The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
Bulletin 2,033 - 4th November 2004
REVIEW
ATTENDANCE
With our 68 members last week was David Henderson who is now a member of the Dalbeattie Club. There was also one guest.
ROTARY TRANSFER
Jenny Ingvarsson has, at last, formally transferred from the Jonkoping Osler Club. In a departure from the usual form, she was asked to introduce herself. She expressed a feeling of warmth over the eight months spent here. Following a car accident she has become determined to do her best to improve road safety. She works in communications, with speed cameras, to promote her concerns to limit the dangers of excessive speed. She is a very welcome new member of the Club.
TOYS FOR KIDS
The collection at lunch organised by Jinty Kerr a fortnight ago to pay for Christmas presents for children raised £385. Details of the project are in next weeks Bulletin.
VISITS NEAR AND FAR
It seems that our President BC, is an Ulsterman like last weeks speaker. During our lunch, James Murray presented him with a small emerald green badge (or was it a sweet?). It came from The Carluke Club where lunch is £8. Bill Barr topped that with a banner from a lunch at £2.50 in Islamabad. That is quite a trip for a Rotary lunch.
CHRISTMAS LUNCH
Fred Lawson has booked the finest room in the Balmoral for Christmas lunch on 2nd December. Whilst bookings are "flowing in thick and fast", there is plenty of space for everyone, with their partners and friends. There is a drink before we settle down, a bottle of wine between five at the meal and full Christmas fare. If you let Fred know, special tastes can also be accommodated. It would be great if everyone could come on the second.
BOOK NOW: FRED ON 0131 653 0250
FOCUS
ABERDEEN CONFERENCE REPORT
A concert was organised for last Friday evening in Aberdeen, given by young people from South Queensferry. This set the scene for the weekend with its theme this year in Aberdeen of youth. The slogan, which had been chosen, was " Building the Future on the Younger Generation". The conference was conducted in plenary sessions, lead by some inspirational speakers. These filled the Saturday and Sunday. There was a service in the hall at the start of the Sunday meeting lead by a Salvation Army brass band.
We as a conference were challenged to trust young people to recognise that they may communicate using a different syntax; that they have aspirations that ought to be recognised.
The key speakers were Leslie Riddock, Deputy Chief Constable Tom Wood and Lady Hazel Cosgrove, who apologised for being out of the habit of speaking, but proceeded to shine. The conference also listened to challenging appeals for the preferred Rotary charities, which address the plight of poor and sick children in particular.
Robin Wilson who was at the conference this year has given us this report on the weekend. Our contingent stayed in the Holiday Inn, which had a direct link to the conference hall, with a covered way. By all accounts it was good value, with dinner, bed and breakfast provided at £45 a night. With Robin was our President with Marion, Dick and Margaret Allan, Bill and Mae Barr, Neville and Elisabeth Belton, John Havard, John and Kathy Hull, Forbes and Marilyn Ridland. They not only enjoyed the company of each other, but also the many friends and acquaintances, built up through visiting and meeting with members of other Rotary Clubs. The Conference was well attended with 900 people drawn from Rotarians, their partners, members from Inner Wheel, Rotoract candidates and Ambassadorial Scholars.
PRATTLE
A SHINER OF AN HONARY MEMBER
The Duke of Edinburgh made the front pages of the papers last week on the 150th anniversary of the charge of the light brigade. His black eye received the attention of the press and ensured that the day was fully reported and commemorated as one of the landmarks in our history.
TEA JENNY (source Radio Scotland).
The Chinese have always recognised the life enhancing properties of tea. They attribute cures for prostate cancer and the control of high blood pressure to taking the drink. When it was introduced to this country, there was a marked fall in Cholera, mostly because by boiling drinking water, it was sterilised. Newcastle University is carrying out research into the properties of both black and green tea, which appear to support some of the claims of Chinese medicine. They are particularly interested in possible benefits to Alzheimer sufferers. They have identified substances in tea, which are promising. They have not yet moved on to clinical trials. It sounds like an exciting project and should encourage us all to return to our traditional drink.
BURNTISLAND STONE
The Geological Survey has been examining Edinburgh stone. They have some interesting findings. The Craigleith stone has a different composition to the sandstone of similar colour found in the North of England. The high clay content of the English stone makes it more vulnerable to weathering. Andrew McMillan of the survey believes that the City has been extensively repaired in this inferior stone since the closure of Craigleith Quarry. I have first hand experience of this inferior stone, particularly on the rear of our houses where fine buildings are crumbling. Relief is on the way with the re-opening of Burntisland Quarry, which has very similar properties to Craigleith.
THIS WEEK'S SPEAKER
Thursday 4 November 2004: Commander Tony Herdman - Poppy Appeal
Vote of Thanks: Ewart Shields
NEXT WEEK'S MEETING
Thursday 11 November 2004:Brig. Neil Mackereth - Military Humour
Vote of Thanks: Ian Huggan
PREVIEW
A soldier on soldiering, it should be entertaining.