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The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
Bulletin 2200 - 13th March
2008
Last Meeting Thur 13th March
President Robin Wilson welcomed members and announced with
sadness the death in Aberdeen last Friday of Torquil MacNeil, a former
member. In memory of our friend, Robin shared this Anglican hymn:-
Hallow our will as humbly we recall
The lives of those who gave and give their all.
We thank you Lord, for women, children, men
Who seek to serve in love, today as then.
Give us deep faith to comfort those who mourn,
High hope to share with all the newly born,
Strong love in our pursuit of human worth:
Lest we forget the future of this earth.
Secretary’s Business.
Bill Barr announced there were present 68 Rotarians, no visiting Rotarians
or guests. Bill gave a final reminder of the Young Musician of the Year
Competition on Sunday 9th March. Our speaker next week will be Ruth Allan
on “Project Scotland”. The vote of thanks will be by Jack Aitken.
Next Bill clarified the numbers coming from Colombia on the September 2008
Group Exchange. Any member who could help host the four young ladies or
wishes to recommend a candidate for the District’s outgoing team to
Colombia in 2009 to go on the 2009 exchange to Colombia contact Bill or
Archie Bell.
Race for Life.
Bill had received an urgent request from Olivia McLean for help on 7th March
with this project, but more realistically with later dates on 11th May for
the 2008 Hopetoun House Race for Life and the main 2008 Edinburgh Race for
Life, which will take place on Sunday 1st of June at Holyrood Park, where
support is required from early morning through to the end of the event.
Ian Huggan will be seeking help with stewarding. Fund-Raising Ceilidh. Fergus
Gillies then spoke about our main fund-raising event of the year in the
Edinburgh Academy Hall on Saturday 10th May. Members were asked to support
this event enthusiastically with their presence and offers of help. Tickets
would be on sale shortly at a cost of £30 to £35. Fergus pleaded
for members and their partners and friends to come along to raise funds
for local community projects. Watch the Bulletin for further information
and make this a full house [200] to welcome our Belgian Rotarian visitors.
It would be a great night out as well. Contact Fergus Gillies or Rajik Naik.
Hotel Contract. Stewart Kinsman made his long awaited announcement on our
negotiations with the Barcelo Edinburgh Carlton Hotel. Contrary to fears
about a rise in price, the cost of the weekly lunch would remain at £13.50
until 29 January 2009, although the contribution from the Charity Lunches
would reduce from 50% to 25%. The Hotel would continue to award prizes at
each Charity Lunch. His announcement was greeted with a considerable round
of applause. Well done Stewart ! In response to earlier comment by Bill
Barr, who had offered a rugby international ticket for sale, President Robin
feared that the result at Murrayfield on Saturdaywould be different from
the famous battle of 1314.
Grandfather Spoon.
Having paid his fine, John Skinner accepted his new design spoon on behalf
of William James, born 7th November 2007. Members were reminded that there
would be a Club visit to the Rotary Club of Leith on 19th March. - Contact
VP Tim Simpson. Robin had received greetings from the President of the Rotary
Club of Wagga, Wagga Inc. in Australia and had reciprocated with ours. Before
introducing the speaker, Robin was publicly reunited with his brolly from
the lost property box. What will he lose next, since last week he mislaid
a Silver Trophy ?
Visiting Speaker - Hugh Young.
Robin expressed his delight at having a Job Talk from a new member, who
was billed to share some humorous moments from his career in Merchant Banking.
“Was there anything humorous in Merchant Banking ?” Robin asked.
Hugh soon proved there was, as he described the high and low moments growing
through ranks from number 3 to number 1 in one of Schroder Wagg’s teams
from 1967 to 1973. His witty account ranged from the Australian Newspapers
letting slip what he had under his kilt - Just a cheque for £9,000,000
to buy a bank of course. General Foods held a carefully laid out dinner
to commemorate the merger of Rowntrees and Mackintoshes highlighted a box
of Matchmakers at Rowntrees’ Place and one of Good News at Mackintosh’s.
He bewailed the gifts he received for another major achievement with Tadcaster
Ales. When he and a colleague brought an agreed figure to their Board they
were summoned to receive a splendid gift of recognition. Expecting a few
cases of the best malt whisky, imagine his displeasure at receiving a company
tie for a deal of many millions of pounds. Poor Hugh ! Hugh also recalled
a visit to a Board Room in Dallas, where the Coke drinking Chairman, in
shirt sleeves, was dictating a series of terse instructions “Keep him,
shoot him, sell him, shoot him, sell him.” Worried in case he was next
to be disposed of he asked a colleague what on earth was going on. “Don’t
worry he has just bought a stud farm and is disposing of the horses.”
Compared to the many weighty and distinguished speakers he had listened
to since he joined our Club in October, he said his contribution was just
frivolous rubbish. His audience greatly enjoyed his repartee and string
of funny stories interspersed by evidence of his own high-flying record
in banking. It was a welcome change to the learned discourses, interspersed
with maybe a smile or two.
Vote of Thanks - Melinda Wallace.
Melinda rose to the challenge and having cast aside her Google researches
into jokes about bankers, instead thanked Hugh for his most entertaining
and clever address filled with so many little anecdotes that proved the
fun in Merchant Banking. His fellow members duly showed their approval of
our new member’s humour and easy style. Robin closed the meeting with
a toast to the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga, Inc!
Piscatorian Society.
The Annual Dinner took place on Friday, 29th February at the Royal Burgess
Golfing Society. It was good fare and good fellowship with much hilarity
and talk about past triumphs & future plans. The Annual Story-Telling
Competition for the prestigious Piscatorian Plaque, (- weight 2.5 kg!).
was won by Forbes Ridland with some resounding renderings. Watch this space
for new ideas for the coming season.
Senior Citizens’ Outings.
Malcolm Shanks is seeking Drivers and Escorts to support the ever popular
Senior Citizens’ Outings on 13th and 20th May to the Green Tree Hotel,
Peebles. Forms with more details will be available early in the month of
April.
A Brace of Lord Provosts.
Ex- LP Norman Irons was seen at lunch this week following last week’s
visit by present incumbent the Rt Hon George Grubb. Both are Honorary Members
of our Club.
Advance Notice.
Edinburgh Breakfast Club invites our members to meet RIBI President Allan
Jagger on 22 April.
Membership attendance statistics.
Some members still have to collect Forbes Ridland’s report on lunchtime
attendances and make-ups. Maybe they are the ones who are seldom able to
make our lunch-time meetings. |