Rotary Club of Gloucester

Gloucester Severn has retained the interclub golf trophy after the annual encounter between Severn and our own golfers at the Gloucester Country Club. Our picture shows Severn's Senior Vice Doctor Bob Paterson proudly holding the trophy to the delight of his team.

Both clubs put out teams of 12 players and at the end of a very hard fought competition play ended up all square, so Gloucester Severn who won last year will retain the cup and have the pleasure of organising the match next year.

Reporting on the event Jeremy Dancey said : "How we managed to pick one of the days when it poured with rain was a pity but it did not spoil the day. It would have helped if we had been given the correct tee times but we managed to fit into the earlier times by using those who had arrived to tee off first. It is always good fun playing this local derby and the outcome of the match is secondary to the result but next year I hope that we win!"

Scores: Mike Westbury and Clive Kingscote Lost 2/1

Ian Stuart and Ken Watson Won 4/2

Bob Short and David Corbett Won 3/1

Jeremy Dancey and David Seed Won 5/4

Chris Soane and Paul Woodman Lost 2 Down

Colin Rogers Lost 3/2

Club member Andrew Hurley who has been taken a leading role in KidsOut for many years reports on this year's event.

AFTER torrential rain the weather gave way to a great day out for over 300 children from Gloucester, Stonehouse, Dursley, the Forest of Dean and Yate who went to the Cattle Country Adventure Park at Berkeley on Wednesday, June 23.

The children were guests of Rotarians from five local clubs - Gloucester, Newent, Stonehouse, Yate and Dursley - at Rotary's annual KidsOut event now in its fiftheenth year.

The event aims to provide a fun-packed day for youngsters - specifically those who are disadvantaged or have special needs.

This year's shindig at Cattle Country involved pupils from Tredworth Junior, Linden Primary, Coney Hill Community School. The Moat, Finlay Community and Calton, The Shrubberies, Sharpness Junior, Cam Everlands, Dean Hall and Oakdene.

Everybody attending had a free lunch and this was followed by ice cream.

Despite the threat of rain, the event was blessed with dry conditions and the children had a great time enjoying the usual rides, experience weightlessness, trying their skills on a bucking Bronco, finding their way through a willow maze and if that was not enough see such animals a North American Bison.

A number of Rotarians were in attendance some with wives to lend a hand especially making up the 300 plus packed lunches and among the guests was the District Governor Mike Gelder

Thanks must also go to the Kids Out Charity and The Community Network Fund for providing funding so Rotarians were could invite a much larger number of schools and a record number of pupils to attend this year.

Overall it was a great day out, another Rotary success and gave a lot of very deserving children a day to remember.

We have club member Trevor Picken to thank for these excellent pictures which capture the fun that children - of all ages - had during the day.

....to Peter Nesbitt and his team for raising £38,000 for the Institute of Cancer Research following the club's fundraising campaign with more than 50 schools in Gloucester. A full report and pictures of a gala weekend during which a cheque was handed over and when we had Neil and Christine Hamilton and Nick Owen as our guests will appear in next month's In Gear.

A COMPREHENSIVE programme of familiar and successful events combined with some exciting new projects was brought to the club assembly by Angela Seddon, the club's first lady president. Angela, who has set herself some ambitious targets has come up with a mix of events which should include something for everyone.

Among new ideas are two Presidential fellowship lunches in September and January where members will be encouraged to bring guests who might be encouraged to consider membership.

Other innovations are an old fashioned tea dance possibly next March, the Stuart Singers in Concert in November and a Ladies 'Look Good Feel Great' evening on September 2.

Inevitably there will be many events during the year which could involve partners such as an international evening, an evening meeting on October 29 and a Rotary Cocktail Party on Friday, April 29.

The principal fund raising event will be an auction of promises in October and the usual Christmas collections at city supermarkets and around the streets in December.

The centenary visit by our friends in Rodez to Gloucester next May will also have added value since the clubs have agreed on funding a joint international project in Ecuador.

The centenary will also be marked by a district service at Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday May 21 and a three-club centenary ball with Gloucester North and Severn.

In addition committee chairman outlined a wide variety of projects for the coming year which included a hands on water project in Ecuador, continuing literacy projects in city schools and a wide ranging programme of sporting events and a plan to recruit five new members.

..........to club member Rob Hall who successfully competed in the London Marathon - and in doing so raised the handsome sum of £4,000 for the National Star Centre at Ullenwood.

At a lunch meeting Rob presented President Clive Kingscote with the certificate that goes with the achievement ...but kept a tight hold on his award medal.

For the record Rob's time was 4 hours 58 minutes. It's not the first time Rob has competed in the event - 13 years ago he completed the course in 3 hours 59 minutes ....but then he didn't raise as
much for charity. Well done Rob

He and his wife were also able to identify a future project involving schools which it might be possible for the club to progress in conjunction with our twinned club of Rodez - thus enabling us to maximise matching grants.

John came late to Rotary but there are few more committed to the cause than John and it's hoped that any future project will prove equally as successful as a previous one in the same country