Speaker Jeremy Fox

Stirling Rotary Meeting 11.9.15

President Peter Mehta welcomed members, along with one visitor, Jane Wilson. The forthcoming Council meeting will take place on Monday 21st, not the 14th, as previously scheduled.  Saturday and Sunday, 26th and 27th September will see Callander Rotary’s railway festival, in the town, from 10.00 to 16.30, for which support is requested. 

Speaker for the day was our own, recently joined, member Jeremy Fox.  Jeremy studied languages at Cambridge, where he met his future French wife, Denise, in his second year.  During his time at university, he encountered the Baha’i faith, which became a major influence in his life.  After coming down from Cambridge, he took up a post in Swansea.  Jeremy dreamt of going to Africa, but the national Baha’i body wanted him to stay in South Wales, where he taught French for the next four years.  Finally, he got to Benin, a former French territory and from there Ghana.  He was offered a position in an international school but the Baha’i were less enthusiastic, so he ended up in the Hebrides, specifically Tobermory, in Mull. He was offered a job without interview and joined the run-down school, where he stayed for twelve years, during which time the school improved immeasurably.

At the age of 40, he determined to move to France, by which time he had two girls.  In the end, he settled in the nearby Basque region of Northern Spain, moving there without a job.  His wife became a district nurse and midwife, while the family lived under canvas for some time.  He took a course in teaching English as a Second Language, but wanted to expand his horizons beyond teaching, so joined a friend who was working leather. This business took a long time to become viable but, eventually, he was able to sell it as a going concern.  Sadly, Denise died of cancer in 1996 and his daughters subsequently moved back to Scotland.  In 2000, he married Caroline, a professional musician and they now reside in Stirling.

The Vote of Thanks was given by Sandy Leven and well supported.  This week’s Speakers Host is Alan Rankin, with Visitors Host Tom Wilson.  Stirling Rotary Club has a new Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/stirlingrotary, whilst the club’s site remains at www.stirling.rotary1010.org. 
 

Ranald Ross-Watt
Communications Convener