Rotary Club of Gloucester

FOR the second year running In Gear has won the national award for the best club magazine. The announcement was made at the RIBI conference last month.

This success comes in spite of the fact that our magazine failed to win this year's district competition - which we won the previous two years. I am deeply indebted to the continuing commitment and dedication of Colin Rogers who takes care of In Gear's sponsorship, photography and distribution.

As an added bonus, the club's entry in RIBI's best public relations campaign was highly recommended but we missed out on the top spot to an entry from Elgin. Our PR entry, collated by Peter Nesbitt, focused on the club's hugely successful cancer raising campaign involving city schools which raised in excess of £38,000 last year.
JOHN LOVELL - EDITOR

Colin and Tess Rogers and David and Barbara Seed recently joined nearly 5,000 Rotarians and guests at the London's Royal Albert Hall for Rotary's Centenary Gala Concert. This is Barbara's report on the occasion.

"The bands of the Coldstream Guards and the Scots Guards look resplendent in their red and gold uniforms and their playing was, of course, of the very highest standard.

"The programme included well known compositions such as the Coronation March Crown Imperial, music by the Beatles, the Festival Overture and the Carnival of Venice.

"The Rotary Centenary March composed by Dr Peter Graham and played by him on the magnificent organ reverberated around the auditorium - wonderful.
"Mezzo soprano Heather Boyd, wife of Rotary National President Gordon McInally sang music from Carmen, The Marriage of Figaro, Les Miserables and Rule Brittannia....which we all joined in.

The concert was brought to a rousing finale with - yes you've guessed it - Pomp and Circumstance! All in all a wonderful evening, greatly enjoyed by all. "The event had been organised by Leukaemia Research whose guests were six of the original Calender Girls whose efforts have already raised Rotary's cheque for 000 was received by the charity's chief executive.

In a short address Gordon McInally told Rotarians that whilst it was only right they could enjoy basking in the achievements of the past 100 years they could not sit back. There was still much to be done worldwide in the name of Rotary.

THIS is a letter that club member Robin Morris sent to club president Angela following the award to him of the Paul Harris Fellowship (see page three).

He writes: "I write to thank you and all the members of the Gloucester club for the very unexpected and undeserved presentation to me of a Paul Harris Fellowship. This is all the more so because I know how carefully the Gloucester club considers matters before awarding such a Fellowship. The other reason is that conservationists like other people with a mission can sometimes be prickly and difficult people to deal with. I am no exception.

"I am therefore double grateful for the fact that despite my idiosyncratic character you have thought fit to grant this award to me."

ROTARY'S highest award - the Paul Harris Fellowship - has been presented to club member and Gloucester solicitor Robin Morris for exceptional service both to the movement and community. Robin, a Rotarian for 40 years and a former club president, received the fellowship from president Angela Seddon at an evening meeting at the Parliament Rooms.

Since its inception Robin has been a member of Gloucester Civic Trust and for more than 20 years he's been its chairman. Thanks to his unstinting efforts much of Gloucester's heritage has been saved and many old buildings which would have been reduced to rubble have now been repaired and acquired new roles.

The first of these was Ladybellegate House in Longsmith Street. Since 1980 Robin has also been a Civic Trust representative on the Gloucester Historic Buildings group, a joint charitable company with representatives of the Trust and the city council. This group has seen the rescue and restoration of St Nicholas House (now the Dick Whittington) and the former Crown Inn (now the Samuel Smiles pub).

In addition to his work for the Trust Robin is a Knight in the Order of St John of Jerusalem. He has been a member for well over 40 years and is past president of the Gloucestershire and Forest of Dean area. He has also been a past chairman of the Gloucester Legal Association.

Two additional awards, both Certificates of Appreciation, were awarded the same evening. The first was accepted on behalf of Barnwood Park School by its head Gill Pyatt and deputy Veronica Rock for the support the staff and pupils had given in filling Aquaboxes.

The second award was accepted on behalf of the local Salvation Army corps by
Rotarian and Salvationist John Smith. During the past few years the corps has raised thousands of £s with a special Christmas concert, which have been presented to the club to support its presidents' chosen charities.

President Angela said that in its 80 year history only two previous Certificates of Appreciation have been made - one to Inner Wheel and the other to the crew of HMS Gloucester.

Angela with the help of junior vice president Pat Daly also presented In Gear editor John Lovell with the RIBI award for producing the best national Rotary club magazine. He co-produces it with club member Colin Rogers.

Another highlight of the evening was a talk by Gloucester rugby player and former Cambridge University blue Simon Amor who has distinguished himself in the seven-a-side game where he is England's captain and was voted the international 7s player of the year.

