April 07

Rotary Blog Monday 30th April

A very busy evening presided over by a part ribboned president & vice president - described by one Peter Jones as having no dangling bits! (That's the Presi and VP not Peter Jones).
Our president forsake the local St. George's Day celebrations last week for an event at the Grosvenor House Hotel with 1800 other men and as to be expected, one of our members enquired as to whether he was 'coming out?'
In the event, he missed an excellent Indian dance performed by one of our scholars, to whom Brian Holt proposed a vote of thanks.
David Warburton reported that 90 people were tested on the recent Stroke Awareness Day held in conjunction with the Thame club & ably assisted by Nigel & Keith.
On the recent Waddesdon horse event Keith Cullup said there had been one fall but none the less reports had been very good. Frank Readman reported 267 entries but 219 riders on the day--down 70 on last year, turn out had been affected by the hard ground.
Chris Behan produced his picture handout / comic strip---"The Grapes Of Rothchild". Martin Andrew remarked on the quality of the horse jumps & was--as to be expected--a keen commentator on this evenings proceedings.
However his contribution of bottles of wine to celebrate his new grandfather status were much appreciated.
Our President then informed us that President's Night on the 9th June will see two honorary members attending and that the order of dress will be LOUNGE SUITS, with or without regalia - is he sure?. Frank Readman & Peter Gehnich had birthdays recently.
A new member, Jim Fulton, was inducted into the club. Proposed & introduced by Ken Elphick as a Scot and citizen of the Kingdom of Fife, not to mention a bagpipe player & participant in w.w.w (witchert wanderer's walkers].

Eventually, it seemed like a little more than half an hour, President Roger finally secured Jim Fulton's new Rotary badge to Jim's lapel
by first lancing Jim's left nipple!

President Roger then had the devil's own job with the pin-up procedure!.
Peter Barnes won the raffle.
After a very lengthy speech, Peter Jones, on behalf of an absent Roger Williams, awarded the Grumpling Trophy to Alan Dichler. Here endeth the evening.

P.S.don't forget to measure twice & cut once.

Rotarian Michael Gregory.

Rotary Blog Monday 23^rd April.

The 23^rd April saw a significant number of members and partners making their way to Princes Risborough Golf Club to celebrate St.George's Day with the local Rotary Club.
The evening commenced with an enjoyable meal, (pity the beef was a little on the tough side), and then dinner was followed by the evening’s entertainment commencing with an old and valued friend of Thame Witchert Rotary: the one and only Tony Maisey. It was a typical TM speech: topical; relevant and above all very funny. He finished with a reading from the University of the 3^rd age (not sure how this fitted in with St.George, but very entertaining.)
This was followed by two speeches from members of Risborough Rotary.

Tony Bacon and his wife, well her eyes at least,
sporting the cross of St. George.

Tony Maisey on his feet once more and once more, he failed to disappoint!

Brian Holt on his once more as well, but what's the point of sparing with Maisey?

The next part of the evening was presented by Thame Witchert.

Brian Holt gave a speech on St.George in his usual professional and humorous style claiming that had St George continued on his path across the middle east and onto the ’sub-continent’, traditional Indian dancing rather than Morris dancing, might have been more the vogue at todays country fairs and fetes. This was an ideal lead into most people’s highlight of the evening. An exhibition of hi-dance in the traditional Indian style by Namrita Singh.
Namrita is well known to most of the club as she has visited us on numerous occasions and joined us at Conference in Eastbourne. But what a surprise! Her dancing was nothing short of brilliant. How she managed to give the performance she did under the circumstances, (very cramped area and an indifferent floor), was unbelievable.

Beautiful, intelligent and very talented. Namrita has proved to be an
exceptional Ambassordorial Scholar

The evening was rounded off with a raffle which raised a significant amount for charity and was followed by some traditional St. George’s Day singing and flag waving.
There was a competition for flag folding which required a great amount of skill and dexterity. Modesty prohibits saying who the winners were, but they were from the Thame Witchert Club!

Rtn Mike Ginsberg

Rotary Blog Monday 16th April

Having dragged himself off his sick bed, President Roger opened the meeting by introducing five visitors from Princes Risborough. Apologies were then heard including Brian Holt's and Mike Ginsberg's, of whom Chris Behan announced, were flogging Eurotary in Leighton Buzzard.

Peter Davis reported that the metal detector day had been a huge success raising substantial monies for charity. Peter Jones added that their had been over 100 "finds". (see separate report)

Sheriff Keith Cullup then led the plaudits for his Deputies who form the Waddesdon Sponsored Horse Ride Committee, which is on Sunday 29th April. "Fast Frankie" Readman stated that there were still opportunities for participants. Alan "The Bacon Buttie Kid" Dichler, "Marshall" Paul Hawarth, Peter "O Rhesus Rotary" Jones and David "Eco Warrior" Rankin also delivered comprehensive reports.

