Mike Tilston PHF

Wednesday 23^rd July.  I make my second official visit to Aldershot Rotary Club, and it was another of those occasions when the real purpose of my visit was kept secret from most members.  Ostensibly, the DG and I had come for a second visit simply because they are one of our favourite clubs to visit. This is true, but the real reason was to award a Paul Harris Fellowship to Mike Tilston. A Paul Harris Award is the highest recognition that a club Rotarian can aspire to, and in RIBI is only awarded for outstanding service to the community. In other parts of the world it is used in recognition of a donation of $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation. I prefer the RIBI way of doing it.

                                                                      Paul Harris medal

As with the one awarded to John Brewer the other week, it was made at the instigation of Betty McClure, District Youth Chair, in recognition of many years work with the Rotary Youth Leaders Award (RYLA). Last Easter Sunday, The DG and I visited RYLA at Avon Tyrrell in the New Forest and witnessed at first hand the hard work undertaken by Mike and other Rotarians, who give up their Easter weekend every year to make the weekend a success for the youngsters who attend.

                                                                                    Avon Tyrrell

So here we were, on our way once again to PottersInternational Hotel, which is where Aldershot Rotary Club hold their meetings. The Hotel is part of the Bob Potter Leisure group, which includes the world famous Lakeside Country Club in Camberley, home of the World Professional darts Championship. His daughter Joanne is current mayor of Rushmoor, and we have met her a couple of times recently at different events.

                                                   Potters International Hotel

Aldershot Rotary Club meet lunchtimes every Tuesday, so we didn’t encounter the traffic problems we sometimes do, apart from the annoying 50mph speed limit on the entire stretch of the M3 Motorway between Thorpe and Farnborough. The Hotel is adjacent to the Army cricket ground, and occupies a peasant semi-rural position. On arrival we were met by President Ian Joiner and also Betty McClure herself, who is Secretary of the Club. There was also a warm welcome from the remarkable Geoff Clark. Geoff worked as registrar for the District Conference for a number of years, before poor health forced him to step down. He has had numerous operations and treatments,  and has many more to come, but I have seldom met a more cheerful and positive man. It wouldn’t be an understatement to describe him as inspirational.

                                                 The DG chats to Geoff Clark

The first activity of the meeting, unusually, was to make a presentation to a member of the Hotel staff. The maitred’hotel, who I only know as Vinny, hails from South India, and for several years has ensured the Rotary Club have a first class service at every meeting, and deals with any problems immediately. As we all know, such a person is indispensable in a service industry, and he is a credit to the Hotel. However, Vinny is moving on to another job, and today was the last day he would be present at the Rotary meeting. The club had made a collection between themselves and Ian called him into the room to present him with a card and a sizeable cheque, as a token of their appreciation.  Vinny was obviously surprised but accepted the gift with great dignity.

                                             Ian Joiner with Vinny and Betty

This was Ian Joiner’s last meeting as President and he reflected on a year that had seen the club grow in strength, with 3 new members inducted. Today another new member was to be inducted, a man called Mike Marler who, the DG was pleased to see, had previously been a Rotaractor. One of her challenges in the coming year as Chair of Rotaract in RIBI is to achieve greater numbers of Rotaractors moving into Rotary when they reach 30. Too often they go off and are never seen again, when we should really be keeping in contact with them. As the induction ceremony commenced there were the usual jokes about rolling up trouser legs and bearing breasts, which I understand belong to another organisation.

                                                          Mike Marler receives his Rotary pin from Ian 

What actually took place is that somebody read out the Objects of Rotary, someone else read out the 4-way Test, and Ian made a short speech in which he basically pointed out that the more you put in to Rotary, the more you get out of it. Ian brought him around and introduced him to every member, although I suspect he knew most of them already.

The next item on the agenda was the awarding of a Paul Harris to Mike Tilston.  Now, I have attended two such presentations in recent weeks, and on each occasion the honour of actually awarding the PHF was stolen from me. Today it would surely be my turn.  When I saw the medal and the certificate on the table in front of the DG, I was tempted to snatch it and not let go until I had delivered it to the recipient, with the speech I had prepared about developing the role of Consort to the District Governor . I resisted the temptation on the basis that surely this time I would be given the task.

