The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
Bulletin 2,024 - 2nd September 2004
REVIEW
ATTENDANCE
We had a deputation of 9 members of the Leeds Club last week. Other visitors would have benefited from instruction with the mike to help us to understand a speech by Paul Read from North Fresno California. Our total was 95 including 12 visitors and 2 guests.
THE CURLING SEASON
The Curling season has begun, our curling club is lots of fun, you need to know that Mel is our man, you should join in if you can, the earliest date in the ye'r, is Monday 13 September. With just an eye for the action, look to Judith for the scansion.
LEEDS AT 89
My lunchtime companion announced himself as Gavin from Leeds, England.
This struck me. You cannot miss a Yorkshire man. He said they thought
it was time, after 89 years that they made a visit. The Leeds Club was
founded in 1916 as a daughter Club to Edinburgh. Their president's son
and daughter were at University here. Thus the connection is actually
strong.
Anita Rayner, flanked by her past and future presidents and six other
members all caught the train North on a return visit in response to Neville
Belton's tour of daughter clubs last year.
Leeds has daughter clubs of their own throughout Yorkshire, and so it
was a significant gesture for them to organise this visit.
A SEASON OF HADRIAN'S RESTAURANT
I have a secret liking for Hadrian's Restaurant. For all its unsuitability for Rotary meetings, with few of us facing the speaker and all scrambling for our coats at the end; the ambiance is different. Crammed in, you do have to talk, and I can hide behind a column to take notes. Three lunches is the price for the big room for Leeds and Cardinal O'Brien. So I shall just slip off for a couple of weeks away, to allow me to imagine my liking for Hadrian's Restaurant.
FOCUS
ROTARY CIVIC RECEPTION - (JBE and FMG)
The Civic reception at The Merchant's Hall on Saturday was a fitting celebration of the centennial Rotary year. Seventeen members of our Club attended. Donald Anderson, the leader of the City Council, District governors, Ambassadorial Scholars, Judith Hutton of Inner Wheel, Cardinal O'Brien, our speaker on Thursday, Anne Gloag for Mercy Ships, CHAS, Child Line, and plenty of Rotarians from our neighbouring clubs were all there as well.
Rodger Thom of Currie Balerno made the introductions with an invitation to meet three new people over the Champagne which set off the day. The food was good too which ensured that the three speakers were also well received.
A young Citizen's Award was proposed by Eileen Davis (Edinburgh Breakfast) for contribution and commitment to the community by school age people. The winner would be selected from nominations by schools in the District. The prize is an inscribed silver plate, with a replica for the young citizen.
Zoë of Childline illustrated the need for this service with a story of Stephen who decided to overdose at 16; after years of physical abuse from alcoholic parents. His call saved him, brought help to his parents and ongoing support for Stephen by Alison, his contact, with calls over the succeeding two years. Unfortunately they only respond to 270 of their daily 560 calls, through a lack of funds.
Danielle Gordon from San Francisco has had three articles published in The Scotsman. She spoke of her 4 years as an ambassadorial scholar, supported by Rotary, at Edinburgh University.
Tania of CHAS reported on the opening of a second new hospice to follow Rachel House in 2005. All this and much more have been achieved with the support of Rotary Clubs in our District.
PRATTLE
SALMON IN BANGKOK
President BC thought that he might consider a more exotic location for our Edinburgh lunch, after he heard about a visit to Thailand. Carol Duffus understood every word at the lunch at Bangkapi Rotary Club. The menu matched our own, salmon and a starter. It was priced at 380 bahts, which equates to £5.50. What a snip. As a bonus, the meeting was conducted in English.
NATIONAL MUD WEEK
Radio Four provides all the news you need to know in its review of the papers. A personable reporter has a good-humoured swipe at his rivals giving only grudging praise for the clever headline. Anna Burnside's spin on all last month's rain contained schoolgirl charm as she announced mud, mud and more mud, national mud week. Meanwhile a Devon tourist village was swept away in a torrent of muddy water. Perthshire villages were under threat and Scottish roads slipped off their hillsides. Is this a global warning?
EPIC TIES
The Epping Forest Club is marketing a centennial tie with happy red and yellow coloured suns, squares and Rotary wheels. There were two on show last week. One American visitor piped up with "I have one of those" (and so he should as a properly attired gentleman). This was a St Andrews Rotary Club tie. In bold blue and yellow stripes discreetly identified (cannot be one for our treasurer I fear) the tie is, it appears, almost a compulsory souvenir for guests at the Fife Club. With this clutch of Epping Ties, don't forget our new tie; at £15 see Douglas Sutherland.
PETER WILSON'S FORMER COLLEGE
The Scottish Agricultural College paid Peter Wilson the singular honour of naming a building after him. The naming ceremony was attended by BC and a dozen of our own members
THIS WEEK'S SPEAKER
Thursday 2 September 2004: John Martin;
Transport policy, relevance and implications of road user charging for
Scotland.
Vote of Thanks: Neville Belton.
NEXT WEEK'S SPEAKER
Thursday 9 September 2004: Gordon Reid
Future role of Edinburgh City Centre.
Vote of Thanks: David Brown.
PREVIEW
We can anticipate a very relevant talk from Gordon Reid who is the Chief
Executive of Edinburgh City Centre Management Company. He has good knowledge
in the field and has made studies of our own city.