May 2018

PRESIDENT Nicki Quayle

SECRETARY Mike McNally

THEBORDERER

May 2018

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

A busy month for our Club.  We have had some really interesting speakers -  a few with a Scottish flavour from Shetland to Gordonston school and Malcolm’s talk about his father-in-law, Arthur.  Our Spring Walk at Bassenthwaite was well attended and superbly arranged by Bob Mather who even managed to organise the weather!  We assisted with a bucket collection for Prostate Cancer at the Carlisle United match against Luton Town which raised a massive £1171.

Thank you to those who helped with our Litter Pick around the Rosehill area.  Although there wasn’t much litter (which is a good thing!)  I felt it was a worthwhile exercise for Rotary to be seen on the Rosehill Estate and who knows maybe it has sown the seed for future members.  However, that said if the Club feels it is worthwhile conducting future litter picks, say on a quarterly basis following our Business meeting day, I would welcome suggestions of locations which would benefit from a tidy up.

I was absent on 9^th May visiting the Isle of Man to learn about where the Quayle clan originated.  An interesting island which is a self-governing British Crown dependency.  It boasts the oldest continuously governing body in the world, Tynwald, and gave women the right to vote in 1861.  Tax rates of 10% & 20%, no Inheritance tax, CGT nor Corporation tax!  A population of 83,000 which is doubled during the TT races.   By chance the Rotary Club of Douglas met at the hotel where we stayed but sadly I missed their meeting.

We were blessed with fine weather for our annual Charity Golf Day which was a great success.  Huge thanks must go to Robin for all his hard work in chasing, co-ordinating and organising teams, sponsors and helpers.  Equally my thanks go to all those who helped and gave up their time on the day (and before) so that all ran smoothly. 

This leads me on to the final fund raising opportunity for this year’s chosen charities.  I will be doing a skydive on Sunday 24^th June at Flookburgh.  If any of you would like to sponsor me I would be most grateful.  I have set up a Just Giving page (www.justgiving.com) but will also be putting a sheet into the blue folder.

NICKI QUAYLE

PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT NICKI & NICK UTTING ON THE CLUB’S LITTER PICK

PROSTATE CANCER COLLECTION

Nicki, Tom, Brian, Norman and Ellis joined thirteen other local volunteers to collect in aid of Prostate Cancer UK at the Carlisle United v Luton Town match on 21 April. On a warm sunny afternoon

Carlisle United played well to achieve a 1 – 1 draw against Luton who have now been promoted to League One. A large number of supporters from Luton boosted the attendance to over 5500 and the amount collected for Prostate Cancer UK was the magnificent sum of £1171.58.

CHARITY GOLF DAY raises £4,000  

18^th May, Eden Golf Club

The week before the competition there had been very little rain and the Eden Golf Course was in very good condition for the Club’s annual Charity Golf day.

The day itself was sunny and warm and the organisers were able to set up the welcome desk outside the club house where competing golfers signing in were looked after by Robin, Julian, Jenny, Joe and Marian together with other members of the team.

This year a total of 28 teams took part

The first group set off at 11am and from then on it was a continuous flow of golfers making for the first tee until the final group went out at 3pm. Rounds were taking  four and a half hours to complete so it would be almost 7-30 pm before the competition drew to a close.

The halfway house set up just before the 10^th tee was a welcome sight enabling many weary golfers a few minutes respite before continuing, there was a temptation to join the helpers and occupy one of the colourful deckchairs!

Back in the clubhouse the scorecard was handed in and the question asked as to the leading scores  before retiring to the bar for a well-earned drink, something to eat and a discussion as to what might have been, if only!!

The scores; this was a Charity Fun day for some of the competitors it being their annual golf game. For the serious golfers the course provided a test and allowed some good scores to be made.

The Winners with a prize of £200 and a score of 87 were David Allen’s team of Messrs Smith, Roper, Gaskell and Airey, The second prize of £100 with a score of 85 were The Bed Store team of Messrs Barden, Proudfoot, Parry and Swainbank. In third place with a score of 84 were Tony Gash’s team of Messrs Gash, Cooper, Hansen and Bennett.

