July 2015 -

World Challenge & Car Rallying



20th July - Our World Challenge Adventure - A talk by Laura Bailey

WORLD CHALLENGE EXPEDITION TO BORNEO AND MALAYSIA JULY 2014

Hugh Clarke writes:  Our speaker on Monday 20th July was Laura Bailey, one of the World Challenge participants that we helped with a donation for her expedition to Borneo and Malaysia in July last year.

She had prepared a presentation with Suzie Jones to give us a flavour of their experiences on their travels. Sadly Suzie was unable to come along but Laura did a sterling job on her own.

All of last years World Challenge applicants were interviewed to determine their enthusiasm, motivation, commitment and objectives and, I have to say, all the girls who applied were very impressive.

One particular comment from Laura’s interview was that her first interest in participating was stirred by the mention of Borneo being the home of the Orang Utan. She held a long standing desire to be able to see them in the wild. Having taken the hook she worked hard to raise the money to be able to go. This was when she met Suzie who was going on the same expedition but was at a different school. They worked a lot together on raising their funds and have now become close friends, just one of the benefits from taking part.

Laura had put together a complete photo presentation on the phases of their month long visit, covering acclimatisation, trekking in the jungle, working with local villagers deep in the jungle and, finally, four days R & R in Kuala Lumpur before flying home.

One of the things she managed to do was to banish the sceptics view of these trips as a “ Jolly “. The participants had to put up with very basic conditions, insects, heat etc. Accommodation, transport and meals were not pre booked so self-reliance is needed and working with villagers gives a lot back 

We had a very interesting insight into the make up and benefits of these trips. At the interviews we met a slightly shy girl, a little apprehensive about the undertaking but well prepared to give it her best. Monday showed us a confident, articulate and capable young lady well able to face a challenge.

We wish her the best with her studies at Falmouth University.

Laura being introduced by Rtn Hugh Clarke.


27th July - Rally Driving - a talk by Simon Chapman

On 27 July we had an interesting and entertaining talk on Rally Driving from Simon Chapman. I met Simon a few years ago when he joined 41 Club and have known about his rallying from the start but it was only at our AGM in April, when he was telling me about his last mishap, that I thought about a possible presentation to which he was happy to agree.

Simon is a successful local business man but has always found the time to indulge his passion and talent for his chosen sport. He has done so with much success. This year he is currently running second in his class, in spite of "mishaps".

The stills and particularly videos in his presentation show graphically the degree of skill and precision required and the consequences of even a small error, his missing a correct line in a corner and rolling nine and a half times across a field before coming to rest.

One of the questions at the end of the presentation was "do you have a death wish?"  Simon’s response was that there is a significant degree of risk but that must be reduced as far as possible in the preparation of the car. It is very powerful and light but VERY strong, particularly the inbuilt strengthening cage. Additionally the fireproof clothing, crash helmets and neck supports provide further safety. The benefits of these precautions is that, even after nine and a half rolls, the cabin and occupants were still intact. Simon and his co-driver walked away from the wreckage.

A vote of thanks was given by Peter Rainey with an enthusiastic response from Rotarians.

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January 2023

more Mark Semmence, Head of Repton School ; Richard Winterton, Auctioneer ; Burns Night Supper

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more The 2 of Us ; A shared reflection of the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ; Philip Metcalfe, 'Future Plans for the National Forest'

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June 2022

more The Club Assembly ; Clive Baker, 'Paddle steamers' : Andy Pownor, 'Army Life' : The Club Handover

May 2022

more The Washlands Litter Pick ; The resumed AGM ; Tony Rundle on 'Taking Better Pictures' ; Peter Barnett, 'Walking into Retirement' ; Charlotte Greenwood on her trip to Ghana

April 2022

more 'Christians Against Poverty', the Pirelli Stadium Poster Parade, the AGM, & the St George's Day Dinner at Bretby

March 2022

more The Club's 85th Birthday; and talks by Clive Kearney on his career, Kim Smith on 'Winshill Community Centre', and Emily Bakhita on 'Service to Children'

February 2022

more John Moffatt on 'Peace Building & Conflict'; A Joint Meeting with Bretby RC for Rotary Day; and an introduction to Rev Mike's Hearing Dog.

January 2022

more Burns Night, and a talk by Donna Adams on ‘Connecting Communities’

December 2021

more The Club Christmas Party, President's Walk, and a talk by Julie Groves on Christmas Past

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more Everest Base Camp (at The Winery), Curry Night at The Apne, Business Meeting & Special General Meeting, 'End Polio Now', 'William Bagshaw Stevens'

October 2021

more Club Quiz, Vernon Barnes Memorial Golf, DG Martyn Bye's visit, Mrs. Paul Harris, Trafalgar Day dinner, The Northern 500

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more 'Kids Aid, Tanzania', 'Membership Development, Ideas & Plans', 'Modern Policing'

August 2021

more The Archie Gentles Golf Tournament, The President’s Garden Party, and a Scatter Meeting

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June / July 2021

more A double handover, a new President takes office, and a lockdown release party. Talks on Rural Action Derbyshire and Burton Albion Community Trust.

