Club News 2007

No lunch meeting but in the evening was the traditional Xmas Ladies Dinner at the Burlington Hotel.There was an excellent turn-out with over one hundred attending and enjoyed a tremendous festive dinner.

On Monday Evening the club organised its ‘Late Night Christmas Shopping Evening’ for those elderly citizens who are wheel chair bound, those that have restricted movement or do not have access to transport. Once again Asda hosted this event and over 100 senior citizens took up this offer to enjoy a social gathering whilst at the same time completing some Christmas Shopping.

This event would not be possible without the assistance of Caroline Coaches, Centre 81, Norfolk County Council Transport Department, DIAL, British Red Cross, Air Training Corps, members of the Young Citizens Guild and not forgetting the choir from the Cobholm Community Centre.

At this week’s meeting our guest speaker was Flight Lieutenant Ian Ward from 2356 Squadron who talked about the role of the Air Training Corps. Ian has been connected with this organisation for 23 years and explained to the club the changes within the service since its formation in 1938 albeit under a different name. Formed to assist the Royal Air Force in the build up to war it was seen as giving young people the opportunity to obtain vital training that would ultimately prepare them for military service. The Air Training Corps today offer young people the chance to take part in outward bound courses, gliding and flying and a variety of courses that would no doubt be of great benefit to them if they decided to embark on a career in the RAF. Ian was very proud of the work that the Corps undertake and the opportunities that young men and women have to serve their country. Rotarian John Westgate thanked Ian for addressing the meeting.

Members are reminded that next Monday is the Ladies Christmas Dinner and you are required to be at the Burlington Hotel for 7pm to 7 30pm.

At a packed meeting the club welcomed a guest from Norway namely Gunvev Ruuberg who was introduced to the meeting by her host Michael Woods. Gunver sent greetings from her Rotary Club in Lagendalen.

Rotarian Mike Self introduced Chief Inspector Stuart Offord from the Norfolk Constabulary who talked to the members about his role as a Hostage Negotiator. The members were surprised to hear how many incidents occur in Norfolk each month that requires the attendance of a trained negotiator. Stuart informed the meeting that he could be called upon to travel outside the County and therefore it is important to have close links with neighbouring forces. These incidents vary but would include hostage taking, terrorism, kidnapping, blackmail, dealing with emotional disturbed persons, potential suicides and the unlawful occupation of premises. This demanding role requires specialist training and once again highlighted the many different roles that the British Police is now required to fulfil. Whilst Stuart Offord could not talk about specific operational incidents he did give the members a brief overview of some of the work that he has been called to deal with since he took up this position. Stuart has other operational functions within the Police Force and admitted that Norfolk could quite easily have a major incident to deal with and for this reason he is under no illusion of what could face him. Rotarian Bob Price thanked Stuart for addressing the members and wished him well in his career.

Members are reminded that the Club will be holding the Senior Citizens shopping evening at Asda on Monday 10^th December and any queries concerning allocations should be directed to Robert Lovick.

The Ladies Christmas Dinner will take place on the evening of Monday 17^th December.

Business Meeting. The Committees updated the members on various matters arising since the last Club Council.

The Secretary reminded the Club about reporting to him or the Hotel if Members could not attend the weekly meeting. From December 1st, those members not giving an apolpgy for absence would be fined £1.

Vocational Committee had 3 proposals for local schools and the sums were approved by the members.

International Committee was to use about 1/2 of the funds generated by the Duck Race as follows

The Tri-Club Committee had had a meeting and it was under discussion although not as yet approved by our Club, to purchase 45 Aqua Boxes and fill these up at club level. The members felt there was not sufficient facts to be able to agree to this just now. Simon Cooper of the Gorleston Club ( the organiser ) would be contacted to obtain more information.

Our own PP Mike Butcher was congratulated on being chosen as Rotary Team Leader for the GSE team which will go to Australia next March. As there is much expenditure not provided by District, it was agreed to allocate £500 from the Members fund to help towards costs.

Community Service Committee required approval for 4 schemes and all were agreed by the members.

Rotarian Tony Wortley’s guest speaker for this weeks meeting was Tim Harris who is a volunteer for the East Anglian Children’s Hospice. This organisation operates three hospices namely Quidenham, Milton and Cambridge and helps to support families of children with life threatening or life limiting illnesses. Whilst there are limited beds at the hospices they do offer a home visit service giving support to the patient and the family. This organisation only receives 20% government funding and the remainder must be raised by the hospice organisation itself. Professional staff is based at each of the centres plus volunteers totally 300 who undertake a variety of jobs including raising funds, manning the shops and gardening at the centres and much more thereby making a very substantial contribution to the day to day operation. Tim explained many of the fund raising initiatives and the services that the Hospice provides. There is special equipment for those with specific needs and numerous other facilities that can assist the most serious of illnesses. Families are able to visit and stay at the hospice giving much needed support to all those who are involved as carers for the children receiving the treatment. The surroundings at the centres are bright and the accommodation is furnished in such a way as to help respond to the needs of the children. Every effort is made to have children within the hospice to be of similar age in an effort for them to bond and gain strength from each other. This was a moving presentation that touched the hearts all all Rotarians and it was left to member John Tomalin to thank Tim for coming to the club and briefing them about the work at the Hospice.

The club welcomed two non Rotarian guests namely Tony Marjoram and Charles Bycroft. Charles was at the luncheon to collect the corporate first prize from this year’s Annual Duck Race which raises much needed funds for the International Committee.

Rotarian Jim Hyland addressed this weeks meeting and talked to the members about his work as Editor of the 1080 District Magazine. Jim who is a member at the Dereham Club has edited 19 additions with a publication 4 times a year. He recalled making an enquiry about the vacancy for post of editor some years only to realise several weeks later than he had been appointed to the position with no experience in journalism. He explained that the object of the magazine was to express the views of the membership and to promote the ideas of other clubs on fund raising initiatives. Its purpose was to also encourage the exchange of information that would ultimately help all the members. He also felt that the magazine should be available at venues that the public had access such as hospitals and doctors surgeries in an effort to give the general public an opportunity to read about the work undertaken by Rotary . Jim admitted that this was a very demanding role editing numerous stories and articles, but relied heavily on all the clubs in the district to forward to him the necessary material. Jim is dedicated to this demanding position and all the members were in no doubt that he must take much of the credit for getting the magazine published and distributed throughout the district. Rotarian Mike Erskine thanked Jim for his contribution to Rotary and for giving up his time to address the meeting.

