The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
Bulletin 2,074 - 1st September 2005
REVIEW
Attendance
73 people attended Rotary last week including 69 of our members, 2 visitors and 2 guests. Visits came from William Harper of Hawaii Kaua'I Rotary Club. He stated that he had never been to such an old club as ours. His own, founded in the fifties was the oldest in his area. Rainer Wiertz also visited from the Neuss Club in Germany.
Bulletins in September
Your usual Bulletin editor is having a rest for a few weeks; which offers scope for more variety in the format of the weekly news sheet. Eve Crowe, who writes next week's issue, would like articles as soon as possible to publish on 8 September; James Murray writes for 15 September; and Iain MacLaren on 22 September. Please could every support, in the form of material, be offered the weekend before publication.
Tax Repayments
Any member lucky enough to receive a tax repayment can if wished nominate a charity to receive all or part of their payment. The scheme has several advantages for participating charities :-
- The donation will be paid direct to the charity's bank account
- The form will incorporate a gift aid declaration
- Gift aid will be paid without the charity having to make a claim.
- For the first time charities will benefit from gift aid on anonymous donations.
A list of participating charities is on the Inland Revenue website. The Jubilee Charity Fund is registered with this scheme and is listed on the website. The fund's unique code is CAQ67ZG.
By David Williamson, for The Juibilee Charity Fund
FOCUS
Loanhead and Roslin Rotary Club
Roving reporters rely on their luck. My visit to Loanhead and Roslin Rotary Club on Monday evening last week coincided with a big payout of their weekly jackpot. The numbers had not come up for some months, and the payout was £140! The lucky winner stood drinks for all and so for my £7, wine was included. Not that the meal was bad value without the wine. We were offered a choice of three, an amazing sea food pie, ham salad or chilli con carne. The starter was a rich tomato soup which included some whole plum tomatoes.
The club meets at the Hotel with the popular beer garden at the head of the lane leading to Roslin Chapel (or if you would rather at the bottom of the High Street). 22 gentlemen make up the membership. They are of very mixed ages with an attendance of 18. Despite the proximity to Edinburgh, the atmosphere is rural and you know you are in Midlothian. There is little formality as you take your place on the u shaped table plan.
My place was close to the treasurer, who appeared to be a "bag man", raking in the annual subscriptions. We also had an entertaining publican from Musselburgh who hoped the forthcoming races would have plenty of the favourites as winners and so fill his bar.
They had a good speaker, who is trying to establish a community radio service for Midlothian. He is looking to obtain a grant and a licence. His programming would cater for the tastes of different members of the community throughout the day and into the evening, providing opportunities to local people to go on air. They would hope to encourage the musical talents which are apparent in Midlothian. The other aims are of course educational and to provide a forum for local people to air their views.
PRATTLE
Harvard Graduate
In an effort to promote the Centenary Cookbook, one remained on display in my office reception for a couple of weeks. One of my clients who bought a copy and was thrilled by the contents, went on to tell me about her Rotary Scholarship. She was in Stafford, and was sent by the Rotary there to Harvard University in the USA. She spent a year studying at the University and was awarded a Masters Degree. She says she will be for ever grateful to the Rotary Club for the help given to her.
In Good Voice
Vice President Fred gave us a rendition of "All good things around us", sung as the grace last week. He gallantly carried it off without any of the musical support which he (and maybe some of us) craved. Fred, who received applause, is clearly searching for a unique formula.
Pantone Blue
The Vice President presented our visitor from Hawaii with one of our new banners. It is to the approved colour of the Saltire, the pantone colour of blue selected by George Reid and approved by the Scottish Parliament
The Sportsman's Dinner
Loanhead and Roslin Rotary Club has organised a Sportsman's Dinner for Friday 30th. September. They have as their star attractions football manager Jim Mowbury and George Jack. Tickets were selling at £30. The cost of a table, which I gather is for ten is reduced to £270. They seem to be pretty successful at attracting corporate sponsors who have already paid the full price for two tables. Most people go singly of course and their only problem was in printing tickets.
THIS WEEK'S SPEAKER
Thursday 1 September 2005 David Windmill
"Does Edinburgh Need a Zoo."
Vote of Thanks: John Hull
NEXT WEEK'S SPEAKER
Thursday 8 September 2005: Prof. Masami Kita of Glasgow University
Vote of Thanks: Fred Lawson
PREVIEW
Rajiv is putting together his programme of speakers for the autumn season. One of the highlights looks to be the talk by Harry Nash on 15 September. He is talking about "Mercy Ships" which is one of the RIBI's selected charities for support by Rotary Clubs this year.