Cleared for Take-Off

Jason and Hannah Meek of Linby were the latest guest speakers at Hucknall Rotary Club.   They both work as Air Traffic Controllers and gave an stimulating presentation into their vocation. 

Jason started off by explaining that he first started flying lessons at Prestwick Airport.  However, it was on his solo cross-country flight examination that he decided being a pilot wasn’t for him.  He had taken an unscheduled detour on his solo flight which convinced him that flying aircraft wasn’t for him!

There was still an attraction to the airways though, and upon meeting some Air Traffic Controllers while in Australia, Jason felt that this was an area he wanted to pursue.   There then followed an 18 month training course, before commencing employment as an Air Traffic Controller 17 years ago.

Jason spent 5 years at Blackpool and then went to Bournemouth Airport before spending 5 years along with his wife Hannah at Doha (Middle East) airport.  Upon their return to the UK, both Jason and Hannah took up posts with East Midlands Airport.

Air traffic controllers manage aircraft through all aspects of their flight with the priority of safety, followed by other aspects such as ensuring arrivals and departures are on time. They use navigation and surveillance to communicate advice, information and instructions to pilots via radio.

The majority of controllers work in area control centres. They are responsible for the en-route stage of the aircraft, using radar to track its exact position, keeping it safe in the airspace and providing the most efficient route.

There are also approach controllers who take over from the area controllers as the aircraft is approaching the airport. They give initial clearance for the aircraft to approach the airport and put all approaching aircraft into an order  to ensure the most efficient queue for landing.

At the last stage, aerodrome controllers take over. They are the ones who are at the top of the control towers and they guide the pilots in to make a safe landing. They also ensure that the aircraft gets to its parking stand safely and that those leaving the stands reach the runway safely.

Jason further explained that globally all Air Traffic Controllers are required to speak in the English language and illustrated how incidents had occurred in airspace when controllers gave instructions in English and then reverted to their native tongue while speaking to domestic flight crews.

Rotarian Ashley Maddock, who invited the Meeks along to speak, proposed a vote of thanks for a captivating talk.

Club president Ian Young is pictured with Jason and Hannah Meek.

Presentation Night

Friends and helpers of Hucknall Rotary Club were thanked for their help over the Christmas season during a special presentation night held at Papplewick Cricket Club.  The Christmas activities of the Club had raised over  £ 5,300 and cheques were presented to various local groups and organisations.  Certificates of appreciation were also handed out to a number of individuals and groups who had assisted by organising events, gave donations, loaned equipment and assisted as drivers for Santa’s Sleigh.

Several members of the club were also presented Long-Service certificates by Club President Ian Young:  David Colton, Brian Darlison and Neil Sharman all received certificates marking over 30 year membership of Hucknall Rotary Club while Philip Moss, David Spencer, Peter Pickering and John Hill picked up certificates marking over 25 years membership. 

Hucknall Rotary Club are always pleased to hear from anyone interested in joining and can be contacted either via their Facebook page www.facebook.com/HucknallRC , Twitter account @HucknallRC or by contacting the Membership Chairman Ivan Manning  on 07961520196.

Potential Rotary Global Scholar

Although known for its support of local charities and organisations Hucknall Rotary Club is part of an International family of Rotary and within than movement exists Rotary’s own charity, The Rotary Foundation.  A major emphasis within this little-known charity has been working towards the global eradication of Polio, a project with which Bill Gates, the World Health Organisation  and others have partnered Rotary.  The Rotary Foundation also awards scholarships helping scholars plan to pursue a career in an area which will make significant impact in worldwide humanitarian effects. 

21 year old Monique Mundle, who lives with a foster family in Kimberley, was the latest visitor to Hucknall Rotary Club.  Ms. Mundle is studying “Humanistic Counselling Practice” at the University of Nottingham  and also has a placement at Bluecoat academy where she runs a student counselling service.  Monique did some volunteering work at an orphanage in South Africa which impacted her deeply and has inspired her study and career path.   

Hucknall Rotary Club will be recommending that Monique is a suitable candidate for a Rotary Global Scholarship, and if successful, Ms Mundle hopes to study clinical social work in the USA where she aims to refine her therapeutic skills merging them into more community impact based work with the underprivileged.

Monique Mundle is pictured with Club President Ian Young

Shark Guardian

An eye-opening presentation was held at the Horse and Groom, Linby as Brendon Sing and Liz Ward-Sing addressed Hucknall Rotarians about Shark and Marine conservation in what was the best attended club meeting for a long while.

Due largely to the film ‘Jaws’, Sharks tend to be misunderstood and are perceived as a threat and a real danger.  Brendon and Liz founded  the charity Shark Guardian a formed in 2013)  to try and educate about the importance of sharks in the ecosystem.  

