Haddenham & District Rotary Club

District 1090    R.I.B.I. Club No. 1654

ALL CHANGE PLEASE AT THAME WITCHERT 

After 20 years, Thame Witchert Rotary Club is no more. The club is now known as Haddenham and District Rotary club. At the same time the handover, from President Roger Rickard to our new president for 2007-8 Ken Elphick, took place - Monday night at the Rose and Thistle was quite an occasion.
The evening started in good mood with wine for dinner.  This was supplied by our outgoing president, who also gave the club an excellent account of the achievements and events during his year in office. Roger gave particular thanks to the Eurotary committee who are working hard towards our September event, and to the club council for there support, particularly with the change of venue and the change in the name of the club.
Brian Holt our webmaster also came in for a special thank-you for keeping our website and weekly blogg so professionally up-dated.  Also, Peter Clarke [Rogers neighbour], who has given so much guidance during the year, was thanked.
The handover took place with Ken giving Roger the very last Thame Witchert banner and Roger giving the new Haddenham and District banner to Ken.
Ken Elphick then thanked Roger for his most successful year and said he would try and be as democratic as Roger had been, but could not promise!

Chris Behan then gave, in his usual way, an excellent photographic account of Rogers year giving everyone in the club the opportunity to, yes laugh at each other and have a really good time, well done Chris.
Master of ceremonies Mike Pitcher presented the “The Master Bakers Award” with numerous nominations, in respect of raising dough for club charities causing much laughter from the club, however the award went to Master Baker David Warburton for looking after the dough so impeccably well for the club-Thank you David.
Finally Brian Holt presented to Roger Rickard a reminder of his year as president, a compilation book of the bloggs entered on the Website during his year in office, and Roger was reminded of the noticeable absence of any contribution from himself. The book was aptly entitled 'Bloggs Wot Ain't Written'.
Roger has given the club great leadership and has worked tirelessly during his year as president, resulting in what can only be regarded as an outstanding Rotary Year.

Rtn David Rankin

Unusually, all reports were followed by rounds of applause – whether the club was feeling less cynical than usual, or 'demob' happy was difficult to tell.
Officialdom was present in the form of an assistant DG but I cannot recall whether he got a round of applause or not.
A great evening and Jim Fulton was awarded the grumpling trophy for something he hasn't done yet ! Well its all about commitment and arm twisting.

Rtn Nigel Pledger

Rotary Blog Presidents Night Saturday 9th June

Dr Who and the Lambert

Seven- fifteen on a Saturday evening and it’s time for the latest adventure of the Doctor.  But no, Roger Rickard has decided to hold his President’s Night of my husband's rotary Club, at the quaint old Lambert Arms tucked quietly away beside the M40. So instead of settling down to a quiet night in front of the telly, we don suitable attire for a Rotary dinner, collect chums on the way, and set off for an evening of gastronomic delight and superior entertainment.
Quaint! The first thing you see on arrival is a fake lighthouse stuck on top of a shed. The lobby was a step back in time and totally suitable for an episode of Miss Marple. Perhaps this was the idea. The Tardis would take us back to the nineteen thirties.
The Tardis proved to be a bit of a squeeze for sixty-odd time travellers, and much hotter than it appears to be on the TV. The Doctor made a speech welcoming his entire family, Pauline Woods and honorary members and their wives, Geoff and Kate Hancock and Douglas and Patricia Dalrymple. There followed a moments reflection for Brian Andrews, the Thame Rotary extension officer who was largely responsible for the formation of Thame Witchert.

Then the food arrived. The waiting staff all seemed to speak with non-British accents. They were obviously aliens from an easterly province of the universe and part of the evil plot to thwart the Doctor. Fortunately we all had little cards in front of us confirming our names, and letting us know what we were about to eat. Very helpful!
The meal finished, the time travel theme took a sharp turn to the future, setting us at a time when we would all be sitting in an old folks home listening to “Two Blokes and a Piano” bring back memories of yesteryear, Two Way Family Favourites, Flanders and Swan etc. It was surprising how many of us, who would not admit it, but knew the words and sang each chorus with restrained gusto. Perhaps we are a lot closer to life in an OFH than we would like to admit!

The entertainment finished, we went home. Another Rotary President’s Night over, another year older!

Val Smith - Long Suffering of Rtn Keith Smith

P.S. Smart outfit count = 19         Delicious handbags spotted = 4           Well coiffured heads 3.5