                                                  Cricket pavilion as seen from Hotel terrace

When the moment came, and Ian Joiner announced that there was to be another presentation today, the DG picked up the medal and certificate and went up to the front of the room faster than a rat up a drainpipe. She can sure move fast when she wants to. Naturally I didn’t wish to spoil the solemnity of the occasion by contesting her right to present the award, so I just folded my arms and glared at her whilst she did the honours. It was amusing to watch Mike out of the corner of my eye as the DG explained why she was here and it took a while for him to realise that it was actually him who was getting the award. I thought he looked a bit emotional as he received it.

                                           The DG presents Paul Harris Award to Mike Tilston

As we left . I took the opportunity of wishing Mike Marler well and giving him some advice that has always served me well viz. ’Don’t volunteer for anything.’

Kids Out

10^th June. I make my first ever visit to a Kids Out day. Kids Out is a Charity supported by Rotary in Britain and Ireland, which provides fun days out to disadvantaged and disabled children. Thousands of youngsters  enjoy a great day out at events all over the country, thanks to local Rotary clubs and the KidsOut charity. In District 1140, Rotary clubs take groups of children to Thorpe Park for the day, others go to Chessington World of Adventures.

Aldershot Army Rugby Stadium

                                       

The DG and I attended an Aldershot event, organized jointly by the Rotary Clubs of Rushmoor, Aldershot, Farnborough, Ash & Blackwater Valley, Fleet, Woking and Woking District. There may also have been a couple of clubs from District 1250. Instead of taking the children on an outing to a Theme Park, these clubs have hired a venue, the Army Rugby Stadium in Aldershot barracks and have organized a variety of entertainments for them on the site. Coaches bring children from schools in the surrounding area (about 800 children in all) and they can run around the arena in complete safety, as it is surrounded by high security fencing, which prevents any unauthorised  people from getting in, and equally important, no-one can escape!

    DG Elect Peter O'Keeffe (right) and DG Nominee Frank West somehow get through security

                                                             

We arrived about mid-morning, and once we had got through security, in the form of Kevin Mack, we met a group of clowns, one of whom looked suspiciously like Peter Meldrum.  There were excited children running in every direction enjoying various activities, including face painting, a bouncy castle, a mini steam  train, swing boats, giant slides, and a football penalty shoot out among others. One of the most popular activities was a  plate smashing stall, provided by Aldershot club, where kids just threw wooden balls at crockery. They were clearly having a cracking time.

                                                                         What a bunch of clowns

For some reason best known to her, the DG decided to have her face painted. She patiently queued up with all the excited children, and chose her own design, which can best be described as an alien cat. The painters were not professionals, but Rotarians copying patterns from books. However some had been doing this for several years, so had developed a degree of expertise.

                                                                New look

                                                                    Peter and Frank keep their distance

We spent some time talking to a very interesting man, Tom Yendell.  He was born in the early sixties with no arms due to the infamous drug Thalidomide. He has however lived a full and varied life, and has become a renowned artist, painting pictures by holding brushes in his feet. At KidsOut he was promoting his new charity, called Flat Spaces. Essentially the charity builds holiday accommodation for disabled people which is easily accessible and fully adapted. The first bungalow has been built in Hampshire, but his aim is to build Flat Spaces properties around the country. The DG and I are obviously interested in such a project, and will follow progress with interest. I must confess to being taken a little by surprise when Tom handed me a leaflet with his foot. Anything I can do with my hands, he can do with his feet.

                                                   The DG meets Tom Yendell

As we wandered around the site, the DG attempted to race the steam train in her electric chair but unfortunately was well beaten. At the football game I decided to give some boys a lesson in the subtle arts of goalkeeping, and challenged them to beat me from the penalty spot. I don’t think I explained myself very well, as they all kicked balls at me simultaneously, giving me no chance of saving anything.

                                                                                   All aboard

I was pleased to see that Rushmoor Rotary club were operating  their legendary barbecue with free burgers and sausages for all children and adults. There were also free ice creams from an ice cream van. Everybody who came in had been given a voucher, and these vouchers were exchanged for an ice cream at the van, all paid for by the Rotary clubs, at a pre-agreed price.