Members are reminded that the Senior Citizens Shopping Evening has been scheduled to take place on the evening of Monday 10^th December.

The speaker today was Stuart Burnley who is the Business Development Director for Potters Leisure Complex at Hopton. Stuart talked about his background as a teenager and his passion for singing which lead to the making of two records and the chance to meet and work with some of the top artists of the 60’s including Kenny Lynch. Stuart’s brother who also enjoys singing, decided that he would rather pursue a career in the police but even with this very demanding job he still manages to meet up with his brother to take part in some singing performances. Stuart realised that he would have to seek full employment whilst enjoying his singing and worked in sales management with numerous leading companies including Kellogg’s and Gillette. He later started his own consulting business and it was while in Norfolk he had an occasion to visit the Potters Holiday Complex and subsequently took up employment at Potters as a Development Officer. Stuart admitted that he loves the chance to perform on stage and never forgets his background that gave him many years of enjoyment. Having been given the opportunity to work with this very vibrant family business he clearly enjoys his current role that will no doubt give the ultimate in job satisfaction. Rotarian Norman Bailey thanked Stuart for allowing the membership to share in his life journey and experiences.

During the weekend of the 27^th October several members and their wives and partners travelled to Chilworth Manor (near Southampton) to participate in a walking weekend with the accommodation being arranged by Rotarian Peter Bondi. This was a most relaxing and enjoyable weekend with a superb dinner on Friday evening and a walking day on the Saturday arranged by Des Sadler. The manor set in beautiful surroundings is a hotel and conference centre and was university accommodation before it was changed to its current use. At the Monday meeting it gave Rotarian’s Mike Erskine and Bob Price the opportunity to thank Peter Bondi for arranging the weekend and to pass on their appreciation to the management and staff for all their help throughout their stay.

The club was entertained with a lively interview session conducted by Michael Woods and the member in the chair was local businessman George Ermini. These interviews are humorous and give the members the opportunity to discover a little more about the life of ones its colleagues. George left Greece at the age of 12 and stayed with family in Great Yarmouth and was enrolled at the Styles Secondary School He joined this school with limited knowledge of English and persevered to integrate with the other pupils but knew that he would have to work twice as hard to catch up with rest of the class. When George left school his passion for motor vehicles meant that he undertook a training course as a motor mechanic. His desire to have his own business came into fruition when he opened Sidegate Motors (Sidegate Road) Great Yarmouth in 1978 and later expanded to larger premises on Shuttleworth Close. With the Peugeot dealership George has managed to build a very successful business. With three childen and residing in Great Yarmouth with his wife Susan, he sees his passion for sailing as his main goal when he finally retires. George gave no indication when he would retire but stated that he would make greater use of his yacht and would love to sale round the Greek Islands. He has been a member of the Rotary Club for several years and admitted that his year as President was to date the most memorable. A keen Norwich City supporter, he like many other fans is disappointed at the recent poor results. These interviews are always fun to listen too and the votes of thanks were given by Rotarian David Neve. Next weeks speaker will be Stuart Bailey who is the Business Development Officer for Potters Leisure Complex at Hopton.

At a packed lunchtime meeting Rotarian Des Sadler introduced Leon De Beer and Julie Woods from the Community Connections Team who talked who about their work in supporting and promoting community development to improve their quality of life. This Community Partnership is a local forum made up of residents from the community and voluntary groups, public sector bodies and local business who work together to address local issues. Leon( Community Development Worker) was educated in South Africa and having studied at the University of Johannesburg obtaining a degree in Psychology and Industrial Psychology and has worked for the Health Professions Council of South Africa. He detailed specific projects including his work within the Yarmouth and Gorleston area. At the Halfway House Southtown they are particularly active organising social events and operating a food co-op where local produce is sold at the centre for the benefit of the residents. This team help individuals and local residents to form groups to tackle problems on health, environment, housing .employment and learning issues. They also help neighbourhoods in rural areas tackling local problems including coastal erosion, transport and community development. The funding for the team totalling 26 is funded partly by government grants and is a registered charity with funding up 2008.

Many successes have been attributed to this partnership which has managed to secure improved play areas, youth facilities, and helping with community events and festivals. There is no doubt that that these initiatives have improved the quality of life for all the residents, working closely with volunteers, professionals and local businesses. The team are in no doubt that there is much more to do and the work must move forward in order that the momentum does not slow down. Rotarian Robert Lovick reflected on problems confronting our communities and acknowledged the need for such schemes. Robert thanked Leon and Julie for explaining to its members the role of the group and the important work that they are undertaking.

Members were entertained by a very interesting talk by Tony Mallion, Radio Norfolk's Great Yarmouth Presenter and Programme Organiser, who provided many amusing anecdotes covering his working life from a reporter on the Great Yarmouth Mercury, to his time as editor of the Great Yarmouth Advertiser, helping to launch Radio Broadland and then on to Radio Norfolk where he has spent the past 20 years, meeting and interviewing a great number of public figures. A vote of thanks was given by Bill Cooke.

Next Monday's speakers will be Leon de Beer and Julie Woods, who are Community Development Workers with the Yareside and Gorleston Community Connection Organisation... they will be introduced by Des Sadler.

Many members of the club and their guests enjoyed the " Haven Rotary Mini Las Vegas Fun Casino " evening at the Imperial Hotel last Friday. Organised by Rtn. Michael Muskett, the event raised over £5000 for our Charitable purposes, this together with recent highly successful Duck Race, emphasised the Club Members ability and enthusiasm to raise funds to help people, not only those in the local community but throughout the world, who are less fortunate than themselves.

The picture below shows Chairman of Community Services, Robert Lovick , handing over two of three wheel chairs to DIAL's Chairman John Watt at their AGM On Tuesday , situated at Beacon House, Northgate Hospital. DIAL is an information and advice centre for disabled people and with limited resources, relies heavily on the voluntary sector to run its service. One of the chairs which is the thinnest one is especially light and can be folded up quite small for easy storage when travelling, and will assist those who find it difficult to lift the normal wheelchairs.

