President AnnE's Weekly Blog - Weeks 9 to 13. (September)

Week no13

Blowing bubbles after 7 (or was it 50) mile walk

Our individual steps are so few as to seem insignificant but, walk with 6 friends and 7 miles becomes nearly 50 miles. Which is what we walked on Saturday with Anne Griffin and members and friends of other Rotary Clubs (Bradford Bronte and Bingley Airedale) Anne had organized this “Walk of Hope” to raise money and spread awareness of braintumourresearch.org  

For me, my own club forms the hub of my Rotary wheel from where I can reach out to like-minded members of any other club, wherever they are - in Bradford, as here on our walk along the beautiful Rodley to Saltaire section of the Leeds Liverpool canal, or internationally in Malawi. My hope is that we shall work together much more – we have the perfect set-up to do this with nine clubs in the Bradford area – and exponentially increase our impact on the world around us.

Our pre-covid plans had to be shelved, during covid “bubbles” were bursting and causing stress and chaos to everyone, but now I am looking forward to blowing Rotary bubbles which will burst and shower everyone with good ideas and the energy and enthusiasm to work together.
This week’s quote:- 
“Individually we are one drop. Together we are an Ocean” (Ryunosuke Satoro).

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Week 12

Meet the mascot tea party

Our lovely Mascot has no hesitation in approaching new people or dogs, not yet having learned that not everyone is comfortable with full on slobbery love from a huge, clumsy, gentle puppy!

I know this is often the opposite for us humans - we give some thought before approaching a new group of people and realize this can be a daunting encounter.

So our Rotary Club had our first tentative “party” this week where our new members could meet face to face in a social setting with longstanding members, and with our Mascot, Jenga.
 
I so well remember when I first joined Rotary how daunting it was to be the new girl amongst so many well-established friends. In those pre - IT days the club published a booklet featuring each member’s details and photo. I carried this with me for the first year and consulted it all the time until I eventually I knew who was who!

So I am reminded how difficult it must be for new members these days when everything is on line and there is no little booklet to clutch and study before each daunting meeting. 

And now, post covid, when our members are eventually meeting face to face, it is easy to get so involved in catching up with our old friends we forget to spend time getting to know the newer members and make them feel valued and involved. 

Which brings me to this week’s quote
“How you make others feel about themselves says a lot about you”.
 

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Week 11

No doggy mascot this week, but there is energy and wisdom prompted by April’s arrival in September. 

I am sure I am not alone in finding being with the younger generation stimulating and enjoyable. I love their energy and enthusiasm. 
Admittedly, as all Grandparents know, the very youngest generation can be exhausting too, especially when accompanied by a monster puppy mascot, but isn’t this more than equally matched by the joy they give?

This week, we are delighted to welcome April into our home. She is one of 9 mature postgrad students sponsored by Rotary International about to start a 15 month degree in Peace Studies at Bradford University, one of only 6 Universities in the world to run this course. https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/peace-fellowships

April will soon find her own accommodation and we shall miss her when she does!

So my thought for this week is provided by Mehmet Murat ildan:

“Old people have wisdom but not energy, young people have energy but not wisdom: energy and wisdom must be in the same body to create a much better civilisation! To do this we will either give energy to the old or we will give wisdom to the young and for now the latter seems a more plausible action!” 

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Week 10

Sink or Swim

Our mascot has taken the plunge!
Now is the moment we find out whether she can, in fact, swim.
We have every confidence that she can, but, just in case, she has a life jacket on and a nearby hand to rescue her if needs be.
Now it is entirely down to her - an exciting moment!

And this can be applied to our Rotary Club, or to anyone facing new challenges or opportunities. 

We have had the courage to take the plunge and try a new way of working. We could simply rely on the lifejacket and stand still, or we could grab the outstretched hand to pull us back to our old and more comfortable ways. But how rewarding it would be if we follow our mascot’s example, put in the effort, find out we can swim and emerge exhilarated, shaking off the water in joyful celebration of a whole new opportunity realised.

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Week 9

The further adventures of our mascot. Risk assessed and ready to go - sadly, not very far! 

Great expectations this week as we set off on our first narrow boat holiday in so long, Mascot’s maiden voyage with the highlight being the completion of the 2nd of 20 of the club’s Silver Propeller Challenges, meeting up with the Sidekicks in  Liverpool Docks. bit.ly/SilverPropChallenge

“So near and yet so far” is always true when travelling at 4mph on our English canals, but even more true of this voyage.

This is the 4th year running we have tried to move further afield than our moorings near Skipton – 1st year thwarted by too much water in the canal system, 2nd year too little water, 3rd year water levels perfect but not allowed on boat due to Covid. So, as we neared our goal, what could possibly go wrong this time? Answer – a broken lock preventing our passage into Liverpool!

So, for the 4th year running, we were disappointed. But ,as we turned around and snailed our way homewards, we realised that, in actual fact, our moorings are on the most beautiful stretch of the Leeds Liverpool canal and, for sheer pleasure and escapism we need go no further afield!

A reminder to appreciate what we have before it becomes what we had!