                                                          The Rushmoor barbecue

As I waited in the queue for my burger, I spoke to a woman who said her school has been supporting this event for many years. They thoroughly appreciated the fact there were so many Rotarians around to help out if there were any problems, and she felt she could relax here.  It was clear to see that the kids were having a good time, but it was also nice to hear how much the adults enjoyed the day.

                                                                      Having a smashing time

Before leaving, we watched the launch of the balloon race. Children attached their names to balloons and the winner is the one that goes furthest. Interestingly, the launch of 100 or so balloons required authorisation from Air Traffic Control in view of the proximity to Farnborough Aerodrome.

The balloon race begins

The DG and I enjoyed our very first visit to a KidsOut event. Costs of the day are estimated at around £5 per child, a considerable saving on the cost of entry to a theme park.  With so many Rotarians in attendance from so many clubs, there was plenty of manpower available when needed. We have decided that we would like Shepperton Aurora to get involved in KidsOut next year. There is room at the Aldershot event for more children.

With Peter Meldrum (left) and John Fletcher

70 Years of Rotary in Camberley

Tuesday 26 May. I attend a black tie event at Camberley Rotary Club, who are celebrating their 70^th anniversary, and the DG tags along. The special celebration was held at Camberley Cricket Club, where I came for my official visit to the club earlier this year. That previous meeting was memorable for being one of the best Rotary meals I have had all year, so I had high hopes for tonight’s repast. The Earl and Countess of Wessex are honorary members of the club, but as on my previous visit, they were not in attendance. I wondered if anyone had actually told them I would be present. It might have made a difference.

                                          Camberley Cricket Club

President Chrissie Lawson treated us to her usual warm welcome, and I was also delighted to meet the new mayor of Surrey Heath, Joanne Potter, who was attending one of her first engagements after becoming Mayor. Joanne’s father, Bob Potter, was the founder of the Lakeside Club, one of the country’s leading entertainment venues and the home of the World Professional  Darts Championship every year. I met Joanne Potter at the Lakeside Club some years ago, when she was general manager there and I was working for Brooklands College. We discussed training for her staff. When I reminded her of this tonight, she graciously said that she remembered me.

                                           Girl Power - Joanne Potter, Chrissie Lawson and the DG

The dinner, as on the previous occasion, was superb. Avocado & Mozzarella followed by Roast beef and then a trio of desserts enhanced the caterers’ reputation even further in my opinion. If I ever need to hire caterers for an event, I think I will ask these to do it.

                                                          Dessert looks too artistic to eat

After dinner we were treated to a slide show by Peter Allin, showing photos from the previous 70 years of the club’s existence. It really was very well done, with pictures going back over several decades, in many cases showing members who are no longer with us, showing what terrific work the club has done in the local community over the years.  The club founded an Old Folks Retirement Home in the town, they funded the original senior citizens tea room in the town centre, helped provide Frimley Park Hospital with a hydrotherapy pool and equipment for their ophthalmic unit, and renovated playground equipment at Frimley Childrens Centre.

                                           The DG can hardly get a look in

We also saw photos of the club’s participation in local carnivals, the Rotary Kids Out day in June, Christmas Collections and the Wellington College firework display. They have sponsored young people on Rotary Youth leadership programmes, the Young Chef competition and Youth Speaks among others. Peter’s presentation brought home to me how much good work Rotary clubs do in their communities, and how often people probably enjoy an event without ever realising that it was organised, or sponsored by the local Rotary club.

The club has a marquee for hire

We also had a visiting Rotarian from the Philippines, called Peter Emata, who spoke to us briefly about the Charity ASCT (Asian StudentsChristian Trust) which is registered in the UK and seeks to fund education for children in the very poorest parts of the Philippines, where children live on rubbish tips. It seems Camberley Rotary Club have been involved with this worthwhile project, hence Peter’s visit today.

                                              Peter Emata (standing, right) talks about ASCT

It had been another very enjoyable evening at Camberley, with good food and good company. I’d be happy to go back there any time.

Farnborough Donkey Derby

Monday 25^TH May. I attend one of the highlights of the Rotary year in District 1140, the Farnborough Donkey Derby.  It takes place on the King George V playing field every year on the Bank Holiday Monday, and has been going for over 50 years. It is a huge  event, one of the largest in the local area, with 10,000 people expected if the weather is fine. The extraordinary thing is that the whole event is organised by three Rotary clubs, Farnborough, Rushmoor and Ash & Blackwater Valley. Yet again I am amazed about the sheer size of some of the events run by Rotary clubs.