After the very successful Annual Fund Raising Duck Race at the Yarmouth Waterways it was back to normal business at this Monday’s lunchtime meeting. Jo Church from the Norfolk Youth Offending Service talked about her role within this department. Jo is based at County Hall in Norwich and she is responsible for recruiting volunteers to train as Panel Members and Mentors who will operate within the scheme. The Panel Members will deal with the future needs of those young offenders who have been through the courts and a course of rehabilitation will be formulated which is designed to respond to the needs of the offender and to try and steer the offender away from further trouble. The Mentors role will be to spend time with the offender and act as an advisor and a friend in an effort to keep the offender away from trouble. The Youth Offending Team is a multi agency group including the Police, Probation Service, Social Services, Education and many more. All of these agencies are working together not only to help those that have come to the notice of the courts, but to identify those young people who through their actions would most likely to be involved in activities, that could lead to a possible court appearance. This was an enlightening talk setting out was is currently been done to reduce youth crime, and working with offenders in an effort to try and convince them that making a worthwhile contribution within society is far more beneficial than embarking on a life of crime. Rotarian Tony Wortley thanked Jo for her presentation.

Jo with President Ian displaying the Voluntary Application Pack, she hoped some members would take.

There will be a business meeting next Monday. Members are reminded that the walking weekend is on the 26^th ,27^th and 28^th October and all relevant correspondence is currently being distributed by Peter Bondi to those who have signed up for this event.

The club was privileged to welcome Stephen Docwra who is well know to many Rotarian's as a local businessman making sweets and rock at his premises in Regent Road. This was a humorous presentation filled with interesting facts about how this local family enterprise still operates today. Stephen’s family first had a factory opposite the Tolhouse Museum as far back as 1896 and with a gap covering the Second World War has continued to manufacture his line of sweets within the town. At the height of the business this company employed 144 people but at peak periods of production today there are about 30 employed on the line. Docwra’s has continued to entertain local visitors by demonstrating how they place the lettering within the sweet at their shop premises. This service has been provided over many years and due to the hard work and determination of the owners and the workforce it has survived where others have failed. Stephen informed the members that at the present time with visitor numbers in decline he is continually searching for new markets and ideas that will insure a future for the business. The lettering within the rock is always a topical issue to address and with major companies requesting their name be entered inside the process gives little room for error. The history of how the candy sweet industry first evolved was most fascinating and drew many questions from the members. Rotarian Robert Lovick thanked Stephen for addressing the members and wished him well in his efforts to continue trading in this very competitive market.

Members are reminded that the Casino Night will be on Friday 5^th October at the Imperial Hotel

Rotarian Richard Butler ,who is not only a member of Aylsham Rotary Club, but also Treasurer of the Norfolk based charity " The Benjamin Foundation". ( Tel. No. 01692 500999 ) He gave a detailed description of the Charity that began in 1992 and has grown into a renowned organisation that provide services to a diverse range of children and young people across Norfolk. These services include support and accommodation for the homeless, advice and counselling for 5 - 25 year olds, and after school and holiday clubs where children can learn and have fun in a safe environment .

The charity was initiated by the father of Benjamin Draper who tragically died in a motor cycle accident at the age of 17. The Benjamin Foundation arose from this individual tragedy and has gone on to help hundreds of youngsters throughout Norfolk. The aim is to provide high quality services and opportunities that significantly improve the lives of vulnerable children and young people and which may not be available to them if the Foundation were not in operation. It has centres at North Walsham and Fakenham and it is hoped a similar centre will soon be in operation in Great Yarmouth. Mr Butler was introduced by Bill Cooke and vote of thanks given by Derrick Garwood.

Next weeks speaker will be Stephen Docwra of the famous Great Yarmouth rock making family.

Reminder of the Annual Duck Race on the Waterways on Sunday 23rd September and the Casino Evening at the Imperial Hotel on October 5th.

A number of members played in the Gorleston Rotary Club Golf Tournament at Caldecott Hall Golf club and had an enjoyable days golf and dinner afterwards of roast beef. The number 1 team the "Haven Hit men" , Alan Spinks, John Clark, Bill Cooke and Tony Wortley, were successful in winning the men's Rotary trophy for the 5th time out of six, and the Haven Ladies won the women's competition with Bridget Delf winning the individual prize. In the overall tournament, Wally Ladmore came second with 32 points.

Our own club's Golf Day will be at Great Yarmouth & Caister Golf Club on Friday 21st September starting at 2.00pm and dinner in clubhouse at 7.00pm. Any member is invited to join the festivities for the meal. ( contact Alan Spinks )

Reverend Peter Paine, The Mission to Seafarers Port Chaplin in Great Yarmouth was the guest speaker. He described his work and the problems faced from time to time in carrying out his work in assisting seamen from many parts of the world to feel welcome in the port and to offer whatever help they may need including getting in touch with their families by phone.

His work has been somewhat hampered by the lack of a permanent centre at present but he is hopeful that when the new outer harbour is operational there will be room for a new " Seafarers Centre ". Rotarian Brian Potter gave the vote of thanks.

President Ian welcomed 2 guests from South Africa . Alan and Joan Youell from the Rotary Club of Vereeniging in District 9300.

Thirty eight members and partners enjoyed a visit to the Southwold Theatre to see the farce " One for the Pot " , preceded by an excellent meal in the Blue Lighthouse restaurant.

An interesting talk was given by Adrian Thompson, Chairman and one of the leading organisers of the Filby in Bloom committee. He told of the spirit of co-operation and hard work undertaken by a great many of the residents of the village and how newcomers are invited to join inthe effots that have made Filby an example to all who wish to evaluate their success, culminating in the award for the best floral village in Britain in 2002, following local and Anglia in Bloom success before and since. Details of the number of plants, costs and so on were given and mention was made to the mindless vandalism last year which had been followed by a trouble free year in 2007. Adrian was introduced by John Clark and vote of thanks by George Ermini.

With the International Committees Duck Race fast approaching on Sunday September 23rd, members are reminded to return their completed cards and cash to Norman Bailey.