We are very grateful to all who made the day a success, the Competitors, the Sponsors and the Organisers especially a now very relieved Robin. Next year all golfers will be required to bring measuring tape and note pad to be filled in addition to their score card.

The net sum raised for our Charites this year will exceed £3,500.

DONALD EDGAR

SHETLAND

 I knew very little of Shetland before Ken Graham addressed our Club last month, what a fascinating island.

It is in fact a group of islands totalling over 100 but with only 16 of them inhabited. The Vikings occupied from the 9^th to the 15^th Century and from then the Norwegians had ownership. Not surprising as it is no further to Scandinavia as it is to Aberdeen, around 200 kms or 12 hours by ferry.

From the 15^th Century, Scotland had control but to this day the Shetlanders proudly fly their own flag but as part of the UK.

The population of 22,000 have benefitted considerably from their links with Scotland, particularly as a result of the oil boom. Their community assets are excellent with a first class hospital, superb sports facilities and brilliant roads with not a pot hole in sight!

Tourism is also of great benefit with many flocking to view the amazing scenery and wildlife, with the Northern Lights particularly stunning from this location.Sounds like a great place to visit but don’t just believe me, ask the President, Nicki who has been there on a few occasions!

NICK UTTING

A party of 32 plus canine friends enjoyed the walk from Dodd Wood to Bassenthwaite on 22 April, followed by lunch at The Castle Inn.

After three days of unusually hot weather, the inevitable happened half an hour before our scheduled start time! The heavens opened but the rain had conveniently stopped in time for the start of the walk via the edge of the Mirehouse Gardens.

After passing through fields of sheep and lambs, the opportunity was taken to view the interior of the pre-Norman St. Bega's Church in its idyllic setting close to the Bassenthwaite shore, which we also visited.

Those preferring the gentle stroll returned the same way; the rest reached the A591 by the vehicle track from St. Bega's and walked parallel to the A591 on the Dodd Wood forest path.

We were well catered by The Castle Inn's two course Sunday lunch in a separate part of the restaurant. Indeed, we represented almost their entire custom. Had people heard we were coming?!

BOB MATHER

AGM

We held our Annual General Meeting on 2^nd May and the usual business was transacted.

Our Hon Treasurer, Ellis took the floor with his proposal that next year’s subscription be £115 plus a £30 voluntary charitable donation to give £145 for the year. He quoted from Rotary2 and continued:

“To kick start the coming Rotary year I have pleasure in bringing to the table the budget for 2018/19. It has been prepared after touching base with the Club’s officers and committee chairpersons. Their contributions have enabled a helicopter view to be taken of the Club’s costs. Having then got all the ducks in a row a proposed member focused budget was put to Council. With a subscription of £33.50 the Club’s expenditure washes its face.

“However notification has been received that the District capitation fee and the Rotary GB&I fee are to increase by a total of £5.50. Council decided that the Club would need to factor this into the total members’ subscription to square the circle.

“Details of the individual budget items have been provided but if anyone wishes me to peel the onion for any of them please speak to me so that we can have a knowledge transfer.

“And I commend this forward facing budget to the Club.”

BRILLIANT!   ……………and his recommendations were approved.

David Hoggard and Stuart Farrer were appointed Accounts Scrutineers.

In a change from previous years, the convenors each gave their Annual Reports verbally this year.

For Youth Service Stephen said that we had organised Youth Speaks, Young Photographer and two students on RYPEN.

For Fellowship and Sport Brian reported that we held Bowls, 10-pin Bowling, Curling, and Snooker competitions, we had a Theatre Evening, a John Peel Night, a Cards Evening, the President’s Barbecue, two walks, and finally a visit to The Lake District Creamery. Quite a programme!

David said that our Communications Committee had published The Borderer each month, started a Facebook site and reports had appeared in Rotary Northwest and  the local press on six occasions

Tom said that The Foundation and International Committee had supported the Doctors in Nepal and was looking to support others

The Community and Club Projects committee had supported 10 charities through the Wishing Well, had distributed and collected the Royal British Legion Poppy boxes and organised the Santa Sleigh on two evenings in the lead-op to Christmas.