As guest of honour today, I was allocated a parking space directly outside the entrance, which was also appreciated by the DG, who was accompanying me today. The first thing I noticed was how well the car parking was organised, with numerous stewards waving feather dusters around to direct drivers. They have found these to be a good way to be noticed when directing traffic.

                                           Parking steward with feather duster

We arrived shortly before the noon opening of the event, and there was already quite a long queue developing at the entrance. Naturally, the DG and I were whisked through the entrance ahead of the queue and  made our way across to meet the organisers. As soon as we arrived we met the organising committee chairman, a member of Farnborough Rotary Club, Merv George.  A charming man, he spent a lot of time looking after the DG and I, although he must have had the cares of the world on his shoulders at the time.

                                            The gate opens

We started with a cup of tea in the café which is in an elevated position in the park and provides good views across the whole site. We were joined by another Farnborough Rotarian Brian Fagg, and also the Mayor of Rushmoor, Diane Bedford, who also happens to be a member of Rushmoor Club. A more down to earth woman you couldn’t hope to meet, she was thoroughly enjoying her year as mayor. From our vantage point sitting outside the tea room we could see the sheer scale of the event, with a fun fair, arenas for different activities, a performance stage, charity stalls, donkey racing circuit and much more spread over a very large area.

                                          The DG with Brian Fagg, Merv George and Diane Bedford

I was staggered to learn that the 3 Rotary clubs go door to door in the surrounding district to sell programmes for the Donkey Derby. At £1 each, the programme doubles as an entry ticket at the gate. Such is the local support for the event that people will buy programmes even if they don’t intend coming. The programmes are quite big, with 24 pages, and are full of adverts from local traders, details of entertainment in the arena and on stage, and all the runners in the donkey races. Clearly thousands of the programmes are sold each year, which may explain the enthusiasm of local businesses to support it.

                                                          Event programme

By now the field was filling up with people and we went for a wander, looking at stalls and chatting to the many Rotarians we met. By some accident we arrived at Rushmoor club’s legendary barbecue. They had organised the barbecue at the DG’s handover last July and people are still talking about it. I would say it was probably the best barbecue I have ever been to. Today the burgers were for sale, but they were just as good as I had remembered.  It was good to see Neil Rorie and Owen Durrett working so hard.

                                          The field starts to fill

Thus refreshed, it was time for the DG’s main job of the day. She had bravely agreed to judge the baby show in the tent. It really was brave of her, because every mother is bound to think her baby is the most beautiful, but there can only be one winner, and there were dozens of entries in the two age groups, 0-9 months and 10-18 months. Fortunately, she had help with the judging, as there were actually 3 judges, the DG, Mayor Diane Bedford, and local MP Sir Gerald Howarth. Thus the burden of blame for picking the wrong winner could be shared with two others.  I heard later that there were a couple of complaints from mothers who didn’t agree with the result, but fortunately all 3 judges escaped from the tent unscathed.

                                           The DG and MP trying to find a winning baby

                                         Dog show in arena - the DG would have been happier judging this

The DG was kept for an hour or so with her judging commitments, so I wandered over to see what else was going on. In the main arena there was a display of Japanese Taiko drumming by Oku Nojo Daiko, a collaboration between schools in North East Hampshire to perform this exciting and reverberating sound.  Youngsters of mixed ages worked together to produce an excellent display of drumming. Apparently they are in demand for performances across the whole country.

Drummers

                               

Following the drummers in the main arena was a falconry show. I don’t really like these magnificent birds being kept in captivity, but I can’t resist watching them perform. There was a young Golden Eagle on show, although it didn’t take part in the display.  One of the birds being displayed (a type of falcon I think – I couldn’t hear the commentary) flew off and didn’t come back. The presenter explained how each bird carries a tracking device which can find the bird within a 40 mile radius. The worrying thing was that 10 minutes after he disappeared, the tracking device could not locate him. There was a false dawn, when a falcon was seen flying overhead, but this turned out to be a wild peregrine falcon hunting in the area and unconnected to the show. I was impressed. I would never have expected to see a peregrine falcon over Farnborough, but there it was.