In a talk which ranged over his career from the age of 9, Simon recalled some of its highs and lows. The former included England's success in the prestigious Hong Kong Sevens tournament which he described as a great experience and highly emotional. He said the 7s game was a wonderful way of promoting rugby and had won adherents all over the world

ROTARIANS, civic dignitaries and guests from all over District 1100 packed Gloucester Cathedral for a centenary service of celebration led by the Dean of Gloucester, Nick Bury who, as a member of our club, needed no introduction.

It was an inspiring service with well known hymns interspersed by prayers, a Bible reading and brief talks on various aspects of Rotary's work beginning with district governor Paul Charter who gave an overview of Rotary's first 100 years.

In it, Paul commented that just as the Cathedral's founders had had a dream so too did Paul Harris when he started the Rotary movement in 1905...........and in both cases the end result had developed far beyond their original dreams.

He was followed by Keith Rog who spoke of Rotary's role in the international community, of its worldwide membership and of the amazing global response by Rotarians to the tsunami appeal.

Closer to home the congregation heard of the leading role Rotary had taken in establishing hospices in the UK - particularly for children - from Brian Ealand, a long standing volunteer at Worcester's Acorn Hospice and, himself, a former Rotarian.

Past district governor Murray Mylechreest, spoke about 'Rotary in your Vocation' but the most impressive testimony of how Rotary had changed their lives came from two Stroud pupils Amy Ferrier and Clare Matthews both of whom had be given Rotary Youth Awards.

The main address came from the Dean who talked humorously about his own association with Rotary 'as a backbencher cheering on the others'. Paying tribute to Rotary's magnificent response to global problems such as Polio, Nick also suggested that in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ should have added a further statement 'Blessed are the fundraisers for they shall be given the hides of rhinoceroses.'

On a more serious note Nick - taking his lead from Mother Teresa - said that the fruits of silence was prayer, the fruit of prayer was faith, the fruit of faith was love, the fruit of love was service and the fruit of service was peace. Many of these aspirations were also Rotary's own objectives and the guiding principles of many Rotarians.

He added that God came as a servant to others and told Rotarians "Your service to others makes your community a better place to be in and can make a huge difference."

Music was provided by the Gloucester Salvation Army Band (thanks to Rotarian John Smith), by the Cathedral organist Martyn Rawles, and by the extremely talented Stuart Singers. After the service everyone was invited by district governor Paul and his wife Phyllis to join them for a glass of wine in the Chapter House and Cloisters.

Centenary tree planting at new hospital

ONE of the highlights of a packed weekend of fellowship between our club and our friends from the Rotary Club of Rodez was the official re-opening of the new Rotary Garden at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital at the start of last month.

This was first opened in 1980 but has recently had a re-vamp due to the development of the new Gloucestershire Royal buildings. A special tree was planted in the newly landscaped garden in celebration of a century of Rotary.

Angela Seddon, President of the Rotary Club Gloucester said: "We are really pleased with the new-look garden, it is full of so many different types of herbs and has a very relaxed feel to it which is great for the patients and visitors who will use the garden."

The event was attended by members of both clubs and in addition to the tree planting the president of the Rodez club also planted a commemorative rose.

Irwin Wilson, Associate Director of Planning and Contracting at the Trust, who has been closely involved with the Rotary Garden, said: "We would like to once again thank the Rotary Club for funding the garden. We know that patients really appreciate having an idyllic setting in which they can relax."

The event was a reflection of the on-going friendship between the two clubs which, this year, will also see them co-operating in a water project in Ecuador.

The Rodez president mentioned this fact when he spoke at an hilarious Bavarian music evening at St Andrew's Church Hall at Churchdown. Attended by around 100 Rotarians and guests it was an unforgettable evening of song, laughter, feasting and fun. Full marks to the three brave Rotary lasses who showed their musical expertise (or lack of it) by accompanying our singing on a tuba and for the three Rotarians who showed their vocal versatility at yodelling.

Congratulations to MC and international committee chairman John Sargent and to John Weygang who organised a great evening of Anglo-French fellowship (at the expense of the Germans) and which happily co-incided with the 60th anniversary Victory in Europe weekend celebrations.

Englishness was the theme of a Cotswold coach trip the following day which was organised by Robin Morris. Here we introduced our French guests to the colourful beauty of Hidcote Gardens, the medieval magnificence of Chipping Campden and the timeless splendour of Broadway.

All in all a memorable weekend for all those involved.........and thanks to all those who arranged it.