February 2016

1st February - Short talk by Pauline from Macmillan Nurses and presentation of a cheque

President Bob, Pauline and Immediate Past President Jenny

8th February 2016 - Keeleigh Tomlinson - New Life Foundation 

People of our age often remark how shocked they are at the youthful appearance of Police Officers, Doctors, Opthalmologists etc. We Rotarians can now add to this list, Charity Fund Raisers. I am thinking of Katie West [Midlands Air Ambulance – 14^th December] and now our guest speaker today, Keeleigh Tomlinson the Midlands Region Fundraiser and Awareness Manager for the New Life Foundation for Disabled Children.   

Newlife was formed in 1991. One of the co founders was Bernard Lewis of the clothing retailer, “River Island”    Both co founders had young children with Neuro Nula Disability and they identified the need for a Charity providing services for such children. They had the unique idea of persuading large retailers with surplus stock to donate it to the charity who could then sell it.

Newlife is now the UK’s largest charity funder of children’s specialist disability equipment. It also runs the Uk’s only national emergency equipment service for terminally ill children.

Newlife Nurses also support thousands of families. It campaigns for policy change and it funds targeted medical research to improve child health.

It has 4 shops/outlets in Cannock, Uttoxeter, Market Drayton and Heanor. Despite this local emphasis it provides support throughout the UK.

Keeleigh gave some examples of the sort of help the Charity provides. She spoke about Jack who is autistic.    They provided him with a tailor made car seat which kept him safe and comfortable in his mother’s car.     She also spoke about, Ella who was disabled as her joints/sockets did not hold her limbs properly. They provided her with a lightweight wheelchair which provided her with much sought after independence.

She said that they receive donations from many national retailers including River Island, John Lewis, Next and Central England Coop.

She gave a number of suggestions about how we could help. One of the more intriguing was to have a “sparkle party”.  She explained that they receive donations of fashion jewellery and an assortment of types and values is boxed up with the idea that all items in the box are sold at £3.00 each. Jack Sheldon asked a number of questions about this concept.  I assume this was in his capacity as Chair of Entertainment.  I think we can look forwards to a party!

The Charity has a turnover of £1 million pounds and proudly boasts that 100% of donations are spent in support of children

Jenny Gray thanked Keeleigh for her excellent presentation.

 Graham Dean

15th February - Larraine Wilde 'Clearing up after War'

Something rather different this week – Larraine Wilde , a retired mining engineer gave a talk on her former job as in charge of clearing up work in and around mines after wars.     Larraine is a local person and started her career as a mining engineer at the Coal Board at Bretby before in the 1990’s, moving to International Mining Consultants.   She talked, in particular, about three different former war zones where she had worked, Sierra Leonne, Kosovo and Kuwait following the invasion by Iraq’s forces.     She illustrated her talk with some photographs and maps.    I personally found her description of the challenges she faced in these places to be absolutely fascinating.   If I was to criticise her presentation I would suggest that she could have spoken to us about just one of the countries and given a lot more detail.    I was very surprised that the members had very few questions for her.

Carl Brister gave the thanks and made the point that her experiences helped us to appreciate the challenges which will have to be addressed in places like Aleppo when the war there comes to an end [if it ever does].

A genuine mistake: Larraine volunteered to give us a talk.    She told me that she could talk on a number of subjects including, “clearing mines in former war zones”    I have to admit that I was a little upset to learn while talking to her at lunch that the mines were not the boom bang variety as in “Achtung Minen” signs so beloved of war films of yore!     Still never mind.

Larraine Wilde with President Bob and JVP Graham

22nd February - JOINT MEETING WITH BRETBY RC

Celebrating Rotary Week

Present were 20 Burton members and 27 Bretby together with three guests.     Bryan Pickering from Stone and District Rotary Club was one of the guests and Chris[tine] Boundford was one of  the others.     It was a particular pleasure to have Chris at the meeting as she had won last year’s Burton Mail Community Award [jointly sponsored by Burton and Bretby].    She had been unable to attend the Awards evening back in 2015.   Presidents Bob and Jarvis presented her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and Jarvis Whitehead made a very nice little speech.   Chris had been a unanimous winner and the attention she got was much deserved.

President Bob, Chris Boundford and President Jarvis

As is, now, the tradition there were both our draw for a bottle of New Zealand plonk [won by Jenny Gray] and a “Happy Box”.  These raised a very creditable sum which will be divided equally between the Clubs

The Guest Speaker was Paul Newsham who gave a talk entitled, “There will never be another you”.   Paul worked for 30 years in the Forensic Science Department for Derbyshire Constabulary and was head of the organisation when he retired 10 years ago.  He continues to work as an Expert Court Witness but has also found time to obtain a Theology Degree, sit on the Mental Health Tribunal and do some part time lecturing at Derby University.  Paul was a little discombobulated that he was asked to limit his talk to 45 minutes max [and said so many times] but still managed to give a very interesting and thought provoking presentation.    As suggested by his working title he sought to emphasise the 40 different things which make each of us unique. He then concentrated on two recent developments in “uniqueness” [if there is such a word] relating to ears and feet.  He had told me before the meal that his talk was inter active and part of this was to call for two volunteers to stand at the front with him and be compared and contrasted by the audience.   His victims were Jarvis Whitehead and me.  I think he chose me as I had, in my introduction, pulled his leg about it being his wedding anniversary that day.  I do not know what Jarvis had done to offend him.    I should mention that Paul started his presentation with three of the most egregious jokes I have ever had the misfortune to hear [and that includes sharing lunch with Gerry Sloane].  Paul left us to consider the philosophical question of whether all the uniqueness in the world is created by God or evolution.  He, also, and perhaps angling for another Speaker engagement mentioned the ethical challenges and dilemmas presented by modern technology and promised that he could tell us about things which would make our hair curl [if only I had enough!]

Nigel Botham [Bretby] gave an excellent and humorous vote of thanks.

A very enjoyable evening [except for the lemon meringue pie] and the assembled company fairly bellowed the closing, “Rotary and Peace the World Over”

Graham Dean

29 February - Third World Povery - a talk by Nick Green

Nick Green and President Bob