                                            A Harris hawk awaits his turn

In between other events, I kept track of the donkey racing. I think it was the same donkeys every time, but as the course was only a couple of hundred yards long, it probably wasn’t too taxing for them. Children were invited to be jockeys for each race, and there was no shortage of volunteers, in fact they were queuing up. I had a bet on every race.  My plan was to bet on donkey no. 2 in every race until it won. Surely no. 2 would win sooner or later. Well it didn’t, even when I stood at the fence shouting at it to hurry up, much to the alarm of the child riding it. Even the guy on the Tote was feeling sorry for me, and after race 4 suggested I try a different number. But I was committed to my game plan and determined to see it through to the bitter end. And it was bitter: 6 donkey races, £6 lost.

                                          Runners and riders under starters orders

Despite my gambling losses, it had been an enjoyable afternoon at a terrific event which was well organised by Rotarians and well supported by local people. The DG even found time to buy a bag at one of the trade stalls. As we left the field, I noticed the falconry display was on again, and it seemed that another bird had gone missing. The old adage occurred to me ‘never share a stage with children or animals’.

                                           Merv George with the DG, who looks nervous

Eurostar Gala Dinner - Croydon

Saturday23^rd May. The DG and I have accepted an invitation to a Eurostar Gala Dinner organised by Croydon Rotary Club. I have only travelled on Eurostar a couple of times previously, so I was keen to take part in this prestigious occasion. Being a black tie event, I supposed it would be held in a swanky dining carriage, akin to the Orient Express.  Incidentally, Eurostar is a very wheelchair-friendly train. On our previous two trips we bought 2^nd Class tickets but were automatically upgraded to 1^st Class because those were the only carriages that could accommodate wheelchair passengers.

                                                              Eurostar

 I must confess I wasn’t clear whether tonight’s gala dinner was to be held in England, or whether we would actually go through the tunnel to France whilst dining. Obviously I made sure I had our passports with us just in case. As we set off I put the co-ordinates we had been given into the Sat Nav, and off we went. St Pancras is the main Eurostar terminal, but I thought it more likely that we would join it at Ebbsfleet International station. Ebbsfleet International is a grand sounding place, but I don’t think there is much to it apart from the station and a massive car park. It does, however have one great attraction, in that it is just off the M25 Motorway, and therefore easy to get to, traffic permitting.

                                St Pancras Station

We headed southbound on the M25 as expected, but I was a bit surprised when we turned off towards Croydon. I was quite sure the Eurostar doesn’t stop at Croydon, at least not since its early days when it left from Waterloo station and limped embarrassingly slowly through South London on its way to the tunnel. Perhaps there was to be a coach in Croydon to take us to the train. The directions actually took us to the rather smart  Selsdon Park Hotel, where I noticed a couple of coaches waiting outside, so I was convinced we would be transferring to one of them.

                                          Selsdon Park Hotel

It was only when we got out of the car and were welcomed enthusiastically by the lovely Barbara Harker, President of Croydon Rotary Club that I realised I had been misinformed, or at least I hadn’t been given all the information. We weren’t going to be travelling on the Eurostar train at all! Eurostar, I was informed, is a name adopted by seven Rotary clubs from across Europe who meet up every year for a weekend of fun and fellowship. The countries represented are  Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and of course the UK, represented by Croydon.

                                           View across the golf course from the Hotel terrace

Each year one of the Clubs arranges a weekend for the other six clubs, and this year it was the turn of Croydon to play host to the others.  A full programme of outings and events had been planned for the weekend, culminating in tonight’s gala Dinner. The DG claimed to know all about this already, so was it just me who had got it wrong?  I doubt it. No-one is going to admit to such a mistake so there were probably a number of people at the event who had thought they were going on a train ride, but were too embarrassed to admit it.

                                                        A dazzling array of drinks

The Selsdon Park Hotel is a beautiful, and big, hotel. Besides tonight’s dinner, at which over 100 people were present, there was a wedding reception going on elsewhere in the hotel, and another function as well. It is to the Hotel’s credit that we were unaware of the other functions going on that night, and were well looked after by their staff. It is a huge Victorian building, on a site with a history dating back to the 13^th Century. Some of the internal décor is quite breathtaking.

