Sun rise seen from our hotel room
We had to get to the Congress Theatre early, because the PDG
was stewarding, so I filled the time before kick off by wandering around the
stands in the House of Friendship. I was delighted to find that Canine Partners
had a stand, and I fell in love with a Golden Retriever pup called Winnie. She
was 15 months old and her handler said that she was now ready to be placed with
a disabled person. The woman I spoke to had looked after Winnie from 12 weeks
old, and I sympathised with her as it must be awful handing the dog over after she
had become part of the family. The woman said she was trying not to think about
it.
Canine partners can do your shopping
I also stopped by The Phillippine Community Fund stall, and
spoke to its founder, Jane Walker. She is a remarkable woman, who has rescued
hundreds of children from a lifetime of living on rubbish tips in the
Phillippines. One way she achieves this is by giving them an opportunity to
earn money through making handbags and other items from ring pulls out of
drinks cans. The PDG and I already act as a collection point for anyone in the
District who wishes to donate ring pulls taken from drinks cans. Today I
couldn’t resist buying a wallet made from ring pulls.
Handbags made from ring pulls
Soon it was time to take our seats for the Conference, and I
sat with my club colleagues Lyn, Ken and Brian. There were several highlights
this morning. First up was Chris Connors of Coco’s Foundation, who never fails
to impress. This is the fourth time I have heard him speak about the work he
does in South Africa for children suffering from Aids. He is now taking groups
from USA to work on his project, which is growing year by year.
Chris Connors
He was followed by Ann Dieckmann of Brighton and Hove soiree, who has set up the
Zanzibar Schools Project to help children learn English, which is essential for
a decent education in that country. She introduced us to an extraordinary young
man called Gasica. He had founded a school teaching English to 300 children a
year in Zanzibar with absolutely no resources at all. His energy and enthusiasm
was boundless. He had even adopted one of the children who he had found living
on the street. Lyn was so enthused she is trying to arrange for him to come and speak to our fledgling Interact club at Sunbury Manor school.
The amazing Gasica on stage
Next up was Tom Yendell, who I had met a couple of years ago
at the Farnborough Donkey Derby. Tom, a Rotarian himself, has no arms, a result
of his mother being given the drug thalidomide during pregnancy. He has carved
out a career as an artist, painting with his feet, and sometimes his mouth.
Several examples of his work, and that of other mouth and foot artists were on
display at his stand. He was talking today about his latest venture, called
Flat Spaces, which is a Company creating holiday homes specially adapted for
severely handicapped people. They are equipped to a very high standard with lifts and
hoists, enabling people confined to wheel chairs to get around the house
comfortably. His suggestion was that Rotary clubs consider sponsoring disabled
people to stay in this accommodation, with ‘Access Assured’. What a great idea.
Tom Yendell talks about Flat Spaces
Two more outstanding presentations followed, firstly Gordon
Moulds CEO of Kids Out, a terrific charity formed by Rotarians to give disabled
and disadvantaged children an opportunity of a day out at various locations
across the UK. I myself attended a Kids Out day at the Army rugby ground at
Aldershot a couple of years ago and was most impressed. Then followed a moving
presentation from Richard Brown, a member of Walton on Thames Rotary Club. He
described how he was a high flying IFA until one day he was knocked down by an
impatient motorist when crossing a road, and his life changed forever. He spoke
about the support he received (and is still receiving) from the Silverlining
Charity, which helps rehabilitate brain injury victims. Richard was the only
speaker all weekend to receive a standing ovation.
The PDG at Kids Out 2 years ago
There was a surprise in store for Lou Moss, last year’s
Chair of Rotaract in Great Britain & Ireland. She is well known to the PDG and myself,
having met up regularly during the past two or three years, Lou had just
completed a joint presentation about Rotaract on the stage with James Millet,
when she was surprised by Frank West, who presented her with a Paul Harris
Award in recognition of all her hard work for Rotaract in recent years. A Paul
Harris is the highest award a Rotarian can receive, and it was obviously a very
proud, if unexpected, moment for her.
