Rotary Club of Gloucester

DESPITE a disappointing turnout, mainly due to unfortunate clashes with other events at the same time, the international evening based on the swinging 60s was a thumping success for all those who attended.

Nostalgia reigned supreme as Rotarians and guests recalled their youths of yesteryear to the music of the highly talented Toffs band from Tibberton - an outfit which, appropriately, had its own origins in that memorable decade.

It was a decade which featured the Beatles, Elvis, Buddy Holly and Credence Clearwater and whose hits from 40 years ago brought people to their feet at the St Andrew's Church Hall at Churchdown.

If there was a star of the night it was Julian Farr's partner Jackie Carlton who entered into the spirit of the event by turning up resplendent in 1960s gear ...and looking extremely attractive to boot!

If the men drooled it might also have been due to a sumptuous pig roast deliciously prepared by Hey Presto Catering.

International chairman John Sargent intorduced and thanked everyone at the end of the evening.

It was a shame so few enjoyed a smashing event but thanks to excellent organisation and sponsorship, the event still made in excess of £200.
Congratulations to all concerned.

ONLY days after Gloucester's Inner Wheel celebrated its 75th birthday, members were continuing their proud tradition of raising money for those less fortunate in the local community.

It may have been fund raising but it was also fun raising as members and guests sang old songs and new songs, waved Union Jacks and enjoyed a meal of bangers, mash and peas followed by fruit trifle during an evening appropriately entitled 'The Best of British.'

To create the right atmosphere tables at Debenham's Sports and Social Club on Escort Road were laid with red, white and blue cloths, everyone was given a flag to wave and some guests even wore red, white and blue bowler hats!

Entertainment was provided by the extremely talented Ian Towers, a musician who had travelled from Bristol through the fog. He came complete with a double keyboard and loads of equipment and speakers to accompany enthusiastic singing which inevitably included that all-time favourite 'Land of Hope and Glory.'

A raffle was held with lots of excellent prizes, one of which a DVD player was won by Inner Wheel club correspondent Janet Hayward.

At the end of the evening President Jackie Matthews thanked everyone for coming to support her chosen charity which was Hop, Skip and Jump which maintains a play area and indoor facilities for disabled children and adults at Seven Springs.

Even better the evening raised a magnificent £600.

Ledbury Rotarian Neal Farr with a beautiful silver dagger given to him by Sheik Mohammed of Dubai for whom Neal works as an expert in livestock having retired from his UK vet's practice because of an allergy to chemicals affecting his hands.

In a fascinating talk at a lunchtime meeting Neal explained how he looked after the welfare of the sheik's horses, each of which had its own groom. Neal's job was to test the horses for disease, certify them fit for travel when required and to check quarantine arrangements. To this end Neal goes to Dubai twice a year enjoying first class hospitality with royal friends.
Racing of both horses and camels is a favourite pastime in Dubai - with no expense spared. On one occasion an area of 20 miles was cleared for one race between camels and horese - and the horses won.

On another there was an endurance race of 100 miles in the desert for horses in one day. This was done in five circuits with the horses being checked and rested for 20 - 40 minutes before continuing.

During his time in Dubai Neal had been presented with several watches by the sheik worth thousands some of which he brought to show members.

He said that the sheik was popular with his people and treated them well and had planned to ensure that the country would continue to prosper when its oil ran out.

FOR more than 25 years, a fleet of Mercy Ships has brought hope and healing to tens of thousands of people, in poverty striken countries. Entirely crewed by volunteers from all over the world they have literally made the world of difference to people in over 95 ports around the world.

One of those volunteers, Sue Lord of Andoversford, gave an inspiring talk on her work on one of these ships - Anastasis - as a theatre nurse. It is a mission she has undertaken for many weeks over many years, and entirely at her own expense.

She said that the Mercy Ships were an international Christian non-denominational organisation bringing health care and healing where many have lost hope.

Highly skilled surgeons perform thousands of operations to remove tumours, correct cleft lips and palates, restore sight and provide a wide range of orthopaedic and other surgeries. Medical and dental teams also visit prearranged sites and establish field clinins where they carry out vaccination programmes and medical screening. Mercy Ships also help train doctors and nruses and local volunteer health care workers in hygiene, nutrition and preventative health.

Sue spoke of some of the many dedicated people she had met including one US plastic surgeon who permanently lives on board a Mercy ship with his family. She explained that not every operation was life saving but all were live transforming. She siad that Mercy Ships were committed to treating each person as a whole physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.