                                           Impressive ceiling in Reception

As we mingled on the terrace with drinks in hand, I met some of the international guests. Altogether 88 visitors had attended from 5 of the countries in this group (the French club couldn’t attend this year) and the coaches I had seen outside had brought them to the Hotel. Clearly I would have to be on my mettle tonight, with all the different languages being spoken around me.  Helpfully, people wore name badges with their country of origin, so I knew what language to switch to. Being multilingual, I was able to move from person to person and say a few words in their own language.  To be fair, It was the same few words every time, and I quickly discovered that whilst I can speak some Italian, Spanish, French and German, you need a follow-up comment to ‘Hello, how are you’.

                                          The terrace gets crowded

Eventually, it was time to take our seats, and naturally I found myself on the top table, with a charming Swiss woman to my left (from the French speaking part of Switzerland) who couldn’t speak any English. I therefore had plenty of opportunity to practice my French. I started with an observation that there must be many mountains in Switzerland. She agreed.  The conversation petered out at that point, as I couldn’t think of anything else to say to her that I could express in French. So I attempted the tried and tested technique of speaking to her in English, but very slowly and with added gesticulations. This worked a little better, but help was soon at hand in the shape of another Swiss woman on her other side, who spoke English well and translated for us. A lively conversation ensued.

                                             Switzerland

Before dinner was served, we had entertainment, in the form of a group of bell ringers. I don’t mean the kind of huge church bells you hear on Sundays, but hand held bells, each individually tuned to produce different notes. They were from All Saints Church in Sanderstead, and called themselves The Two O’ Clock Bells, as that was the time of day they had practice every Monday. Led by Sandra Winter, they started with a medley of British folk songs and finished with the theme from the Eurovision song contest (very appropriate as the contest was actually on tonight) and the European national anthem. I thought they were excellent. People sang along to tunes they recognised, and several of our European friends actually stood for the European anthem.

                                           The Two O'Clock Bells perform

I had pre-ordered  a smoked salmon starter, followed by roast pork and crème brulee.  As usual I had completely forgotten what I had ordered, but fortunately I found that my menu choices had been printed on my name card at the table. What a clever idea, which saves all the confusion that can occur when menu choices are given weeks in advance.  During the meal I chatted to the dining companion on my right, who turned out to be a man who was born in England, but moved to Spain with his family when he was a teenager, and never went back. He runs a building business in Spain, and I expect he does very well from Spain’s large ex-pat community who I’m sure would appreciate dealing with someone they can hold a conversation with in English.

                                                        Creme brulee

After dinner, inevitably, there were speeches. The President of every club spoke in his or her own language, and we were all given English translations. The speeches were mercifully short (limited to about two minutes each) and it was clear that our visitors were enjoying their weekend immensely. Yesterday our visitors were taken to Hampton Court and had a boat trip on the Thames.  Today they had been on a visit to Denbies vineyard in Dorking for a tour and to sample some English wine. I have heard it said that in view of global warming, Denbies now has a similar climate to the Champagne region of France, and the same chalky soil, so the future’s looking bright for English wine.

                                           Denbies Wine Estate

After speeches, it was time for the exchange of gifts, which is customary at these events.  I‘m not sure if everyone had a gift for everyone else, it could just have been that the President of each visiting club gave a present to the host club President.  The Swiss club, demonstrating a sense of humour, presented Barbara Harker with a cuckoo clock.  I wasn’t clear about who gets to take the gifts home, or whether they are used as raffle or auction prizes at their next event.  Even the DG received a gift from the Italian contingent, in the form of a large coffee table book, full of beautiful photographs of their part of Italy.

                                           The DG gets a gift

As we left the Hotel, waving to our new Swiss friends  boarding the coach taking them back to their accommodation I reflected on the event we had just attended. Like so many things I have been to during my year of office, I had no idea this Eurostar group existed. What a marvellous way to foster International understanding and friendship. I thoroughly enjoyed mixing with people of different nationalities and practising my linguistic skills, and I’m sure they will never forget the day they met the Consort to the District Governor.

The DG with Barbara Harker and (I think) the Swiss club President