Continued on Page 13

Plus Ça Change, Plus C’est La Même Chose An addendum to the Bill &

Melinda Gates Annual letter - see Page 9 for more detail

Rotary’s Polio Efforts Praised by Bill and Melinda Gates

District 1080’s wish, as expressed at our District Council Meeting in the Autumn, to bring an end to the cycle

of large losses on the RIBI Annual Conference was frustrated when the delegates at the Annual Business Meeting failed to support Resolution 16/17:07 put forward (on behalf of the General Council) by our own District Governor Derek Rothwell.Our original resolution, put forward to the General Council, sought to limit the programme of the Annual Conference to a single day featuring the Annual Business Meeting alone, together with any associated information sessions. Unfortunately, the General Council saw fit to ‘morph’ this into a resolution that called for the discontinuance of the Conference and its replacement by an unspecified event aimed at achieving external publicity. To nobody’s great surprise, the delegates present (who, by and large, were people who like going to Conference) did not go along with that and threw it out. During the debate, the Conference Director for next

year’s event in Torquay stood up and roundly declared that his conference would make a profit - a statement that was repeated by the RIBI President Elect, Denis Spiller when he took part in our District Assembly at Lynford Hall on 29th April.Earlier in the ABM proceedings, the GC had put forward another resolution (04) that had a bearing on the format of the Annual Conference. This resolution proposed holding a “face to face business meeting every third year” with an on-line meeting in the other two years - this was carried.The combination of these two results threw up the fascinating prospect (since the ABM has to be held at the same time as the Conference) of the ABM Chair and the other principal officers being taken into a closed session when the ABM is wholly on-line and the delegates who might be at the conference having to access a computer in order to see them and take part.As your Editor, I wrote to various RIBI Officers pointing this out and questioning how it was all going to take place and, after some

debate, the opinion appeared to have been formed that, since this is clearly ridiculous, there would be no change and that all ABMs will continue in the same format as they are at present - hence the headline to this article.Since an on-line ABM was supposed to save £20,000 in any given year, one supposes that there might be some knock-on effect on the three-year financial plan.During a Q&A session held during our District Assembly, President Elect Spiller revealed that, at its meeting earlier in the week, the RIBI Executive had given the matter some thought and decided that the 2018 ABM to be held in Torquay will be a hybrid event in that the ABM will be held on the usual lines with

Or Possibly Not, Nobody’s Really Sure

May 2017 - Page 1Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080

District 1080 NewsVolume 6 Issue 11

District Governor: Derek Rothwell (R/C of Woodbridge Deben)

Editor: Rodney Howell (R/C of Diss Waveney)

Rotarywww.rotary1080.org.uk

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Derek’sDiscourseStraight from the Governor’s Desk

April has been a varied month for your District Governor. It got off to a fantastic start with the Purple Ball

arranged by the Rotary Clubs of Diss Waveney and Harleston. It was a special event that raised a huge amount of money - £8,000 for Purple4Polio, I understand. How is your fundraising for Purple4Polio getting on? I hope you will be able to send your money raised to RFUK in the next few weeks. Don’t forget to use the correct form, that is the one that includes Purple4Polio in its listing.

My next visit was to the Rotary Club of Norwich Marchesi’s Charter night. Marchesi is a smallish club but their event provided them with plenty of fellowship and it was fun. This reminds me of one of my speeches where I ask how we introduce Rotary to the many people who apparently do not know who we are. You need a good answer that tells them that Rotary supports and serves communities

and, importantly, that its members have lots of fun.

You will know that the main event of the month was the RIBI Conference in Manchester. RIBI President Eve Conway did a great job in preparing an interesting conference in a good location. It was disappointing that RI President John Germ wasn’t able to join us, due to a family bereavement, but Jennifer Jones stood in for him and gave a very inspirational performance and this meant that the running order had to be adjusted. As is often the case, Deirdre and I were running late entering the conference hall on Saturday only to catch up with Eve. We slowed down then but that will be an enduring memory! Eve engaged good speakers and made a point of presenting each of them with a Purple4Polio Teddy as a reminder of the project and of Rotary’s commitment to eradicating Polio in the world.

The main event on Saturday afternoon was the Annual Business Meeting and this was chaired by Tom Griffin and assisted by Dorothy Pulsford-Harris and they are both of this district. We heard an extended report from the RIBI Treasurer and a very detailed report from the RIBI President Elect Denis Spiller so it was rather late when we got to the resolutions. I presented the resolution to discontinue the annual conference and this motion failed. An earlier motion to amend the timing of the business meeting succeeded and so it would appear that face- to-face business meetings will only be held every three years. However, the RIBI Constitutions Committee has examined the result and, because the resolution to discontinue the conference failed, was of the opinion that there is no sense in changing the business meeting. Hence, the overall result is ‘no change’.I’d like to make a couple of observations. The first is that the resolution proposed by D1080 limited itself to discontinuing the conference and additional words were added by General Council. However, I have my doubts that the original words would have succeeded any better. I think the principal reason my resolution failed is because we mainly asked people who were at the conference to vote for it to cease. It needed more Rotarians online, who I think would be more likely to vote for the motion, and, given that it was well after 5pm when the matter was discussed, I’m pretty certain that many of the online voters would have reached for a beer. So my view is that, until there is a real desire to cease the RIBI conference and appropriate measures are taken, you can be sure that the conference will continue. A final thought – why did this issue arise now? Because it was thought that the conference would make a thumping loss. I doubt whether the Manchester loss will be any different to usual. I’m pleased to tell

you that, at the conference, Denis and his conference director took up the challenge to break even in Torquay. I will be supporting Denis in Torquay and I hope you will too.

Just after the last District Council meeting, I received a letter from the Rotary Club of Whittlesey containing a number of questions about the RIBI finances. I thought the letter sufficiently important, given the heat that was being generated in D1080, to ask RIBI President Elect Denis Spiller to comment. I also passed the letter to the Editor of D1080 News as requested by the Rotary Club of Whittlesey. I understand the Editor has discussed the matter with Whittlesey and the matter is closed for the moment. However, Denis Spiller has prepared a response which I think you all need to read. The response contains some of the things he said at the Annual Business Meeting and provides additional detail. Denis is looking to the future of Rotary and the things that he says are important for the survival of this organisation. Unfortunately, Denis’s letter is too long to print so I encourage all of you to click on this the button below which will take you to the letter.