Brian Baxter (Lowestoft Rotary Club) addressed the club at this week’s meeting when he talked about his appointment as a representative to the Rotary Council on Legislation (Rotary’s Parliament) which meets every three years . The triennial Council on Legislation is an important part of Rotaries governance process while the board of directors sets policies for Rotary International. The Council on Legislation is where the Rotary Clubs have their say on governance of the of the association .At this meeting they deliberate and act upon all proposed enactments and resolutions submitted by clubs, and district conferences. This appointment meant that in April of this year Brian traveled to Chicago to place resolutions, enactments and memorials to the meeting that had been proposed by respective clubs within the District. Brian took this opportunity to explain what issues he had placed before the Council for example the Paul Harris Award and child slavery. Haven Rotary members were quick to ask questions about Brian's role and his experience at the Chicago Meeting. The council is comprised of more than 500 representatives from every part of the Rotary world. Brian also went on to talk about the benefits to all clubs in respect to District Simplified Grants and Matching Grants. Having seen the amount of paperwork that was forwarded to Brian upon his appointment it soon became apparent that his role would be very demanding but with the knowledge that he can present cases on behalf of the clubs to the heart of the organisation. Vice Chairman Robert Parker thanked Brian for talking about his current position within Rotary.

It is always enlightening for the entire club when one of its own members talks about their professional and personal interests within the local area. Victor Ling is a new member to the club and having moved to Great Yarmouth almost 5 years ago with his wife he has certainly made his mark in just a short space of time. His early years were quite difficult but through all the hardship he was always determined to be successful. Having trained with a local finance company he decided with another colleague to set up his own broker ship securing finance for business equipment helping to arrange cash flow, business management and many other services. Victor is also Chairman of the ‘Friends of St Georges Parkway’ which is actively contributing to the regeneration of the area around the St Georges Park. Victor talked about his involvement in a project called’ Work Wise’ which helps young people from Year 9 upwards to boost their confidence and inner strengths with team building activities plus much more under headings called ‘Me Wise‘, Team Wise’ and ‘Work Wise’. The club was most impressed with the time that he devotes to the community and in particular his passion to help young people who are trying to establish themselves in some difficult circumstances. Victor gave the club a good insight into his business and aspirations for the future and there was no doubt that this Rotarian will not only be an asset to the Club but to the wider community. Ted Witton gave the vote of thanks and wished Victor well in his career.

The club is planning a walking weekend from the 26^th to the 28^th October .and those interested in attending are urged to place their names on the list as soon as possible. At next week’s meeting there will be no speaker as it is will be dealing with business matters.

July 28th 2007

Our golf team of Bill Cooke and Alan Carman played at Eaton Golf Club against a pair from the Norwich Rotary club in the semi-finals of the RIBI National Knockout Tournament. Unfortunately ,on the day, our team were not quite good enough , and LOST 5 & 3. It is hoped we will have our own inter club match at Caister Golf club ,early in September.

Club President Ian Thomson welcomed Paul Jarvis and honorary member Brian Nichol to the club meeting. Rotarian Ray Calnon was this week’s speaker and enlightened the club when he gave a very interesting account of his sponsored walk in Peru with his son Peter raising money for the British Heart Foundation. Ray began his training much earlier in the year but nothing could prepare him for altitudes up to 4.200m or the change in the climate conditions that he would have to endue. He left the UK on the 24^th May and having arrived in Peru he traveled to the starting point of the trail. There were a total of 28 in the group and he soon became aware of the importance of camaraderie and team moral that would support him throughout this challenge. Ray became very ill at the start of his journey and with medical assistance at several rest points, it became evident that there was a strong possibility that he may have to abandon the walk. His slide presentation reflected how ill he was and the dilemma that was facing him. However Ray did manage to overcome his problems and completed the walk. Visiting Cusco and the amazing trail to Machu Piccho he experienced the amazing dawn scenes at Sun Gate and stunning mountain views. Ray had nothing but admiration for the porters that accompanied the group carrying all their equipment and setting up base camp ahead of the walkers. On one occasion a porter had to carry one of the trekkers and this meant that his load was shared amongst the other porters. The slide presentation gave the members a chance to see the wonderful mountain scenery and the ancient ruins of this truly amazing country. Ray admitted that this had been a difficult trip and having finally reached his destination he was at one point overwhelmed with emotion. Monty Spandler thanked Ray for sharing all his experiences with the club.

At next Mondays meeting the speaker will be club member Victor Ling who will be giving a presentation on his business interests within the Great Yarmouth area.

Eric Burgess , a leader from the Great Yarmouth Christian Youth Group talked about his work and help in the Ukraine, south of Kiev. He was accompanied by 2 teenagers , Jason Meadows and Tim Creek from Great Yarmouth who had gone out to help in orphanages and juvenile prisons. As English people they were warmly received and their help with donations and help made a lasting impression on those people that had very little in terms of wealth and possessions. All three described the dreadful conditions to be found there but also found they were people with hopes and aspirations , prepared to work hard without grumbling in an effort to better themselves. The Group has been supported by the Haven club as well as receiving support from a Rotary charity, The International Aid Trust. Workers received very low wages and in fact a qualified doctor would be on a salary of just $80 per month ! Rotarian Des Sadler thanked the guests for a very interesting talk.

Next weeks speaker will be our own Ray Calnon, who with his son has recently completed " The Inca Trail" in Peru, a walk in aid of charity in South America.

Members are reminded to book for the visit to the Southwold Theatre on 24th August and were also given preliminary details of a " walking weekend" in the Southampton area scheduled for 26th and 27th october.

The golf team of Alan Spinks and Bill Cooke played at Great Yarmouth and Caister Golf club in the National RIBI Golf Tournament. This was a quarter final against our old rivals from the Rotary Club of Ipswich East. Despite the inclement weather of sun and showers , a very tight game ensued with the match being all square at the 18th hole ! despite we being 2 up with 3 to play !

Bill had other business and had to leave at that stage and it was agreed that Alan would play on against the other pair until a result was obtained. The 19th and 20th were pared but Alan was able to win on the 21st hole with another par ! Thanks to our rivals Allan and George who played a very sporting and close match. A nice steak and drink were enjoyed in the clubhouse afterwards.

For those keen travellers within the club it was a pleasure to welcome Regis Medioni who was this week’s guest speaker and is a pilot with Easyjet. Having been interested in flying from a very young age Regis decided at the age of 16 to pursue a career in aviation. Having qualified as a pilot he has worked with Swiss airlines and has flown with a carrier from Norwich Airport which gave him the opportunity to settle in Norfolk. This was a most interesting overview of his job and his experiences flying numerous aircraft especially the Airbus which has the most up to date technology and is far removed from the aircraft flown some 15 years ago. Each club member was made aware of this demanding and challenging role however Regis managed to bring some humour to this presentation when he produced some basic but important items such as sunglasses, a map, his log book together with a CD which replaces all his training manuals which he admitted would be difficult to carry if they were placed one top of the other. Regis gave the members a chance to view certain items of interest including a replica of the operating stick which would alter the direction and speed of the aircraft by only a very small movement of the stick. The members were left in no doubt that his passion for flying has allowed him to fulfil his ambition and the club wished him well in his career. Rotarian Leslie Seabert thanked Regis for bringing his story to the club. Next weeks speaker will be Eric Burgess who has previously visited the club and will be updating the members on the work of his Christian youth group who have undertaken voluntary work in the Ukraine.

