Thursday 12th May 

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Twelfth Night a Shakespear Play, Charity Night went very well, we had a great time, the actresses were outanding playing both male and female parts. 

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Monday 22nd February

 

President James reports:-

 

We were fortunate that Brian Linnegar, the Treasurer of 30 years standing, with the Watford and Bushey branch of PHAB (Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied Club) was able to join us for lunch.  This Club has been based in Bushey and Watford for over 30 years and currently has around 30 members.   The membership is balanced between those who are in need of assistance and fully active personnel. The activities which the Club performs covers disabled sports and visits to artistic venues and activities.  

 

I am pleased that we are supporting a local charity as so often in the past we have found it difficult to support local organisations which need our help and financial assistance.  

 

As soon as the accounts for the Band Concert, which is our main fund raising activity, are finalised, a return visit will be made by Brian Linnegar so that we can present to him the cheque to support his very active and worthwhile organisation.

 

Monday 1st February

 

President James welcomed eighteen members and two visitors to our Rotary lunch meeting today, Holly Worthington rom My Radlett News, a guest of President Elect David Rose and Christopher Treeves-Brown, a guest of President James.

 

There was no "official" speaker today, but Rotarian Hilary Booth gave a talk, illustrated by slides to the members and guests on her recent Southbound Voyage to Australia. The highlights included releasing a baby turtle into the Pacific Ocean on a turtle beach near Acapulco, Mexico and swimming with small sharks and stingrays in the lagoon surrounding the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora.

 

The audience was fascinated by her description of the transit of the Panama Canal which had been the main reason for choosing this particular voyage. She gave a brief outline of the history of the canal which was started by the French in the 19th century under the auspices of Ferdinand De Lesseps who built the Suez Canal. The French had to abandon the project as the terrain was so difficult with dense forest full of venomous snakes, insects and spiders. The work force also died of yellow fever and malaria and they were losing 200 workers a month.

 

The Americans took over in 1904 and spent 10 years digging the canal which opened in 1914 just before the outbreak of the 1st World War. Now the canal is operated by a Panamanian Government Company and with the installation of lights, the two channels are working continuously 24 hours a day throughout the year.

 

Many large container ships are built to meet the size of the locks and are called Panamax ships. It takes 6-8 hours to transit the 48 miles of the canal and the ships are hauled by special trains working in parallel, one on either side of the locks joined to the ships by steel hawsers. Many hundreds of cargo ships have to wait for transit anchored off each end of the canal and cruise ships which pay a higher premium have priority. A new wider canal to take bigger ships is in the process of construction and should open in 2016. The talk was followed by a lively question and answer session.    

Our picture below, shows James and Hilary, plus a slide of the ship about to enter the canal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday 29th January Annual Royal Marine Band Concert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the 29th January 2016 the Rotary Club of Radlett, (District 1130) and the Rotary Clubs of the Rotary Clubs of St Albans and St Albans, Verulamium, (District 1260) staged their 32nd Royal Marines Band Concert at The Alban Arena.

 

Radlett Past President Tony Alexander, in his third year of comparing this event, opened the evening by welcoming The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, Collingwood, under the direction of Major Jon Ridley and WO2 Nev Dednum, on behalf of the Rotary Clubs of Radlett, St Albans and St Albans Verulamium, plus welcomed everyone present to the concert.

 

Tony made special mention of our guests, Vice Lord Lieutenant, Lionel Wallace, The Mayor of St Albans, Councillor Salih Gaygusuz , The Mayor of Hertsmere, Councillor Martin Worster, Rotary District Governors Toni Finkel & Prue Dixon, together with representatives from our chosen charities P H A D,  Earthworks, St Francis Hospice Berkhamsted and Help for Hero’s.

 

Without further ado, Tony handed over to Major Ridley, for the first part of the concert, which opened with the Wiener Philharmoniker Fanfare, followed by The Wellington March, Luftwaffe, Candide, Carmen Fantasia, an amazing saxophone and guitar duet  called Tears in Heaven, culminating for the end of part one, with the band playing The Sword and the Crown.

 

Part two opened with an amazing Star Wars compilation, then an arrangement of The Beatles classics, then The Prayer, and to finish, the more than emotive and rousing March to the Scaffold before the raffle.

