Club Meeting at Ashmores

10th March 2022 The District Governor – Martyn Bye

DG Martyn began his talk with his own background, putting the concept that any ‘normal’ person could become a DG, however, when you heard his story, it put a different picture.

He was born in Cambridge and had to move about quite a lot as his father progressed in his Insurance career, so Ipswich next, then Norwich, eventually becoming an apprentice electrician following his schooling. He worked for Mercury Signs who made neon signs for various organisations.  Eventually meeting his now wife and they decided to live in Nottingham, from where she originated.  There he joined LV Pannells (Pannell Signs) in a similar business, showing the ‘Home of the best Ales ‘that he was responsible for in Daybrook. The company wanted to expand their operation & the cost of a laser machine proved prohibitive.  So with the help of Nottingham Trent University, they made their own machine (Pacer).  It was so successful that they formed a company to manufacture these machines, which eventually was taken over by a Canadian company AXYZ, but that required him to go to Burlington every 6 weeks to their Head Office.  Not good for family life, so Martyn, with his software knowledge formed a company doing ‘people counting’, which gained an International reputation such that one project was at Sydney University, but controlled from Kimberley! He also had a spell as Chairman of Mansfield RB Housing Association….so one can see, not an ordinary man, but quite the entrepreneur.

He then moved on to the normal “message from the ‘top man’”. Shekar Mehta, The RI President, who’s theme is “Serve to change Lives” and despite the issues associated with Covid he suggested the DG’s would be “Change maker Governors”!    Most of Martyn’s activity being confined to Zoom meetings, including a 12 day training course outlining the encouragement of “Diversity; Equity and Inclusion” and the strategy that we need to grow more to do more. Although our worldwide numbers are now down to 1.1 million. We still have 67 Clubs in District 1220, although with 5 fewer members, currently.

He went on to elaborate on various programmes: Walk on Water, World Earth Day 22^nd April, Empowering Girls (Sewing machine Courses in India), Youth is the future (RYLA was mentioned, how impressed he was when attending, but not surprised at the youth’s impressions of Rotarians: “Old; grey and eating”).  He has devised a competition to raise money for “End Polio now”, with a £5 entry fee to guess his carbon footprint (miles driven, hours on Zoom..) Some discussion took place on Ukraine and what Rotary can do to help which is under review, having had conversations with Taylors Transport at Huthwaite who are sending 7 truckloads of clothing and other essential to Poland at a cost of £35k fuel costs.

He mentioned that the future involves regional clusters, of which we are in the Midlands Cluster with Districts 1050, 1070 & 1210.  President Gordon thanked Martyn for his informative and absorbing presentation, which he was particularly interested in Martyn’s background and asked members to show their appreciation in the normal manner.                                               AR