General Meeting

Thu, Apr 8th 2021 at 7:30 am - 8:30 am


ROTARY CLUB OF CHESTFIELD

Club Meeting online 8th April 2021 @07.30am

Present:                               Dave C; Lesley (Chair); Pat; Margaret; Godfrey; Andrew B; Jean & Andrew M; Kathryn; David B; Pete; David K.

Apologies:                           Paul; Robert; Hilary.

Minutes of the Meeting 18th March:  Agreed for accuracy.

Future of Meetings:        Lesley confirmed that the Golf Club will be open to us from the end of June.  Our first face-to-face meeting there will be an evening meeting with meal on 24th June.  The Board has recommended that we make this a bit of a celebration and ask members attending to dress up.  Following a suggestion from District we want to hear from all of our members if they are happy to recommence face-to-face meetings from June.  For those who may prefer not to meet face-to-face, we will offer contact via Zoom, once a month – usually at the Business meeting.  Can all members please respond to the club secretary to indicate:

a)       If they are happy to meet face-to-face

b)      If not, are they happy to use Zoom

c)       Any other concerns or suggestions they may have

Please respond to:  dave.coupland@yahoo.co.uk

                                                A propos resuming meals, the Board is recommending to members that they should pay for meals in advance using online banking, or by money transfer at a branch, rather than by cash.  Members should pay monthly in advance.  If you can’t make a meeting, then your balance will be carried over providing you have remembered to tell the Meals Steward beforehand.  The procedure in the past has always been to text the Meals Steward – Robert Sissons  07704 943 605 – by Tuesday 6.00pm.  If any members anticipates any difficulty using the cashless system of paying in advance, please let Dave C know.

AGM 2021:                          This will be an evening meeting from 7.30pm on 27th May – so still subject to pandemic restrictions, and therefore online.  Can Chairs of committees please prepare a brief report and send to the Chairperson (Paul) in advance.  Note also that the Handover Meeting will be on 24th June (Dave C, remember to invite the District representative, Michael Dallon).

Social Meetings:               District has recommended that while we wait to be allowed to resume normal club meetings, we should arrange informal social get-togethers outside, under the Rule of Six.  We did this last year.  Pat is going to co-ordinate this, and will send an email to the membership asking who is prepared to attend and/or host afternoon teas in the garden.  Pat has a number of other ideas in mind; she wants to see when Whitstable Theatre will re-open, or when we could go boating on the Stour.  Other ideas suggested included: adventure golf at Quex Park; an evening visit to Wildwood to see the animals.

Internal Committees:     Lesley reminded everyone that here is an expectation that all members should be on a committee.  So, if you are approached by a committee chair you should try to say yes.  If you have a particular interest you can approach a chair and ask to be on their committee.  If you have been on the same committee for a while, you might want to think about a change.  Lesley is asking committee chairs to arrange a meeting soon.

International:                    Andrew confirmed that he has done another virtual presentation about Walk4Water to St Peters School.  There are still a couple of schools he hasn’t heard back from.  Hampton school have asked for a real-time presentation from David M.

                At our last meeting we discussed a donation towards the cost of water filters for schools in Bhutan, using a District grant to match fund a donation.  The deadline for applying for grants is not until September, so the Board has deferred this decision for now.

Any Other Business:        Lesley said that she is proposing to re-start the tradition of asking members to do a Life Talk.  We have newer members who would find it interesting to know more about their colleagues.  She has asked a number of people about this, and they have all said yes so far.  We are talking about 10-15 minutes at a breakfast meeting.

                                                We have received a letter from St Vincent de Paul catholic church thanking us for our £200 donation.  SVP also received an anonymous donation of an additional £100.

                                                Godfrey said that he has spoken to Gordon who is feeling really well at present.  Everyone wished Gordon well.

                                                Lesley confirmed that her charities for her year will include SNAAP and Food Friends.  We will also provide food hampers to the Umbrella Centre from our Christmas food collection.

                                                When can we have a collection for TWAM (Tools with a Mission for Africa)?  Probably not until after restrictions are relaxed from May 17th.  Andrew reminded all members to be aware if a neighbour is moving / having a clear out and might donate tools.  Andrew can store some.

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                (Dave C says that his Broadband connection dropped out at this point, so he missed a few minutes of the meeting.  If there is anything to add to the notes here can someone let him know.)

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                                                Lesley said that she has designated an evening meeting next February as Charter night.  Charter night really is in May, but May is a busy period.  Our original charter is from 2004.

                                                Re Carers UK, Lesley has told them she is willing to act as a post box but not as an ambassador – she has too much else to do.  She does have a number of leaflets which are about pointing carers to possible sources of help.  Kathy said she can be an ambassador.

                                                Godfrey confirmed that we are well covered for car parking on Sunday.  Suggestion that we might use Face book or the local Borstal Hill Community app to publicise when we are doing the car parking.  Perhaps Robert could help with this?

                                                Margaret said that as a new member she was asked to complete a survey from Rotary, including questions about diversity.  She said this was not easy since she hasn’t met most of us yet.

                                                Lesley reported that the Garden of Remembrance at All Saints was vandalised recently.  Lesley rang Simon the vicar, but the mess had already been cleaned up.  She has told him to contact us if anything similar happens again, and we will do what we can to help.

                                                Has anyone heard from Reggie lately?  Jackie as Almoner is still contacting members who have been out of touch.

Next Meetings:

Club Meeting:  Thursday 22nd April @ 7.30pm online

Club Meeting: Thursday 5th May @ 8.00am online

Board Meeting:  Wednesday 19th May @ 7.30pm online

Club Meeting: Thursday 20th May @ 7.30pm

'What We Do' Main Pages:

Our GDP policy covering our Club and Rotary Club of Chestfield Trust Fund, Charity activities

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International Committee

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Community & Vocational Committee

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Social Committee

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Club Protection and Health and Safety

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Club President Elect and Membership Officer

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Fund Raising Committee

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Rotary Foundation - our International Charity

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Our Club President for 2013/14

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Our Secretary helps keep the Club in line!

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Club Treasure - looks after Club and Charity funds raised by the Club

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This is where we interact with younger members of our Community.

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