You may wish to read the original letter from Whittlesey and you will find it by clicking on the following button.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Denis for taking the time to reply.Until next time…

Derek RothwellD1080 District Governor

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District 1080 News

DEAR FELLOW ROTARIANSA Message From OurRI President,John Germ

JOHN F. GERMPresident, Rotary International

As you read these lines, final preparations are well underway for our 108th

Rotary International Convention held from 10-14 June in Atlanta. We’re looking forward to one of the biggest and best Rotary conventions yet, as we celebrate not only a wonderful year of Rotary Serving Humanity but also a full century of Doing Good in the World through The Rotary Foundation. If you haven’t already made plans to attend, it’s not too late to register at riconvention.org. There is simply no better way to round off another great year in Rotary than by coming together with 40,000 or so of your fellow Rotarians to share ideas, find inspiration and have a great time together.We’re excited to have Bill Gates, a friend and partner in our work

to eradicate polio, speaking at our convention this year and it’s worth arriving early to attend a special Presidential Peace Conference, scheduled for 9-10 June and featuring Bernice A. King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.I’m proud to host a convention that is practically in my own backyard: Atlanta is a vibrant, modern state capital just a two-hour drive from my home city of Chattanooga, Tennessee and it’s a great place to experience the famous hospitality of the American South. Our Host Organization Committee has a great week planned, starting with the “Blue Jeans and Bluegrass” kickoff event on Saturday night.Come on over to Centennial Olympic Park, right across from the House of Friendship, and get in a dancing mood with Grammy

Award winner Ricky Skaggs and his Kentucky Thunder band. Meet up with friends old and new at the Centennial Celebration Block Party or on the Peace Tour of Atlanta. Roll up your sleeves for the Habitat Home Build or tie up your laces to take part in the 3K Walk/Run to End Polio Now. Finally, before you say goodbye, come back to the House of Friendship for one more party: our Foundation’s 100th birthday party, with (naturally) cake and ice cream.It’s going to be an incredible experience and Judy and I are looking forward to celebrating with you – or, as we say in the South, with y’all! See you in Atlanta!

When Rotary International introduced their Rotary Club Central in 2012, it

revolutionized goal tracking and planning for clubs and districts - no more filling out paper club planning forms or passing along boxes of historical club information every time a new leader took office.Rotary Club Central offered clubs and districts a quantifiable way to begin measuring local and global impact, specifically membership initiatives, service activities and Rotary Foundation giving.But, as with any technological advancement, in a few short years, Rotary Club Central began to show its age, and Rotarians took notice. They wanted a tool that was more robust, faster to use, and easier to navigate. It was time for an upgrade.In July, Rotary International will unveil a new and improved Rotary Club Central. It has been completely redesigned with a fresh, modern interface. Pages load faster, navigation is more intuitive, and easy-to-read charts and graphs make past and current club data more accessible.

Members and club leaders can view trends, plan for the future, and track progress in just minutes. Also, Rotary Club Central offers an individual user experience, allowing club leaders to plan and evaluate what is important to their own clubs, like membership activities or Rotary Citation goals. You can even enter your Rotary Foundation giving goals in local currency.Rotary Club Central is also a great tool for succession planning. Club leaders change annually, so the historical record of goals and achievements eases the transition and ensures continuity. It’s just one way to boost trust between members and club leaders, because everyone has access to the same data and is working together to achieve the same goals.The Rotary Club Central upgrade will happen seamlessly, which means you don’t have to do anything. All data already in the platform will automatically migrate into the new system. Additional updates about the new Rotary Club Central will be posted on My Rotary in the near future.

New Club Planning Tool Coming In Website Revamp

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District 1080 News

The Rotakids idea has never really caught on in D1080 so we are re-printing a Facebook article on the subject by Professor David Brigden of D1180 where they have been enjoying great success in forming new clubs in the hope that some of you may be inspired to take on this route to the new Rotary generation

CATCH THEM YOUNGThe birth of Rotakids

as part of the Rotary Family has probably

been one of the most exciting developments in the Rotary World in the last decade.Rotakids caters for children aged between seven and 12 years old and enables those involved to run their own club (in the same way as any Rotary Club operates) with elected officers (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) and its members serving their school and local community by means of project-based activities (which may or may not fund raise as well). In addition to these, each club is expected to be involved with an activity at international level.Rotakids are the youngest members of the Rotary Family and they provide a unique opportunity for Rotarians, Schools, Parents and Young People to work together. Rotakids believe that achievement, peace and fun go hand in hand and, when a new Club is set up, each Rotakid makes a special promise:• To be fair to all

• To serve my community• To show respect for othersThe Rotary Club of Neston set up the first four Rotakids Clubs in District 1180 and within the next two months District 1180 will have more than 10 clubs up and running.When chartering a new club, each Rotakid is presented with a badge, certificate and wrist band. All of our club members have Rotakids Tee-shirts as well.Rotakids really add to the great work going on in schools. The members learn about leadership and management, how to

generate ideas and, with the help of Rotarians and Teachers, how to make their own decisions. Rotakids also bring an exciting and practical approach to their support of the citizenship element of the curriculum by committing to make a difference in their local community and also around the world.In doing this, each Rotakid will enjoy a boost to their confidence and self-esteem at a key age, as well as learning new skills and developing an understanding of how their

actions can impact on others. This will help to broaden their horizons while making good friends along the way.Each Rotakids Club is supported by a Rotary Club and this partnership ensures that each Rotakid benefits from being a member as they work to improve the lives of others.In essence being a Rotakid brings out the best in those who are members.Fancy setting up a Rotakids Club?Bernard Hindes is the D1080 contact on 01473 221897 or bernardhindes@hotmail.com .

On 28th March, following much discussion between the club members, the

Rotary Club of Cambridge, by unanimous agreement, sent a petition to the President of Rotary International, John Germ and the Board of Directors of RI.In the petition, the club states that it believes that “ the benefits given by RIBI to this and other clubs are doubtful” and asks RI “to satisfy itself that RIBI is both providing and delivering any added value whatsoever” to clubs within these islands.In the accompanying letter, the club asserts that “RIBI is seen as an ‘early last century’ association in a very different 21st-century world, formed to promote [the] extension of the handful of early clubs in the British Isles ... No substantive role has been found for it in the intervening 100 years”. The club also enclosed a copy of the analysis of the 2015 survey of Rotarians’ attitudes to RIBI and the work that it does.The letter, signed on behalf of the club by its President, Peter Jones also states, “I hope you are more successful in obtaining details about how RIBI spends your money than we have been”.D1080 will advise readers on the response in the future.

Cambridge Rotarians Send Petition To RI President John Germ

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District 1080 News

District GovernorDerek RothwellImm.Past DGDorothy Pulsford-HarrisDG ElectRobert LovickDG NomineeDavid SimpsonDistrict SecretaryKeith BosankoDistrict TreasurerPeter SmallAssistant GovernorDavid RichardsonAssistant GovernorBernard ArnoldAssistant GovernorDavid SimpsonAssistant Governor Nigel WordinghamAssistant Governor Jonathan KingAssistant GovernorSimon LakeAssistant GovernorPat WebbAssistant GovernorLindsay Pearson

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Members of the Rotary Club of Saffron Walden have just completed three urgent trips to Yorkshire with

unwanted wheelchairs, Zimmer frames and crutches collected for the Knaresborough-based charity PhysioNet.For the past eighteen months, the Rotary Club has been supporting PhysioNet, which collects unwanted mobility and physiotherapy equipment for distribution to developing countries.After collection and delivery to PhysioNet’s Yorkshire depot, the equipment is checked

and, where necessary, refurbished.The three recent deliveries were to help fill a container of urgently-needed equipment due to leave for Harare in Zimbabwe in the middle of April.John Tapscott, Chairman of the club’s International Committee said, “Over the past eighteen months, members of the local Rotary club have collected almost 40 tons of equipment from hospitals, special schools, residential homes and other charities for delivery to Yorkshire.”

Mobility Equipment Moved To Yorkshire From Saffron Walden In Three-Trip Mission

Saffron Walden Rotarians John Tapscott (left) and Alan Hawkes unload unwanted mobility equipment at PhysioNet’s depot in North Yorkshire. Collections around their area over the

Christmas period have enabled the Saxmundham & District Rotary Club

to donate £2,200 to the Children’s Ward at Ipswich Hospital. The funds will be used to purchase a new Paediatric Ventilator.Having this type of equipment means that

many children do not have to make the long journey to Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge, which helps to ensure that their families are much closer for visits, comfort and support.Club President, Frances Cardy and Rtn Graham Mooney are pictured above handing over the cheque to the Children’s Ward Sister.

