September is New Generations Month

We are coming to the end of another busy month and September has been New Generations month. The commitment to getting youth and young adults actively involved in Rotary was strengthened in April when representatives at the Council on Legislation approved New Generations as the fifth Avenue of Service.

New Generations Service acknowledges the positive change implemented by youth and young adults involved in leadership development activities, community and international service, and exchange programs that enrich and foster world peace and cultural understanding. Programs include RYLA, Rotaract, Interact and Roatry Youth Exchange.

This week has been a very busy, mainly because the District Magazine needed to be completed by the beginning of next week, in order to meet the District Membership Committee's deadline for submission to the RIBI PR and Marketing Committee for approval for an extra run of 2000, before going it goes print. It is now safely put to bed, and we can only hope that we have done enough to get the funding.

Besides an Editorial Meeting on Monday, I paid a visit to Sid Valley who made me very welcome and served me scampi and chips, for which I was very grateful as I hadn't had time for lunch! They ran a mini Assembly for me which was terrific, because it gave me a real feel for what they are up to. They have had significant success with membership recruitment, having used the Totnes Plan, and are about to go through the process again. I wish them well and am sure that it will come to fruition.

On Tuesday I made my way to Ashburton/Buckfastleigh club at lunch time. This is the daughter club of Totnes and is consequently a club that I know pretty well. I was honored to be able to induct a new member for them, and much enjoyed their hospitality as usual. In the evening I visited Dawlish Water, a club I had not been to before, although there were some familiar faces. It was a very well trodden route to their meeting place because it is only a few paces from the Langstone Cliff Hotel where we are holding the District Conference, so I didn't have any trouble finding it.

Speaking of the Langstone Cliff, we were amazed to be informed that after less than two weeks of registration being opened, the Hotel is full! Fantastic. Don't despair, however, if you wish to stay overnight, because there is still plenty of accommodation available close by, and you can find it easily by checking out the conference pages on the District website.

On Wednesday, it was heads down again with the District Magazine. We have been fortunate to get some advice from a non-Rotarian who works in PR, and who was able to look at it for us from an outside perspective. We have been busy trying to incorporate his advice.

Thursday saw me with the speech therapist again and she seems to think I am making good progress. The sun was shining when I went in, and it was so warm I decided to leave my jacket in the car. Bad mistake! When I came out it was just beginning to rain, so I decided to make a run for it. Second mistake; just as soon as I was past the point of no return, and without any cover at all, the heavens opened and I got drenched. When I got home it had to be straight into the shower as I was due at the Cliffden Hotel in Teignmouth at 6.00, where the provisional club of Teignmouth Estuary were holding a members interest meeting. They had a very good turnout and it was a well run and nicely casual evening, which I am sure will prove successful. I hope the organisers will be prepared to pass on their knowledge and experience to help in the formation of more new clubs in the District. They are hoping to Charter in November.

On Saturday morning I was back with the Magazine again, putting what is hoped are the final touches to it. It just needs a few very minor tweaks now and it should be safely put to bed ready to go to Nova on Monday, and in time for her meeting on Tuesday night.

That's the end of another week, and only leaves the preparation for next week and this blog to be completed and I can put my feet up!

The shades of autumn have arrived..........

Another weekend; they come around so quickly, and time to update the blog again. I am beginning to feel that it must be getting very repetitive for those of you who are reading this, but I'm told that it's the modern way, so here goes.

I spent most of Monday dealing with matters Rotary. I am sure Club Rotarians would be amazed how much goes on behind the scenes. Generally, you only see what is happening in your own club, and not always all of that, but when that's multiplied by 48 and you add to it RI, RIBI and District paperwork, it's amazing how much time it takes.

In the evening I attended my own club meeting. That is always a relaxation for me, as I can sit back, be myself and enjoy the proceedings as just an ordinary member of the club.

On Tuesday I visited Kingsbridge Estuary. Why is it always wet when I visit Kingsbridge? It was a particularly nasty evening, and as I drove through the low cloud in daylight, I pondered that it would be an even worse journey when it was dark on the way home! Stupidly, although I knew that the venue was The Seven Stars, I hadn't set my sat nav because I thought I knew where it was. I was, of course, quite wrong and had to stop to ask the way. The club had needed to change their venue since my last visit. When I arrived, I found that the car park was completely full, so had to make my way back to the Quay car park. Then umbrella in hand, and hoping that I wouldn't do an impression of Mary Poppins because of the wind, I traipsed across to the Seven Stars where there was, as usual, a warm welcome waiting for me from President David and his members.

