Dave’s Diary
The Monthly Newsletter of the District Governor
2nd February 2013
Club Visioning
It is almost six weeks since my last newsletter which you will recall I sent out early so that you received it before Christmas. Well this one is a few days late, as I have held it back so that I could give an update on the “Club Visioning” Initiative. I have just returned from a District Training Session, led by Peter Davey, the Chair of the RIBI Membership Committee, assisted by Noel Harrison (Sherwood Sunrisers) and Ian Young (Hucknall).
There were ten Rotarians present who have volunteered to act as Visioning Facilitators.
We are only the second District in RIBI to undergo the training and it means that we now have a pool of trained facilitators, all ready and waiting to assist Clubs.
District 1220 is now is a position to roll out Visioning to Clubs and Noel will, within the next few days, be making contact with Club Secretaries, advising them in simple terms of what it is about and offering them the opportunity to apply for it. I would stress that no-one from the District will be suggesting that any particular club should undergo the process. It is entirely up to individual clubs to identify whether or not they think it might be advantageous to them in terms of club programme, public image, project development etc. and thereby, long term, their membership.
Make a point of getting hold of Noel’s information and make sure that your club is therefore aware of what is on offer.
The “End Polio Now” Campaign
Rotary Day is looming large. A number of clubs accepted my offer of purchasing pin-on crocuses for sale inn their area. Many people that I have spoken to over recent weeks however are still either not aware of them or do not understand what they are for.
The basic idea is that just as the poppy is associated with the Royal British Legion and Remembrance Sunday and the daffodil is associated with Marie Curie Cancer Care, then we want the crocus to become associated with Rotary and the “End Polio Now” campaign.
Rotary day on 23rd February is an ideal opportunity to push the crocuses out to your local community. Please let me know if you are interested.
I shall be taking delivery next week of a number of pull-up banners, posters and Rotary newspapers that relate to the “End Polio Now” campaign. These are all excellent PR materials and are available to clubs. If you have any events coming up and can lay on
a display about the campaign please let me know and I will make sure you get the material.
Talking still about the “End Polio Now” campaign, earlier this week Bill Gates delivered the Dimbleby lecture that was featured in full on BBC 1. His speech was all about the need to finish the job of eradicating polio. It was a very stirring speech, in which
he made very positive mention of the valuable contribution that all the members of Rotary International had made towards the campaign. He also stated that he believed that, with appropriate funding, the last case involving the wild polio virus would be achieved by the end of 2015. Time will tell on that, but if anyone is in a position to know, then he is.
Let us in District 1220 do our level best to make an appropriate contribution to the funding shortfall and lets finish the job and move on to the next.
Re-Districting
The RIBI Re-Districting Plan that was the subject of much healthy debate towards the end of last year was presented to the RI Board last month and was accepted in it’s entirety. The RIBI team appointed to address this issue will no doubt therefore shortly begin a detailed re-examination of all the various issues to do with the subject and have undertaken to communicate with the membership before any decisions are taken. So watch this space.
Thanks
Gail and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who sent Gail their best wishes following her recent fall on the stairs at home. She is now more or less fully recovered and back to chasing me around and keeping me on the straight and narrow.
Thanks again.
Diary Dates
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Monday 4th February, District Officer Preparation Session at The Novotel. 7pm for 7.15pm
Sunday 17th February, Presidents Elect Planning Seminar at The Derbyshire Hotel. 8.45am till 1pm (Bacon sandwiches on arrival)
Tuesday 19th February, Group Study Exchange Team leaves for Nepal
Tuesday 26th February, Rotary Young Chef Competition. Charnwood Academy Kirkby in Ashfield
Wednesday 27th February,— ditto —
Wednesday 13th March,District Foundation Link Evening at The Civic Centre Mansfield 7pm for 7.30pm
Sunday 24th March,Paul Harris Fellows Lunch
Tuesday 26th March, District Quiz Final at Horsley lodge
Wednesday 27th March, District Council Meeting at The Novotel at 7.30pm
Friday 19th April, District Race Night at Southwell
Saturday 20th April, District Assembly Nottingham Trent University
4th – 6th May, Sponsored Walk from Bluebell Wood to Rainbows by DG and Others
Sunday 16th June, Rotary and Inner Wheel Thanksgiving Service at All Saints Parish Church Church Street Ripley at 3pm. Refreshments afterwards.
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DG Dave Ashley