Saxmundham’s Christmas Cheer Funds Ventilator For Children’s Ward

With immediate effect, any club wishing to undertake street collections or other fund-raising events for ShelterBox can have the use of “Pop-Up Banners” featuring the Shelterbox-Rotary partnership.The banners are not event-specific but should, at times of disaster, focus the public towards giving. Six “Pop-Ups” will be held across the District for distribution as required. Should individual clubs wish to purchase one for their exclusive use, please contact Malcolm Goodson, Chair of the D1080 International Committee via the button on Page 6.

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District 1080 News

Members of the local business community came together at a

“Purple Ball” held on Saturday 1st April at the Oaksmere Hotel at Brome, near Eye, Suffolk to enjoy themselves and, at the same time, to raise funds to boost the world-wide campaign to rid the globe of the scourge of Polio.The Ball, organized jointly by the Rotary Clubs of Diss Waveney and Harleston, raised £8,000 and this, thanks our arrangement with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, means that a total of £24,000 will be added to the Rotary International “End Polio Now” campaign. It was the first event to be held in a recently installed large events marquee in the grounds of the Oaksmere

Hotel, which is itself undergoing a full refurbishment and extension development which will provide an exciting new restaurant and kitchen

opening in mid-May.The venue’s purple theme arose from the way in which the fact that a child has been immunized is marked by dipping their little finger in purple dye. Guests were greeted on arrival with a glass of Prosecco to be followed by a gourmet four-course dinner, during which they were entertained by a display of

ballroom dancing and an operatic soprano. A charity auction and raffle was followed by dancing to the Lee Vasey Band until the end of the evening.The President of the Diss Waveney Rotary Club said, “Although our Rotary club has only been recently formed, with our partnership with the Rotary Club of Harleston and

the management of the Oaksmere Hotel, we have shown that we have the members to make a success of this, our first major project”.Robin Twigge, President of the Rotary Club of Harleston and MC for the evening added, “We are extremely grateful to the members of the local business community who sponsored parts of the event as well as giving generously during their attendance on the evening”.Top left and above: The decor and place settings mirrored the purple them and the lighting continued this when the dancing started (left)

£24,000 Goes To End Polio Now Thanks To Purple Ball

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District 1080 News

Comm/VocNick CorkeInternationalMalcolm GoodsonYouth ServicesBill RedmayneMarketing & PRMartin BrocklebankRotary FoundationIan GrahamMembershipMartin BrocklebankLeadership & TrainingJohn Samuel

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The Rotary Club of Cambridge works hand in hand with the Rotary Club of Helderberg,

Western Cape, South Africa to help the desperate literacy problem amongst mainly black disadvantaged children.Of these children, 60 percent can neither read or write when they leave school. They are condemned to low wage employment (if it can be found) and a life of poverty, organised and petty crime, alcohol, drugs abuse, AIDs, prostitution and even pornography.Earlier this year, members of the Cambridge Club visited the schools involved in a special scheme that they are supporting to help improve things and were very impressed with progress. The group comprised Rotarians Ed Coe, Sally

and Jim Stewart and Rosemary Turner together with spouses.Since 2009, the Helderberg Rotary Club has been supporting a programme called “Literacy for All” that is based on books which enable the children to learn to read much quicker.Two years ago, the Rotary Club of Cambridge decided to support the scheme and has committed itself to spending £10,500 over three years to purchase special text books known as Kagiso Readers.

Improving Life’s ChancesPaul Archer, the Secretary of

the Association of Circus Proprietors of Great Britain

has written to all Rotary Clubs to state that “as a gesture to give something back to the many local communities that member circuses visit in each calendar year, the Association have decided to give Rotary Clubs the opportunity to organise bucket collections at the end of every single performance on tour”.This follows a trial carried out at the Blackpool Tower Circus, which turned out to be a tremendous success. If your Rotary Club and would like to take part, then contact the member Circus as soon as you see posters appear in your town. When you make contact, check with the management to confirm

approximate times of the end of the performance and then make sure you have one or two Rotarians to collect.Some form of proof of identity will be needed together with a copy of the letter sent to clubs via our district secretary. Not all Circuses in the UK are members of the Association, however it is hoped to raise significant amounts in the coming year to make this an important and pioneering chance for Rotary and Circus to make a difference.

The member circuses are: • Circus Wonderland• Gerry Cottles Circus• John Lawsons Circus• Moscow State Circus• Russell’s International Circus• Zippo’s Circus

Tin Shake?Then Send In The Clowns

Members of the Rotary Club of Littleport are undertaking a sponsored walk along the Peddars Way over 19th-21st May. The charity being supported is the East Anglian Children’s Hospice and the club has set up a page on JustGiving , accessible via this button:

If you need further information, please contact Tony direct on tonywinch1@talktalk.net .

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District 1080 News

D1080 News EditorRodney HowellEnvironment OfficerKeith ToveyRYLARobin WraightRotaractFrancis FobbieSafeguarding OfficerCatherine ForsdikeInteractBill RedmayneH&S,Equality,DiversityMarian RandellConference DirectorDiane HarberClub VisioningChris Whipp

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Disclaimer: Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor or RIBI. Every effort is made to

ensure that the magazine’s contents are accurate. Information is published in good faith but no liability can be accepted

for inconvenience arising from error or omission. The editor reserves the right to edit for clarity or length. Contributors must ensure that all material submitted is not in breach of copyright

or other laws.

We welcome all contributions from individual members and clubs covering events and activities throughout the year.

Wherever possible, please supply copy in an editable format by email and include any images as attachments in as high a

resolution as possible.

Sudbury Rotary Club welcomed another 700 Year-Six youngsters from 28 local schools during a week towards the

end of March to its eighteenth Crucial Crew, bringing the overall total to around 11,000 since the activity was launched 18 years ago. Unlike other Crucial Crews in Suffolk, which are organised by the various District Councils, Sudbury Crucial Crew is funded, organised and run totally by the Rotary Club.Schools were invited to come along to either a morning or afternoon session during Crucial Crew week. Their pupils were divided into ten groups of 7 or 8 children, and they were guided around a circus of ten different 14-minute scenarios by Rotarians, partners and friends. After an initial introduction, the children’s attention was grabbed with an attempted abduction, when they were left alone as a group for a couple of minutes, during which time a ‘workman’ came along carrying a lot of boxes, which were dropped

and a request was made for help to take the boxes to a car. For the first time our ‘workman’ was female and she succeeded in leading away a few youngsters every time, before they were escorted back by a police officer, who warned them all of the dangers of going off with a stranger.This year saw a significant number of changes, with three completely new scenarios being introduced. Tesco (Sudbury) organised and ran an activity to promote healthy eating and personal hygiene, where the need for clean hands when touching food was emphasised before the children were given advice about a balanced diet and invited to select from a range of appropriate foods. There was then an opportunity to eat their choice, which proved to be very popular. The Dog’s Trust provided the second new scenario, where a representative of the Trust taught the youngsters about when not to approach a dog and also how they could best

stroke a dog (with the owner’s permission).The third new scenario, following requests from the schools, dealt with staying safe on the internet. This was organised by our local Police Community Support Officers, who transformed a room into a child’s bedroom, with posters, soft toys and even a bed, to highlight the dangers associated with social media websites. It was incredible to see the concentration on children’s faces as they cuddled the toys and watched the CEOP video.Our ‘Water Safety’ scenario was given a total ‘make-over’ by members of Ipswich Lifesaving Club, who provided a completely inter-active experience, with the children rescuing each other from an imaginary lake with the use of a piece of wood, a jumper, a cricket bat and lengths of rope. We would like to thank all of the helpers, who made these new scenarios such a success.The usual mix of regular scenarios completed the programme, with Suffolk Fire Service once again using their ever-popular mock-up of a child’s bedroom to great effect to point out areas of potentially high fire risk, before simulating a fire with theatrical smoke and rescue by a fireman wearing full breathing apparatus.