March 2020

more Repton's new Village Hall, Sign Language for beginners, The Mighty Amazon.
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February 2020

more The Butterfly Children, an evening meeting with RC Bretby, Skittles, and our Charity Race Night

January 2020

more Burton Prostate Cancer Support Group : Antiphospholipid Syndrome : Jack's Teddies

December 2019

more Joint Carol service and Christmas Meal at the Dovecliff; Christmas Lunch with partners; Post-Christmas Walk

November 2019

more Special General Meeting; Burton YMCA; Bonsai; Burton Speakability & the Stroke Association. It was a clean sweep for Bretby RC in our quiz: Bretby City won with Bretby All-Stars runners-up. Must do better!

October 2019

more Burton Mail Heroes Awards; District Conference at Scarborough; Archie Gentles Golf Trophy; Wheelchair Football; Trafalgar Night Dinner

September 2019

more The Staffordshire Search & Rescue; Burton Albion Community Trust; the Great Dane link; Julia Coffin, a Rotary Peace Scholar; Vernon Barnes Memorial Trophy

August 2019

more The Club Summer Party, an Indian Banquet for charity, and Burton U3A

July 2019

more A new President takes office. The Lymphoma Action Organisation; Gambling & Young People; Rotary Young Leadership Award; Summer Social Walk.

June 2019

more The Club wins the Bernard Simcox Trophy

Club Assembly; From Clinigen to the Dovecliff; The Club Website; President’s Celebration Dinner & Handover; Marquee Summer Party at Repton School

May 2019

more French meal at the Mulberry, The Children Reading Project, Views on Cricket, Know your Blood Pressure

April 2019

more AGM, Microbreweries, and Archives

March 2019

more Our Charter dinner, a golf tournament, and Adventures in Happyland!

February 2019

more The best service project in the District

A Murder Mystery, The Methodist Housing Association, Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust, an evening meeting with partners

January 2019

more A Taiwan Expedition, Homestart and Derbyshire Cricket

December 2018

more Rotary Hearing Ambassadors, a Fayre, two collections, the Carol Service, Christmas Lunch and the Christmas Walk

November 2018

more Special General Meeting, Carol Hickebottom's 'My Job', The YMCA Sleep-out, Can’t drive a bus - can fly a plane part 2, Annual Club Quiz, Global Sight Solutions

October 2018

more The District Conference, Chris Cutchey's reflections on Bumrungrad, Can’t drive a bus - can fly a plane, and Trafalgar Night

September 2018

more An Umpire’s Road to Wimbledon, an Antarctic Expedition Cruise, Around the World in 20 Minutes, and a golf match

August 2018

more The 'Auntie' project, and 'Sheila's Life in Pictures'

July 2018

more A new president and visit from the new District Governor, a local hero, a garden party, Tom Day's 'other Job', Royal Crown Derby, Young Carers, and the 'Archie Gentles' golf tournament.

June 2018

more Club Assembly, Iron Man, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, a visit to St Kilda, Rotary Football, an outing for Carers+, and the President hands over.

May 2018

more Do you remember Berni Inns? A visit to Amazon

April 2018

more The National Conference in Torquay and a Devon safari, Scatter Week, Rotary Peace Scholars, our Annual General Meeting, 'Know your Blood Pressure', and Young Photographer Competition

March 2018

more The Pirelli Stadium Parade, Tony Bentley's 'My Job', the District Quiz, Addiction and Redemption, and our 82nd Charter Dinner

February 2018

more The Crich Tramway Museum, First Responders, 10 pin bowling, a joint evening meeting with Bretby RC, and the induction of two new members

January 2018

more Donna Louise Hospice, Dentaid Boxes, The Falklands War and 'Young Chef'

December 2017

more Charity Collection, 10 pin Bowling, Carol Service, 2 Christmas Lunches, Christmas Walk - and Disasters!

November 2017

more 'Just Us', Indian Polio Vaccination, Rotary Quiz, a charity 'sleepout', The Thai-Burma railway, and Burton - a Great Place to do Business

October 2017

more Repton Crypt, Purple for Polio, Trafalgar Night and Muddy Boots

September 2017

more A Family at War, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award

August 2017

more RYLA and Burton Albion Community Trust

July 2017

more Carers, Drones and our Summer Party

April 2016

more The Young Photographer competition & Photography for Dummies

March 2016

more Trade Aid and Marketing

February 2016

more Third World Poverty, Terminally Ill Children, After War and Forensic Science

January 2016

more Helping children across the world

December 2015

more Air Ambulance

November 2015

more Polio to Farming

October 2015

more Group Support, our Club's History and Social Media for Dummies

September 2015

more Youth Services and an introduction to various Charities

August 2015

more Kidney donation and third world issues

June 2015 CAB to the Navy

more a month of fascinating talks

May 2015 Dementia

more As the Rotary sponsored Memory Cafe is opening in June 2015 this was particularly timely talk

April 2015 Bletchley Park

more One fascinating talk and lots of Bank Holidays

March 2015 - Embalming to Motor Bikes through Small Change

more some really fascinating talks

January 2015 - Bees, Barnardos and the Jinny Nature Trail

more wide ranging topics this month

December 2014 - Visionaid, Music and Moravia

more some excellent pre-Christmas talks

November 2014 - Dementia, Auntie and Pumps

more A wide range of talks about different charities

October 2014 - Food banks and a visit from the District Governor

more A quiet month but with two thought provoking talks

September 2014 - Football, solicitors and Danes

more A really busy month - four speakers and a visit from our Danish twin club

August 2014 Models and War

more Some very different talks in August

July 2014

more DEBRA, Street Angels and Ben Robinson's My Job

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