A Paul Harris Medal
As lunch time approached, the session came to an end for the
day. We had the afternoon free before the dinner and dance tonight. The PDG and
I went across the road with Ken and Lyn (for some reason Brian was absent), and
had a cup of tea and a sandwich before going for a stroll along the promenade.
It was a very fine day and a refreshing stroll was just what we all needed
after a morning spent in the Conference hall. We met several other Rotarians
along the way to stop and chat with, including the chap from Wallington who
organises their annual boxing evening. The PDG and I went to it during my year
in office as Consort to the District Governor. The boxing evening, we heard is
still going strong, and continues to be a massive fundraiser.
Wallington Boxing evening
It was interesting to see that Eastbourne pier has been
renovated recently. We heard that it was recently bought by a Pakistani businessman, who has
breathed new life into it. It has been re-named by locals ‘Sheik’s pier’. The
owner is obviously happy with the new name, because as you leave the pier there
is a sign which says ‘Thank you for visiting Sheik’s Pier’. We were about to
walk out to the end of the pier when we saw the most enormous black rain cloud
heading our way. A quick change of plan ensued, and the four of us went back to
the Cavendish Hotel for afternoon tea. We just made it before the heavens
opened.
Eastbourne Pier
I had to be back at the Floral Hall in the Winter Gardens by 6.00 p.m. for a special reception for Presidents. The PDG was also invited
as my Consort. Fortunately it had just stopped raining as we made our way from
the Hotel up to the Floral Hall. It must have been an incongruous sight, with
me in Dinner Jacket and bow tie, pushing the PDG, also dressed to the nines, up
the road to the Winter Gardens. Once there, we negotiated the complicated
system of lifts and ramps to get to the Floral Room, with the assistance of
some very helpful staff. The wine flowed freely, but I was determined to pace
myself a bit better than the previous night and get back to the hotel with a
clear head.
Eastbourne Winter Garden
We met up with Geoff Williams, President of Shepperton &
Sunbury club and his lovely wife Jenny. Geoff and I have got to know each other
pretty well in the past year or so, in the lead up to our respective
Presidential years. We have worked together on the Sunbury Manor garden
Project, and visited each other’s club meetings. We also happen to be fellow
Fulham supporters, the only difference being that he is a season ticket holder,
and I haven’t actually been to watch them for about 5 years. Perhaps I should
describe myself as a Fulham follower, rather than supporter, as I certainly
follow their results in the newspaper.
Aurora members at the Gala Dinner
We moved straight on from the Reception to the Dinner and
Dance next door. All Shepperton Aurora members were on the same table, as was
David Thompson from Chertsey and his wife Yvonne. There were two empty places
on our table, where Ron and Gwyneth would have sat if he hadn’t been taken ill
on the eve of the Conference. I hope Ron will approve of the fact his starter
wasn’t wasted, or his dessert. I couldn’t manage his main course, however,
which was a rather overcooked piece of Rotary chicken with accompanying veg.
The organisers had made the mistake of leaving a few screamer balloons on each
table. The PDG cannot resist blowing these up and aiming them at various people
around her. Whenever one landed near our table, she was quick to blow it up and
send it off again. She actually managed to land one in somebody’s dinner. Of
course I was far too dignified to join in this nonsense.
On the dance floor - the PDG with Lyn and Ken
After dinner we had entertainment in the form of Colin Roy
and the Dream Girls, a brilliant singing group who were back by popular demand,
having entertained us in Bournemouth last year.
Colin wandered around the room during some numbers, and even put the
microphone in front of me, to my great surprise, as I was belting out the
chorus to Delilah. The group were so good, even the PDG got onto the dance
floor, I kid you not. The entertainment finished about 11.30, and the PDG and I
wended our way back to our hotel. We were proud to have been amongst the last
to leave.
Colin Roy and the Dream Girls
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