Bulletins Sep/Oct &Nov/Dec 2009&Jan/Feb 2010
ROTARY CLUB OF ROCHDALE
President: Elvet Smith
BULLETIN Sep/Oct 2009
Questions which have been troubling our bulletin editor –answers welcome!
• Why is there only one monopolies commission?
• Why don’t sheep shrink in the rain?
• If you have a mind like a sieve, is thinking a straining experience?
• Why are boxing rings square?
• If you cut a glow-worm’s tail off, would it be delighted?
• What is the speed of dark?
• If you have an open mind, why don’t your brains fall out?
• Is the price of chicken a poultry sum?
The bulletin editor would like to humbly apologise for the above section. Members are encouraged to send in lots of articles for future bulletins to prevent any repeat.
17 Sep President’s Charity Evening E
24 Sep Pam Hill – Literature and Publishing L
1 Oct Visitors Evening E
8 Oct Paul Wilson – Job Talk L
15 Oct Joan Elbourn E
22 Oct Brian Cunliffe L
29 Oct Peter Rawlinson – Head of Planning (RMBC) E
5 Nov Tony Young – Metrolink Update E
President’s Remarks
Life has been challenging with my attempt at a new version of Grace; bell ringing was not one of my twenty four hobbies but is now!
The health of members is improving overall and has made me realise how much the club is a family, concerned about and caring for each other. Welcome to Martin Coupe who will be secretary over next 2 years. He has experience of the job but has commented on email making it a lot quicker than the old days. All of you should get it for it’s speed and convenience (and very cheap).
This month has been an exceptional speakers’ month. Sid Richards, ex Ivy League guitarist showed music in hospitals a worthwhile Charity of visiting musicians. The Club donated £50 and I have a DVD you can borrow.
Shahzad produced a whole history of Pakistan and its separation from India soon after a flag raising ceremony at the Town hall square. He brought along some fascinating books and documents. He has also been a very steadying influence in our multicultural society in Rochdale and has successfully made the difficult journey across various cultural divides.
Emma Buckley staggered us with her rapid rise to Store organiser extraordinaire after a very academic life that included mathematical modelling, a possible clue as to her success? She has already been nabbed by Inner Wheel to talk again.
The Crimble Peacock room was a very relaxing venue for an evening meeting where the food and laughter quickly overcame any urge to do much club business.
Chris Bryning is the latest of the Brynings and the last printer with the name. He revealed his genetic background with marvellous relics from his family history and printing. The story should be written up in a book for posterity.
Art and Craft fair at weekend was the best so far thanks to David Acton, Sheila, Mike and a big turnout from members. Very good feedback from stall holders on a Heritage town hall weekend with Mayor and Mayoress (see picture below), Rochdale Youth Orchestra, big tombola takings, Petrus, Samaritans and Help for Heroes charity stalls alongside 33 fee paying stalls. All the tombola prizes went and the raffle (a la Acton) art work added colour.
Mike Tomkinson and I were helpers on the Pool event at District disabled sports at St Helens. I haven’t been a Welsh International for ages! I asked some of the committee to look at the date next year to fit in better with school holidays.
Looking forward to hearing from Petrus and Samaritans at the Charities evening. Also Llandudno Conference at the Empire hotel with refurbished pool and our grow bag together with together exhibits.
Age concern have a group of elderly we’re taking on a Seniors out afternoon on Oct 13th at the Organ museum in Eccles. If we can forge links it might be a good contact for other joint events later.
Dr Barbara Murray of Street Doctors fame is my Charter night guest speaker and I’m taking her out for lunch after Llandudno so she will find out what I’m like before the night!
Finally, please do invite friends, neighbours, work contacts, etc to the Visitors evening on 1st October. John Kay and I are plotting a good welcome! See you there.
(Anything in this article related to real life people is not a coincidence).
President Elvet
Bulletin Nov / Dec 2009
With Sounding Brass and Voices
Advance notice of a concert at the Gracie Fields Theatre on Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.) on 9 May 2010. Please make a note of this concert date which will be the major fund-raising effort in our President's year of office.
We are well on the way with the organisation of the event, where the idea is to showcase our local talent in the World of Brass Bands. The Co-operative Milnrow Band and the Wardle Anderson Brass are bands of considerable renown but not really given the publicity they deserve in their own town. They, along with hopefully the Saddleworth Male Voice Choir will make an excellent concert entitled "With Sounding Brass and Voices". It is up to us to fill the theatre and exceed the £6,000+ we raised last year with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band.