This evening we held our Annual Charter Anniversary Dinner at the Burlington Hotel. This year the event was attended by 40 Members of the Club. After a fabulous 5 course meal, President Bert gave out a few gifts to those Rotarians that had been of some significance to his Rotary year in office. After much wining and dining, some members were able to stand on their feet and tell a few stories .As can be seen by the photos, John W. and Bill C. had their say !

John Hovell who had been given an Honorary membership, was presented with a plaque for his services to the Club over many years.

Rotarian Alan Hall introduced his speaker, who was Robin Allard, a Broads Authority Navigation Ranger and Navigation Works Technician. His illustrated talk covered his experiences since joining the Broads Authority following service with the Police, where he served as a member of the Diving squad and a s a Special Branch Port security officer. He is based at Ludham and his duties are many and varied , from " policing " the waterways during the tourist season , to helping to repair quay headings, cutting back trees etc. in the Winter months. He pointed out the conflicting interests of the Broads users, the requirements of the water skiers and the enforcement of the 5 mph speed limit to try and prevent erosion of the river banks. The many illustrations shown were particularly interesting including one of a car being raised from the river bed after it had lain undiscovered for thirteen years ,many examples of wild life in the area and the type of boats seen on the various broads. Mr Allard is always accompanied by his faithful dog " Brack ". The vote of thanks for a very enjoyable and interesting talk was given by Rotarian John Clark.

Members are reminded of the Clubs Annual Charter Dinner at the Burlington Hotel 7.30pm for 8.00pm dinner jackets .

Monday July 2nd will see the installation of our new President Ian Thomson and we hope to welcome the new Presidents of both the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston-on -Sea Rotary Clubs to the ceremony.

With the new Rotary Year, members are also reminded that their annual subscription is now due and the big incentive to pay -up early is that the amount is only £60, a large decrease from previous years.

The Club Assembly took place at this weeks meeting when each Chairman of the respective Committees gave their plans for following year. International headed by Richard Delf gave a detailed account of planned fund raising events and informed the members of projects that his members would be supporting in the coming 12 months. Robert Lovick who is the incoming Chairman of Community Service read several letters of thanks from those organisations who had recently received donations from the Club. His committee would continue to support local charities and good causes and where possible would try and support individual requests for help. Des Sadler also outlined his programme for the next 12 months for The Vocational Committee. In the absence of Mike Butcher who now takes charge of Foundation, Rotarian Lesley Seabert read a summary of his committees intention for the coming year.

Rotarian Walter Ladmore introduced his son Philip as the lunchtime speaker. Philip’s main hobby is photography and whilst visiting India with his wife he became aware of the plight of the Bengal Tiger and those efforts being introduced in certain parts of India to preserve this animal. With a very professional slide presentation incorporating not only pictures of the tiger but of local scenes depicting the culture of the local people, it gave the members a real insight into this part of India. The tiger dates back over 2 million years and its total number worldwide have been drastically reduced for a variety of reasons. However there are a number of initiatives being introduced in India to make sure that the current numbers around 3000 will in fact increase and thus securing the future of this beautiful animal. Philip talked about the work currently being undertaken in the Bandhavgarh National Park and the region of Madhya Pradesh. There are reserves now dedicated to help this animal and a bigger programme to support the area in general. The local authorities are trying to build up the tourist industry together with a raft of measures including a local project to educate the children as to the importance of protecting the Bengal Tiger. It is hoped that with improved schooling facilities it will allow the children to understand more fully their surroundings with regards to the wildlife and its survival. It is hoped that the benefits of drawing tourists to the area to see the Tiger and other animals will help their plight and improve the infrastructure for the local people. There is a long road ahead but Philip is hopeful that if the fate of the tiger is kept to the forefront then there is every possibility their numbers will not decline. Rotarian Michael Woods thanked Philip for this most interesting talk.

On Monday 11^th June will be a business meeting. Members are reminded that the Charter Dinner will be on the evening of Friday 29^th June at the Burlington Hotel.

Our team of Alan Spinks , Tony Wortley and Wally Ladmore competed in the Rotary District 1080 Golf Knockout Tournament at Great Yarmouth and Caister Golf Club. The opposition club represented the Wisbeach Rotary Club. The weather was inclement but managed to complete the games without getting too wet ! Unfortunately Wally and Tony lost their matches so we were defeated 2 - 1. However a nice meal and a beer were enjoyed afterwards at The Gallon Pot.

At this week’s meeting the club welcomed two members of the Palliative Care East appeal team, which is based at the James Paget Hospital namely Patrick Blossfeldt and Jenny Westgate. This was a very special occasion for the club as it presented Dr Patrick Blossfeldt (lead consultant for palliative care) with a £3000 cheque towards the appeal. Mr Blossfeldt thanked the members for the donation and explained what palliative care meant to the patients and carers, and the journey they would experience when serious illness is diagnosed. Jenny Westgate then addressed the meeting explaining how the appeal was formed and what services would be available at the new centre. Whilst there is palliative care at the hospital the facilities are sparse and not ideally located in this busy and bustling environment. The new unit would operate with staff members from the James Paget and would also involve the voluntary sector with the necessary training and experience to administer various treatments including reflexology, acupuncture, occupational therapy, and much more. Jenny also reminded the members that palliative care was also being administered in the community for those patients unable to attend the hospital. Land has been identified within the grounds of the hospital and the design for the new centre has been approved. An article on the subject recently featured in the Yarmouth Mercury. The appeal has to date raised just over £120000 and with the target at well over a million pounds there is still a long way to go. However Jenny is encouraged by the support so far and was confident that the target would be achieved within the next few years. There was a lot of interest in this project, which was reflected by the number of questions that were posed by the members. Rotarian John Dawson thanked Jenny for attending the lunch and wished her and the team every success with this very worthwhile cause.