 

Tony once again welcomed on stage our hard working Treasurer Doreen Browne, who told the audience that receipts this year were in the region of £2,000.00 and then Major Ridley drew the winning tickets for a Eurostar City Break for two to Paris, (not a Euro Strip for two, to Paris as announced!), second prize, A Gourmet Dinner for two at Sopwell House complete with Sommelier choice wine, Third prize a Battlers green Food Hamper and finally the fourth prize of two free tickets to next year’s concert, plus access to the VIP lounge beforehand.

 

Tony thanked all those concerned for putting on another successful concert, with mention that Friday 27th January 2017 is the next concert, with the box office opening on 25th October 2016; he then handed back to Major Ridley, where a re-enactment of the Battle of Trafalgar was staged, followed by A Life on the Ocean Waves and many choruses of Rule Britannia; then it was over for another year!

 

Thank you Major Jon Ridley, WO2 Nev Dednum and The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, Collingwood from us all!

 

 

Monday 25th January

 

President James welcomed eighteen members to our Fellowship lunch meeting today; club host Paul Benton, was also welcomed back.

 

President James thanked Rotatian Hilary Booth for her hospitality at her  home the previous Saturday, where she had organised  a cloths collection on behalf of Rotary for the victims of Chernobyl.

 

Monday 18th January

 

President James welcomed as our special guest today, Paul Moser, Chairman of the Hertsmere Branch of Mencap.

 

Hertsmere Mencap Branch is celebrating 50 years of progress and Paul gave a detailed account of what has been achived during this time for those less fortuante and who suffer from learning disabilities.

 

Following a question and answer session Paul distributed brochures about the work undertaken by Hertsmere Mencap and further information can be obtained from their web site at www.hertsmeremencap.org.uk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                       President James & Paul Moser

 

Monday 11th January 2016

 

President James Jarrett recently reurned from his trip to Dubai, welcomed fourteen members to our lunch today, plus our speaker Simon Chapman, Chaplain at Aldenham School, previously Simon was an RAF Chaplain serving in Afghanistan.

Simon's talk was of the highest quality and a full report will be added in due course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                     

 

 

 

 

                Chaplain Simon Chapman & President James                            

Monday 4th January 2016

 

No meetings were held between Christmas and New Year and with President James Jarrett away, our President Elect, David Rose, took the chair.

 

We were extremely fortunate to have as a speaker Lawrence Stack, who talked to us about Defibrillators and their use in emergencies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                          

                   Lawrence, "Patient" and David!

 

 

Monday 21st December

 

Members of Radlett Rotary Club, together with menbers of our "Mother Club" from Elstree and Borehamwood, enjoyed a splendid repast prepared by our resident chefs Gail, Kirstie, Carole and Mia, which was a suberb meal as follows:-

Prawn cocktail or tomato soup

Roast turkey

Spinach and mozzarella parcel

Pigs in blanketsStuffing ballsCauliflower cheese/carrots

Roast parsnips/Brussel sprouts

Roast and new potatoes

Gravy, cranberry sauce.

Christmas pudding, mince pies cream or brandy sauce

 

Not content with enhancing our waist lines, this was follwed by cheese and biscuits!! 

 

All thanks to the Aldenham Social Club team for looking after us in such a splendid manner!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Merry Christmas!               The Aldenham "Team" with James!

 

Monday 14th December 

VOCATIONAL SERVICE SPEAKER - Report by President James Jarrett

 

At our lunchtime meeting on 14th December, 2015 our visiting speaker was Judi Stockwell, who is the Chairperson of Vocational Service in District 1130.  

 

The subject of ‘Vocation’ has lead a checkered history as, once upon a time, it was a Rotary Service Committee in it own right and then it became incorporated into Community Service and now it has become a Vocational Service Committee under its own organization again.

 

Judi explained the objects of Vocations Service in that our business abilities should be used to help less fortunate and less organized people to learn something from our experience over many years in business.   She illustrated the talk of being in India and giving information to people as to how they could organize their lives.   It would be a similar aspect to our involvement with mock interviews with Aldenham School, utilizing the Rotarians commercial abilities in Radlett to interview and help students in their student and business life in future. 

