Minutes of Rotary Club of Gloucester’s Council meeting on Monday, 21st September 2015
Club number 19313 | Charity number 274097
1. PRESENT
Ian Stuart, Angela Seddon, Colin Rogers, Peter Nesbitt, John Sargent, John Weygang, Martin Henshaw
2. APOLOGIES
David Seed, John Lovell, John Smith, Amanda Chamberlayne, Sue Smith, Sarah Powell, Jan Leyton-Smith, Clive Hannis
3. MINUTES
Minutes of the August 2015 meeting were signed without amendment.
4. MATTERS ARISING
All matters under this head were dealt with elsewhere on the agenda.
5. PRESIDENT’S REPORT
The Guildford Rotary club would like to give a talk on their eye project. President would follow up with speaker programme availability.
President stated that he doesn’t receive much correspondence at all from District – some of Tony Horns emails have been ‘hacked’ from district and is therefore President is cautious with information he does receive.
6. SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Nothing to report
7. JUNIOR VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT
No report
8. IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT’S REPORT
No report
9. SECRETARY’S REPORT
In the absence of the Secretary, stand in Angela had received nothing from District to report.
10. TREASURER’S REPORT
Martin reported that John and he would be utilising their shared expertise – John will be the cashier and Martin will be the bookkeeper for the club and will be adopting a 2 signature system for all elements of the Trust Fund Account.
Both treasurers will ensure that all accounts are run in accordance with Rotary GB&I recommendations,
11. COMMITTEE REPORTS
MEMBERSHIP
In absence of membership chairman Sarah, President Ian distributed minutes from their last meeting 24thAugust.
President Ian will write to the incumbent Bishop to welcome her as an Honorary Member using a Rotary letterhead.
Potential members to club – Sarah would be confirming whether the current list were still valid and update club accordingly.
Friends of Rotary spreadsheet to be built and developed with names of those who volunteer and support Rotary events.
An event may be organised to encourage potential Rotarians to find out about Rotary and the club, committee would be discussing at future meeting.
FELLOWSHIP AND HOUSE
Colin Rogers has been taking the apologies for club. Members are still arriving having apologised and then arriving expecting a meal which can throw out the numbers.
Attendance at club over the past 6 weeks has been very poor and the lack of support to speakers had been noticeable. Members should be encouraged to try to attend 60% of meetings during a month and that ‘friendship and fellowship’ is only obtained by attending regular club meetings.
Peter would ask membership to consider putting together an electronic survey to send to all members to understand their reasons for non-attendance at meetings.
INTERNATIONAL/FOUNDATION
In the absence of International Chairman the minutes of the last meeting were distributed to Council on 15.09.15 and John Sargent attended to report:
The Dornacal project was about 50% completed and going well and a promise of photographs and accounts when ready.
President Ian raised the issue of the refugee crisis and an email received from District – Jill Johnson (District) has asked across Rotary what is being done how we can help but has not yet had any positive answers from any of the countries involved. International Committee felt we should hold from doing anything until we can see clearly where our resources could be best used and get involved accordingly. Council agreed that we should link with Gloucester Council who are taking the lead and then support as and when required in a structured organised manner to do the best with our resources.
President was happy to ring fence his £500 presidents’ allowance should we need to act quickly.
Aqua boxes – Ken Watson is now working with a number of club volunteers and had distributed shopping lists to fill the boxes.
John Sargent reported that the committee have given the South African project until the end of the year to establish a suitable project. Ros Eynon had been kept informed.
President and Council agreed that if the project fell then we should consider Rotary Rotahomes once again in Fiji as an alternative.
COMMUNITY/YOUTH
In the Absence of Community Chairman the minutes of the last meeting were distributed to Council on 15.09.15. Peter Nesbitt attended and reported: The Cathedral Musical concert would go ahead as planned on Friday evening 18th March 2016. The concert was being primarily organised by RC of Gloucester Severn and adopted by other Gloucester clubs, Severn Vale and Newent. Community and Youth committee would organise our own involvement.