This was a thought provoking presentation from a woman who puts into practice the Christian precepts she obviously believes in.....

In his speech of thanks Trevor Picken suggested that this could well be a future project for the club.

This year Rotarians in the UK are committed to providing all the equipment for an eye surgery on board a new hospital ship - Africa Mercy - which is due to leave Newcastle-on-Tyne dockyard early this month after being transformed from a rail ferry into 78 bed hospital vessel with six operating theatres.

CHRIS WILLS, The Citizen's defence correspondent, was one of the youngest - and best - speakers to ever visit the club and vividly described a recent visit to the 600 men of the Gloucestershire Regiment deployed in Afghanistan.

The son of a Rotarian, Chris spoke with humour and authority on his journey which began with acquring a bullet-proof jacket and the appropriate visa from the Afghan Embassy in London.
The flight to Kabul was in a military transport plane with no widows, seats down the side of the plane facing inewards and certainly no in-flight attendants. On disembarking Chris was taken in a convoy of armoured vehicles to the base used by 160 members of the regiment who form the Kabul Control Company.

Although Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world and has been ravaged by war for more than 20 years, Kabul is a bustling and busy city with people trying to maintain a normal way of life.

Here the role of the soldiers is to be first on the scene if there is a terrorist attack, to search for drugs and explosives and to develop good relationships with the local population. This is being accomplished extremely well and is apprciated by the local Afghan people.
After four days in the country's capital, Chris was taken to Mazar-i-Sharif, a town about 300kms to the north. This involved travelling across snow clad mountains in a Land Rover with snow chains.

On arrival Chris found 300 men living in heated tents. Although they form part of the provincial reconstruction team and although relations with local people are very good, the security situation in the area has deteriorated recently. This is due to the Taliban changing tactics from infantry raids to more suicide bombings and to an increase in the smuggling of explosives across the border from Pakistan. .

Nevertheless Chris found members of thre regiment to be in good spirits and they are making a real difference to the lives of the local people.

Chris was thanked for an excellent talk by Peter Cosgrif.

DURING its 75 years Inner Wheel has supported numerous local, national and international charities - as well as helping their husbands and partners with Rotary projects.
One of the club's biggest efforts was as part of a nationwide Inner Wheel project to raise money for a new lifeboat working out of Poole Harbor in Dorset.

Inner Wheelers throughout the UK stumped up half the cost of the boat with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution coming up with the rest.

Some of the other charities which the club has supported over the years include the Oncology Unit at Cheltenham Hospital, the Friends of Gloucester Cathedral, Winston's Wish, the Willow Trust, SARA (Severn Area Rescue Association), GEAR (Gloucester Emergency Accomodation resource) Air Ambulance, Tourettes Syndrome Association and Rapid UK based at Quedgeley.
Internationally charities to receive help have included the Jaipur Limb Project, Lepra and Mercy Ships.

Here is an example of Rotary fellowship in action. Rotarian Roy Lewis was sending a valuable parcel to California. Despite a thorough search through 'Yellow Pages' he could not contact a suitable packer/transporter.

Knowing that Rotarian Peter Cosgrif had business in America he thought he would 'phone him for guidance. So, one Tuesday morning at 9.15am he phoned Peter's office to hear a recorded message 'moving offices, available on Friday, in the meantime my mobile no. is ......'.

Then Roy phoned his home number to again to be told Peter's mobile number.
Much as he dislikes phoning mobiles, because one never knows what you will interupt, Roy nevertheless dialled the mobile and received a ready response from Peter.

Following a long and most helpful conversation Peter closed by saying ' will be home by Friday and hope to see you at Club', to which Roy replied 'Home, but where are you now?'. 'In Banff, Canada'. 'Well it must be 3.30 in the morning' 'It certainly is'.
They still remain friends, in the best of Rotary spirits.

INNER WHEEL District chairman Sally Young and Gloucester club President Jackie Matthews toast the city club's 75th birthday with, on the left, club secretary Pat Morris.

Some of the club's eldest members lit candles to mark the decades the club had been in existence while VIP guests, a special cake, various birthday presentations and a delicious meal rounded off the Valentine's Day celebrations.

More pictures and a report on this memorable occasion appear on page two while on page three we recall one of Inner Wheel's latest charity successes - a Best of British night.
From all members of the Rotary Club of Gloucester we congratulate our friends in Inner Wheel on this tremendous landmark and thank them for all their help in the past ....and future!!!