Minutes of Rotary Club of Gloucester’s Council meeting on Monday, September 5th 2016
Club number 19313 | Charity number 274097
1. PRESENT
Martin Henshaw (president), Peter Nesbitt, Jeremy Keck, David Seed, Jan Layton-Smith, John Weygang, Clive Hannis, Amanda Chamberlayne, Chris Chatterton. and John Lovell
2. APOLOGIES
John Smith, Sue Smith and Ian Stuart.
3. MINUTES
Minutes of the July meeting were signed without amendment
4. MATTERS ARISING
None
5. PRESIDENT’S REPORT
- President Martin thanked Jan L-S for producing the banner for use in the recent Gloucester Day procession and for the tablecloth used at every club meeting . He also thanked members who had participated in Saturday’s Gloucester Day parade.
- In the absence of Sue Smith, Martin stressed the need for volunteers to make themselves available for the Tall Ships Festival between 27-29th May next year.
- Martin also said there would be a new members’ evening with their partners and sponsors on September 16th.
- The President said he had had a meeting with the ‘mock’ Mayor of Barton, Mrs Carol Francis, who is also involved with the Community Radio and is the Community Link Co-ordinator. She was the first black women to be a councillor on the City Council and the first black deputy Mayor and Sheriff of Gloucester. He had asked Graham Howell to extend an invitation to her for lunch.
- Martin also said that the club had been invited to the mosque by the current sheriff of Gloucester. Martin said he would pass a board around the club to assess interest.
6. IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
No report
7. PRESIDENT ELECT’S REPORT
No report
8. VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT
No report
9. SECRETARY’S REPORT
Nothing to report
10. TREASURER’S REPORT
Jeremy K reported that all accounts were in credit and the half yearly contribution to Rotary GB&I had been made. There were still payments to district outstanding. He would be having a meeting with co-treasurer John Weygang and former treasurer Martin H to clarify the situation.
11. COMMITTEE REPORTS
MEMBERSHIP
Peter Nesbitt reported:-
- The club directory had been done and circulated. Any changes to personal details or committee membership should, in the first instance, go to him although any updates would be made by Clive Hannis.
- A new member – Phil McCormick had been interviewed and a seven day letter would be circulated to club members by the secretary shortly. It was hoped Phil would be inducted on Friday, September 23. A potential member Matthew Francis had received a membership application form and it was hoped it would be returned by the next lunch meeting on Friday. If so there was a possibility of two inductions on the same day.
- Friends of Rotary. Three ‘friends’ has been nominated and approved – David Corbett. Tony Tetley and Paul Woodman.
- Andrew Holloway. Council agreed to terminate his membership and offer him Friend status instead. The President said he would write to Andrew informing of the decision but inviting him to return to the club as a member when personal circumstances allowed.
FUNDRAISING
Amanda Chamberlayne reported:-
- Jilly Cooper, who had initially agreed to switch on the club’s Tree of Light on Saturday, November 25 at 4pm had had to withdraw and a new clelebrity was now being sought.
- Car parking for Gloucester Rugby matches had restarted and already more than £1,000 had been raised.
- The Christmas store and street collections (from December 19th to 22nd) were well in hand, licences had been secured where necessary and certificates would be presented to store managers along with invitations to join the club for lunch. David S said that he had already had positive approaches to Sea Cadets, Army Cadets and Scouts to help with Christmas collections and Tree of Light.
- Roger Head had indicated that he would be happy to allow the club to use his Orangery for an event and Lady Bathurst had agreed to speak at an evening meeting. Chirs C said he would be seeing both people shortly and would see if he could progress the offers then.
- An antiques valuation and silent auction with Antiques Roadshow expert Philip Searle was being followed up by Helen Chidgey who was also looking at the possibility of another major annual fundraiser linked to partner events of a sporting nature.
FELLOWSHIP AND HOUSE
Jan L-S reported:-
- There was little progress as yet on the possibility of a room at the Wall’s Club being used to hold commitee meeting and to house club memorabilia in a secured cupboard. She was hoping that Wayne – the director in charge – might be able to progress the suggestion.