UK Power Networks returned with a small-scale version of their interactive display, which showed the dangers associated with electricity and the likely consequences to the unwary. There was an opportunity to make a ‘999-call’ to our own emergency

operators and youngsters were also taught some first aid and how to move someone to the ‘recovery position’, as well as being given advice on staying safe on the road.Thomas Gainsborough School once again allowed twelve Year 10 drama pupils to join us in two ‘shifts’, working alongside the contingent of PCSO’s, to act as anti-social youths and drug users giving an extra dimension to the final scenario, as it allowed the police to discuss and explain correct behaviour, depending on how the groups of children responded to the situation. It was interesting to hear that many of the actors had themselves been through Crucial Crew a few years ago.So that the lessons learned are reinforced, each pupil has access to material that supports continued learning at home and in the classroom via the Sudbury Crucial Crew website, which also provides key information for teachers prior to their visit.To be successful, the project requires a terrific additional commitment from Rotarians, friends and anyone who can be encouraged to come along and help.In all, around 80 people helped with at least one session, including a number of Rotarians from other local clubs, many of whom enjoy the experience so much that they return year after year. Our thanks go to all those who helped so willingly and in so many ways.The whole event is organised, funded and run by the Sudbury Rotary Club and thanks are due to our many sponsors, too numerous to list here.No sooner has the one event finished than we are planning for next year - so if you would like to come and see what happens, or even better lend a hand, make a note to keep 23rd - 27th April 2018 clear and pay us a visit.David Taylor,Crucial Crew Co-ordinator,Sudbury Rotary Club.

Sudbury’s18 Years Of

Crucial Crew

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District 1080 News

Good news - There are funds still available from this year’s Foundation District Grant Funds for Clubs to

claim to use on a humanitarian project that they wish to carry out before Oct 2017.You must follow the normal system (it’s not that bad):• Fill in my form (very short and easy). • The project must fall within the

Foundation’s Six Areas of Focus (it’s hard to find one that would not).

• It must have Rotarian involvement (sorry, but we do not fundraise for other charities).

• We will match up to £500 for each club in the project (easy money).

So please get in touch with me on foundationchair@rotary1080.org.uk or phone 01263733401 or 07766548475 .Ian GrahamD1080 Foundation Support Team Chair

District Grants Are Still Available

The Rotary Club of Felixstowe have recently

inducted two new members:Doug Pipe (top left) and Bryan Boreham (pictured bottom left).“We are bucking the trend”, claims club correspondent Graham Boast.

Two New Members Inducted At Felixstowe Rotary International President 2017/8 ian

Riseley has challenged every Rotarian throughout the world to plant a tree

between 1st July 2017 and 22 April 2018.If successful, that would mean 1,200,000 new trees being planted around the world to reduce the world’s carbon emissions. In RIBI that would mean planting 50,000 resulting in a saving of 125 tonnes of CO2 per year. In District 1080, the challenge would be to plant 2,000 trees in 2017-18.In RIBI, there is a further incentive to the challenge through the generosity of the Rodney Huggins Family Trust which is offering a special one-off award of £250 to the Club (or Clubs jointly) best carrying out this task.Entries for this will need to be send to Rodney Huggins on Rod2H@aol.com by 30 April 2018 including the following evidence:

• Photographic evidence of the tree planting

• Their location with Grid Reference• The number and ages of the people

involved• The types of tree planted• The size of trees planted• The number of trees planted• The nature of the area covered – i.e. a

linear sting of trees or a cluster• The date(s) when the planting has been

done• Plans for the long-term maintenance of

the planted area

Other criteria taken into consideration in the judging will be the originality of any tree planting scheme carried out and the

total number of Rotarians in the Club (Clubs) involved.Advice about this initiative may be obtained from District Environment Officer, Keith Tovey (keith.tovey@ntlworld.com ).

You Could Win £250 In The Rotary Tree Planting Challenge 2017/8

Every year, Bill and Melinda Gates publish an annual letter to broaden awareness and interest in key global health

and development programs. This year’s Annual Letter mentioned polio among their foundation’s ongoing efforts to fight disease and inequality, specifically, the incredible progress that’s been made towards polio eradication. Melinda Gates offers these kind words to reaffirm the important role Rotary has had leading the way to a polio-free world:“We’re awed by the teams of vaccinators who take risks to reach each child. And we’re inspired by the infinite persistence of Rotary International. They were leading this fight

long before we joined it, and they’ve just kept moving forward.”She goes on to say, “They know going from 350,000 cases to 37 is amazing, but success is zero.” Even though a handful of polio cases have been reported this year, there is a chance these are the last cases of polio in history. This June, Bill Gates will speak at the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA to discuss how we can — and will — end polio together.

Rotary’s Praise From Gates Foundation

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District 1080 News

There are many things we do as Rotarians, particularly in meetings, which really serve no practical purpose. They are

just tradition. How was it decided over 100 years ago that Rotary club presidents wore ‘blingy’ collars around their necks? How was it decided that a sergeant-at-arms would tell dodgy jokes and collect fines from members? How was it decided that we would hold our glasses in the air and “toast” someone or something? Singing, praying, the ringing of bells? What was going on in society way back then that made these rituals so important?

Well, I wasn’t there, and I don’t know, but the bigger question is, why are they still observed today?I guess there’s a certain romance and nostalgia to tradition. When something is considered best practice, it’s quite reasonable that it be passed on to the next generation. But I don’t see best practice in any of these things. I suppose they all seemed like a good idea at the time.My personal Rotary journey has been one of massive change. From joining the ranks out of Rotaract in 1997, where I viewed Rotary as

a more grown-up, serious version of Rotaract and would dare not question club practices, I found myself growing into more senior positions in the club. Eventually I served as the Rotary Club of Edwardstown’s President in 2006/07 and, suddenly, I had quite a bit of influence within the club. It was around that time that I started to question our traditions and, not long after, led something of a revolt against them. We soon dropped many of the Rotary rituals, starting with the singing of the National Anthem, then the toasts, and eventually the Rotary Grace disappeared as well. None without a struggle mind you. I don’t seriously think any of those things were missed. Then I joined the Rotary Club of Seaford when it chartered last November, where I now experience Rotary without a sergeant, weekly meetings, compulsory meals, regular guest speakers, bells, banners, collars, collection boxes, and many other things that had been part of my Rotary experience for 19 years.And guess what? I feel my current Rotary experience is as active and productive as it has ever been - maybe more so. We are helping our local and international communities, we are sending young people to Rotary leadership events, we are building a network of community leaders, we are training our members, we are working hard to raise funds for future projects. Most importantly, we are growing. We are doing all that stuff that I feel is really important in Rotary, but we aren’t being held back by all the things that aren’t.And that’s where I draw a line on traditions. It’s not just that many of our traditions no longer serve a useful purpose, it’s that they are holding us back. To many potential members, they are relics of a bygone era. They remind them of things their grandparents used to do.One of my favourite authors and Rotary commentators, Michael McQueen says in his book Winning the Battle for Relevance: “The

longer a boat is in water, the more barnacles build up over time to the point where they can significantly reduce a boat’s speed, agility and efficiency. In order to combat this, boats must have their hulls scraped on a regular basis. In an organisational context, it is critical that leaders routinely and consciously scrape off traditions and rituals that have become encrusted like barnacles.”I encourage you all to look at those things you do in Rotary. If there are better ways, we must find them.