There will be no club meeting on Monday 28^th May and members are advised that the secretary will be absent on Monday 4^th June so any apologies for this meeting should be directed to Tony King.

to Jenny Westgate and Dr.Patrick Blossfeldt with Community Service Chairman John Burroughs and

Vice President Ian Thomson informed the club that the recent visit to the Green King Brewery was most interesting and informative and thanked all those that had managed to support this trip.

On Monday the club welcomed Charlotte Armah from the Institute of Food Research based in Norwich. Charlotte spoke about her current research project into the effects of Selenium and the Immune function. Selenium is a mineral and there are two types that we eat, an organic form found mainly in cereals and onions and the inorganic form that are mainly found in animal based foods and supplements. As the older we get we are more prone to infections and the possibility of some tumours and there is concern that with the decline of our intake of selenium it may be effecting our immune system and has been identified as potentially important in the protecting the body against certain forms of cancer. Charlotte has been involved in this research for two years and has another 12 months for the programme to run. She is now recruiting volunteers aged between 50 and 64 to take part in this study and is hoping to involve 144 apparently healthy people of both sexes that meet certain criteria. There is no doubt that this is an important study that could have important health benefits in the future and a number questions were put to the speaker concerning her presentation by several of the members. Rotarian John Dawson thanked Charlotte for speaking to the club on this important issue such as health especially with regards to prevention rather than the cure.

Club members are reminded of the Car Rally, which is being organised by Norman Bailey for the evening of Wednesday 6^th June.

The first round of the 21st RIBI Rotary Club Golf Championship was played today and our opponents were Holt & District Rotary Club. The match was played at the Great Yarmouth & Caister Golf Club. Rtns. Alan Spinks and Alan Carman represented the Haven Club, and despite starting in atrocious weather conditions, and having tough opposition, the Haven Club won 4 and 3. Our next opponents will be Ipswich East Rotary Club with a home venue to be played by June 25th.

Today 22 members had a day out to visit the Greene King Brewery at Bury St Edmunds. An early start from the Burlington Hotel ensured we had plenty of time for the tour at 11am. The museum was most interesting plotting the history of the Company from its beginning in 1799.The tour showed us how real beer is produced using natural ingredients and traditional brewing methods. The top of the building gives the best view of Bury St Edmunds and surrounding countryside. The process from top to bottom of cleaning the water, grinding the barley, adding the various hops for flavour and the fermentation to producing the final product was explained in great detail.

The highlight for many was the tasting of all the beers made on the site, in the " Brewery Tap ", where we also had a fine lunch of steak pie and vegetables.

Benjamin Greene started the Company in 1799, he bought Wrights Brewery situated in Westgate Street, Bury St Edmunds and renamed it The Westgate Brewery. He lived just around the corner in Crown Street, in the house of the last Abbot of Bury St Edmunds, which is where the flagship beer, Abbot Ale gets its name.

Benjamin had 13 children, Edward his third son, worked in the brewery from the age of thirteen and took over from his father in 1836. He doubled the work force to 50 people and built houses on the opposite side of the street for them to live in.

In 1887 Edward joined forces with Fredrick King, who was a rival brewer. He owned the St Edmunds Brewery which was next door. He had a knowledge of farming and malting. They soon became one of the largest county breweries in England and the owners of some 148 public houses.

They produced 2 types of beer, OLD ALE and Bitter. Today Greene King are famous for their four core brands.... Abbot Ale , Greene King IPA , Old Speckled Hen and Ruddles County, as well as many other well known cask ales.

A Head Brewer, one Miller and six members of staff work in the Brewhouse. There are two shifts a day , 6.00am to 2.00pm and 2.00pm to 10.00pm.

There are two water tanks on the roof of the Brewhouse, ( water is called liquor at the brewery ) each tank holds 300 barrels of liquor which is pumped up from bore holes below the building. Greene King employs around 800 people in different departments on a site spread over 40 acres.

The new Brewhouse was built in 1938 in a central position between the two old breweries. It is a gravity fed system, so all the ingredients are taken to the top and gravity fed down through the various processes.

44 Members and guests had a very pleasant and tasty gourmet meal at The Ambitions Restaurant at the Great Yarmouth College. A four course meal was served and cooked by the catering students. Special thanks to Rtn. Des Sadler for all his hard work in organising the dinner.

A raffle with prizes donated by members, especially one item generously donated by George Ermini for a weekend for 4 on his boat ( auctioned for £310 ), helped to raise funds for the Vocational Committee of about £1000.

Rotarian Derrick Garwood introduced this week’s speaker Philip Hunt. Philip’s full time occupation is accountancy but one of his great pleasures is to don his smock and become ‘Farmer Phil’. With his very convincing Norfolk accent he gave a humorous account of his local journey to obtain honours with some monetary incentives to secure his goal. Based on the ’Cash for Honours’ story he incorporated local characters in what can only be described as a farce cleverly put together to entertain the members. Rotarian Michael Woods thanked Philip not only for coming to the club but also for insisting that he wears his outfit (including one Wellington boot) and hat throughout the lunch in a very warm environment. The members were assured that the reason for this was so that he could get into the character in time for the main performance. All of the members were fascinated by Philip’s passion to become this comical character and the fact that he managed to find the time to write his script whilst undertaking a very busy career.

Members are reminded that the Annual Gourmet Dinner at the Ambitions Restaurant at Great Yarmouth College will be on Wednesday 2^nd May and those who have not signed up for this event should contact Des Sadler without delay. Monday 30^th April will be the AGM and Business Meeting at the normal time.

This weeks meeting took on a distinctly international flavour when the Rotary Group Study Exchange team from Turkey, who are visiting the local Rotary District 1080, were guests of The Haven Club for lunch. The team are from District 2440 in Turkey and consisted of a Rotarian Team leader Ragip Duran from the Marmaris Rotary club and who is the District Governor Nominee for District 2440 and has recently established his own construction company.

The team consists of Non-Rotarians and comprises three young women, all born in Izmir, and one man from Kirikham. Manolya Ozek was sponsored by Agora Rotary club, and she and her partner have established their own company offering psychological counselling and life coaching. Isik Tacoglu was sponsored by the Gundogdu Rotary Club and works for Izmir Airlines Company ( Izair ), while Gulden Ornek was sponsored by the Gaziemir Rotary Club and she has been working for General Motors ( Turkiye ) for six years. The only male student is Bestami Bilgic, who was sponsored by the Canakkale Rotary Club and is at present an Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University. All members of the team spoke good English and in turn gave details of their work and answered questions from the Haven members. The team was thanked by Vice President Ian Thomson deputising for President Bert Collins.