Vice-president Ken Elphick then sought company for District Assembly and left himself with a big selection headache. Peter Barnes won the competition set by president Roger for the date of his "Presidents Nite" festivities. A senior member of the club then asked a member of the Princes Risborough Club, could they convey to a certain medical practitioner that he, (the TW Rotarian), had seen him, (the medical practioner), out and about recently, and was very pleased to see that he was winning his fight against his, (the medical practioner's), inclination to continuously consume food!

The most interesting fact of the evening was that Milton Keynes had more shoreline than Jersey. Thank you Peter Davis.

Chris Behan described a recent eating experience in Switzerland, when he and his good lady, Margaret, sat down next to six men, who like themselves were not natives of that country. They then observed the men go through virtually every starter on the menu, before commencing their main course. Chris and Margaret were finishing their coffee as the ravenous six ordered their main course! The club reps were also perplexed by the fact that the ravenous six ordered 5 beers and a tea because one of their number had a weak stomach!!

Peter Barnes gave verbal excerpts from his Best Pub Guide and explained the impact of diversity on watering holes and nose bags! The wine was won by Peter Clarke, Music CD by Martin Hector and the entertainment box for 4-7 year olds by Ron Roberts.........over and out.

Rotarian Peter Gehnich

Metal Detector Day Sunday 15th April

Peter Davis has reported that the metal detector day was a huge success and raised substantial monies for charity. Peter Jones added that their had been over 100 "finds".
Other statistics of the day are as follows :-

198 Detectorists turned up on the day, paying a total of £3,100 for their entry and refreshments

Two entrants, Kenneth Donnell and Chuck Stewart, drove 650 miles overnight from Largs in Scotland to attend

This was the third and final year the day will be held at Park Pale Farm

Images of many of the 'finds' recovered during the day are shown below, with the kind permission and courtesy of Ros Tyrell of the Bucks Portable Antiquities Scheme.

Rotary Blog Monday 2nd April

We had a good start to the meeting, plenty of Shelter Box hardware around and a good hot meal, complete with salad! But there was more than a little difficulty getting Peter Clarke’s PC speakers, the President's DVD player and the District projector to play the Shelter Box DVD. As I was responsible for organising this I kept well clear, but our intrepid tech whiz kids, (see blog dated 19^th March), came over and tweaked a few wires and it was all systems go.
Peter Jones sprang to his feet and introduced our speaker, Rtn Fred King from Burnham Beeches club. Sorry, Fred corrected - Burnham club. Peter completed his introduction but not without a further mention or two of those trees. A good introduction, though. We all knew who our speaker was and where he came from!

	Fred King made an impassioned plea for the continuing success of the Shelter Box initiative.
An example of the current Shelter Box specification, packed with essential items, ready to bring help and assistance to those needing it most.

Fred at last had our attention. He told us how he had devoted his Rotary life to the promotion of Shelter Boxes – service above self indeed – and went on to describe the fantastic relief that shelter boxes have given since their conception six years ago. Aid has now been sent to 31 countries, giving shelter for over 450,000 people.
Fred’s video explained that Helston-on-Lizard RC started, (and now run), the Shelter Box operation and how others are now joining in across the world, notably the US, Australia and Canada. Most are still provided by the UK however (85%), with the US the next largest supplier (12%). The video showed desperate situations following natural disasters such as the tsunami, with thankful people and local Rotarians making use of the Shelter Boxes and their contents. Pictures showing local people carrying these 55kg boxes on their heads were a clear measure of how much these boxes are valued.
Fred explained that most of his time was taken up speaking to schools and that he felt that he got a better feedback this way. His conviction was proved fairly accurate at question time. Asked why Rotary support should be used to provide help in Louisiana, US, he responded by saying that Rotary were able to act more quickly than the US government in this case and that the only criteria used to determine the need for help are the needs of the victims. He also explained that the donkeys were carrying two boxes each, which is twice their own body weight!
The evening was concluded with the raffle and the winner most kindly gave the bottle to our speaker. He had earned it – together with our respect for the work he is doing for Shelter Boxes and Rotary International

Rtn Ken Elphick

However it was truly a voyage of discovery as we saw what had been built and put in place to care for the young people who have such very special needs. Very shortly 120 children will have super care with every modern facility.
As we gathered to leave, our President not only voiced our thanks, but also presented a cheque to complete the £3000 that had been promised from our Club. However, ongoing practical assistance - by way of creating a garden - is also to be a feature of future assistance.
We then retired to the Kimble Indian Tandoori for a most splendid feast.

Rtn Keith Cullup