Rotary Club of Gloucester

Home

Gloucester Rotary
-	Organization
-	Club History
-	Club Officials
-	Contact Us

Events
-	Dairy Dates
-	Inner Wheel

In Gear Magazine
-	2008
-	2007
-	2006
-	2005
-	2004
-	2003
-	2002

Where we meet
-	Parliament Rooms

Resources
-	Rotary Clubs

July ingear

Bigger and better
ALTHOUGH the annual Medieval Fayre was not in our original agenda for the Centenary year, persuasive Friend of Rotary Richard Dennery sweet-talked President Angela into taking part. Much work by Chris Brooks of the Westgate Traders and Di Phillips of the City Centre Initiative and club member Colin Rogers helped overcome all the obstacles thrown at the event mainly by Shire Hall. The result was that this year's event was bigger and better than ever with some 80 stalls and displays. As in the past members of the Plantagenet Society were a great attraction as was Gloucester Town Cryer Alan Myatt. This year an added attraction was the opening of the event by Dick Whittington (alias Mark Cummings of BBC Radio Gloucestershire) before he set out to walk to London on the 400th anniversary of his tale being told. The day was a huge success and in no small way to the excellent response of our members acting as stewards - the culmination of which we were given £700 for our charity fund. This was the first time we didn't have a street collection for Rotary. However the event was set up so that many of the charities we have supported in the past and will do so in the future, were all able to do their own fund raising on the day and this proved very successful. Many of the problems we encountered this year by new regulations was for the safety of the public and mainly so all local authorities can be absolved of any liability.
New flags are well blessed
AS part of the district's centenary service the Dean of Gloucester (and club member) Nick Bury dedicated two new national flags in the Cathedral - the Union Jack and the American Stars and Stripes. The new flags had been presented to the Cathedral by our club to mark Rotary's centenary and to replace two threadbare originals. The flags have an interesting history. In May 1920, the Rotary Club of New York sent silk flags to each of the 27 newly established British Rotary clubs one of which was our own club. Rotarian Russell F Grenier of Kansas, a past international president who paid a visit to Gloucester, formally presented the 'Old Glory' flag to the club. Later that same year, Rotarian H. Norman, the City High Sheriff presented a silk Union Jack to the club and both flags were raised in September 1920 during a Rotary meeting at the Spread Eagle Hotel, After being displayed weekly for about 30 years it was decided to display them only on special occasions in order to prevent deterioration. In August 1977 after being refurbished by the Inner Wheel Club of Gloucester, the flags were given a permanent place in the Cathedral. The date coincided with the 250th anniversary of the Three Choirs Festival and the bicentennial celebration of the USA. The tablet was unveiled at a ceremony attended by local Rotarians and the US cultural attache and the flags were dedicated by the then Dean of Gloucester, the Very Rev Gilbert Thurlow. Appropriately the tablet is above the Stafford Smith plaque in the South Aisle......Stafford Smith being the son of an 18th century Cathedral organist, who wrote the music later adopted for the United States National Anthem.
Fun in the sun
A FLEET of buses took a record number of pupils from Gloucester schools to Kids Out, again held at Cattle Country near Berkeley. Although six Rotary clubs were involved this year (including Gloucester Severn and Gloucester North) our club provided around 230 of the 450 youngsters who enjoyed a fun filled day of activities. The pupils came from primary schools at Linden, Coney Hill, Tredworth, Calton, Finlay and the Moat at Matson and were accompanied by teachers and other helpers. Once again the sun shone which ensured not only that all arrangements went smoothly but that all the pupils had a fantastic day out. There was so much to do. Thanks to the weather they were able to use all the outside facilities including a paddling pool, go inside to enjoy the slides and, if that wasn't enough there were animals to see as well. In fact many were so enjoying themselves they didn't want to go home. As usual our guests all received T-shirts and hats and feasted on food, drink and ice creams. Our congratulations go mainly to ace organiser Andrew Hurley who once again masterminded our involvement in the event. Thanks also to committee chairman Ian Stuart and all Rotarians, partners and Inner Wheel members who ensured our guests had a day to remember.

TOP OF PAGE