Notice was given of the forth coming Gourmet Dinner at Ambitions Restaurant at Great Yarmouth College on Wednesday 2nd May. Contact Des Sadler for those wishing to attend.

On Friday the 30^th March the club held its Presidents Ladies Night Dinner and Dance at the Imperial Hotel which gave members a chance to thank their wives for their support they give throughout the year.

At Monday’s meeting the club welcomed Michael Boon ,a local Rotarian who is well known to the club especially for his long and distinguished career with the Port Authority. For those who were not so familiar with his background they were given an in-depth insight into his passion for studying the history of Great Yarmouth. Since his retirement Michael has continued his research and is currently studying at the University of London for a PhD in Medieval History. Michael’s talk covered the history of Great Yarmouth in the 15^th century. This was a most interesting period as the Town struggled to rebuild itself after many setbacks namely the Black Death, which reduced the population to just 2.000. However the Town did bounce back and with numerous projects undertaken including the construction of Caister Castle and a bridge together with other important buildings to sustain the wool trade this helped to rebuild the town.

It took many years for the town to recover but Yarmouth was very fortunate due to the fantastic abundance of the sea quickly restoring its former wealth and population. Michael’s pains taking research including the translating of Latin documents reflects his desire to place all this information on record so it can be accessed in the future. Michael also informed the club that he had written two plays one of which was called ‘Nelson was a Norfolk Man’ and performed by local artists in 2001. His belief is that one must understand the past in order to prepare for the future. Rotarian Charles Lewis thanked Michael for this most interesting presentation.

Glen outlined his career from accountant to his present job. He worked as an accountant with the town Council for 16 years and here established his link with the Racecourse. Northern Racing, a company group owning 9 race tracks across the country,including Uttoxeter and Newcastle, took over the management of the racecourse in January 2002. The local Borough Council gave the Company a 125 year lease, thus enabling them to have confidence in investing for the future. 3.6 million pounds had been invested already. Improvements can readily be seen with the new grandstand and racing track. The new facilities have given a better environment for the customers and corporate hospitality has increased dramatically and the racecourse is used more and more for non-racing business.

Club member Mike Butcher was this week 's speaker and delighted those present with stunning pictures of his trip to Antarctica in December 2006. Mike together with his wife Janette travelled on a research vessel called Akademik Sergey Vavilov, which was built in
Finland for the former USSR and has ice-breaking capabilities. Due to the break up of the USSR the ship almost became too expensive to operate until a tour operator saw it's potential and chartered it for thrill seeking tourists to visit he Arctic and the Antarctica continents. The ship is still
used for research purposes and with its Russian Crew it can cater for up to 80 passengers. Mike visited numerous islands namely Salisbury Plain, Paradise Harbour, Fortune Bay and many more which gave him and his wife Janette the opportunity to witness the spectacular scenic views and experience the wildlife, which mainly consisted of penguins, seals and a variety of birds which he managed to capture on camera as a lasting memory.
They had brilliant sunny conditions every day and whilst they had suitable clothing they both thought that they would be subject to bitter cold winds but surprisingly that was not the case. Mike admitted that this was a trip that he had always longed to make and when this opportunity arose he jumped at it.

Rotary member Alan Spinks thanked Mike for bringing his collection of pictures, which were truly wonderful, and sharing his experience with the members.

The club will deal with business matters at next week's meeting. Members are reminded that the President's Ladies Dinner Dance is on Friday 30th March at the Imperial Hotel.

Our newest member, Mike Spalding, past service Hotelier, was inducted today by President Bert Collins. Mike was welcomed by the members present and he said he was pleased to join and would hope to uphold the principles of Rotary.

Roger Everitt , Managing Director of ASCO South North Sea Organisation, based in Great Yarmouth was this weeks speaker. Prompted by our own Canon Michael Woods, the interview turned out to be very informative and enjoyable and Members learned of the interesting life of Roger Everitt, from the time he left school at 16 to join the merchant navy, through his apprenticeship in a school of navigation which moulded his belief on the value of apprenticeships which sadly are lacking for young people nowadays , to his time with the Cunard and Canadian Shipping lines, his time in Yemen and eventually via London to his position in Great Yarmouth with Offshore Marine.

His various jobs with ASCO involved Sales and Marketing and also their Human Resources Director and finally managing Director of their southern North Sea and north Africa operation, turning a Company loosing money to a profit in 3 years. About 2000 sailings of their boats in and out of the harbour though the year, would be influenced if and when the new outer harbour is built. His views on the future of the oil and gas industry, the outer harbour and a third river crossing made very interesting listening. Roger was not only a very interesting speaker but a generous one for not only was wine provided for the lunch but President Bert Collins was presented with a cheque for £100 to be used for the Clubs charitable and benevolent work.

Two members of the Yarmouth club were welcomed, Gillian Brown who reminded our members of her Clubs Charity walk at Somerleyton in May , and Rev.Arthur Bowles.

This week’s speaker was Brenda Taylor who talked about her trip to Malawi in December 2006 where she taught English and Maths to orphaned children. Some months ago the club donated money to the Aquaid Lifeline Charity and Brenda together with a friend Ann Hacon decided to travel there and offer their skills to the project. Brenda a retired teacher stayed in a small village called Lissunguwe and soon settled in teaching a class totalling 45. There was only enough seating for this number of children but those who could not be accommodated watched from the windows and listened to the lesson. This gave her the chance to use teaching skills that would be classed today as ‘out of date’ methods but no doubt gave the children a chance to experience English and Maths. Brenda then gave an overview of the project that the Rotary Club had funded. She spoke about the plight of the children and their smiling and happy faces despite many of the hardships that they encountered. Children would arrive in smart and colourful uniforms and once they attained the age of 10 they are taught carpentry and other skills that would prepare them for manual work within the villages at a very early age. Brenda hopes to revisit the area in the future to see how the children have progressed. This will always be a lasting memory for Brenda and Ann who felt that this short trip which was funded totally by them, will hopefully have lasting and joyous memories for these poor and underprivileged children. This was a moving story in a country with many problems but there is no doubt that these two volunteers brought a special ray of sunshine to these orphaned children. Rotarian Ian Thomson thanked Brenda for sharing her experiences with the members.