But it’s Mark Huddleston, D9520 Membership Chair in Adelaide, Australia has been looking at some long-standing club rituals.Tradition...

Could your club benefit from the removal of a few barnacles?

May 2017 - Page 10Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080Page Flip

District 1080 News

Foundation Committee ChairIan GrahamHumanitarian GrantsSteve MunnsRotary ScholarsTony PlattFinance & GrantsChris JohnsonSecretaryPat MordeyPolio Eradication CoordinatorDavid PrichardTRF Club Goal SettingGreg PeckStewardship ChairTom GriffinPeace OfficerPat Webb

D1080Foundation Committee

Click on the symbol to send an email

Tips From Your Legal EaglesThis month’s topic deals with keeping the possible legal redress where a diagnosis of an

asbestos-related disease has been made.Rotarian Alan Brown, Deputy CEO and Partner in Ashtons Legal explains

Asbestos Disease is still claiming lives

The ‘1 Scheme’ from Ashtons Legal provides a benefit scheme for District 1080 members and their families whereby they enjoy a special 10% discount on legal services. This includes individual client services, the majority of which are provided at fixed fees.For every matter completed, Ashtons Legal will make a 5% contribution to ‘End Polio Now’ or, alternatively, a Rotarian can choose to forego their 10% discount and opt instead for the monetary equivalent to be donated to the ‘End Polio Now’ by Ashtons Legal.

Rotarians from Ashtons Legal are happy to come and talk to clubs about the

scheme - please contact Bez Baker at bez.baker@ashtonslegal.co.uk or telephone

01284 727019 to arrange.The ‘1 Scheme’ discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount

already in place or on offer from Ashtons Legal.

Alan Brown

Head of Individual Services

Ashtons Legal

Currently 4,500 people in the UK die each year

from asbestos related diseases, of which over 2,500 die from mesothelioma, a fatal form of lung cancer caused by inhalation of asbestos dust. Other asbestos diseases include asbestos related lung cancer, pleural thickening which causes breathlessness and asbestosis a fibrosis of the lung, which can also lead to death.Most people who have been exposed to asbestos never suffer any illness, but those who do develop symptoms 20, 30 or 40 years later, are diagnosed during retirement or whilst working to care for families. It is no longer only construction workers, plumbers and carpenters who are being diagnosed, in the last decade an increasing number of teachers, former pupils and nurses have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, showing you do not need to work directly with asbestos to be at future risk.When someone is diagnosed with an asbestos disease they should contact a solicitor to seek specialist legal advice about bringing a legal claim against their former employer.

Where an employer or their insurer cannot be traced, we can assist in applying for compensation under the diffuse mesothelioma payment scheme. At the very least we assist all clients in applying for weekly benefits and secure lump sum awards under the government schemes for industrial diseases. Our team at Ashtons are highly trained in preparing benefit applications and, together with the Anglia Asbestos Disease Support Group, work tirelessly for clients, providing support throughout their claim.The shock of being diagnosed with any asbestos disease can cause huge anxiety and we work hard to achieve in-lifetime settlements, giving peace of mind and

financial security to our clients. We regularly obtain interim payments of £50,000 using the specialist procedure set up by the Royal Courts of Justice and just recently secured a settlement of £277,000 for a gentleman diagnosed with mesothelioma. Although compensation does not take away the illness, we find this financial assistance makes it easier for clients to attend medical appointments, put in

place plans to enjoy their life and carry out final wishes, so making the journey less stressful.Sadly, some victims are only diagnosed with mesothelioma at an inquest, where the coroner orders a post mortem to establish the cause of an industrial disease. This can be very upsetting for family members and we offer support and guidance throughout the process to secure justice. It is not uncommon to settle a claim after death, based on witness evidence and investigation work.Ashtons Legal have a specialist team who deal with Asbestos related disease claims. Rotarian Alan Brown can provide contact details for them.

May 2017 - Page 11Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080Page Flip

District 1080 News

RYLA is a world-wide phenomenon with some 530 RYLA events taking place

every year, each varying in format to suit the local requirements, with District 1080’s being amongst the most ambitious and successful.We specifically cater for 18 to 26 year olds and is fully residential (this year from 2nd to 9th September) at Grafham Water Centre, which is owned and run by Cambridgeshire County Council.Your RYLA is staffed by professional tutors, lecturers and instructors and has, quite rightly, been described as the “Jewel in the District Crown”. It is life changing, growing personal confidence and developing trust. It creates new leaders, boosting team and business skills development as well as leadership, presentation and communication skills as well as management and personal development.RYLA 1080 is a fully residential, 15+ hour, seven-day week experience and all for £620.

The RYLA team is here to help and assist:

Gemma Plumbly (reg@ryla.co.uk or 07907 695548) for all your registration requirements. If you wish to be involved during the RYLA week then Jerry Noble is the Rotarian to contact via jnoble1030@btinternet.com or 01473 829320.

If you:• Want a club visit and

presentation - we’re here• Want support when

approaching companies - we’re here

• Want literature - visit www.ryla.co.uk view and download or we’re here

• Want the incredible and infamous promotional DVD, visit www.ryla.co.uk to view and download, or for a hard copy - we’re here

Who is eligible? Anybody between

the ages of 18 and 26, male or female. They can be from work, college, university, family, friends and we welcome delegates from clubs that are twinned with clubs in D1080 - in previous years, they have bought a new dimension to the RYLA experience. RYLA 2017 is looking good with oodles of confirmed bookings and deposits, plus loads of promises from clubs and organisations.To ensure bookings have not been ‘lost in the post’, please check that your club is included in the list below:Bury St Edmunds, Bury Abbey, Cambridge South, Cambridge Sawston, Diss Waveney, Ely, Fakenham, Ipswich, Ipswich East, Ipswich Wolsey, Kings Lynn Trinity, Lowestoft East Point, March & Wisbech, Mildenhall, Norwich, Stowmarket Gipping Valley, Sudbury, Woodbridge, Wroxham.

It’s just a suggestion - what an incredible 21st birthday present!

Robin Wraight01473 730316www.ryla.co.uk info@ryla.co.uk

LEADERSHIP.INSPIRATION.FUN.

Discover a world outside the classroom through an intensive leadership experience that builds communication skills, teaches creative problem-solving, and challenges you to change not only yourself but the world.

LEADERSHIP.INSPIRATION.FUN.

Discover a world outside the classroom through an intensive leadership experience that builds communication skills, teaches creative problem-solving, and challenges you to change not only yourself but the world.

