Rotary Club of Sandbach
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President Rtn.Stuart Blackwell gives vision for 2012-13 and Immediate Past President Rt. Tim Bramwell explains what the club has achieved in 2011-12.
2012 - 13
OUR MISSION
Is it really only 5 years since I joined Rotary? Doesn't time fly when you're enjoying yourself! What an honour to be elected President of the Rotary Club of Sandbach at such a young age. I will be focusing my efforts to continue the good work our Club does for the local, national and international communities. I cannot do this alone, but will be reliant on the help and support of all the members of the Club, especially our Secretary and Treasurer.
The theme for my year is "Peace Through Service" which our incoming President of Rotary International, Sakuji Tanaka says is meant to encompass all meanings of the word "peace". Whether we consider "peace" to be a state of mind or the ending of an armed conflict or the healing of the sick it matters not. What matters to us is that the Rotary Club of Sandbach conducts its business and links with others in the community with an air of peacefulness to the benefit of all.
My service "committees" will be run with a merry band of volunteer chairmen (M & F) creating working committees on an as required basis throughout the year. This will enable committees to be formed according to the size of the task in hand and allow everyone in the Club to be involved in any and every thing as they wish.
Our Club could not accomplish its many projects without the help of our wives, husbands and partners as well as our sister club, the Inner Wheel. Apart from the usual charitable works, the Club will be joined on many occasions by these supportive people in the fellowship of social gatherings. Such get-togethers are an integral part of being a member of Rotary and will continue throughout my year.
We may not have the resources of our benefactor Bill Gates, but the Rotary Club of Sandbach will continue to the wider aims of Rotary International and who knows, this may be the year when we finally eradicate Polio worldwide. That really would be some "Peace" to shout about.
2011-12
Our achievements
This has been a busy and productive year and although we are a fairly small club and have an increasing average age we have still managed to make quite an impact both locally with our community work, and internationally with aid and support as required. We have all enjoyed the social aspects of the club, and the continued “goodwill and fellowship” is the mainstay of our success.
We had a splendid charter night with an excellent speaker, and have rreceived much positive feedback from across the district, which is always welcome!
The district conference at York was a very enjoyable event, not least for the setting - the dinner and entertainment in the railway museum was a very novel experience! And some of us are looking forward to the next conference (now re-named “Rally”) at Southport (renowned for its “Deep Mud” at the end of the pier!).
We have a longstanding excellent working relationship with Inner Wheel Club and have been blessed to have had the support of President Maureen and the members, and we have enjoyed attending their functions too - long may this partnership last! We also have a longstanding relationship with Lions Youth Brass, and very much look forward to working with them again in the next Rotary year.
The club has enjoyed good fellowship, good fun, and done good things over the past year, and I thank each and every one of the members for their efforts. It is not wise to single out people for special thanks but there are two key rolls in the club without which the club would not run smoothly ( or possibly at all!). I must therefore thank our treasurer Keith for his quiet and efficient attention to the club’s financial affairs, and our secretary Rosemary for her wonderful support for the year without which the club would be in a right mess!
I trust that the next year will prove to be another successful one and best wishes to Stuart as he starts his year of service, I’m sure he will get the support of all the club members.
And finally - thank you for allowing me to be the President for a second time - I have enjoyed it immensely and it has been a pleasure and a privilege to serve the club in a variety of situations both formal, and informal! I’m now going to the back benches where I can heckle, so be warned!