The Shark Guardian presentation was  interesting and very educational evening.  Using a variety of multimedia slides and videos, the club learnt that there are over 500 species of sharks known in the world, and 30 species of sharks found in UK waters.  Sharks are to the ocean, what Lions are to the jungle.  Research has shown that waters where Sharks populate also generate other forms of marine life and produces much needed oxygen.  Parts of the ocean without any Shark presence also tend to be devoid of any other life forms.   So the role of Sharks in their natural environment is vital to our own survival.  There are more recorded deaths caused by the misuse of toasters than caused by shark attacks.  Despite the portrayal in films such as ‘Jaws’, very few humans are attacked.   When they are, it is often a case of mistaken identity as Shark Guardian demonstrated how, from below, the stiletto of a person on a surfboard would appear to the Shark very similar to their natural prey of a seal or turtle.  Usually, if a surfer is attacked, the Shark quickly realises their mistake and moves away.    While many of us have learned to fear sharks, they’re the ones who should fear us. People are sharks’ biggest predator. In fact, humans kill more than 73 million sharks annually.

As a result, many shark species are endangered.  Shark Fin fishing is a huge problem that is decimating the populace and having an impact on the ocean’s ecosystem.  Reproduction and gestation periods are also quite lengthy which means that the shark population isn't seeing natural biological growth. 

The message from Shark Guardian is that  in ‘Saving Our Sharks – We Save Ourselves.’    After the meeting Club president Ian Young said, “Until tonight, I never realised the role that Sharks play in the system of things.  Brendon and Liz and their team are doing an amazing job raising awareness to the plight of Sharks which has to be addressed.”   In the first year of Shark Guardian, over 20,000 people have seen a presentation made by the charity.   Further details can be found at www.sharkguardian.org/

President Ian Young (Centre) is pictured with Brendon Sing and Liz Ward-Sing

Wise men (and women) journey together

With the first meeting of 2014  taking place the day after Epiphany (the feast day which commemorates the visit of the Magi ), Rev Canon Keith Turner of St Michael’s Church Linby, revisited the well-known story of the Wise men  in his message of encouragement to Rotarians for the new year. 

Canon Turner focused especially on the generous spirit of giving and also the journey that the wise men made in presenting their gifts.  The journey was a long and hard journey and there would have been occasions when tensions were raised between the wise men.  But more importantly, it was a journey of joy and one in community with everyone in the wise men’s party working together  to finish their journey.  Without teamwork, it is unlikely that the wise men would have be able to present their gifts in that spirit of generosity.  No wise man travelled separately, they journeyed together in fellowship.    

I thanked Canon Turner for a timeless message that transcended individual  religious views and commented tongue-in-cheek that I was rather glad (and surprised) that no-one had been tempted to joke about wise men within Rotary.

President Ian Young is pictured welcoming  Rev Canon Keith Turner.

Another New member welcomed

Santa took time out of his busy and hectic schedule to come and welcome Hucknall Rotary Club’s newest member , Ann Marie Topham.  Ann Marie became the second female member of the club and the third new member in the last six months.  Mrs Topham runs her own Travel Counsellor business .  A Travel Counsellor offers a more personal approach than a Travel Agent . 

Describing her work, Ann Marie says, “ This is a good explanation of what I can arrange. I have so many things that you wouldn’t even dream of. Tropical destinations-  cruise/ safari - to a caravan in Skegness. Each of my customers who soon become friends are treated the same regardless of how much they spend. As I am self-employed I have no targets to hit, or attracted to any tour operator, which means I give my customers what they  want, rather than what needs selling. I specialise in honeymoons & weddings abroad ….I am like a passport my customers/friends can take me where ever they go, knowing that I am only a call or email away regardless where in the world they are. I work from home, so I am able to speak to you when it’s convenient for you. When the kids have gone to bed or when Coronation Street has finished.  You will find me on Facebook   Ann Marie Topham - Travel Counsellors, UK and customer feedback at   www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/annmarie.topham.  

As part of her work, Ann Marie runs a free travel club and invites anyone reading to get in touch and she will happily add you to the club so that you can receive great offers.

In welcoming Ann Marie Topham as a member of Hucknall Rotary Club, the club’s president Ian Young said, “Ann Marie joins us at the busiest time of the club’s calendar and has already got fully involved helping out on Santa’s Sleigh and joining in with our community festive activities.  It’s a real pleasure to have her join us.”

The Rotary Club would be pleased to hear from anyone interested in joining and can be contacted either via their Facebook page www.facebook.com/HucknallRC , Twitter account @HucknallRC or by contacting the Membership Chairman Ivan Manning on 07961520196.

Inspirational Teenage Speaker

Inspirational Hucknall teenage Ben Stewart was the latest guest speaker at Hucknall Rotary Club.  Ben had been part of a team organised by Nottingham Youth for Christ who headed out to Andhra Pradesh, India in August 2013 giving aid in some of the poorest communities.

Ben thanked the Rotarians for their support and donation towards the trip, but Hucknall President Ian Young, said really that it was Rotarians who should be thanking Ben because of the huge difference he had made during the 10 days spent in India. 

The visit had been life-changing for Ben and had given him a passion to do all he can to make life better.  Ben spent time in Leper colonies among the Dalit community who are India’s poorest citizens and treated as outcasts.  They gave out food, clothes, materials and medicine.  Ben was particularly moved by the people he met who saw their visit as a sign that someone from the western world actually cared about their plight.  They were even asked to name a new-born baby because the family believed that they would receive good luck as a result.  The group named the baby Esther because in the Bible, Esther was born into poverty and yet, managed to escape those conditions and became a Queen.