Quiz Night - Fri 6th Oct at 19.00

On Saturday 23rd September the Rotary Club of Bakewell were very pleased to welcome Bakewell Mayor, Alyson Hill, to open the inaugural Repair Café at the Bakewell Methodist Church.

The event was a great success with over 17 items brought in and success in repairing most of these items. It was great to be able to save some items which would otherwise have been sent to landfill and to welcome everyone who came along just to see what was happening.

Local Rotarians were out in force to support the event and we were grateful for donations from the local Aldi, the Better Derbyshire Dales Fund and for the funds given by those who had repairs undertaken.

We are planning the next Repair Café on Saturday 28th October so if you have some skills and would like to join us, please contact the Café Co-ordinator, Margie Stuckey, on 01629 813638.

Or if you have something to be repaired, please come along and we will endeavour to help you with it.

Our speaker on 27^th September was Dr Roger Summers, former Director of Police Forensic Services, a senior lecturer in forensic and crime sciences, a member of Amber Valley Rotary and a past District Governor. A most convivial meeting and Roger gave us a very detailed, informative and fascinating presentation with insight into crime detection and the use of DNA and the use of dental, facial and body unique features.

Dr Roger Summers with Club President Ann Esders

Bakewell Rotary Annual Duck Race - 10th September

At 2pm the Bakewell ducks leaped into the River Wye from the 14th Century stone arch bridge. They were helped on their way by members of the Bakewell Carnival committee.

The banks of the river were lined by enthusiastic visitors, many of whom had bought tickets to support our local charities. Over £1500 was raised, a great result!

The race finished at the Iron Bridge having navigated the weir and passed under the Lock Bridge.

The ticket for the winning duck (286) was bought by Allissa Wibberley, pictured below with her family receiving the first prize of £100 from our President Ann.

Bakewell Rotary Speaker Round-up

Members and guests have had some interesting speakers at our recent gatherings.  Adele Taylor gave a detailed and very personal presentation on the work of Ashgate Hospice and the support for her late husband and her family during his terminal illness. She was introduced by member Jane Meredith who is also a trustee of the hospice.

Bakewell Rotary Repair Cafe

Ahead of the opening of the Rotary Bakewell Repair Cafe at the Methodist Church Saturday 23^rd September (10am to 2pm) Sheelagh Handy from the Tideswell Repair Cafe was our guest speaker at our lunchtime meeting at the Rutland Arms, Bakewell on 2^nd August. She gave very helpful advice and assistance to assist in the final preparations for starting our own regular cafe – with further dates of 28^th October and 25^th November already booked.

Three of our members Allen Bower, Mike Gray and Jane Meredith are already involved at Tideswell – and Margie Stuckey from the Medway Centre is coordinating the cafe for Bakewell Rotary.

Sheelagh Handy from Tideswell and District Environment Group's Repair Cafe

New Paul Harris Fellowship for long and proactive service was presented to Tom Marshall

Rotary Bakewell New Members on Parade

At our club meeting on the 26th July our latest new member Mayne Fakharuzi was formally inducted by President Ann Esders. Mayne, our youngest member, originally from Malaysia is studying for her PhD in brain medical research at Sheffield. 

 Later in the evening another of our new members Jane Meredith gave a fascinating insight into her career in medical research in Canada on breast cancer drugs, and latterly with Pfizer in the UK on lung cancer drugs. Having turned down an opportunity in 2012 to take up a similar role in Wuhan she became a guide for the trans Orient Express and is now settled in the Peak District. She is an active fundraiser for Ashgate Hospice.  She is pictured (centre) with President Ann and Secretary Peter Huxtable.

A Life of Grime

Nick Hardie was a guest speaker at the regular lunchtime meeting on 19^th July and gave a very extensive presentation on his long and varied career as a mining engineer from fullers earth in Bath, coal in Yorkshire, fluorspar in Derbyshire, gold and gypsum in Ireland – tunnelling in London and under the Humber - and more recently in health and safety and management training in many places around the world including China, India, Iran and Turkey. He currently is also the Mine Manager for the iron ore mine in Scunthorpe and trustee at the Ecton Mine Educational centre in Staffordshire.

The concert was in memory of our former Club President, Professor Mike Fowler, who started these concerts in 2007 and who was a stalwart member of Cressbrook Band and to support Dr Louise Jordan, formerly practice head Baslow Surgery and founder of Helen's Trust, which the club has regularly supported. Judy Fowler opened the event along with current Club President David Goodlad. The 2-hour programme which included a great mixture of music with each of the four bands (Bakewell Silver, Cressbrook Brass, Tideswell Brass and Youlgrave Silver) contributing a 20 minute segment followed by all four playing as a massed band.

You can still donate here  https://givealittle.co/campaigns/fa4cd6fc-9b9a-4554-b2ce-06de6ea6d9b6

The finale featuring all four bands was "Oh what a night"  (click link to play) requested by Dr Louise Jordan – and specially adapted for the massed four bands by Caty Heelin conductor of Youlgrave

See programme here - Brass_in_Park_Programme_June_2023.pdf

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Bakewell Rotary Annual pilgrimage to Carsington Sailing Club.

