The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
Bulletin 2251 - 19th March 2009
Last Week at the Apex International:
President Tim Simpson welcomed members and guests to lunch in the Heights Restaurant in the Apex Hotel. Tim announced the sad news of Bill Gatherer’s passing. Bill had been a member of the club since 1972 and was a feisty character of formidable intellect. He asked Past President Alex Currie to give a valedictory after which members stood in silence.William Gatherer:
Bill was a distinguished educationalist, a graduate of
Aberdeen in English with a PhD in linguistics. He had been a school
teacher promoted to the School Inspectorate where he became an influential
leader of the Regional Advisory Service. His educational background
shaped his style and there was about him the shade of the Scots Dominie
of yesteryear – the Headie who had seen it all, from awkward pupils
to recalcitrant counsellors and could run his rule over all of them.
In this Rotary club, Alex said he always looked up to Bill as the conscience
of the club. Bill’s purpose and strength of character was balanced
by a lovely and endearing nature and by his love of poetry. He is still
remembered for the lunch talk he gave from extracts of his own poems.
Bill was supported in life by Mamie for 52 years and after her death
by our own Morag. Their marriage gave us all happiness and in the sorrow
of his death we send our condolences and love to her. A Haiku of which
Bill would have approved:
Journey near ended,
Hat off, shoes off,
Fever of life no more.
Secretary’s Announcements:
Attendance: 59 members, no visitors and 1 guest, total 60.
Colin thanked members for their response to the appeal for an English
Teacher and the offer of Rugby Tickets.
Tickets for the Musical Evening at St. Mary’s Cathedral on 24th April
are available from the Secretary or John Havard at £6. All may attend.
Members arriving late for lunch should find the Rotary Tabard hanging
on a chair where they can pay for their lunch.
Volunteer are still required to help with the Amplification System.
Club Business meeting in two weeks on Thursday 26th march when important
consultations will be carried out. Volunteer forms for Blood Pressure
day and Senior Citizens outing were on the tables and names are required.
Those members not on email should collect a letter from the Club Notices
table.
There will be not meeting on Thursday 2nd April......... and from
Monday 6th April we will change to Monday Meetings.
A dozen Members joined Past President Fred Lawson for a tour of Parliament
House before lunch. The tour was most interesting as we gazed on statues
and paintings of worthy judges and examined the great Parliament Hall
where up to four trials were conducted simultaneously including the corner
where Burke and Hair met their justice.
‘The Uncommon Reader’ by Alan Bennett stimulated the Rotary
Book Group to a lively discussion at Alex Currie’s house. This small,
easily read book was considered beautifully written, witty and entertaining
with many cleaver observations and literary references. We gave it 8 out
of 10. Our next book is Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky
and the meeting will be held at Bob Hislop’s house on Wednesday 22
April 2009 at 7.30.
"WANTED - more Members to join Reception Teams. The more teams
we have, the less often each team will have to do Reception. It's not
a 'duty' - it's a 'service' to the Club and your fellow Members. Names
please to Malcolm Shanks."
President’s Business:
President Tim was glad to announce some good news to members – Bob McIntyre has been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Salvation Army. Unfortunately it involves a move to Glasgow. Their gain – our loss but congratulations to Bob.Tim reminded members that the club needs new blood to sustain and grow. No new applications have been received this year so far and members are asked to think seriously about who they could introduce to the benefits of Rotary. April will be a month for bringing potential members to lunch as our guests.
Guest Speaker:
President Tim welcomed our Guest Speaker Mairi Rosko, Senior Fund Raising Manager for St. Columba’s Hospice. He pointed out that we have done a number of initiatives with the Hospice and that many of us may think we are familiar with their work, but that may not necessarily be true.Mairi Rosko: responding to Changing Palliative Care Needs. Mairi thanked the club for a warm welcome and for our help for the Hospice over the years. She has been working with the Hospice for a year and finds every morning a great feeling as she walks into the happiest place she has ever worked. Joy, happiness, laughter are everywhere. The objective is to give everyone the opportunity to live their life to the fullest for all their life. The care is based on that premise. Palliative care is now being seen as important outside as well as within the hospice movement. People now come to the Hospice well before their final days and are often discharged back to their families with suitable facilities, returning later for full time care. The Hospice works with Queen Margaret University and hopes that Palliative Care will be adopted by the NHS. 450 tutorials have been given to medical students and 600 nurses have received training. The ongoing training programme is a major component of the Hospice’s strategy. When it opened in 1957 there were 15 beds staffed by volunteers. Now there are 30 beds and nurses make 3000 home visits, there is a day centre and respite facilities for three day breaks. Complementary Therapy is available on two days and is important because other than nursing and hygiene activities, patients do not receive handling or touch. Unfortunately the facilities are inadequate and the time has come to build a new Hospice. The project has to start now because people need care in spite of economic conditions. They will be building an education unit, demolishing and rebuilding the Hospice on two stories. There will still be 30 beds but there will be 18 individual rooms, many more outpatients and arrangements for patients to “feel the sun and hear the birds.” The cost will be £23 million and the Hospice has to raise £11 million over the next four years on top of the annual running costs of £5 million. The NHS has reduced funding in 2008 but the people of Edinburgh continue to support St. Columba’s Hospice with their time and money.
Mairi concluded by saying to members that the last day of our life is as important as the first day.