LEADERSHIP.INSPIRATION.FUN.

Discover a world outside the classroom through an intensive leadership experience that builds communication skills, teaches creative problem-solving, and challenges you to change not only yourself but the world.

Untitled - Page: 1 2017-04-22 11:06:03 +0000

CONNECT WITH US

Rotary District (####); (Location)

Program Contact: (Name) +1-773-333-3000;

email@email.org;

www.url.org

CONNECT WITH US

Rotary District (####); (Location)

Program Contact: (Name) +1-773-333-3000;

email@email.org;

www.url.org

CONNECT WITH US

Rotary District (####); (Location)

Program Contact: (Name) +1-773-333-3000;

email@email.org;

www.url.org

Untitled - Page: 2 2017-04-22 11:06:03 +0000 Do you want to introduce your community, schools or prospective members to Rotary’s programs for young leaders (particularly RYLA)?Colourful, double-sided promotional cards are an easy yet powerful way to promote your club and district activities. You can order now on Shop Rotary or visit the RI website to customize and print your own via an app in the Brand Center - just click on the button below to visit.

Now Available - Promotional Cards for Rotary’s Programs for Young Leaders

May 2017 - Page 12Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080Page Flip

District 1080 News

On Friday 31st March, torrential rains brought an onslaught of mud, trees and rocks to the city of Mocoa in

South West Colombia. A third of the region’s expected monthly rain fell in just one night.Whole neighbourhoods were crushed by landslides with hundreds of people killed and many more left without shelter. The ShelterBox Operations Team was contacted immediately by the Rotary Club of Bogota and has been liaising with contacts made through previous deployments to Colombia. They have some aid already in the country and a response team has been deployed to assess the worst affected areas and to decide on the most appropriate aid. The course of action recommended for concerned Rotarians is to support the first responder box suppliers in the first instance.

Colombian Rotary Club Calls Up For ShelterBox Help

Rotarians and guests at the Rotary Club of Beccles’ meeting on 20th April were able to congratulate club member Nick

Rudge on a special award.The presentation of a Paul Harris Fellowship reflected the huge contribution Nick had made over more than twenty years in the life of the club and its fundraising, including the Beccles Hospital Fete.

PHF Awarded For ‘Huge Contribution’

The members of the Foundation Support Team would like to thank all those that came along to support the Grants Fair.

We were impressed with the diversity of the projects that were presented and the thought that had gone to working out what was required to help solve the problems found both here around our District and overseas. The variety of these projects should enable any club to find one to support.If you wish more information on the 11 projects then please contact Chair of the Foundation Team. It was very satisfying to the Team that, following the Fair, the Hilary King Scholar Grant became fully funded. This has been possible because of support from clubs

in D1080 and, which came as a total surprise, a large amount from District 5470, Southern Colorado, USA. They offered this because Cambridge Sawston is hosting one of their Rotary Scholars - The Rotary Family in action!We have, on your behalf, sent $17,500 from the DDF to the End Polio Now campaign. Like all of your club donations, it will be increased by the Gates Foundation.If any of your Club Officers missed the Grant Workshops and you still need to qualify your club, please contact the Foundation Chair for assistance.It is now time to start sending in those grant applications to double your money for your next set of projects.

Foundation Grants And Projects Moving Forwardthe necessary software also up and running to enable delegates at home to ask questions and take a full part in the debate as well as voting.Given that it took three attempts before electronic voting in the hall at the ABM went off without a hitch, this seems an eminently sensible decision and means that, should it all go pear-shaped, the ABM can continue its business.Denis also stated that the might be financial implications which meant that the three-year financial plan might need to be put under review but did not elaborate further.The decision to retain the Annual Conference highlights the problem of the low take-up of on-line voting by clubs. Around the country, there was clearly an appetite to change yet clubs continue to fail to get the required numbers on-line to match or exceed those delegates in the hall. To reiterate what DG Derek has stated in his piece on Page 2, if you really want to change matters then you must be prepared to give up a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon to achieve it.Of the other resolutions on the order paper, Resolution 02 (winner of the Titanic Palme d’Or for Deckchair Rearrangement) was, quite rightly, booted out by delegates who clearly thought that DGs should be capable of working out for themselves what they were in council to do. As a result, 03 was withdrawn.Resolution 05, which widened the field for potential RIBI Treasurers by making an accountancy qualification more important that the letters PDG, was carried.

Resolution 06, which cleared up some apparent ambiguity of which most in the hall were mercifully unaware, was carried.Resolution 08, which seemed similarly

impenetrable, was lost.Resolution 11, which was slotted in

next and was thoroughly discussed in the last issue of D1080 News,

was carried but will only come into effect if the necessary changes to the RI Constitution can be carried at the 2019 Council on Legislation - watch

this space.The ABM would not be the

ABM without the annual appearance of a kilted Mark Stewart-Clark and his cohorts from the R/C of Skipton seeking to amend or destroy one or other of the Selection Advisory Committees and, once again, their Resolution 09 ended in gallant failure with Resolution 10 being withdrawn by them to close the proceedings.Rodney Howell, Editor D1080 News

Continued from front page

RIBI President Elect Denis Spiller

May 2017 - Page 13Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080Page Flip

District 1080 News

Peter Holmes, a member of Soham Staploe Rotary Club, achieved a completion

time of 2hr 48 min 26 sec for the 2017 London marathon on 23rd April. This excellent performance commenced by setting off from the Champions start point in recognition of his achievement in 2016 with a very similar finish time. Peter described that whole experience as “awesome” and, despite some occasional pain in one of his feet, he dug deep, lifted by the amazing atmosphere that the huge crowds lining the route generated.In preparation for the event, Peter clocked up between 70 and 80 miles a week starting in February. In the last few weeks before the event he reduced the weekly mileage to about 50 to conserve some energy for the actual day. A diet comprising of fat and carb loading ensured that Peter’s body and energy reserves were at their peak before the start.Peter (pictured right) does admit to looking forward to a well-earned rest before his next marathon in New York City in November.However, his next challenge is to deliver the District Quiz final on May 17th at the Soham Football Club. He has coordinated the District Quiz with the support of the Soham Club over the past few years and that usually lasts three

hours!The Soham Club looks forward to welcoming the finalists, their supporters and any member who may wish to attend. Please register through the club’s website if you are interested in coming along - a buffet at £10 is provided during the interval.

District Quiz Final Is The Real Marathon For Soham Runner

Beccles Rotary Club has just donated £500 to Riding for the Disabled, run by Tess

Hardy and based at Pakefield Riding School, to help compensate for the withdrawal of a County Council financial contribution. As a result, disabled and special needs riders can continue to do what they love and the donation will help with the sponsorship of those who would otherwise be unable to afford to come.

The photo shows Rotarian Bill James on the left, a rider on a pony called Samson, with a carer beside her and Tess Hardy is standing on the right. Samson is used for the Riding for the Disabled sessions because he is so quiet and reliable.The donation was made possible by ‘Beccles Cycle for Life’, the annual cycle ride. This year’s event is on May 14 and all details are on www.becclescycleforlife.org including details about how to enter.

Beccles Rotary Club Makes Up Council Funding Shortfall

For several years the Rotary Club of King’s Lynn has supported the Marie

Curie Charity by assisting with collections and, on 21st April, a number of Rotarians went to the Tesco Superstore, giving their time to collect. As usual, the public donated generously to such a well-known and respected charity.