For Membership Nick Utting said that we had been successful in recruiting new members and he did not propose to make any changes to our methods.

OUR HON SECRETARY ASKS:

Please could you let him know of any changes of detail for the new  2018-2019 Members’ Handbook/Directory.

ARTHUR - A LOCAL LAD (and Malcolm’s Father-in-Law!)

Arthur was born in Dumfries and enlisted in the Royal Marines on 3rd December, 1925.

In the barracks they all had their hair shaved off and Arthur remembered one lad in tears as his blond curls hit the floor. They were even taught to wash by numbers - "One down the right arm, two down the left arm "etc. etc. Training was tough. At Scapa Flow they had to jump off the side of the ship in full battle kit and swim round to the other side.

Arthur's first ship was the battleship HMS Nelson, the flagship of the home fleet.  A revolutionary design with all of her nine sixteen inch guns forward, and secret bulkheads below the water line which could be flooded to lower the superstructure below the maximum height allowed by international treaties. On the first voyage the captain ordered all guns to be fired at once. This sprung all the decking and they had to return to port for a refit...

Arthur's next ship was the heavy cruiser HMS Effingham, and he served in the East Indies and the China station. It was a great life for a young single man between the wars. He played football wherever he went. . Arthur was a good team player and was in the winning gun team at the Royal Review.

The Royal Marine band played at the coronation of Haile Selassie in 1930, and Arthur was on the honour guard. Ironically. When the Italians invaded Abyssinia in 1936, Arthur was in the Marine contingent sent to escort the emperor and his entourage into exile.

Arthur completed active service in December 1937 shortly after their first daughter was born, and took up the reserved occupation of postman.

On 1st August 1939 Arthur was called up and joined the light cruiser HMS Dauntless and in April 1940 he joined the Marine contingent to assist in the taking of Narvik, The taking of Narvik was the first major Allied victory of the war, but on 24th May orders came to withdraw under cover - this was three days before Dunkirk! (The Norwegians bitterly decided to fight on alone) Arthur was in a force of Marines sent to hold back the Germans but were outflanked. They abandoned their khaki jackets and, in their blue sweaters and turned down wellies, passed through German lines with some Norwegian fishermen to rejoin the main force.

In the Indian Ocean he was in charge of a gun crew of laskars on an armed merchant ship. In practice the crew all fled below when the gun was fired. An enemy submarine surfaced and started to shell the ship. Arthur returned fire but the crew all fled below again and went down with the ship. Arthur was in the water off Madagascar for two days before he was picked up.

In August 1941 Eva got her MP to write to the Admiralty as she had not seen her husband for years. Dauntless was due home soon but Arthur was transferred to an earlier ship. This was torpedoed in the south Atlantic and he relived his experience struggling to get people into the lifeboat when he was delirious during an illness in later life. Dauntless reached home before him!

By 1942 he was back East again, to assist in the defence of Singapore, which fell on 15th February. The troops sat down to await capture , but Arthur and a shipmate decided to look for a boat. They found the water tender "Daisy" about to depart with a mixture of civilians and servicemen. They crossed the strait to Sumatra and walked about 200 miles to Padang, where they found the troopship Stirling Castle, en route to Australia. Arthur was always upset that the locals who had helped them were refused passage and left to the tender mercies of the Japanese.

In 1943 Arthur was again in the Mediterranean, and took part in the Sicily / Italy landings. He remembered an officer shouting "follow me" and jumping off the landing craft out of his depth. He submerged, but was fished out and the landing was made in shallower water. Sadly, he was killed in the ensuing action.

In December 1943, a routine medical revealed that Arthur had TB. He was ready to give up the ghost, but a young nurse sat with him all night and convinced him he had a chance. Discharged from the Service, he recovered at the Blencathra Sanatorium and again became a postman.

His second daughter was born just before midnight on the eve of VE day and the nurses opened the window so that Eva could hear the bells of victory.