Help for the Homeless – Contact being maintained with Project Beacon
Rotary Community Awards – Letter of thanks published in Citizen edition on 7thSeptember 2015
RYLA – the two candidates from 2015 would be invited to speak to club
Kids Out – date for 2016 confirmed as Wednesday 8th June. 6 local primary schools would be invited instead of the usual 4.
Young Musician – schools being contacted
Young Chef – details to be confirmed
Holidays for Disadvantaged Children – Redwell Centre to find 2 suitable young families for short holiday in October
Pantomimes – Visit to Kings Theatre by a class from Coney Hill School was a success
Vocational Visits – Soldiers and Jet Age Museums, Skills Centre, Hartpury College
SPORTS/SOCIAL
In the absence of Chairman Sue Smith Colin Rogers distributed minutes from meeting held on 8thSeptember 2015.
Our 2 boules teams had both reached the finals for the District.
Dining out meals would be researched closer to home. Next event at the Gloucester Brewery with food on 29thOctober at £15 per person.
New Year dinner well in hand for 8th January. ‘Les Girls 2015’ may be able to rise from the Rodez ashes and perform for diners.
Horticulture Cup may be combined with the President’s incoming in early July 2016 and some very valuable raffle prizes had already been secured for the event. The theme would be ‘an informal arrangement of garden flowers’.
Senior Citizens Party confirmed at Kings School for Sunday 17th April 2016
Rodez / Barcelona proposed date for joint visit pencilled in for 20,21,22 May 2016. David Seed to research Rotary contacts in Barcelona.
Ivan Housten skittles on Monday 12th October with Rotary club of Newent.
COMMUNICATIONS
No report. Colin Rogers still takes photographs of visitors to club and sends to Jeremy for inclusion on the website. However, due to technology the photographs cannot be reduced in size by Jeremy. John Weygang suggested trying to send via ‘DropBox’.
FUNDRAISING
Martin thanked carpark organiser Angela and reported that we did very well at the first world cup car parking session raising £1198.98 and that Barclays Bank would be match funding up to £1000.
In the Absence of Fundraising Chairman Amanda wanted to remind members that support for the Rugby Car Parking was very much appreciated and that the spreadsheet would be available to view each week on the badge board for members to add their names to the rota as their diaries allowed.
Angela reported that for this season 2015/2016 car parking fees would remain at £4. A view would be taken at the end of the season with regards to an increase for the following year. Signage would then be altered as required to reflect any changes.
Angela thanked Inner Wheel for supporting the World Cup car parking at Oxstalls.
Christmas Collections – John Sargent was chasing up contacts with Morrisons and Tesco. Street collection licenses had already been obtained for street collections 16th, 17th, 20th, 21st, 22nd 23rd December.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Colin Rogers mentioned that the Rotary ‘tent’ looked great and was set up outside the clinic during the Japan vs Georgia match and would be up again for the rest of the world cup matches. Not very well visited but provided a really big visual for passers-by. Potential to put up during home matches together with information leaflets and a collection bucket.
Martin reported that links with Gloucester homes of veterans run sleep over/sleep out for Alabare at Gloucester Cathedral in March 2016 – wants to help support the event and badge as a Rotary supported event and ring fence the money raised by Rotary for Gloucester Homes for Veterans. Martin will be involved.
Centenary – virtual meetings taking place looking at Gates permanent project, Evensong in the Cathedral as the public event and a formal Dinner on a pay to dine evening.
District mini convention Thursday 15thOctober at the Chase Hotel, Shurdington Road, at 1930.
Trust Fund Trustees have full control of the Trust fund and are responsible to invite other members to become a Trustee. President Ian had been invited to join.
Meeting concluded at 1945
The next council meeting will be on Monday 19th October 2015 – same venue, same time 1800hrs.