General Meeting - Live

ROTARY CLUB OF CHESTFIELD

Breakfast Meeting 07.45 for 8.00am Thursday 4^th August 2022 @ the Golf Club

Present:               Nick, David K, Godfrey, Spyros, Pippa, Jean M, Andrew M, Maureen, Dave C, Lesley, Pete, Pat, Margaret, Kathy, Elaine, Chris, Reggie, Robert, Marian.

Apologies:           David M, Hilary, Iain, Myfanwy, Sue, Trevor, David B, Andrew b, Paul.

No Zoom today:

Guests:                Gerry Lennon

                                James Kirby from Crossroads

Grace:                   Andrew M

BREAKFAST

Pat:                        Pat welcomed today’s guests.  Just a few items today to catch up on any developments.  Pat reminded anyone arranging tea parties to let her know, so she can circulate it.  Dave C confirmed the Tea by the Sea was all systems go.  Gardening at the Whit & Tank is this week end.

                                Godfrey & Nick have managed to sell some more tickets for the Race Night.  It appears no-one else present has sold any.  Regarding the Golf Day, some more sponsorship and raffle prizes have come in.  No sheet in the folder so we are not sure if any more helpers are needed.

                                District are meeting tonight to decide about the grant for Ismail University, Ukraine.

AoB:                      Pippa said she has had a message from Iain.  He will come to the next evening meeting, but can’t make breakfasts at the moment.  He has just had an operation for a melanoma on his arm, which was successful.

Greeting from Other Clubs:          None this week.  Dave C had a curry last night with Ron & Irene, and passed on the latter’s regards.

Crossroads:        James explained first that his role is not just about drumming up financial support, but also about raising awareness of the need. 

                                Yes, there is a link between the name of the charity and the 1970’s soap.  In one episode of the latter, Meg whose son Sandy is in a wheelchair is given respite help.  Carers then rang the station asking where they could get similar help.  The answer was – ‘Nowhere, we made it up.’  This provoked volunteers to set up the original charity in Birmingham, and it has now spread to various parts of the UK.

                                James said there are some 7,000 unpaid carers in Kent, looking after family members, some as young as five years old.  In the UK as a whole it is estimated that unpaid carers save the economy £132 billion pa.

                                A very common situation now is a carer looking after a family member who has dementia; what is not commonly known is that people with dementia don’t sleep, which is exhausting for the carer.  So, respite can afford such carers a few hours each week to recharge.  Another situation is when the carer becomes ill and needs to go to hospital.  Crossroads can provide crisis care so that the person with dementia can be looked after safely in the familiar surroundings of home.

                                Crossroads will work with young carers so they get space to do their schoolwork, or attend a club night so they can spend time with their peers.  Family deprivation and being a young carer tend to go together, so Crossroads offers young carers activities, trips out etc which they might not otherwise be able to afford.  This is often working with Children in Need.

                                James will let us have details of a fund raising Quiz Night (which is adjacent in the calendar to our own).

Raffle:                   Won by Kathy

Master-at-Arms:              Nick told us that today is India Pale Ale day, also Assistance Dog day.  Tomorrow is international Beer Day.

Final Toast:         by Nick

Next Meeting(s):

Board Meeting, 7.00pm Tuesday 9^th August 2022 @ Nick’s house

Breakfast Meeting 07.45 for 08.00am Thursday 11^th August 2022 @ the Golf Club