whom had been in the Hotel for a couple of days already, also thought it a good idea, so off we went on the 10.00 tour. Picked up outside our hotel, we were taken to the High Street, where we boarded the official tour bus, complete with guide. The bus stopped several times at places of interest, and passengers could hop off at any of them and catch another bus to continue their journey. It was an open top bus, and the more hardy souls among us went upstairs. The DG and I, of course stayed downstairs.

                                                             Belfast tour bus

I thought the tour was terrific, and well worth the cost. Lasting about two hours, we had a very amusing and knowledgeable guide, a local man who was a fount of information about all aspects of the city. Starting in the central area, we were surprised how close many of the major sights were to our Hotel. In no particular order we passed St Georges Market, The Royal Courts of Justice (surrounded by a thick steel barrier to dissuade attackers), and the impressive City Hall. We also passed the Albert Memorial Clock, Belfast’s answer to the leaning Tower of Pisa, as it leans four feet to the left and a similar distance backwards. 

                                                       City Hall

Tourism is now a very big industry in Belfast, and even cruise ships are calling in. Our guide told us that since the Peace Process began, following the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, Belfast has become one of the UK’s  safest cities to visit.  He thought that local people, whatever their religion were putting pressure on the paramilitaries not to spoil the progress that has been made. This progress is self-evident in the enormous investment in infrastructure projects in the city, including new buildings with almost entirely glass frontages, which would have been unthinkable 30 years ago.

                                                        Ring of Steel around Royal Courts of Justice

Next we moved on to some of the more well known places, owing to recent history. We stopped outside the famous Crumlin Road Jail and Courthouse, now a visitor attraction, and then moved on to the Shankill Road area followed by the Falls Road. Here we saw the contrast between the two communities. In Protestant Shankill Road, colour schemes were predominantly red, white and blue, and there were impressive murals painted on the sides of houses.  However, when we crossed over to the Falls Road, a fiercely Republican area, The Irish flag was predominant, and murals depicted their heroes, including the famous hunger striker Bobby Sands.

                                                       Loyalist mural

                                                       Bobby Sands mural

We saw the high walls that separated the two communities, some of which had  gateways that were open during daylight hours, but closed after dark. The famous ‘Wall of Peace’ was an amazingly tall structure, about 18 feet high in places, which was an ugly blot on the local landscape, and ran for a couple of unbroken miles. However, it had largely achieved its purpose, which was to  ensure the Catholic and Protestant communities were kept apart, reducing the opportunities for violence. Loyalist areas marked their territory by painting kerbstones and lamp posts red, white and blue, whereas nationalist areas did the same thing, only using green, white and gold paint. I was pleased that the tour took us to these places, as I wouldn’t have dared to go there on my own. Our guide explained everything to us in a neutral way, and if he had loyalties to one side or the other, he hid them very well.

                                                                          Painted kerbs denote Loyalist area

In Great Victoria Street, we passed the Europa Hotel, which achieved unwanted fame as the most bombed hotel in Belfast but is still very much open for business. We then moved on to one of the major  tourist attractions in the city, Titanic Belfast, which has only been open for three years, but has attracted over a million visitors already. The outside of the building is impressive, with replicas of the prow of the Titanic (exact in height) on each corner. We were due to come back here later this evening, for a dinner and private tour, which we were looking forward to.  Nearby are the famous symbols of Belfast, the huge yellow Harland and Wolfe gantries.

  

                                                        Titanic Belfast

Another major attraction was a little out of the City centre, but worth the trip. Stormont Castle is the home of the Ulster Parliament, and has regularly featured on news programmes about the recent history of Belfast. It is a very impressive building, situated in hundreds of acres of landscaped grounds. Before we went through the gate, a policeman came on board to ensure no-one was planning to cause trouble. The check was perfunctory to say the least, I don’t even think he looked in my direction. After he got off and we continued into the grounds of the Castle our guide said ‘I bet you all feel safer now!’