In the absence of both the Club President and the Vice President it was the Junior Vice President Robert Parker who had the pleasure of welcoming this week’s guest speaker Sheila Ogden. The clubs International Committee had highlighted the ‘Hope and Homes Project’ as a charity worthy of their support and it was their Chairman Ted Witton who organised Sheila’s visit to the club. Sheila is the area Secretary for the Charity and spoke of her involvement with this organisation having attended a presentation by the founder Mark Cook. Mark first came across the plight of 60 young orphans in war-torn areas when he was serving as a Commander with the UN in the former Yugoslavia. Many of the children were living in extreme poverty having had their orphanage bombed and virtually abandoned to fend for themselves. This was a very moving story about one individual and his commitment and vision for a better future for those children who for no fault of their own had been estranged from their parents and in some cases were living alone on the streets.

His charity has continued to grow and now helps children in Eastern Europe and Africa by removing them from the despair of the orphanage, where even the basic facilities do not exist and reuniting them with their family or finding them suitable foster parents. This charity has provided equipment volunteers and has trained local people to perform many of the administrative roles and as a result new orphanages have been built. This organisation was only formed 12 years ago and they have certainly made an impact in many of the countries where they have offered their services. As a result of their efforts they are making the local authorities more accountable towards their responsibilities for these children in need. Their expertise is now sort by other charities who are involved in bringing aid to countries in turmoil that effect the lives of vulnerable children who are in most cases the innocent victims. The club had great pleasure in handing Sheila a £1000.00 cheque for this charity. Rotarian Robert Parker thanked Sheila for the talk and wished the charity well in all its future projects.

Sheila receiving cheque for £1000 from International Chairman Ted Witton.

Our regular meeting was changed to today as this was our 3rd TRI-Club meeting with members from The Great Yarmouth Club and Gorleston. It was held at the Pier Hotel Gorleston in the evening. After a very nice meal, the members present were introduced to 2 members of the Group Study Exchange team , who last year went to Argentina. Rtn. Hilary King ( team leader ) and Emma Bullen gave a very interesting and informative talk about their trip and gave an insight to the Rotary life in District 4920.

The photo below shows Assistant DG Alan Price, the 3 Rotary Presidents and the 2 Group Study Exchange team.

Rotary member Colin Brooks was this week's speaker and his presentation was
about his passion for painting. Colin's main profession is hairdressing and five years ago he started painting mainly watercolours. He decided against attended painting classes and was self-taught. He brought two paintings to the club, the first was a landscape picture called 'Harvest Scene' and the
second was an abstract painting called 'Red Rose'. He has sold several pictures with some being shipped abroad. With no studio he manages to paint at home and not only indulges in mounted paintings but also enjoys painting personalised Christmas cards mainly for friends and family. Colin has taken
part in a course to learn how to draw self-portraits but admits that he is more at home with painting abstract and landscape. Colin was able to bring to the club two paintings giving them the chance to view his work. After several questions Rotarian John Wiseman thanked Colin for his presentation
and wished him good luck with his hobby.

There will be no meeting next Monday as all the three clubs will be joining up on Thursday 15th for an evening meeting at the Pier Hotel Gorleston. Members are reminded to be at
the venue for 6pm to 6 30

January 29th 2007

President Bert Collins had the pleasure in welcoming new member Victor Ling who joined the club on Monday. After a short speech Victor expressed his delight in becoming a Rotary member and was looking forward to making his contribution within the club and to the community.

This week’s meeting covered business matters when all the committees presented their proposals for the funding of numerous projects and other schemes that had been identified in need of financial help. The international committee once again had a full list of worthy projects including supporting Water Aid where clean water and sanitation is brought to millions in the third world, rebuilding the lives for the orphaned children in East Europe and Africa with the Hope and Homes initiative. Funds will be directed to the Rotary Jaipur Limbs project that provides artificial limbs for amputees and calipers for polio victims in India and other countries free of cost. The Vocational and Community Committees also nominated numerous groups that they believed warranted financial help. Vice President Ian Thomson representing Club Service, outlined the clubs social events that have been provisionally planned for the next few months including a Quiz Night a Car Rally and the Ladies Evening on the 30^th March.

The club was pleased to welcome three guests from the North Walsham Rotary Club namely Jim Costello, John Watts and John Grier. They very kindly presented a cheque to Terry Ashbourne that will allow another child to travel to Norfolk this summer as part of the Chernobyl Lifeline Charity, where children are brought to England to boost their immune system as a result of the Chernobyl Disaster.

At this week’s meeting Rotarian John Westgate presented a slide show featuring photographs of Great Yarmouth taken in he 60’s and 70’s by his late father Len. For many of the Rotarians this was a trip down memory lane. Whilst some areas have changed dramatically other buildings have largely remained in their original state although the usage has possibly changed a number of times. The areas that drew the most interest were the Old Lacons Brewer site, the ABC Theatre and surrounding buildings and the original Marina where the new complex now stands. There is no doubt that pictures taken of a particular location are a reminder to us all that many changes will happen to our surroundings some of which we have little or no control over. However it is bonus when one has the ability to record these images as a lasting memory. Rotarian Robert Lovick thanked John for showing the slides and giving many of the members the chance to go back in time.

There will be a Business meeting next Monday at the normal lunchtime venue.

It is always a delight to welcome female speakers to the club especially when they have worked within the local community and then take up unpaid work as a Justice of the Peace. Known to many of the members Elsie Knights gave the club an insight into the day-to-day tasks performed by local
Magistrates. She talked about how she was first appointed and the training that she was given prior to her appointment. Those who apply today have to undergo a more rigorous period of training keeping up to date with new legislation. Elsie became a Magistrate in 1983 and became Chairperson from
2001 until 2004 and having reached retiring age she finally left the bench in 2006. She talked about the different variety of cases and those memorable situations that she encountered whilst undertaking this role. She recalls being involved with licensing issues before this task was moved to the control of the local authority. Over many years Elsie has seen many changes and she summed up this role, as a most challenging experience never quite knowing what cases would be brought before her. She admitted that she misses the work but realizes that eventually you have to stand down and sit back and enjoy the rest of ones most precious life.. This was a very interesting talk balanced with some humour and factual information. The club was under no illusion as to the commitment this person was willing to
give to the local community. John Westgate thanked Elsie for such an informative talk.
Club members are reminded that on the 15th February there will be a three club evening meeting hosted by the Gorleston Club.

January 8th 2007