Speaker District Governor Rod Walmsley will bring the R.I. message

First Rod gave us a bit of his own background. Married for 49 years with 2 children he had worked for 42 years with Forward Trust a subsidiary of Midland Bank. He was originally in Round Table and then joined Rotary in 1985 but had to resign in 1990 because of the pressures of his business life. He has lived all over the country including a spell in Ilkley but on retirement in 2002 he moved back to Ilkley and was invited to join Rotary again.

He then told us a little about the current movers and shakers in Rotary including: -

R.I. President Gary C.K. Huang who has had many high flying jobs and who Rod said is focused on international charities.

Rotary GB&I President Peter King who is a circuit judge and who has visited Bradford Blaize on several occasions on his visits to Bradford. Peter has said that he wants to be involved with the Peace Studies programme.

R.I. Director Mike Webb a Rotarian since 1976 with a long background of service within Rotary GB&I.

This year's Rotary theme is " Light up Rotary". One suggestion stemming from this is to have a Rotary Day where non-Rotarians are invited to a fellowship event to learn about Rotary. District 1040 are looking to organise a day at 2015 test match with New Zealand at Headingly.

Rod said that it is vital that we communicate Rotary to the wider public.

The other messages from District 1040 this year were:-

Increase membership by inviting friends. Rod also ran through the various membership initiatives that Gerald and Mike reported on last year. He also ran through the troubling statistics of an ageing Rotary. Sell Fellowship not volunteering to prospective members.

Give more to Foundation.

Don't forget Polio.

Above all remember "Service Above Self"