The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
This Month's News
Bulletin 1945 - Not Available
Bulletin 1944 - 17th April 2003
Bulletin 1943 - 10th April 2003
Bulletin 1942 - 3rd April 2003
Bulletin 1944 - 17th April 2003
LAST WEEK
Last week Past President John Baynham chaired the meeting in the absence of President Peter and other Senior Officers of the Club who were attending the Annual Conference of R.I.B.I. in Blackpool.
Members were informed of the death of Alison Stevenson, wife of Bill Stevenson.
The Hotel has introduced a new system for those wishing a salad lunch. This has to be ordered when paying for the meal and those opting for the salad will be issued with a yellow ticket, which should be prominently displayed to help the staff serving the meals.
Members were reminded By Past President Douglas Osler of the "fun evening" being held on behalf of Crisis Fare Share on 26th April at Queen Margaret University College. In addition to the competition and meal there would be a raffle with valuable prizes and as additional attraction music would be provided by "Raving Nora" the alternative ceilidh band!
Tickets cost £20 each - Please support our four Club Chefs and this good cause.
(Our Club has had a very productive relationship with Crisis Fare Share and members were reminded that when appeals to help this charity were first made £900 was raised at two lunchtime meetings).
Bill Barr, Co-ordinator of the Senior Citizen's Outing Project, stated that the project was now being "firmed up" and that the dates of the outings would be 13th and 27th May. Senior Citizens would be picked up at 18.00 hours with a maximum of two per car. They would be taken for a short run followed by High Tea at the Green Tree Hotel, 41 Eastgate, Peebles.
This event was previously an annual event on our calendar and was very enjoyable.
The success this time is very much dependent on the personal involvement of members and that of helpers such as spouses and friends.
Members willing to help are asked to complete one of the forms for the Project or to contact Bill Barr - Tel. 334 3005.
Members were again reminded that the Edinburgh Breakfast Club 10th Anniverary Dinner was on Friday 2nd May.
Mike Sims stated that he had attended Leith R.C and presented them with the Combined Curling League Trophy, Edinburgh was the Runner-Up.
LAST WEEK'S SPEAKER
The speaker was Dr. Iain Robertson, FRSE who had served on the Boards of both Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet and was currently President of Friends of Scottish Opera.
Dr. Robertson said that while a speaker at a Rotary Lunch should not talk about politics it was not possible to divorce politics from opera.
Scottish Opera had been formed in 1962 by a quartet including Sir Alexander Gibson. In its first season of 6 days two works were performed Madame Butterfly and Pelleas and Melisande, and the Company had continued with adventurous programming culminating with this year's Ring Cycle.
He stated the Scottish Opera was an excellent company undervalued in its own land.
In addition to full scale productions the company also mounts smaller scale productions in cities around Scotland. There is also 'Opera Go Round' which offers small-scale productions with piano accompaniment in 20/25 villages across Scotland. In addition 'Essential Scottish Opera' 4 singers and a piano performs across the country. The performances in the remote areas are often sold out.
'Scottish Opera for All' has put on performances of 'The Tale of Tam'
based on Tam O' Shanter with two professionals and a cast of schoolchildren
at Irvine and Kilmarnock.
Dr Robertson reminded us that the works of Scott had been responsible
for over 60 operas and that the Company had given Premiere Performances
to 11 works by Scottish composers and 9 of the librettos had been by Scots.
The Friends organisation has over 2000 members across Scotland.
Attendance Last Week
Members 68
Visitors 1
Guests 3
Total 71
Bulletin 1943 - 10th April 2003
NEW MEMBER
Rajiv Naik, MBA, B.E.
Occupation: Senior Business Manager RBS.
Spouse: Glenda
Hobbies etc: Cricket, football, badminton, mountaineering, cooking
Classification: Banking, Business
Induction Date: 3rd April 2003
Club number: 169
Members are asked to make themselves known to Rajiv and ensure that he is made welcome at our meetings.
Attendance Last Week
Members 78
Visitors 1
Guests 2
Total 81
LAST WEEK
At the beginning of the meeting Vice President Neville surprised President Peter when he presented him with a card signed by members wishing him many happy returns on his 75th birthday. (Fri. 4th April)
Members were asked to support the "Ready Steady Cook" event in aid of Crisis Fair Share at Q.M. University College on Friday 26th April.
Tickets £20 each will be available at next week's meeting from Douglas Osler.
Linda Gilmore invited members to an exhibition of the work of her daughter, Zoe Fothergill, at the Talbot Rice Gallery, 5th April to 3rd May, tues-sat 10am to 5pm. Ed Lucas asked members to return any outstanding 'smartie tubes'.
Members were reminded that the Edinburgh Breakfast Club 10th Anniverary Dinner was on Friday 2nd May.
He stated that a full tube of 20 pence pieces holds about £14 and this would be a considerable help in supporting KIDS OUT.
President Peter said that he and all members were pleased to welcome Douglas Sutherland back to our meeting.
LAST WEEK'S SPEAKER
Mrs Marion Anderson our speaker last week gave an interesting, fact filled talk on the work of Erskine Hospital in Bishopton and Edinburgh.