Arthur rarely talked about the actual fighting he was involved in, but the spirit remained. When I first met him he was in his late sixties and was wont to walk the dog in the park after dark, carrying his old (service?) knuckleduster in his pocket, hoping some thug would attack him... 

Arthur and Eva attended their Diamond  wedding, with their loving family, including four tall grandsons and grand daughter, and me!

MALCOLM METCALFE

EDITORS’ NOTE - There is more on the internet about the people who made the incredible escape from Singapore to Sumatra. Arthur would have been on “The water boat” mentioned in this article:  http://www.manfamily.org/PDFs/EVACUATION%20OF%20SINGAPORE.pdf

GORDONSTOUN

On 16 th May John Whittaker and his wife gave us an interesting insight into life at Gordonstoun School near Elgin in Moray. Founded in 1934 by German educator Kurt Hahn, Gordonstoun has around 500 full boarders as well as about 100 day pupils between the ages of 6 and 18.

Both Prince Philip and Prince Charles attended the school when it had a reputation for cross country-runs and cold showers before breakfast.

John was a housemaster and Chris was very much involved with the pastoral side of the house. He assured us that there was now a much more caring attitude there now, with serious emphasis on developing leadership and self-sufficiency. All pupils have to undertake some form of community service, which now includes the Coastguards, Mountain Rescue, offshore sailing, and the Fire Service. It was the auxiliary service that was John’s passion  and he talked with enthusiasm about their fire ‘pump’.

John gave us an interesting talk that went some way towards dispelling some long held opinions of the school.

DAVID MORTON

THE FARMERS & FARMERS WIVES CHOIR

SUNDAY  27^th January 2019

Ian has now raised sufficient funds to give us confidence to go ahead with the concert and we have booked the Sands. The onus is now on Club Members to encourage people to support the event, with a target of filling the hall which will allow us to raise a substantial amount for our charities.

Click here to see the Farmers & FarmersWives’ video.

Watch this space for further information

A MUSICAL INTERLUDE

by a fan of American Musicals. – Mike McNally

The inspiration for Mike’s talk to the Club was none other than Irving Berlin.     

Irving Berlin was a refugee from Russia born in 1888 who with his family fled to America in 1893 and settled in New York City. He had no formal musical education never learning to read or notate music. To help him overcome this difficulty he later had a specially designed piano which is currently in the Smithsonian Museum in New York. He died in1989 at the age of 101 and a career of 58 years writing songs which in total amounted to beyond 800. He formed his own Music Company in 1919

To illustrate the range and depth of the Berlin repertoire we were treated to several songs from the shows which brought back memories and it was amazing how many of the words came readily to mind and how easily the feet started tapping.

1936 The Hollywood Musical Film Follow the Fleet, remember,” Let’s face the music and dance”, “There may be trouble ahead”, “How much do I love you”, songs that were danced and sung by artists Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.  Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra had careers which were closely linked with Irving Berlin. In the 1940’s he was over here waiting for D Day and wrote the march “This is the Army Mr Jones “

Perhaps his most successful musical was Annie Get Your Gun first performed in 1946 it ran for 1147 performances and the sale of sheet music and royalties broke all records.- “ Anything you can do I can do better”

He was a patriotic American writing “God Bless America” in 1918 and giving the resulting revenue to the Boy Scout movement.

Lastly a show from 1942 Holiday Inn featuring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire a musical that sold millions and was a particular hit for the troops serving in the Far East for the song “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas”

All too quickly Mike finished with the words “There are lots more…..

DONALD EDGAR
TIPS FOR KEEPING SAFE

on Facebook and Twitter–

from Herbert Chatters District 1190 Public Image Chair 2017/18

• Fact or fiction — Before sharing any contentious looking stories always check them out with  https://www.snopes

   

• What should I do if I get a friend request? Firstly, always check out the profile of the person making the request. Just because they have mutual Rotary friends doesn’t mean to say they are a safe bet - your friends may not have checked them out. If you don’t think they are appropriate then reject their request.