On Wednesday, I again spent several hours with the District Magazine before pulling my papers together and heading off to a District Foundation Committee Meeting in Exeter. This committee, under the very able leadership of Frank Hart Venn, takes on all the complexities that surround the management of our very own charity in this District. They are a hard working team, each with their own speciality, and pull together the funding for the educational and humanitarian projects of The Rotary Foundation in which we participate.

A significant improvement in the weather, saw me making my way back to the seaside for lunch with Paignton on Thursday. I was back on home territory here with a member of the Bay Club Group, and a familiar club and venue. I was early enough to enable a good chin wag with some of the members before lunch, and it was a lively meeting with a couple of visiting Rotarians from District 1060 whose conference I will be attending at the Riviera Centre at the end of October.

Following a very moving presentation to my own club, Totnes by the local charity Lifeworks, the club members agree that they wished to provide some kind of support for them. It was arranged that the members would support their 'Breaking the Barrier' surfing day at Bigbury on Sea on Saturday by providing the barbecue, and I was delighted to be able to give my support.

The sun shone, a band played, the children made sandcastles and played football and there was traditional Punch and Judy. It was a perfect beach party and a joy to see the smiles of the faces of these young people.

Lifeworks aims to tackle exclusion, disadvantage and inequality as it concerns children and young adults with learning difficulties. It is the collective name for all the services and facilities of The Bidwell Brook Foundation.

Breaking the Barrier is a day of free surfing sessions for learning disabled children between the ages of 8 and 25 as an introduction to the experience of surfing. The event consists of individual sessions for the young person with one to one instruction from a qualified coach who has knowledge of additional needs, a personal support assistant in the water and full support for first aid and lifeguarding. There is also be group introductory lessons for a parent/carer or sibling to enable them to support and participate with the young person in the future.

Back in Harness; Week beginning 6 Sepember......

Well, here I am back in harness after a week's rest and relaxation in the Italian Alps. I use the word 'rest' loosely because I seem to have done a tremendous amount of walking, and even managed a 62 kilometer bicycle ride one day. Something of which, I have to confess to being quite proud at my time of life, because I really didn't think I could still do it! So, lots of exercise and plenty of time cuddling Les's gorgeous 12 week old baby granddaughter, Ingrid should have put me back on track!


On Monday I made two 'A' Visits. The first, at lunchtime to RC of Kingsbridge accompanied by their AG Peter. We were, as always, made most welcome, and if it hadn't been for the torrential rain, which was coming down in stair rods, it would have been a very pleasant diversion.

On Monday evening I made my way to Exmouth to visit Exmouth Rayleigh. There was time for a good chat with members before the meeting, and it was wonderful to see how seriously they are taking the new membership campaign on board, and how hard they are working towards its success.

On Tuesday, after a very long appointment with a speech therapist who is endeavouring to put some strength back into my newly acquired croaky voice, I spent my time in several small meetings, before curling up in a chair and taking a break during the evening.

Wednesday saw the sun shining again. This was very pleasing because I was due to visit RC of Salcombe for lunch. It is such a beautiful spot, particularly when the sun shines and I always enjoy my visits there. It may be a small club but it has a very big heart, and they are very good at making visitors feel welcome. Perhaps because they have so many! It you're looking for something pleasant to do on a sunny Wednesday lunchtime, where better than the Salcombe Club for lunch at The Salcombe Yacht Club overlooking the estuary.

On Wednesday evening I went along, again with AG Peter, to visit RC of Ivybridge who were holding a Membership Interest meeting at the new Watermark Centre. It was a very well thought out and well structured evening for which my sincere congratulations go to the club, and I am sure that we will see a surge in their numbers in the near future as a result. Many congratulations to Olly and his team.

On Thursday we were again blessed with a sunny day, and again I was able to be in another of Devon's beautiful and interesting places, as I took lunch with RC of Dartmouth at the Royal Castle Hotel overlooking the river. Dartmouth is a lively and vibrant club, and demonstrates how well a lunchtime Rotary Club can flourish in the right environment.

Friday saw me getting down to some paperwork and other pressing chores. I must make a note not to take another break too soon, as I am still trying to get to the bottom of the hundreds of emails that awaited me on my return home! I also spent several hours with the Distinct Magazine. Hopefully, by Monday I should be prepared for another week!