Business As Usual For Marie Curie Care

Setting an example, Soham Staploe’s President, Stuart Cavanagh had the pleasure of performing the induction of

his own guest, Phillip Henderson. This is his third induction this year.Phillip has been a long-time supporter of the club and its events and it was with great pleasure that members welcomed him as their latest member.Membership Committee Chair, Iain Sutherland was pleased with the latest addition to the club ranks but he stressed that the membership challenge continues.

Members Challenge

The copy date for all editionsof D1080 News is

the 24th of any month

May 2017 - Page 14Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080Page Flip

District 1080 News

in District 1080Purple4Polio

Latest Polio StatusSo far this year, there have been five cases of wild polio virus detected - Two in Pakistan and three in Afghanistan. This corresponds to 11 cases in the same period last year. Still going down!

Crocus CormsRIBI hopes to exceed last year’s magnificent planting of 7,000,000 crocus corms this year by targeting 10,000,000! Hopefully, the ones that came up this year will come up again next year so the effect will be more than doubled! I’ll talk about planting later in the year.Corms are delivered in boxes of 5000 at a cost of £95 per box and they will be delivered to a single location within the District.To place an order, please send an email to mark_towler@hotmail.com - Mark will be coordinating orders for our District and will

reply with details of how you can pay. Payment will need to be made before delivery.It would be very helpful if we could receive all orders and payments by the first half of July. We will then consolidate and raise one single order from our District by the end of July. We expect delivery in late September.

Please include in your email:• Your name• Your telephone number and email address• The name of your Club• How many boxes you would like to order

@ £95/box• The name of your Assistant District

Governor

Alternatively, obtain an order form by clicking on the red button and send it with a cheque (payee: RIBI) to:

Rotarian Mark TowlerRotary Club of Wroxham Bure Valleyc/o Wroxham BarnsTunstead RoadHoveton Norwich NR12 8QU

Last year, a few clubs ordered directly through RIBI as this was promoted originally (this is not the case this year). This meant that about a dozen extra boxes turned up on our doorstep and we had no idea whose they were. If you are yet to order, please order through us. If you have ordered somehow through RIBI, please let us know with the above information AND how you have paid. This will mean a much easier distribution of the corms.

David PrichardDistrict 1080 Purple4Polio Coordinator

As proud as I am of the fact that two clubs from District 1080 were recognised for their efforts at this year’s

RIBI Conference in Manchester, with Sudbury winning the Rodney Huggins Environmental Cup (top right) and Framlingham the Community Service Cup (lower right), I can’t help but feel that the conference organisers not only missed a trick by allotting only 20 mins for the presenting of 11 awards, but also an opportunity to promote the tremendous work that is being done by Rotary clubs in their communities up and down the country.On the day, the awards were presented in under 10 minutes while the stage was being prepared for the next presentation, which I found somewhat disrespectful.I would urge the RIBI Conference Committee for 2018 to consider making the awards ceremony a slightly more prominent part of the RIBI Conference.Nick CorkeChair, D1080 Com/Voc Team

A Fleeting Moment Of Pride And A Shame About The Noise

The International Committee of the Rotary Club of King’s Lynn organised a street collection in King’s Lynn High Street on Saturday 22nd April on behalf of Rotary

International’s commitment to support the East African Famine Appeal. As a result, the club will round up the amount collected and send a donation of £500.The photograph on the left shows Sharon Stevens with the organiser of the event, International Chair Andy Holford.

The current situation on this disaster is laid out by Malcolm Goodson, D1080 International Committee Chair on Page 17.

Famine Appeal In King’s Lynn

May 2017 - Page 15Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080Page Flip

District 1080 News

Charity Golf Day In aid of

Riding for the Disabled (Hollesley) & Local Rotary Supported Charities

Thursday 27 July 2017 @

St Audry’s Golf Club Melton

Teams Playing for “The Marie Hunt Shield” plus individual & team prizes

Teams of 4 players, consisting of 2 pairs

Playing 18 holes Greensomes £20 per player Starting times

8.00am – 12.00noon – 4.00pm

Closing date 13 July 2017

For further details contact Peter Rowbottom 01473 626376 or 07798 742213

Download entry form from debenrotary.org.uk

St Audry’s Golf Club Melton

Registered Charity No. 1151275 The Rotary Club of Felixstowe Landguard organised, in conjunction with the Stroke Association, the measurement of

the blood pressure of members of the public on Saturday 22nd April.The measurements were taken in the atrium of the Solar Store, Felixstowe from 9.30 to 16.00 by Paramedics and Students from University College Suffolk with Rotarians recording the results.Some 280 people were checked with 20 requiring a visit to a doctor within a week and 53 recommended to see a doctor within a month.The picture on the right shows Club President Heather Yallop recording the details of one of the members of the public.

National Blood Pressure Initiative Supported By Felixstowe Landguard

Left - The website of the Stroke Association has prominent reference to the involvement of Rotary Clubs throughout the whole of RIBI.

May 2017 - Page 16Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080Page Flip

District 1080 News

The spirit of the Iceni led by Queen Boudicca lives on in East Anglia and recognised

as such by RIBI - why else would the District Council be treated to an impromptu “hit and run” visit by Immediate Past President Peter Davey from Monmouth to try to soothe the troubled and troublesome D1080?I was reminded of that well known football supporters chant “Nobody likes us but we don’t care” when he related RIBI to the Rest of the Rotary World, oblivious to the irony that, as it is, this also applies to its own members. I never thought I would hear acceptance of the resentment that RIBI attracts from a representative of RIBI itself. Readers of D1080 News will know that I have promoted this view for at least 10 years as I have tried to gain support for my “Is it fair to all concerned” stance.I suppose it is my own fault for

trying to make sense of the re-zoning saga but it is no comfort to know that our Association is still able to find time to argue about the number of angels that can dance on a pinhead and not address its own serious problems.Our RI Director Peter Offer’s note in the April issue of D1080 News shook me by saying, “If RIBI was a single Zone it would be the biggest Zone in the Rotary World and most did not think this would be fair to all concerned”. Hear, hear.I came back down to earth when I heard about the splitting of D1080’s Resolution at the AGM so that we are safely back to where we started. The reputation for ineptitude is undiminished although it was probably a Russian cyber attack on our technology.

PDG Nigel NevilleRotary Club of Cambridge

Hit and Run

PDG Nigel Neville gives his own personal take on our last District Council Meeting

H E L P T O T R A N S F O R M

L I V E S

s h e l t e r b o x . o r g

Together SHELTERBOX and ROTARY hand-deliver emergency shelter for families devastated by

natural disaster and conflict.

PARTNERS IN DISASTER RELIEF ShelterBox Trust is a registered charity (1096479) and a limited company in England and Wales (04612652),

President: HRH The Duchess of Cornwall

ShelterBox is a Charity independent of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation

The Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) has declared an unprecedented famine across East Africa.

Conflict over the past three years has resulted in loss of crop cultivation exacerbated by the failure of rain over two summers. Mass migration to International Aid Centres has already begun but the majority of the populations remain in rural communities either through fear of travel across conflict zones or exhaustion and sickness.Cholera is also affecting areas where dirty water is the only choice.Rotary can help stimulate awareness of the plight of millions of families. National publicity has made the UK aware of the scale of potential for loss of life especially amongst young children.Clubs are requested to consider how best to support the Famine Appeal which, in the first instance, is either by cash injection into the appeal via the DEC or through funding Shelter and Aqua Boxes.

