The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
Bulletin 2,093 - 26th January 2006
REVIEW
Attendance
Linda Stoddart's mother has just emigrated to join Linda in Scotland, and she was a guest at our lunch last week. Our visitor was David Walters, a past president from the Rotary Club of Ponteland near Newcastle. With 60 of our own members, and our speaker Richard McBrearty, we had 63 at the meeting.
The Carlton Hotel
This is our last week at The Balmoral, to which we must make a sad farewell. Next week we start afresh with the Carlton Hotel on North Bridge. Peter Wheeldon would like to help them to make a good impression by giving our new hotel advanced warning of any special requests. This includes any special dietary requirements, which you may have. Please give Peter (and the Hotel) your support.
The District AGM Citation
Much to the surprise of our delegation to the AGM in Livingston, our Club received a Citation for our Club's per capita donation to the Rotary Foundation Programs Fund. This provides the finance for Ambassadorial Scholars and Group Study Exchange.
A Double Room in Belfast
Robin Wilson has reserved a number of rooms in a well-located hotel in Belfast for the RIBI Conference. We have a good party of members booked in to go, but there is still one of the provisionally reserved rooms untaken. If any one would like to join the party from Edinburgh and take up the remaining room, please contact Robin (soon!).
FOCUS
Curling Club Interim Report
The closure of Gogarpark forced us to seek alternative venues. We have
found Murrayfield and Kinross. The latter has allowed us to enjoy excellent
fellowship. We enjoy a light lunch together in the more relaxed atmosphere
afforded by playing twice on the same day. There has however been the
loss of some regular members and I would ask you all to look hard at supporting
us next season. If any members are interested ask any curler for advice.
You can always spot them; they're the happy smiley people who are always
welcoming.
Malcolm Wylie won our Points Competition with Robin White runner up. Arthur
Barlow skipped the winning rink in the Tyne Trophy. The rest of the team
were Jan Kay, David Hume and Colin Rodger. The more eagle eyed of you
will have noted that the skip and lead are former members of our club.
The third is not a Rotarian and the second is a member of Murrayfield
- Cramond. We are grateful for their support, which helps to complete
our rinks.
In external competitions we've enjoyed ourselves but have only modest
success to report. In the Ramshead Trophy, we're unlikely to reach the
Scottish semi finals. In the Edinburgh area Rotary Combined League we
lost to Braids but beat South Queensferry so some time yet to redeem ourselves.
In the KG IV Tournament our involvement was brief going down to Boswall.
I repeat anyone interested in taking up this enjoyable team sport please
get in touch.
Graeme Forbes. Secretary
PRATTLE
Bridge Club in Musselburgh
The next meeting of the Bridge Club is on Monday (30 January) at 7.00pm. The evening is to be held at Fred Lawson's house, 2, Grannus Mews, Inveresk. Any new players would be welcome.
The District AGM
President Judith lead our delegation which has seven voting delegates, to the AGM in Livingston earlier in the month. We have a little representation at this level. Dick Allan was elected to be Assistant District Governor. Jinty Kerr was again made the Vulnerable Persons Protection Officer for the District.
The Rotary Club of Glasgow Burns Supper
President Judith enjoyed the hospitality of the Glasgow Rotary Club at their Burns Supper in the Moat House last week. They had organised a musical trio to entertain the company and this developed into a sing along with all 160 guests joining in. The reticent beware. Judith so enjoyed the singing that she would like to introduce it here in the East.
The Passing Game
Richard McBrearty was only too pleased to come through from Hamden to speak in Edinburgh because of happy memories playing football for Hibs. He proudly told us that the game in 1868, when Queenspark played Thistle, was a hybrid with 20 men, no goalie and handling of the ball above the chest allowed. Unlike the English who liked to dribble, the Scots played a passing game, which they spread all over the world from China to Brazil.THIS WEEK'S MEETING
Thursday 26 January 2006: Susan Clerk,
Edinburgh Airport Rail Link Project.
Vote of thanks: Bill Cantley
NEXT WEEK'S SPEAKER
Thursday 2 February 2006: Maxie Richards
Scotswoman of the Year
Vote of thanks: to be announced.
RECEPTION DUTIES: Colin Mackay