Watch this space for further details.
Rtn Tom Hobson
Bag Packing at Morrisons
It's that time of year again Bag Packing
Morrisons Saturday 21st November 9am to 5pm. To maximise the collection, all 24 tills need to be manned from 9am to 5pm. Our members alone can not achieve that coverage. We can only get close to that optimum by inviting colleagues from outside the club to help. These people are essential particularly in the afternoon time slots.
Please let David Acton have names and times of people willing to help asap.
Rtn David Acton
12 Nov David Acton – ‘Horticulture’ L
19 Nov Dr George Teturswamy
'Cleft Lip-Palate corrective surgery camp in India' E
26 Nov Redwood Students L
3 Dec Special General Meeting E
10 Dec Dr Rupert Smith L
17 Dec Christmas Family Meal E
24 Dec ** Holiday **
31 Dec ** Holiday **
President’s Remarks
Many great things recently. Llandudno weather, Empire hotel food and Saturday singsong. Conference presentation from Simon Weston (Falklands casualty); a tremendous inspiration to all to keep going against all odds. Michael Tomkinson’s befriending charity and David Acton’s vertical water preserving plant propagator were our first presentations at Conference and produced much interest hopefully bearing fruit later.
Fifteen guests came to a bubbly visitors evening marked by the sad raffling off of John Kay’s Rotary teddy. His shelter box video as an example of Rotary at its best was an inspired choice.
Speakers have included a Rochdale author (can’t be many) Pam Hill who managed to sell a few books to our literary members and made one realise writing books is a lot of hard work.
Paul Wilson enlightened us on Salvation Army life with its many facets. He is priest, manager, treasurer, secretary and musician all in one!
Despite Brian Cunliffe’s visit to intensive care (thankfully recovered now), he invited Rotarian Tony Brierley to talk on walking and climbing in the Alps, generously showing off his gear and superb photos.
Rotarian Peter Rawlinson gave an optimistic view of the future Rochdale as seen by its chief planning officer with an attractive town hall square, more wholesale and retail outlets and more employment with a better road system an integral part. He offered to come back with a progress report next year.
Mike and Heather Tomkinson and myself went on a Seniors out visit with great memories as a result .More Rotary members need to be involved if it is to become a regular.
I have been speaking at our daughter clubs Rochdale East and Middleton Charter nights and have been well looked after by their Presidents Ian Murray and Peter Hayward. They weren’t upset when I called their members our Chicks. I’ll reciprocate at our Charter where my Guest speaker is Dr Barbara Murray, a BBC regular when they want a medical perspective and she will enlighten you further on 16th November.
I presented our donation to Life Education Unit charity £850 to Robert Clegg at East’s Charter night (picture above).
My Presidents ‘gong’ is finally refurbished and will be a splendid sight to behold. Thank you Joan for loaning me yours – nobody noticed it said vice president! Best wishes to our recently ill members Brian, Dougie, Bill and Ted and I am hoping to do a ward round in the near future!
President Elvet
Seniors Out To Eccles Theatre Organ Heritage Centre
President Elvet's new project saw a party of 40 guests leave Rochdale for a trip to the Theatre Organ Heritage Centre at Eccles. Working in collaboration with Age Concern and Together organisations it was felt to be an ideal venue for a musical day out on a smart coach with a filling packet lunch .
The day was a good combination of a museum tour ,fellowship with one's pals and great Wurlitzer music played by the local Organist
The building was completed after three years of hard work by the Trust volunteers and slides of the conversion project were shown. They have transformed a semi-derelict Sunday School into an authentic 1920's auditorium complete with a vintage Wurlitzer organ rescued from a Liverpool theatre. The organist played many pieces of music that demonstrated the enormous versatility of the Wurlitzer.
During the interval we were given a guided tour of the inner workings of the instrument, together with an insight into the life of its Cheshire born designer Robert Hope-Jones as well as a tour of their museum. In the second half of the program a silent Laurel and Hardy film with traditional Wurlitzer accompaniment was shown. The finale gave everyone a chance to take part in a grand sing-along.
