The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
Bulletin 2154 - 12th April 2007
REVIEW
Review - Last Week’s Meeting – Th. 24 May.
President Fred opened the meeting by declaring to an astounded company
of 67 members and two guests that he felt like a rose between two thorns!
He certainly does not resemble any rose known to Scottish horticulture
but if this bizarre flight of fancy was a delusion of grandeur then his
impeccable Latin grace with its concurrent English translation admirably
restored an appropriate sense of Christian humility.
Members joined in the President’s special welcome to Lynda Stoddart
whom he congratulated on her recovery from the Achilles tendon injury
which had caused her eleven week absence from Club meetings. A cordial
welcome was also given to our other guest Steve Walsh, Production Manager
of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
District and Director Handover Dinner, to be held at Ednam House Hotel,
Kelso on Friday 29 June, 7.15 to 7.45 pm. Dress formal, £25 a head.
Contact: District Governor-elect John Lafferty.
Rotary KidsOut, Wednesday 10 June.
More helpers required. Contact Colin Mackay.Rotary Roadshow, Royal Highland Show, 21-24 June
Helpers are required to walk around outside the Roadshow for half a day to encourage people to visit us. Contact Bill Barr or Bob Marshall, District Webmaster,
The Great Scottish Walk, 2007.
More helpers are required to act as marshals for the walk from 9am to 4pm on Sunday 10 June. In the past each volunteer has earned £15 for J.C.F. Contact Jeff Gibb (229-5310) or Reg Robinson (336-4309).RI District 1020 Group Study Exchange.
Applications are invited for the post of Deputy Team Leader for the G.S.E. team visiting New Zealand between 14 March and 21 April 2008. The Deputy Team Leader will automatically become leader of the G.S.E. team expected to travel to Colombia in Rotary Year 2008-2009. Application forms from the R.I. Website, www.rotary.org, or contact Bill Barr. Closing date 30 June 2007.Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society Party,
3 Minto Street, Saturday 16 June, 6-8 pm.Iain and Fiona MacLaren look forward to welcoming members and their partners. The party will move indoors if weather is inclement. Cost £20 a head in aid of Rotary charities, including refreshments. Contact Iain MacLaren or Bill Barr.
Senior Citizens’ Outings, 15 and 22 May, 2007.
50 Senior Citizens from four Council Care Homes were collected by Club
members and conveyed by car to the Green Tree Hotel, Peebles where they
enjoyed an excellent high tea followed by a delightful musical entertainment
provided by Rotarians and their friends, including the Cramond Kirk choir.
19 Club members and 13 spouses acted as drivers and escorts and our elderly
guests gave every indication of having greatly enjoyed the occasion. The
Club is grateful to Ian Huggan and his helpers for their superb organisation
of a supremely successful and warmly appreciated Rotarian enterprise.
Charity Raffle Draw. At the President’s invitation the General Manager
of the Carlton Hotel drew the winning ticket for the Club’s Charity
Raffle after which, to loud applause, he presented the President with
a cheque for £411.75 in respect of the Club’s share of the
proceeds of the Charity lunch at the meeting on 26 April.
The Shehnai Ensemble led by Satish Chandra Qamar is giving a concert of
Indian music in the Queen’s Hall on Sunday 10 June at 4.0 pm. This
is organised by the Scottish-Indian Arts Forum and will include traditional
music played on the Indian bagpipe. Tickets £10. Contact Mohindra
Dhall.
Club Visits. George Reid attended meetings of two Maltese Rotary Clubs
and Dick Allen brought good wishes from the Murrayfield-Cramond Club.
The Annual General Meeting.
Two items from the agenda should be recorded:
1. Honorary Members:1.1 H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh, Sir Peter Heatly, George Brodlie and Robert Murdoch were re-elected as Honorary Members.
1.2 The Rt Hon Norman Irons, CBE, Hon FRCSEd, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, 1992-1996, was elected as an Honorary Member.
1.3 The Rt Hon George Grubb, Lord Provost of Edinburgh was elected as an Honorary Member for his term of office.
2. J.C.F. Trustees’ Report and Financial Statement for Year ending 31 March 2007.
This gave rise to a debate on J.C.F. policy regarding the magnitude of the capital sum from which it derives its investment income, which on 31 March was £109,507. Grants totalling £41,616 had been distributed and the view was expressed that there was too great a difference between this and the value of J.C.F. investment capital. In the light of new charities legislation it was felt that this might be unfavourably regarded by the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator (OSCR) and be prejudicial to the Club’s charitable status.
It was suggested that the J.C.F. endowment capital be reduced to a maximum of £50,000 by increasing charitable donation and this received significant support. The provisions of the Trust Deed regarding the disbursement of monies donated to J.C.F. specifically for investment are not entirely clear but it is felt that they are not an absolute obstacle to the suggested reduction of J.C.F. investment capital.
The President expressed his warm appreciation of David Brown’s professional services as Independent Examiner for the Club and also for J.C.F. He also congratulated David Williamson on his outstandingly successful term of office as Secretary and Treasurer of J.C.F.
President-Elect Robin proposed a Vote of Thanks to President Fred for his masterly Chairmanship of the A.G.M. and this was accorded with acclaim.