January to March 2011
The leprechauns took over when the New Brookhouse Club, where Wakefield Rotarians meet each week, gave out hats to those who bought Guinness on St Patrick's Day. Pictured (from left) are Ken Pinder, Peter Rhodes, Michael Stead and Peter Clarke.
On a more serious note a few minutes later the meeting fell silent to remember the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan last week and raised a collection of over £400 to be sent to an appropriate charity.
The Forget-Me-Not Trust, set up to provide West Yorkshire with a children's hospice and respite centre, is looking for volunteers to launch a support group in Wakefield.
The trust's fundraising officer, Gina Fielding, told members this evening that work started in November last year on the £2.2million hospice at a site in Huddersfield.
The keys should be handed over by the builders in September this year, said Gina, but she added that the trust's home service was already up and running. This was launched last September and is now helping eight children and their families.
Once the hospice is fully operational it will cost £1.5million a year to run. "That's the scary bit," said Gina.
Wakefield Rotary Club will be doing its bit to raise money for the project when it organises its second charity Scootathlon at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School's sports ground in July.
About 50 Rotarians and families, including grandchildren, were at club president Philip Platts' West Bretton farm on Saturday, March 12, to see the start of this year's lambing. Tea and buns were provided by Joyce Platts and helpers. Link........
NEW MEMBER
THE club's latest new member, Lincolnshire-born Les Wright who was inducted into Rotary this evening, can count himself lucky.
Les, who lives in retirement at Walton, was in Christchurch Cathedral with his wife Linda just 48 hours before the recent earthquake in New Zealand. They had been staying in the hotel across the road from the cathedral but flew to Fiji the day before the quake.
Les, who was proposed by Richard Edge, was inducted by club president Philip Platts. Before he retired, Les was operations director for a national firm of chartered loss adjusters.
Photo - left to right, Richard Edge, Les Wright, Rotary president Philip Platts.
SIR NORMAN BETTISON - CHIEF CONSTABLE OF WEST YORKSHIRE POLICE
Neighbourhood policing teams are here to stay, pledged West Yorkshire Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison, when he spoke to the club this evening.
‘There is a myth that once there was a bobby on every street corner. There never was,' he said.
Instead, neighbourhood policing is the answer for the 21st century. There are 47 teams throughout West Yorkshire, each led by an inspector who Sir Norman described as his ‘mini Chief Constables'.
Residents can go to the county police website, key in their postcode and bring up details of their own neighbourhood policing team, together with any current local issues.
The force faces cost cuts of 20 per cent, 14 per cent of those in the first two years, said Sir Norman. This means reducing the payroll but he promised the neighbourhood teams would stay in place.
A vote of thanks was proposed by Michael Townsend, both of whose grandfathers had been police sergeants.
SUSTAINABILITY TRUST
Members were told what they should be doing to help save the planet when Sheffield Rotarian Peter Sephton talked to them about the Rotary-inspired Sustainability Trust.
He illustrated the many ways in which the world-wide Rotary movement is encouraging communities and individuals to adopt lifestyles and energy-saving programmes that reduce the impact of human activity on planet Earth. He urged the Wakefield club to develop its own schemes and to share these with others through the Trust.
Roger Brown proposed a vote of thanks after a lively question and answer session.
10th February 2011
THE CLUB has been involved in a round of activities including mock interviews at Cathedral School, Wakefield.
Colin Robertson reported on the success of the interviews, the aim of which is to give students the chance to develop skills that will help them make successful job applications.
Club members also took time out last week to enjoy a conducted tour of Wakefield Theatre Royal. Future social events include a summer hog roast, a wine tasting evening in March and a night of traditional jazz in April.
At tonight's meeting at the New Brookhouse Club, new member David Garforth gave a light-hearted account of his life in the Civil Service.
ROYAL NAVY
The Royal Navy's Presentation Team led by Commander Steve Allen gave a slick show to the club, talking to members about the role of today's Navy and the outlook for the future.
Others in the team were Lieut Clare Jubb, Ldg Seaman Dan Wallace and Royal Marines commando Lance-Cpl Dan Lee. The vote of thanks was given by Michael Stead.
6th January 2011
17th March 2011
FORGET ME NOT TRUST.....
3rd March 2011
24th February 2011