Rtn Mike Tomkinson
AWARDS CEREMONY FOR HOPWOOD HALL Rochdale town hall on 3rd December 2009
2nd VP Joan accompanied me to the awards ceremony held at the Town Hall, Rochdale. Clive Reid, a governor here, joined us for a while and we also met the other sponsors for the evening, the Emerson Educational Trust. Ian Murray, President of Rochdale East was to join us later. There were many familiar faces present, including the Mayor Keith Swift and his Lady Mayoress, Robert Clegg, chair of Governors, and MPs Jim Dobbin and Paul Rowan,.
We were there to present a new award, for the Most Improved Apprentice, a joint award from ourselves and Rochdale East, which was the last award of the evening.
Ian and I were invited onto the stage to present the award to Renata Caso, a young lady who is training to be a hairdresser. She works with her mother in a salon in Chadderton and according to her tutor is 'very enthusiastic and self motivated'. We presented her with a small shield and a certificate there and then, and will invite her to attend our club night on the 7th of January for her cash award.
A good evening and we hope to repeat the exercise again next year – John Cannell
Bulletin JAN/FEB 2010
7 Jan Charity Presentation Evening E
14 Jan ‘Pakistan Project’ - Mo Sarwar L
21 Jan ‘Letter from Parliament’ E
Paul Rowen MP
28 Jan Business Meeting plus L
Ugandan borehole project - Shahzad
4 Feb ‘R.A.E.N.E.T.’ E
Roger Alexander
11 Feb Bill Evans L
18 Feb ‘Our Namibian Education’ E
B & A Redmond
AWARDS CEREMONY FOR HOPWOOD HALL Rochdale town hall on 3rd December 2009
2nd VP Joan accompanied me to the awards ceremony held at the Town Hall, Rochdale. Clive Reid, a governor here, joined us for a while and we also met the other sponsors for the evening, the Emerson Educational Trust. Ian Murray, President of Rochdale East was to join us later. There were many familiar faces present, including the Mayor Keith Swift and his Lady Mayoress, Robert Clegg, chair of Governors, and MPs Jim Dobbin and Paul Rowan,.
We were there to present a new award, for the Most Improved Apprentice, a joint award from ourselves and Rochdale East, which was the last award of the evening.
Ian and I were invited onto the stage to present the award to Renata Caso, a young lady who is training to be a hairdresser. She works with her mother in a salon in Chadderton and according to her tutor is 'very enthusiastic and self motivated'. We presented her with a small shield and a certificate there and then, and will invite her to attend our club night on the 7th of January for her cash award.
A good evening and we hope to repeat the exercise again next year – John Cannell
PRESIDENT'S REMARKS FOR THE START OF NEW DECADE
All the very best to everyone for 2010.
The last few weeks (after a super Rotary Family meal) have been a busy arthritis time and I have been glad for a rest with family including Grandchildren and seasonal presents and food aplenty. I luckily delivered my Rotary Christmas parcels to three very pleased recipients just before the Whiteout.
Memories abound of sunny Llandudno with Rochdale’s very own Growbag and Befriending tables, David waving his arms about and Michael in intense concentration mode. Saturday night singsong with piano including Rolling Rotarians and Sinatra crooner Clive Reid; lovely weather, your President in an open frame of mind and reminded of the same, great hotel food and wine. Conference wasn’t bad either with Janet Gray and Simon Weston showing their incredible personal battles against all the odds now both living full lives and heavily involved in Charity work. They brought wet eyes to District Governor Liz Tatman and us all in a spellbound audience.
Charter night highlights were of a very friendly and relaxed occasion. Guest speaker ‘Street Doctor’ Barbara Murray was ably looked after by Chris Bryning with a marvellous story of her multiple careers. Her immense enthusiasm for helping her patients and publicising important medical facts via the media to a vast public audience contrasts with such a tiny person physically. It shows that quality is more important than quantity! It should be said she didn’t want a fee but I gave her a donation to her Charity the Stroke Association in lieu.
Our Bag packing Morrison’s day raised over £1300 with a lot of volunteers from Petrus and friends swelling the Rotary ranks. Memories of Dean noshing breakfast, blurred photos of packers David and Robert, meeting lots of patients, good turnout; well done Rotary again.
Ian Madeley’s Oldham contacts resulted in good support from Sainsbury’s to fund Christmas parcels. A good advert for the club as well. Energetic John Cannell has been gathering troops to restart Charity walks from Wardle and sprang into action with the Apprentice college award to Renata Caso, attending the town hall ceremony with Joan; also Ian Murray from East club - good shared project.
