Another New Member welcomed at @HucknallRC

Phil Hibbard, a Strategic Accounts Manager, is the latest new member to be welcomed by the Rotary Club of Hucknall on Tuesday 22^nd August.  Phil is the second new Rotarian to be inducted in a number of weeks and the club look forward to many more joining.  If you are interested in Rotary or joining Rotary, please contact our membership co-ordinator Ivan Manning on 0115 955 9817 or contact the club via Twitter or Facebook @HucknallRC.

Several club sporting events had taken place through the month and members Stuart Whitehead and Glen Hennessey were acknowledged for their victories in the Lawn Bowls and Par 3 Golf competitions respectively.

Stuart was the latest recipient of the Mark Brinklow Memorial Rosebowl and Glen received a new Golf Trophy which had been kindly donated to the Club.

At the same meeting, members were addressed by Mr.Doug Hird, Training Manager of Nottingham and District Citizens Advice Bureau.  Mr HIrd gave a descriptive account of the development of CAB as an organisation.  Although part of the umbrella organisation, each branch of CAB is actually an independent charity and self-reliant on procuring funds to continue operations.  The CAB movement was launched the day after the declaration which commenced the Second World War and has become an integral part of British society.

CAB and Rotary share similar ideals, both organisations are mainly concerned with ‘changing lives’ and ‘service above self.’  CAB advisors are there to empower their clients.  The service they provide is Free, Confidential, Impartial and Independent.  Clients coming to CAB are NOT told how to play the system, but rather informed of their rights and responsibilities which should enable them to make an informed decision on the issue in hand.

President Ian Young gave the vote of thanks and, on behalf of Hucknall Rotary Club, made a donation of £ 600 to the work of Nottingham and District Citizens Advice Bureau.

Photograph.  Phil Hibbard (left) is welcomed as a Rotarian by President Ian Young

Sherwood Sunrisers Club Visioning

The RC of Sherwood Sunrisers usually meets at 7am but decided on an evening session for their Club visioning event.  There was a bit of good natured banter flying around about meeting at night past their bedtime etc.

On my short journey to the venue, torrential rain descended.  So much fell within minutes that some roads became impassable.  One road was the bottom point of a suburban valley  and water was flowing down it more akin to a river.  Dustbins and Roadwork signs were floating downstream.  With caution, cars were passing across it and so I also risked it.  Not far from the junction, one car was stranded and it's passengers were climbing out onto its roof.

I arrived at the venue and opposite, in a pub car park, the water was up to window level.  I understand that people were trapped in the pub by the water.

Despite this, everyone expected at the Club Visioning session made it - all with a story to tell after battling through those conditions.

District Governor Nominee Rodger Summers led the Facilitation and the feedback from the Sunrisers said that it was a valuable and worthwhile exercise.

Hope Lea's Garden Party

Hope Lea House in Hucknall is an amazing project that offers practical support to vulnerable people and people with learning difficulties.  Our Rotary Club have supported them for many years, we even helped construct part of the building some years ago.

Saturday was their annual Garden Party fund-raiser and what a great event it was.  PP Terry Moult organised the putting-up of gazebo's just in case it rained.  However, the shelter was most welcome from the heat of the sun.

Citizens of the Year

It was my privilege to present the club's 'Citizen of the Year' award at our latest meeting.  We'd invited the recipients along to the meeting as our guests but hadn't divulged the accolade we where to bestow upon them.

I felt a  little like the late Eamonn Andrews with his famous big red book when I declared to our guests, Eric and Doreen Allcock that we'd invited them along under false pretenses and that the real purpose of their invitation was to present to them our 'Citizen of the Year' award in recognition of their tremendous and self-less devotion to service in our local community through the Hucknall & Linby branch of the St John’s Ambulance organisation.

Eric’s involvement began in 1964 when he was assigned to St. Johns for training whilst commencing work at Linby Pit.  The following year, he travelled to London, and was on duty for St John’s at the State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill.  It was also through the St John’s organisation that Eric and Doreen met.  Together, they spearheaded a successful appeal to raise £ 50,000 to fund an ambulance for the Hucknall & Linby branch and have been on duty whenever a local event or activity has needed the first aid services of St. Johns.

Visit to RC of Derby

The Rotary Club of Derby is one of England's 'oldest' clubs being chartered in 1918 and its a club who, although may be older in years, are always keen to explore and embrace new methods for the greater good of Rotary.

I was invited along by Immediate Past President Tim Wherly to speak to the club about social media and how it can be used for Rotary.

I was very warmly received and encouraged by the interest shown in the subject.  The club meet in the County Cricket Club grounds and a match was in progress as we held our meeting.

Byron Festival's Heritage Day

My interest in history has extended to researching and trying to collate the clubs history and archives.  I have been surprised to discover all manner of things at the bottom of cupboards and hidden away forgotten in garages.

As a result of some of my research, I had been invited to have a Display at the Heritage Day which is linked to an annual festival which celebrates Hucknall's most famous son, the poet Lord Byron.

Cheekily, I advertised that I would be displaying some of the clubs artifacts - no truth in the rumour that I was referring to some of our older members of course.

Every Can Helps

As part of Tesco's partnership with Trussell Trust and FareShare,   the second National Food Collection to help feed people in need was held over the weekend of the 5 and 6 July.

In 2012, FareShare redistributed enough food for 10 million meals. This food was delivered to more than 900 charities, helping to feed 43,700 people each day. That’s 7,200 more people per day than in 2011. And last year almost 350,000 people turned to Trussell Trust foodbanks for help. That was almost three times the number who received food aid in the previous year and 100,000 more than anticipated.

Tesco are making donations go even further by topping it up by 30%.* #EveryCanHelps

In Hucknall, Tesco manager Joanne Shanks approached the Rotary Club because she wanted to support local projects as well and saw Rotary as the people to facilitate.  We were not only able to help in collecting, but were able to link Tesco's with Hucknall's Engage project.  The Engage project is run by the local churches and delivers 125-150 food parcels to needy families a month.