Online meeting

This was our second online meeting. Twenty-three members logged in, seven more than last week. We have got more to grips with the technology but unfortunately one member couldn’t get his microphone to work. We could see him speaking but we couldn’t hear him. Mo Sadiq’s background showed him in the Himalayas but none of us believed it.

Janice Goodman has the Club bell at her home. To keep up the Club traditions, she bonged it to mark the formal start of the meeting.

President Francis asked those who had not attended last week how they were. Everyone reported themselves in good health, apart from one who has had problems with his legs for some time and, unlike most of us, cannot get out into his garden.

One Past President suggested that the current Club year should be extended to the end of the calendar year, to allow President Francis to have a full twelve months of physical meetings. However, this was felt to be impractical as well as contrary to the Rotary constitution.

President Francis’s suggestion that Club members should be asked to make additional donations to the Club’s Trust Fund out of the money they were saving each week by not attending Club lunches was accepted and a suggested minimum contribution of £5 per week approved, although it was recognised that it might not be practicable to make payments to the Treasurer until we are able to meet again physically. The donations will be passed on to local charities such as the Foodbank and Farleigh Hospice.

We also agreed that the weekly raffle should continue online, with our Secretary drawing the winner from a hat each week. The weekly payments and the prizes will again have to wait until we all get back together in person.