- It was reported that the original Club Charter held by David Seed was taken by Robin Morris who arranged for an inspection by a conservator at The British Museum. Her view was that it needed attention but any work would spoil it. In particular it could destroy the historical value of the document, alter the two coloured seals and probably lose the signatures.
INTERNATIONAL/FOUNDATION
In the absence of John Smith, the President said that further contacts were being sought with Peter Drysdale to see if he had yet identified a project in Fiji in memory of Colin Eynon. One hundred aquaboxes had been sent from the club to the UK depot and a further 100 empty boxes were now awaited.
COMMUNITY/YOUTH
David Seed reported:-
- Interest had been shown in the club’s Rotary Community Awards by Rotary Severn, Severn Vale and Rotary at Kingsholm. The extent of their interest and any possible financial contributions to the scheme had yet to be gauged. The transformation of the project into one which reflected on Rotary’s work in Gloucester (as opposed to the work solely of our own club) was welcomed. However Clive H, who originally suggested the awards, said ground rules of the scheme as to which organisations could apply and benefit from it should be decided before extending it to other clubs. This was agreed.
- The web domain name Rotary Community Awards (not preceeded by the word Gloucester) had been secured.
- Under this head, President Martin said that two Cross Channel swimmers would be donating their sponsorship money to a project he had proposed at the City Mission.
- David reported that the Gloucestershire Association for Voluntary and Community Action (GAVAC) – an umbrella body that provided services, support and advice on income generation to many voluntary and community organisations – had been disbanded. He was now trying to locate its data base which he had used previoiusly to circulate details of the Community Awards scheme.
- David reported that Chris Rawlins has been nominated by the President to organise the district five a side football competition for young people under the age of 12.
- David said that a fellow Rotarian had offered to cater for an Indian evening to raise money for the Jaipur Limb project. He thought this could make an ideal 5 Clubs dinner event next year. He and the president agreed to progress the suggestion with the thought that such a dinner could be held in next autumn. President Elect Sue to be consulted.
SPORTS/SOCIAL
In Sue S’s absence the secretary circulated her comprehensive report of planned activities. These included a New Year dinner (on Saturday January 7th and not the 8th as previously advertised), golf, dining out, theatre visits, walks, skittles, Senior Citizens’ Easter Party, Boules, Rodez and outside visits ..to name but a few. The two items Sue wished to highlight – Tall Ships and New Members’ Evening had been covered by the president. Members were reminded that the pre-Christmas dinner for members and partners would be held at the Wall’s Club this year with the New Year dinner at Bowden Hall.
COMMUNICATIONS
Clive, our new webmaster, reported that payment for the website had been made and he was intending to put details of Gloucester rugby dates on it. He would be monitoring its use by members.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
- David Seed asked for an update in November on centenary arrangements which are currently being led by Ian Stuart. President Martin said he would liaise with Ian and that the centenary would be dealt with either at the November council meeting or at a special meeting in November
- The President aired the suggestion of a fitness lunch event when speakers would talk about specific conditions such as prostrate cancer and strokes. It might be possible following lunch for members to be tested if they wished to take advantage of such an offer. This was approved.
- Leaves of absence were agreed for Lise Noakes from 23rd September to 21st October and for Sue Smith from November 22nd till March 18th.
- The President said he would be away on Friday, September 16th and in his absence President Elect Sue would chair the meeting.
- Clive H reminded members that the club had an audio system and it should be in use.
- Amanda C said she, Lise Noakes and an officer from the council had been to the Imperial car parking site and had identified where cars could be parked to ensure no repetition of fines being handed out by traffic wardens. She would also ensure that those directing cars to park there were aware of the restrictions.
- There would now be a club lunchtime meeting on September 30th.
The next meeting will be on Monday, October 3rd – same venue at 6pm. Apologies already received from David Seed and Chris Chatterton.