Syrian Blanket AppealThe response to the Christmas Appeal for blankets for the children of Syria, via UNICEF, was beyond our target and expectations. A total of £29,130 was raised which supplied over 5800 blankets. Many thanks and congratulations are due to all of you.

Malcolm GoodsonD1080 International Chair

‘Unprecented’ Famine Prompts Call To Support Box Charities

May 2017 - Page 17Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080Page Flip

District 1080 News

Presented by The Rotary Club of Swaffham

on

Monday 10th July 2017 Starting times from 9.30am

At

Swaffham Golf Club Proceeds to

East Anglian Air Ambulance and

ssafa The Armed Forces Charity

with other Rotary Charities

• Teams of 4 - gents, ladies or mixed - £180 per team • Teams of two golfers can be accommodated on the day • £45.00 per player including 2 course meal, prize fund etc • Stableford AM /AM format (2 scores per hole aggregate)

• Raffle and quality auction • On course Competitions: Team Prizes and Individual ‘nearest the pin’ etc

A great day’s golf …. For great LOCAL Charities…!

Contact : Graham Curtis, 36 Westfields, Narborough, PE32 1SX

H: 01760 338976 E: gcurtis772@btinternet.com W: www.swaffhamrotary.org.uk

The Rotary Club of Felixstowe has raised a total of £25,000 over the last three years as a result of running their annual boxing night and this has enabled the club to donate 2 x defibrillators to the town, support a local family with

disabled children, build an activity centre for disadvantaged children as well as donating to many more smaller community charities.With a few more seats sold for this year’s event, they can continue their community giving so they invite D1080 Rotarians to buy tickets while there is still time - It’s going to be a great night!

The Secretary of the Rotary Club of Dereham, PDG John Gillespie has informed D1080 News of a change in his contact details as follows:

With the imminent demise of orange my email has changed with immediate effect to john.rkb.gillespie40@gmail.com .Can you please amend your records accordingly.

Clubs are requested to do just that.

Local MP, Sir Alan Haselhurst, was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Saffron

Walden’s meeting on Wednesday, April 12.Sir Alan spoke on a range of subjects including developments at Stansted Airport, Broadband provision in Uttlesford and the refurbishment of the Houses of Parliament.Following his talk, he answered questions from many of the 35 members of the club at the meeting.

Sir Alan Haselhurst (left) and club president David Telford

And No Hint Of An Election In The Offing

May 2017 - Page 18Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080Page Flip

District 1080 News

Friday 2nd June Carnegie Room, Thetford7.30pm - 10pm

Tickets £10 from Leaping Hare01842 751975 www.leapinghare.org

Doors open 6.30pm Pay Bar

with the

By Kind Permission of the Croft Family

The Life and Times ofdavid and ann CrofT

RAF HoningtonVoluntary Band

All profits will support local charities registered charity number is 1046534

featuring music from family favourites

Hi-De-Hi Dad’s Army ’Allo ’Allo iT ain’T haLf hoT mum

A cash donation from the Wisbech Rotary Club is to fund another 100 smoke alarms for vulnerable adults living in

Wisbech. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service first teamed up with Wisbech Rotary Club in 2015 after the club pledged to donate money to fund smoke alarms for vulnerable residents living in Wisbech and surrounding villages. Since the partnership began three years ago, the club has donated just over £700 a year, providing enough funding for 100 smoke alarms each time. A cheque for £732 was presented by Wisbech President, Valerie Smith to Station Commander Brett Mills, followed by a review of the agreement between the two

organisations regarding future funding.The Fire Service is not allocated a budget to purchase smoke alarms, so funding from organisations such as Rotary enables it to reallocate funding to other services for the vulnerable. Station Commander Mills said, “The club’s donations help protect the safety of vulnerable members in the local community and means we have more money to work in other areas to help make Cambridgeshire a safer county.”The partnership between the Fire Service and Wisbech Rotary Club is the first of its kind in Cambridgeshire and it is hoped that Clubs in other parts of the county will follow suit.

Wisbech Rotary Club Funds Another 100 Smoke Alarms

The RIBI membership figures have recently been published and it is interesting that D1080 is shown as

having 1,929 members, which agrees exactly with our DMS database and gives an overall net gain, as at 31st March 2017, of 23 members compared with 1st July 2016.In addition to this increase, we should note that the daughter club of the eClub of East Anglia, the eClub of Aviation was chartered in August 2016 and allocated to D1010 with 25 members, thus making us responsible for total 48-member gain to Rotary. These 25

members are allocated to D1010 because the Charter President lives in Dundee and I had arranged for the registration of the club with the D1010 Governor some two years ago. At the moment, we are experiencing a net increase of a couple of members each month so, even with the closure of the Norwich Thorpe St Andrew club, we should have a marginal gain and a reasonable gain if we add the D1010 eClub. Only six out of 14 districts in Zone 18a have shown net gains in the year. Martin BrocklebankD1080 Membership Officer

Membership Figures Point To Slow Growth In District 1080 Numbers

May 2017 - Page 19Bringing you everything about Rotary in D1080Page Flip

District 1080 News

A tour, organised on April 11th by local historian and Rotarian, Dr Paul Richards conducted members of the R/C of King’s Lynn and guests around the recently re-vamped Old Gaol House explaining many

details relating to the Town’s close trading links with the Hanseatic League and many important and unique features within the Town Hall premises, including the famous King John Cup.Club President Michael Pellizzaro volunteered to be pilloried (something that is not an entirely new experience) during the tour as the picture above reveals.

King’s Lynn President’s Gaol Stocks Were On The Rise

At our March District Council Meeting, the Rotary Club of Diss & District was presented

with a Silver Environment Award by D1080 Environment Officer, Keith Tovey.Over the year, the club collected spectacles and forwarded them to Vision Aid Overseas and also recycled any spectacle cases that turn up with them - these are sent to the Aquabox charity who include a pair of reading glasses in every box.The Matthew Project benefits from the collection of bottle tops with an average of one large bin bag being recycled weekly and Genesis Housing is supported by supplying ‘welcome packs’ for the homeless with most of the contents being recycled unwanted household items.The club involved the Diss Youth Group, Scouts and Cubs in the planting of crocuses and young people are also working to restore land in the centre of town. Club members have also been managing and restoring land that has been gifted to the town and there are now three schools involved in this project.

Diss Rewarded For Work On Environment And Recycling

GREEN NEWS

Saturday March 25th saw a sell-out audience of 200 dance the night

away at The Maltings in Ely, with top tribute band ABBA ReBjörn providing a fabulous night of music.The show, organised by the Ely Hereward Rotary Club and supported by many local businesses, also featured a 70s disco and the audience, many dressed in 70s outfits, turned up determined to have a good time with a packed Maltings seeing most of the audience on their feet and dancing right through until midnight. The evening was judged a spectacular success, and provided a wonderful shop window for both

the club and Rotary – and two potential new members. The only downside for the organisers was not getting away until well after midnight and then losing an hour’s sleep when the clocks went forward.This was the most ambitious fundraiser ever attempted by the club and raised over £1,500, the most they have ever raised from a community fundraising event.

Sell-Out Crowd For Tribute To

ABBA

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District 1080 News