  

• Check out followers on Twitter and if they are not appropriate for your personal or Rotary account then ban them.

   

• Keep your personal information to a minimum, but please on your personal profile make the point that you are a Rotarian – it will also help other Rotarians to identify with you.

   

• When posting on Facebook check out whether you are posting public or to friends only. Personal postings should be ‘friends only’ but if they are Rotary posts then ensure they go out to a public audience, so they can be shared by others.

   

• If you include your birthday, do NOT put your birth year. Keep your address vague.

   

• Do not ‘ share’ posts of organisations unless you know exactly who they are – it may seem patriotic to ‘share’ a picture of any old soldier laying a cross on a beach, but the British National Party have been shown to be using these and similar to gather information.

   

• To get the best out of your club pages make sure you invite as many friends as possible to follow them. Remember this is a conversation you are having with your supporters and would-be supporters, so show your thanks by liking and ‘share’ other clubs’ pictures and information and you will gradually build up your followers.

   

POETS’     CORNER

ONE PERFECT ROSE

A single flow'r he sent me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep – hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet –
One perfect rose.

I knew the language of the floweret;
" My fragile leaves," it said, “his heart enclose."
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.

Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.

Dorothy Parker 1893 to 1967 .

SPOT THE BALL QUIZ

Ever enthusiastic to follow the golfing theme, The Borderer now shows Ellis driving off the 10^th tee and you are invited to chose where the ball is (A –F). Answers, please, to David Morton or any member of the communications team. Valuable prize.

WISHING WELL

We raised £XX for Blood Bikes, one of our President’s charities, The current charity is The Children’s Society, followed by Talking Newspaper, and then Meningitis Now.

This takes us to beginning of August so if any member has a suitable charity they would like to nominate please contact me and we can begin to extend the list. Eden Valley Hospice will be on the list later in the year as one of President Ian’s charities and we will support RBL Poppy appeal in October as well as The Food Bank in December as before.

MICHAEL PEARSON

THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH..

My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular.

Adlai E. Stevenson Jr.

Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong.

Dandemis

Too bad the only people who know how to run the country are busy driving cabs and cutting hair.

George Burns

ROTARY WEBPAGES

Rotary Magazine – current & previous editions

https://issuu.com/rotaryingbi/docs 

EDITOR’S NOTE – The Borderer uses the free version of the same ‘issuu’ website!

Rotary Policies

Rotary GB&I Compliance Statement – 2017/18

Our Club President or Secretary have been asked to confirm that our Club has read and adopted the following Rotary GB&I documents:

 Rotary GB&I Equality and Diversity Policy

 Rotary GB&I Health and Safety Policy

 Rotary GB&I Safeguarding (Children) Policy

 Rotary GB&I Safeguarding (Vulnerable Adults) Policy

 Rotary GB&I Data Protection Policy Statement  

With grateful thanks to the Rotary Club of Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire (a long way from the Brecon Beacons - according to our Welsh Correspondent!)

Rotary Central

https://my.rotary.org/en

To delve into the detailed Rotary statistics you may need a username and password

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

PRESIDENT’S BARBECUE at Moordyke

SUNDAY 1^st July

More details in due course.

And for further Summer enjoyment dates are still to be finalised for our Bowls Evening at Wetheral, return of the Treasure Hunt which has been absent without leave for a couple of years, and perhaps even another Funky Golf Evening. Watch this space.

AND EVEN FURTHER AHEAD….…

96^TH CHARTER ANNIVERSARY DINNER

FRIDAY 23^rd November

We return to our traditional Friday evening for the Club’s main formal occasion.

THE FARMERS & FARMERS WIVES CHOIR

SUNDAY 27^th January 2019

Details to follow

RECEPTION DESK FOR CLUB MEETINGS

May           23             DH and Hugh Nicholson-Walker

                30             David Hoggard & Tom Dawson

June          6              JV and Trevor Green

                13             JV and Stephen Higgs

                20             JV and Phil Beadle

                27             David Morton

Club Council Meetings

Club Meetings Programme