- Winchester Rotary Bulletin December 2012 Service Above Self R.I.2012-13 Logo Hindi “śānti” Arabic م س“salāam” Hebrew שלום“shalom” English “peace” Including all languages and faiths of the world and those of no particular persuasion. Filipino “Kapayapaan” Peace throughout the world
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December 2012 - Winchester Rotary UKAdvent. The Christmases of my childhood were unchanging which was part of owed it partly to the Luftwaffe. One early Winter morning we discovered
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Winchester Rotary Bulletin
December 2012
Service Above Self R.I.2012-13 Logo
Hindi “śānti” Arabic سالم “salāam”
Hebrew שלום “shalom” English “peace”
Including all languages and faiths of the world and those of no particular persuasion.
Filipino “Kapayapaan”
Peace throughout the world
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333
The Leader’s leader…
Simon Theobalds
Christmas is coming…
It was swiftly folded into long
strips and festooned throughout
the house, faithfully being put up
every year with same paper
lanterns on every corner.
They were extended family
affairs that always involved
charades (as below) which were
embraced by some more readily
than by others.
Robert Louis Stevenson told us that
it was better to travel hopefully than
to arrive. Does this suggest that
anticipation is better than reality?
It’s in the interest of everyone who
can make a swift buck out of
Christmas to start the anticipation as
soon as possible.
I recall seeing a Christmas menu
being promoted in a Berkshire pub
in August.
We shake our heads at Sainsbury’s
filling their shelves with mince pies
in October. But it’s all part of the
inexorable build up to the great day.
I am not leading up to the
suggestion that our celebrations
on 10th and 17th December
should be so licentious. I haven’t
written a pantomime and I don’t
think anyone else has done so. So
rest assured.
We will miss 2012. Despite the
economic gloom, rarely have we
had so much chance to celebrate
and be proud.
The end of year reviews will give
us one last chance to relish the
Diamond Jubilee and the two
great Olympic events.
Christmas lights, the skating rink and
Christmas market increase the
excitement, augmented further by
carol singers and Christmas cards.
They are the buds and green shoots
offering a tantalising promise of
what is to come. Sadly for some the
day – like the summer – or even the
mince pie – can be a bit of an anti-
climax. So enjoy the coming - the
Advent.
The Christmases of my childhood
were unchanging which was part of
their exquisite excitement. We
owed it partly to the Luftwaffe. One
early Winter morning we discovered
reams of silver coated paper spread
across the garden. Known as chaff,
the German bombers dropped it on
Hampshire to confuse the radar and
the fighter squadrons.
A family story recounts how the
Indian nanny was very shocked
to discover the fancy dress to be
worn by a female relation
comprised no more than a fan
and two small glass bowls. And in
case you were wondering…
2013 does not have the same buzz
of anticipation and the
superstitious might fret over the
date.
With clouds of gloom gathering
what bad luck might befall us in
the year ahead?
A century ago it was the eve of
World War One when the reckless
stupidity of three of Victoria’s
grandchildren pitched us into the
bloodiest conflict this planet has
ever known.
It is fitting that we think of Peace
at Christmas and the hope of RI
President Sakuji Tanaka that we
can bring this about through
service.
A Happy Christmas to you all and a
New Year of hope and peace.
They involved much costume
changing into surprisingly risqué
outfits, which were probably
shades of the older generation’s
wild times in India in the Roaring
Twenties.
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Breakfast Meeting
Lunch Meeting
Lunch on November 19 was
notable for at least two reasons.
First the tomato and basil soup
was delicious and second we had a
speaker.
Philip Mills from Hampshire
Trading Standards began by saying
that No Cold Calling Zones were
now very popular and clearly
helped in reducing doorstep
crime.
He circulated a picture of a
“repair” to a window which the
elderly resident thought was
costing him £100. The caller was
no doubt friendly and certainly
very persuasive and a shoddy job
was done.
Further visits by the caller now
with a couple of heavies brought
demands for more payments.
Because he had the cash in the
house, £1000 was paid.
- Put the chain on the door before
opening it if you are not expecting
anyone and cannot see who is
calling.
- If you need to speak say NO very
firmly but do not get involved in
conversation.
- Don’t keep large sums of money
in the house.
Philip left us with a supply of
stickers; leaflets about No Cold
Calling Zones; “Safe and Sound”
booklets which give consumer and
home safety advice; and “Buy with
Confidence” booklets which is
Hampshire’s directory of approved
local businesses.
I for one was left thinking how can
Rotary help spread the word and
help prevent harrowing and heart-
rending fraud?
Simon Theobalds and Philip Mills
Over seven weeks even further
threatening visits were made and a
£30 job eventually cost the poor
man £10,000.
Only 4% of doorstep crime reaches
the police because people are afraid
after being intimidated and they feel
foolish about being conned.
