Eviction

Being forcibly housebound due to Covid 19, I thought I would take the opportunity to resume this blog. A lot has happened since my last post, including the Rotary Club’s surprise eviction from its meeting venue, the Hare and Barrel Hotel, at Christmas 2018. The name of the hotel is significant to the local area, as the depiction of a hare jumping over a barrel features on the Watton town sign. This is because the ‘wat’ of Watton is an old local dialect word for hare, and ‘ton’ means tun, or barrel. We understood that the hotel was closing as it couldn’t make profits, and there were plans to change its use into an addiction clinic (In the event it re-opened a year later as a bar / Restaurant called ‘Verve by Watton’).

At the time of our eviction I had been a member of the Rotary Club for about 12 months, during which time I had kept a low profile, supporting its activities, but not putting myself forward for anything. One thing I had been determined about, following my transfer from Shepperton Aurora, was that I would never say things like ‘That’s not how we did it at Aurora’. I have always found that sort of comment intensely annoying, as it conveys a sense of superiority, which never goes down well with others. So I just went with the flow, trying not to be controversial.

Hare & Barrel Hotel

Taking a back seat for my first year in Watton Rotary suited me and the PDG, as we had a lot to do at home in sorting out our move from Shepperton.  As I write this, it is now two and a half years since our move to Norfolk, and we still have a shed full of boxes that need to be gone through.

My shed

Anyway, back to the eviction. Early in December  the Club were notified that the hotel was closing permanently, and we needed to find a new venue with effect the 1^st January, or we would be homeless. My first reaction was one of puzzlement, then of despair. Didn’t they realise we are a Rotary Club?  We don’t do things urgently. If we are to decide on a change of direction, or a new procedure, it has to be debated over a minimum six months before a decision is reached. How would we cope with a two-week ultimatum?

In the event, I needn’t have worried, we reacted very quickly. Within a week or two a shortlist of  4 or 5 different venues in and around Watton were identified, visited by a sub-committee set up for the purpose, and the pros and cons of each were discussed at a full meeting of club members. I recall that it was a long debate, with members firmly in the camp of one venue or the other, but eventually it was put to the vote and the majority went for Broom Hall Hotel in Richmond Road, just half a mile from the Hare and Barrel.

Broom Hall Country Hotel

I was very happy with the move to Broom Hall. Firstly, it was half a mile nearer to my home, and I could walk to meetings, which I find far preferable to driving there. Now I could enjoy a pint before the weekly meeting, and a glass of wine during dinner, without worrying about being over the limit whilst driving home. Also I found the meals more to my liking. We have a two course meal during our meetings comprising main course, followed by dessert or cheeses and biscuits. At the previous venue I had always opted for cheese and biscuits, as the desserts were not usually to my taste. However, at our first meal at Broom Hall, apple pie and custard was served for dessert, true comfort food for me. Unfortunately I had pre-ordered cheese and biscuits, but that was the last time I did so. I have always gone for the dessert ever since.

Apple pie & custard

The hotel have, I think, looked after us well over the past 15 months. We have a private room for our meetings, storage for our equipment and good parking outside. Some of my old friends from Shepperton Aurora visited last summer to spend the weekend in Norfolk. On my recommendation they stayed at Broom Hall and were very happy with it, to my relief. On occasion our Rotary Club hires the main restaurant for a function, so I think our association with the Hotel has been to our mutual benefit. Unfortunately like all hotels and pubs in the UK it has been forced to close its doors in the current Covid 19 pandemic and as I write this it is not clear when it  can re-open.

Shepperton Aurora members 

Some highlights from 2019 at Watton Rotary Club include supporting the education of young people locally, which we do in a number of ways.  Illustrated Usborne Dictionaries are presented to local primary school children, a great way of promoting literacy in the UK. Rotary clubs across the country do this, and the dictionaries are always very well received by children and teachers alike. Personally I think this is one of the best things we do, as many children will treasure their dictionary  for the rest of their lives, and every time they open the front cover they will see that it was presented to them by the local Rotary Club.

We also organise competitions at the  Wayland Academy, the only secondary school in our area. The school has a state-of-the-art training kitchen, which I have visited, and we support a Young Chef competition every year, organised by Mike H. I have volunteered to be on the judging panel for this competition, but there seems to be a queue. Another competition is for photography, organised by Dr Mike. For a number of years we have sponsored a poetry competition at the school, but this seems now to have fallen by the wayside. I have been to the school a couple of times to meet the Head and Deputy Head to discuss forming an Interact Club at the school (well, I would, wouldn’t I?). This idea hasn’t got off the ground yet, but I’m always hopeful.

Training kitchen at Wayland Academy

Service activities included helping at 2 Crucial Crew events, where youngsters in their last year of Primary School attend a number of workshops away from their school, to prepare them for some of the risks they need to be aware of, such as cyber-bullying, fire hazards, road sense, smoking and drugs. These are organised by the Fire Service in Norfolk, and I think they are a timely introduction to the world that awaits them outside Primary school. We also provided stewards at the town firework display. Every year we make a community award to an individual and to a group who we believe to have done outstanding work in the community.

David B presents individual vocational award to worthy recipient

Fundraisers last year included 2 quizzes organised by Pat, a Dixie Mix jazz concert at Queens Hall,  and our Umbrella festival at Watton carnival, which we did for the second year running.  We also purchased and presented a hospital approved easily moveable bed for the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital Charity for use by anyone needing to stay overnight with their seriously ill relatives. Master-minded by  David W the bed was officially presented just before Christmas. David also masterminded the production of emergency toiletries bags, once again for the use of relatives who needed to stay over. The nursing staff at the hospital were hugely appreciative of Watton Rotary Club's continued support for NNUHC. 

David B and David W present 'Rotary' bed to Norfolk & Norwich Hospital

Social activities in 2019 included a barbecue at Andrew’s house, a visit to Peter Beales’ wonderful rose nursery in Attleborough, a car treasure hunt organised by Ivan, and a safari supper, where we travelled to different Rotarians’ houses for starters, then elsewhere for main course, then all back for dessert at the President’s house. ‘That’s not how we did dinner parties at Shepperton Aurora’ I couldn’t resist saying. Another safari supper is planned for this year. The PDG and I are down for a main course if it goes ahead.

Umbrella festival was well supported for second year running

Well, that was a whistle stop tour through another Rotary year. Hopefully I will have time to post a little more frequently from now on, and perhaps cover some non-Rotary activities as well.

Dixie Mix  jazz band