Rotary Bakewell held their meeting on Wednesday 14^th June at Carsington Sailing Club – and an opportunity to enjoy the glorious views and the great summer weather. Wednesday is the regular Sailability session for disabled users using their trained instructors with the three specially designed boats supplied by Bakewell Rotary in previous years, and an opportunity for us to see this in action.

One of the boats donated by Rotary Bakewell.

Member Rita Hickin joined our teatime meeting on 31^st May at the Rutland Arms to tell us about her invitation and visit to King Charles Buckingham Palace tea party on 3^rd May just before the Coronation.

She was invited for her work with The Scout Association for over 40 years. A most entertaining presentation and a great honour for Rita. She is also a volunteer with the National Trust and for many years the lead supporter of RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) held in Buxton twice a year.

A very convivial gathering for some 30 Bakewell Rotarians, partners and guests and an excellent hot buffet on a warm Spring evening was held on 24^th May at Bakewell Golf Club. Unfortunately, our guest speaker Keith Mosely of Air Ambulance had to cancel at very short notice due to illness – but our own David Rawson BEM gave a very lively presentation on his years with the Grenadier Guards in London and overseas with many humorous anecdotes. Peter Huxtable organised a fun general quiz and a cryptic clue quiz. The raffle raised some £135 which will go to the President’s chosen charity CRY (Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the Young).

Rotary Bakewell – Welcomes new Peak Park Chief to their lunchtime meeting.

Phil Mulligan the new Chief Executive at PDNP (Peak District National Park) was the speaker at our well-attended lunchtime meeting at the Rutland Arms, Bakewell on 17^th May.  Phil joined the authority September 2022 with an extensive background in the environmental and voluntary sectors most recently as Director, East Midlands for the Canal & River Trust – and having held various executive and board positions including National Trust Council, United Nations Association UK, The Landscape Institute and The Conservation Volunteers Trust.

He outlined the history and demographics of the Park and its 38,000 residents and 26 million annual visitors – along with the decreasing allocation of central government funds in recent years – and the challenges this presents!  He stressed that public input into the Peak park’s local plans is being sought – and he was aware of the concerns over the closures of information centres. Time limited the number of questions from those present – and he has offered to return at a later date to continue with further discussion and dialogue with club members.

Social Musical Evening 26^th April

Over 20 Rotarians and friends gathered at the Red Lion, Bakewell for a very enjoyable last Wednesday in the month evening gathering – with a bit of local music provided by singer/songwriter Jamie Jones airing his latest  composition – and there was a great discussion on the latest Rotary project to open a Bakewell Repair Café in the autumn!

Rotary Bakewell - Senior Citizens’ Tea Party returns 

Some 70 invited guests attended the Easter Senior Citizens’ tea party organised by Rotary Bakewell at the Methodist Church Hall in Bakewell on Friday 21^st April, a return after more than 3 years.  The event had been rescheduled from 31^st March due to an unexpected very high level of Covid/flu sickness cancellations from those who had been invited that earlier day.

A very convivial afternoon and much appreciated and enjoyed by all. Christine, Margaret, and Ruth produced all the sandwiches, food and drinks in the kitchens with ingredients kindly provided by Aldi and Bloomers – and trifle from Rotarian Mary Ingham. President David Goodlad opened proceedings. Bakewell Rotarians had set up the tables and served the guests at their tables.  Entertainment was provided by the Tom Pilkington trio and some wonderful singing from Louise – and also later some community singing.  Everyone was given an Easter egg with a raffle ticket– and there was a draw for three food hampers which had been kindly donated by local businesses.

All in all, a very enjoyable afternoon – and David Rawson who had organised the day thanked everyone and the Church for their assistance and support – and to all those guests who had joined us. Rotarians assisted in taking and escorting some home.

Rotary Bakewell Learns more about the intricacies of Brain Health

Our speaker at our evening social meeting at Red Lion, Bakewell on Wednesday 29^th March was Mayne Fakharuzi.  Mayne is studying for her PhD at Sheffield University and has attended previous club gatherings. The subject was Brain Health and prompted a very lively and interactive discussion with those present. Mayne along with our currently youngest club member and Bakewell Rotary scholar Dave Cook completed the Sheffield half-marathon on Sunday (26^th) after a quick return from their visit to the Eden Project in Cornwall on Saturday!!

Rotary Bakewell Donates £1,000 to Aquabox for the Syria/Turkey Earthquake mission

From the proceeds of the collections in February at the Aldi Store, Bakewell, the Club is sending £1,000 to Aquabox in Wirksworth for urgent relief aid. This will fund water filters to provide drinkable water even where the supply is very poor. 

Will Throssel guest speaker at Rotary Bakewell meeting on 15^th March

At the Events Suite, Rutland Arms, Bakewell our speaker was Will Throssel from Archaeological Research Services (www.archaeologicalresearchservices.com) based out of Bakewell. Will is a geophysicist and is Chief Operating Officer and lives in Buxton. The company is a highly recognised organisation and Will outlined several of the more recent faster and less intrusive investigative tools – and showed several recent success stories with the Environment Agency and the HS2 project.   The company, founded by local Derbyshire lad Clive Waddington, is again this year in line for industry awards for its work.

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