Philip’s message was loud and clear:
- Put a sticker on the door which
states that “We do not buy goods or
services at the door” and point to it.
No Cold Calling Zones
Colin Eames
These monthly meetings start at
7.30 and finish by 8.30 a.m. Jackie
Porter is in the Chair and is seen
below receiving a fabulous cheque
of nearly £10,000 from Jon Pierce
on behalf of the Swimathon
Committee as their Chairman 2012.
Above, left to right, are Rachel
Owen, Colin Cook and Paul
Ratcliffe taking the opportunity
to socialise and network for a
few minutes before a delicious
full English or Continental fare.
Above, left to right, are Simon
Burge, Jackie Porter and Bruce
Royston-Smith, with thoughtful
mirror imaging, sharing the time
after the meeting before their
respective busy working day.
Wednesday 21 November
Left, Norman Murphy with guest
Gloria Vessey (Advocates for
Children Charity) and right is Keith
Myers with guest Christine Davey
(Human Resources Consultant).
Several Members spoke about the
past and present Club projects. Ed.
Monday 19 November
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Remembrance Sunday Monday 11th November
"It is easy to take liberty for
granted when you have never had
it taken from you."
“Whatever your nationality, you
can honour the patriots who died
fighting a war they did not start.”
“Heroes are those who risk their
lives every day to protect our
world and make it a better place.”
"As we express our gratitude, we
must not just think good thoughts,
but live by them."
"Praising what is lost makes the
remembrance dear."
William Shakespeare
"We often take for granted the
very things that most deserve our
gratitude." Cynthia Ozick
President Simon Theobalds (above
left) laid a wreath on behalf of the
Winchester Rotary Club.
Rotarian Cllr. Eileen Berry is picture
above far right.
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Monday 26 November Special General Meeting
Voting delegates for District
Council and RIBI Council:
President, President Elect,
Treasurer and Secretary.
Substitutes: Colin Cook, James
Larcombe, Paul Russell, Denis
Welstead.
Gill Russell has agreed to continue
as secretary for one more year, so
it was proposed and agreed that
Colin Cook attend to ensure four
votes.
Current Director’s reports are
available on the website.
The club accounts for year ending 30
June 2012 were presented by Alan
Beckett and adopted unanimously.
The Trust Fund accounts for year
ending 30 June 2012 were
presented by Hugh McNeill and
adopted unanimously.
Elections for Rotary year 2013-14
President Elect: Gill Russell
(proposed: Nick Bell, seconded:
Robert Parsons)
Treasurer: Roger Sales (proposed:
Alan Beckett, seconded: Paul
Russell)
There were no other nominations
for these positions, so confirmed
unanimously.
There being no nomination for the
post of Trust Fund treasurer, Miles
Lemon continues pro-tem, until a
suitable candidate is identified.
Gill Russell and Nick Bell.
Club Council District Council
Council meets four times a year and
is the governing body of the club. It
is made up of the club officers, the
six directors and two elected
members (a complete list is in the
club directory).
Council minutes and Directors'
reports to Council are placed in a
secure section of the website
following each meeting. Council last
met on Monday 19 November and
will next meet on Monday 4 March
2013. Click on the "Club Council"
tab on the website (when logged in)
for full details.
District Council met on Saturday 17
November in Romsey.
We are delighted to report that
Winchester Rotary received two
awards:
an RI citation for End Polio Now
contributions for 2011-12;
and the District award for the both
the print and online versions of the
club Bulletin (see separate article by
Paul Ratcliffe).
Other items of note were:
Shelterbox: the statement
concerning the dismissal of the CEO
was distributed.
Clubs were encouraged to link via
their local councils with Local
Children's Partnerships (LCPs).
Conference 2013 (Plymouth)
website is now live and accepting
registrations.
Conference 2014 will take place in
Bournemouth.
Avenues of Service awards were
made – on this occasion Winchester
had not entered. The projects
considered were wide and varied –
ranging from “wish fulfilment” to
renovation of a community facility.
Date of next District Council:
Saturday 2 March 2013.
Gill Russell
Distinguished Guests
Pictured left to right to: Miff Kayum,
Julian English, Anne-Hélène Despois
(The Nilgiris R.C. Coonoor, Tamil
Nadu, India), David Pople and
Andrew Parkinson (Guildford
Charteries R.C.)
Anne-Hélène is French and the
Fundraising Director of her Club in
India. She knows David from their
voluntary work with an NGO (Non
Governmental Organization) working
in the area. Rotary brings
professionals together. Ed.
World AIDS Day
Disease prevention and treatment is one of Rotary’s six areas of focus. The Rotarians For Family Health and AIDS
Prevention, a Rotarian Action Group, was formed in 2004, and has been gathering Rotarians together to make a
difference in the lives of many. Further Details on the Rotary International website.