                                                        Stormont Castle, seat of Northern Ireland Government

When the tour ended where we had started, the DG and I decided to walk back to the Hotel. Passers-by were very helpful in offering directions, even offering to walk with us to make sure we got there. I think we both feel that the friendliness and kindness of the people of Belfast, which we encountered throughout our stay was exceptional, and made us feel very comfortable when out and about. The Hotel wasn’t very far, and the walk gave us an opportunity to study the leaning Albert Clock Tower more closely. We passed the Waterfront Centre on the way, which is the venue for the Conference. It is only about 200 yards from the Hotel.

                                                                               Albert memorial Clock

We had good news and bad news when we arrived back at the Hotel. Good news was that our room was ready and we could check in. Bad news was that there was no swimming pool. We had taken the trouble to bring our swimming togs, and it was a wasted effort. Someone should have read the small print. We had a lovely room on the first floor, commanding a view across the river Lagan towards the iconic Harland and Wolff gantries, and, in the distance we could see Stormont castle. This wasn’t of course a bird watching trip, but I couldn’t help noticing a couple of black guillemots on the river. A city centre is not their normal habitat, I thought. They are cliff-breeding birds and I presumed they were stopping off on a migration route. Having got my bearings now, I went out for a stroll whilst the DG caught up on some sleep.

                                                     Iconic Harland & Wolff gantries

                                                               Black Guillemot

In the evening we had to get suited and booted for our visit to the Titanic Belfast. It was a VIP occasion, so as Consort to the District Governor I was naturally invited, along with all other DG’s attending and their Consorts, as well as RI President Gary Huang and his wife Corinna, RIBI President Peter King and his wife Di and various other RIBI dignitaries. The Conference Chairman, a lovely Ulsterman called Frank Arnold organised coaches to get everyone to the Titanic exhibition. As they were not wheelchair accessible buses, he arranged a Mercedes to take the DG and me to the event. It was driven by a local Rotarian who proved to be good company on our short journey. The plan was that we start with a quick (40 minute) tour of the Titanic Exhibition, then there would be a drinks reception, followed by dinner on the top floor. It all sounded good to me.

                                                      Guide speaking to VIPs

The Titanic Exhibition was fantastic. Visitors are guided through the building, on different levels, as the story of the city, the shipyard and the ship itself unfolds. I did not realise just how prolific shipbuilding in Belfast was in the early 20^th century. The Titanic itself, huge ship that it was, was one of 9 ships completed by Harland and Wolff  Belfast shipyard in 1912. It left Belfast on 2nd April 2012, on 10th April it started its maiden voyage from Southampton, and on the night of 14/15 April it sunk.

                                                         The Titanic

The exhibition starts with a description of the Linen Industry, which was the industry that initially brought wealth to the city. Then shipbuilding started, and there are some graphic descriptions, and terrifying photos, showing the conditions under which shipbuilders worked, with no thought seemingly given to health and safety. As we progressed through the exhibition, we saw the original designs of the Titanic, various stages of its’ construction, we heard eyewitness accounts of its sinking, and finally we walked across a glass floor beneath which we could see the wreck of the Titanic as it lay at the bottom of the ocean.  40 minutes was not nearly enough time for this exhibition, I could easily have spent all day there. The same could be said for Gary Huang, who seemed similarly reluctant to leave the exhibition.

                                                         Jenny Muir (left) with Sheila and Stan Keller

At the drinks reception I managed to commandeer a tray of glasses containing sparkling wine with fruit in. I think I managed all of my five-a day before going into the dinner in rather high spirits. We enjoyed excellent company at our dinner table in the form of DG Judy Barnard-Jones and her Consort Keith, DG Jenny Muir, DG Sandra Townsend and DG Stan Keller and his Consort Sheila. Duck was served for dinner, not something I would normally choose (unless it was crispy and served with pancakes and hoisin sauce) but it was actually delicious. Speeches were mercifully kept short, so we could enjoy the fellowship. When we eventually got back to the Hotel, we joined Les and Pat Wilson in the bar for a drink, and were joined by Sean Parry and a couple of other Rotaractors. The DG was to spend a lot of time this weekend with Rotaractors, in preparation for her new role as RIBI chair of the Rotaract Committee from July 1^st.

Judy and Keith Barnard-Jones with the DG