Erskine Hospital opened in 1916 to deal with servicemen injured in WW1. By Oct. 1918 2500 men had been fitted with 'Erskine limbs'.
Mrs Anderson pointed out that since the end of WW2 1968 was the only year in which British troops had not been involved in conflict. 65,000 men and women from the three Services and the Mercantile Marine have benefited from the unique care offered by Erskine. (720 last year)
In 1990 Erskine applied for 'care home status' but were turned down because of their Florence Nightingale type wards.
3 new homes plus a large residential home have since been built in Bishopton.
In Nov. 2001 a 40-bed home where each resident has his/her own bedroom was built in Gilmerton and the residents of all the homes can call on the services of a full range of specialists.
The homes no longer resemble a hospital and all patients have the benefit of a 24 hours nursing programme and also a drugs control service.
In Bishopton there are 57 cottages and three workshops plus a shop. The majority of the employees in the workshops are ex-service.
The Gilmerton hospital cot £4.5 million to build with annual running costs of .5 million. There is a scheme to subsidise the care of ex-service personnel in Dumfries, Inverness and Aberdeen and this will soon be extended to Dundee And Perth.
MEMBERS PHOTOGRAPHS
Members whose photographs were taken some time ago are asked to provide a recent 'head and shoulders' colour photograph to either Ed Lucas or Fred Ainslie.
GOLF
The first outing of the season will be at Gullane on Tuesday, 29th April. New members will be made most welcome. Names please to Alan Hately.
Bulletin 1942 - 3rd April 2003
NEW MEMBER
Donald COLIN Mackay, MA, MBE, PHF.
Occupation: Storyteller (Retired Primary Head Teacher);
Spouse: Single
Hobbies: Gardening, Desk-top Publishing
Classification: Education-Primary
Induction date: 27th March 2003
Club Number: 168
Colin was involved in primary education for 41 years. He succeeded Jim Brown as Scout Commissioner for Edinburgh.
Colin, although not a Rotarian, was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship for services to International Scouting. His induction brings to six the number of Vice Presidents of the Edinburgh Scout Federation who are members of this Club.
He is Vice Chairman, Capability Scotland; Editor of the Clan Mackay Newsletter and Session Clerk of St. David's Church and a Storyteller to children aged 4-12.
Please make yourself known to Colin and make him welcome at our meetings.
Attendance Last Week
Members 68
Visitors 1
Guests 1
Total 70
CURLING
Last week members of the Curling Club received the devastating news that the rink at Gogar had been sold to the Royal Bank for development and would no longer be available. The other rink at Murrayfield is not large enough for all potential users so at present plans for next year are uncertain.
What is certain is that the Curling Club AGM and Dinner on 25th April will be an enjoyable evening. Non-curlers will be made most welcome. Names please to George Reid.
VISIT to THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF EDINBURGH
A tour for members and their guests to the Royal College and its museum, Nicholson Street, is planned for Tuesday 20 May 2003 under the leadership of Iain MacLaren, who is also an eminent Fellow of the College. The tour will last for approx. an hour and a half and will cost £5 per head.
Following the tour it is proposed to have a meal in 'Cia Roma' a nearby
Italian Restaurant at 64 South Bridge. (Eat as little as you desire at
your expense with your friends).
Members wishing to take part are asked to complete one of the forms on
the tables and/or contact John Hull a.s.a.p.
MEMBERS PHOTOGRAPHS
Members whose photograph was taken some time ago are asked to provide a recent 'head and shoulders' colour photograph to either Ed Lucas or Fred Ainslie.
VISITING ROTARIAN
Last week we were delighted to welcome P.P. Douglas Mackenzie who is now a member of Okehampton R.C. In receiving a miniature of whisky from President Peter Douglas reminded members that giving miniatures had been introduced during his term of office. He also said any member visiting the Dartmoor area would be made most welcome at his Club.
LAST WEEK'S SPEAKER
Our speaker was Miss Kunie Ando, Ambassadorial Scholar from Tokyo who is currently a research student for an MSc in Neuroscience at Edinburgh Univ.
Miss Ando described her life as a school girl in Tokyo, travelling in and out in the crowded commuter trains from her hometown of Saitama. (Pushers were necessary at the rush hours to get the train doors closed!).
She said she was a typical pupil, tubby, thick glasses and studied very hard.
Her home had lots of plants which encouraged insects and that developed her interest in Biology.
She described the many differences she experienced during her first stay in the UK as a student in Manchester.
She had come to love Scotland and had developed a liking for salmon, Scottish music and our beautiful countryside.
She is currently involved in research at the Western General on the effects of HIV on the human spine.
PISCATORIANS AWAKE
An All day visit to Coldingham Loch by the Club's fly-fishers is being
planned for a weekday in early May. Boats need to be reserved early. Everyone
interested should contact George Holmes; tel 0131 339 7474 or e-mail georgeholmes@freezone.co.uk
Other News:
- October '03
- September '03
- August '03
- July '03
- June '03
- May '03
- April '03
- March '03
- February '03
- January '03
- December '02
- November '02
- October '02
- September '02