Joan’s guitar man evening got us all jigging and singing to 60s music. It seems our club has acted as an aphrodisiac in Joan and Keith’s case - congratulations again on your engagement.
Speakers highlights included:-
• Tony Young’s Metro update was history and future plans all in one; it is moving forward but I am disappointing that the planned new bus and tram station are not side by side. I bought his tram book - great reading.
• Rotarian George Teturswamy volunteer anaesthetist at a Cleft palate surgery camp in India - remarkable facial improvements in such a short time.
• Redwood students business enterprise is producing incredible quality goods.
• Dr. Rupert Smith from a great height showed how vitamin D is crucial in our bodies for resistance to disease and producing good muscle and bone.
Sad event was the death of Dr John Grice who was a GP when I came to Rochdale in 1980 and gave me sound advice. His energy and enthusiasm for work and life generally was very inspiring to me at the start of my career. The large turnout at his funeral and Jack Howorth’s reflections on his life must have been a great comfort for Pam.
The terrible flooding in Cumbria inspired us to donate £500 to Keswick Rotary, hand delivered by Martin Coupe and John Whitley. They witnessed the bleak results of the storms first hand.
On a brighter note Congratulations to Shahzad on his OBE in New Years Honours! So well deserved for his dedication to Rochdale people and the community.
I am looking forward to Charities and Best Apprentice presentations on Jan 7th and another Presidential 6 months ....
President Elvet
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Rotarian John Grice (1918 – 2009) -A tribute from a fellow Rotarian
President Elvet has asked me to write a few words at the passing, at age 91, of a dearly loved member of the club, Dr. John Russell Grant Rice.
John joined the club in 1965. He has served as convenor for Group Study Exchange and Foundation and was President in 1979/80. In his Presidential Year he founded the Rochdale Probus Club of which many of our present members are also members. He was made an Honorary Member of our club in 2004.
A most popular member with many friends, John was a man of great integrity coupled with an endearing sense of fun. This latter quality fitted him for many enjoyable years as a member of the Rolling Rotarians – who can forget his formidable Edna Everidge-esque appearance in the ‘come dancing’ sketch?
John was a proud Scot, a true Brit and a perfect gentleman. He was born in Holytown in Lanarkshire, the son of a headmaster. He attended Hamilton Academy and at the age of 17 was admitted as a medical student to Glasgow University. After qualifying and working at Glasgow Infirmary, he came to Rochdale and became a partner at the West Street practice in 1942. He then volunteered for war service in the army and was commissioned in the RAMC. He served in the medical unit of the 51st Highland Division, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. A dreadful experience, of which he would not talk, was to be one of the first British officers to enter the Belsen death camp. As a medical officer at the ‘sharp end’, it must have been traumatic in the extreme.
Back in Rochdale, he spent the rest of his working life as a very respected GP. He also gave public service in many ways. He was a long serving magistrate and for some years was chairman of the very influential ‘Advisory Committee’ dealing with the appointment of new magistrates. He was on the Hospital Management Board and later served as deputy chairman of the Area Health Authority. He was Honorary medical officer at Rochdale Hornets RLFC and was also a senior Freemason in a Rochdale Lodge.
In his family life, John enjoyed many happy years with his wife Margaret and their daughters, Jacqueline and Gail. John and the girls suffered a severe blow when Margaret died in 1978. After several years alone, John had the great good fortune to meet Pam, who became his second wife and of all things Rotary was the matchmaker! But more of that below.
Pam entered enthusiastically into John’s life She joined Inner Wheel in which she played a full part as Convenor and President. John and Pam had many happy years until the dreadful illness and dementia took hold of John in his last years.
But to close on a happier note, ‘Rotary as matchmaker’. The meeting of John and Pam was one of those happily fortuitous happenings which sometimes occur. When John was President, he had the usual presidential privilege of choosing the charity for the year. He chose Kidney Research and asked them to provide a speaker. Accordingly Pam, who had lost her husband with kidney failure and was chair of the Oldham branch came along. That was John and Pam’s first meeting. The rest, as they say, is history and how blessed they were by fate.
Yes, to repeat, John was a dearly loved and true gentleman. He is sadly missed by Pam, both his and her families and all his friends.
Rotarian Geoff Howard.