 

From what she said it was evident that we are well in tune with the ideals of Vocational Service as we do a lot of activities that come under the banner of Vocational Service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

                       President James &  Judi Stockwell

 

 

Monday 7th December

 

REPORT ON THE BUSINESS MEETING HELD ON 7TH DECEMBER 2015 AT THE ALDENHAM SOCIAL CLUB, ALDENHAM.

 

An active Business Meeting was held at it was noted that the Christmas lunch would be charged at £20.00, but this would not include wine.

 

The President has made some progress with the Purcell School and it has been agreed that we will send them a new cheque but this will be delivered in person and a receipt signature will be obtained on its delivery.

 

DB announced that the Trust Fund is in a healthy state with £737.00 from the Bangers and Mash evening.   Another successful event, with a good profit for the Club.  

 

AB announced that speakers have been set up until end 2015 and that the Rev. Simon Chapman, Chaplain to Aldenham School, will be giving the New Year Message on 11th January 2016.

 

AB is also concerned about the drive for new members as we do need to increase our numbers and Clive Daly suggested that we should could contact Around Radlett and Radlett News to see is an article about Rotary would stimulate interest from an article in their publications.                          Action for this will be by David Rose.

 

Community Service.    Dictionaries for Life

Elstree and Borehamwood R.C have been involved with the Clore Shalom and Shenley School for some years so it would seem sensible for our involvement with these two schools to be replaced by other schools.   At the present moment the Club is looking into Jewish Free School and Edge Grove.   JWJ has already made contact with Edge Grove and interest has been shown by them to be involved with the receipt of dictionaries.

 

The annual mock interviews at Aldenham School were very successful and it has been suggested that JP should invite Bob Collins and Hilary Smith to luncheon in early 2016.

 

Foundation and Youth.  

KR has been in touch with Radlett Lodge School regarding ‘Kids Out’, which is scheduled for 8th June 2016.   This is actually their half term so there may be a smaller number of pupils taking part next summer.

 

The shoe boxes have been collected by Clive Daly and delivered to St. Albans Cathedral.

 

Arrangements for the Foundation Scholars Dinner are well under way and KR is happy with the general arrangements of this event which will take place at Radlett Cricket Club.

 

Fund Raising

CD will make enquiries with regard to the St. Albans Cycle Ride and trying to increase the return that we get for the volunteers which we give to them for organising this event.  

CD has suggested that another Purcell School concert should be arranged and that contact will be made by Hilary Booth on her return from Australia to put this matter in hand.

 

CD will also make enquiries regarding a trip to the Abbey Theatre.   In the past we have shared the evening with another charity but we usually have to sell about 100 tickets.

 

It is early days to make constructive comments about the Fun Run but SP has arrangements well in hand and this will be discussed at the next Business meeting.

 

With regard to a possible golf day,, CD to discuss this with Tony Alexander.   Could this be a joint event with other local Rotary Clubs?

 

Any Other Business

JWJ has a contact with a Syrian refugee who is also a polio victim and he is coming to London in February so the idea would be to ascertain whether he would come to talk to the Club at that time of year.   More information in January 2016.

 

Next Council meeting - 1st February 2016 at 8pm at 21 Gills Hill, Radlett.

 

 

Variety show on Saturday 5 December 2015

Report by President James Jarrett

 

The full house at St. Johns Church hall in Gills Hill Lane thoroughly enjoyed the evening of songs, recitations, comedy & individual musical performances, as well as the excellent two course meal. 

 

Congratulations must be given to Julia Beynon  for organising the event from arranging the programme & overseeing the catering arrangements.  We also give our grateful thanks to all our performing artists,  not forgetting Gary Ayre who was providing the accompaning music  on the piano for the whole evening.

 

There was a big performance from input Radlett Rotarians with singing from from Julia, recitations from Sylvia Cohen, classical guitar  solos from John Rudlin as well as Nigel Rogers singing songs from operas.& famous musicals. 

 

To conclude the evening the whole cast sang 'The Holy City' by Stephen Adams, which brought back memories of when Nigel Rogers used to it at the old Christmas  carols evenings in the Radlett Centre.

 

The Master of Ceremonies for the whole evening was, as in past years,  Ian Sutherland, who enhanced the evening with his Edwardian Music Hall expertise!

 

Let us hope that we can have another Variety show next December,  which will be our forth one so raising money for our Rotary club & St.  John  the  Baptist Church in Aldenham.