General Meeting - Virtual

ROTARY CLUB OF CHESTFIELD

Breakfast Meeting, 7.00am for 7.30am, 6^th August 2020 @ The Plough, Swalecliff

Present:           14 members

Apologies:       16 members

Grace:             This was said by Andrew B, followed by a minute’s silence in memory of Ian Thomas.  A Eulogy for Ian had been circulated prior to the meeting; several members said they did not know so much about Ian’s life.  Andrew said that the Board is proposing to donate £100 to charity in Ian’s name; this was agreed unanimously by the members present.

General:          Andrew asked for an initial response to the premises and the possibility of continuing to meet here.  Generally, a favourable first impression.

Sue gave an update about Gordon who has been poorly and in hospital – not with the Covid virus.  Later in the meeting she had a text message from Gordon who is now back home.

Andrew thanked Dave & Di for hosting the Tea by the Sea last week.  Pity it was so windy on the day (it was beautiful the day after). 

Noted that District has issued a revised new members form.

Fundraising:    Godfrey said that we have the possibility of doing some mid-week car parking sessions; he is very keen to take up the offer because we are down on our fund raising this year for obvious reasons.  We can potentially do this coming Monday or Tuesday; he will email everyone later when the school confirms which one we can have.

The World’s Biggest Pig Race: previously circulated to members.  This is being organised by Minster Rotary as a fund raiser.  Dave C said that the website shows that this will be a race between clockwork piggies – not real ones.  For more information, Google ‘world’s biggest pig race’.

Sue and Pat said that they are hoping the skydive will happen before September this year; if not then it will be deferred until May next year.

International:  Andrew has spoken over the telephone with Eric from Apeldoorn.  Eric’s daughter has gone to Tanzania as part of an international baccalaureate; apparently she was welcomed as a celebrity there.  Because we don’t know which countries will experience a second wave of the virus, with our government then imposing a quarantine period on travellers returning from them, Andrew has told Eric it is unlikely we will be able to get together this year.

Andrew confirmed that the donation of £300 each has been made to Mercy Ships and to Shelterbox as agreed at the last zoom meeting.

Andrew asked Kathy about Interact.  Kathy said it is not clear how many international students the school will have in the Autumn.

Social               Andrew informed the members present about the walk / cycle ride planned for 5^th September (or 6^th if weather bad on the 5^th) from Reculver to Minnis Bay.  There have been some queries about car parking at Reculver.  Dave C has visited and confirmed that you can park as long as you want, but it’s £1.30 per hour.  The car park at the top of the hill at Beltinge is free but is usually full of dog walkers.  An alternative would be to park at Minnis Bay which is free and do the walk backwards (as it were), but again this is quite busy.  The arrangements will be confirmed after the next Board meeting.

Members have been circulated information about the Margate Centenary banquet on 15^th May 2021.  Dave C confirmed that he has told Margate we will be sending a delegation.  More details to follow later.

Andrew confirmed the revised dates for the Barn Dance and the Quiz Night – 19^th June 2021 & 13^th November 2021 respectively.

Ron proposed thanks to Pat for judging the Garden competition, and a well done to Sue for winning it.  Pat has agreed to judge a second garden competition if members will submit photographs of their gardens.  Also, Ron put up the idea of a ‘Clever Critters’ photographic competition ie photographs of pets doing something unusual.

Meals:             After breakfast had been consumed, Andrew asked what members thought about the venue here?  Members responded positively to the better access ie it’s all on the flat.  Some members wondered if we could move here permanently, and resume weekly meetings?  We can have our evening meals here; they will close the dining area for us (they have done so for WI).  Suggested that we don’t decide anything yet, nor burn our bridges with the golf club.  As foe weekly meetings, we will have our next meeting here in a fortnight, and in the meantime Pat will talk to Mel, the landlady.

Treasurer:       David M said that several members have donated breakfast monies to the charity account during July, amounting to £111.  The plan was to donate this to the the local food bank.  However, the latter have said they are comparatively well off at the moment.  So, suggested instead that we donate this to SERV ie the blood runners volunteers.

The club accounts presently stand at:            Charity account:          £1493

                                                                        Club account               £460

David said that if we are going to meet here regularly then members can pay a lump sum into the club account by bank transfer (rather than separate £10 payments).  He will then keep track of how many meals have been paid for and remind people when they need to pay in more.  NB: remember to email David when you have done a money transfer, so he is aware (Dave C forgot

AOB:                It was suggested that if we are going to recommence regular face-to-face meetings, than could we restart the raffle and Master-at-Arms?  Yes, for next time.  Jean said that she will need prizes for the raffle.

Spyros asked if we should respond to the Beirut disaster which has killed nearly 100 people and left upwards of 200,000 homeless?  David M said that our best route would be through our support for Shelterbox.  Perhaps we should discuss this again at our next meeting.

Jean took a photograph of us, to show other members who may be thinking about coming along how well spaced out the sitting arrangements are.

Next meetings:                        20^th August @ 7.00am for 7.30am here at The Plough.                                                         Apologies as usual to Lesley.

After the Meeting:      Dave C picked up a text from Robert.  Rotary SE are selling face masks for £7.00 each.  For each mask purchased, the Gates Foundation will donate to Rotary.  For details, see the Rotary SE web site.