Open Membership Evening
Our meeting on Thursday the 27th of January was devoted to our Club's drive to promote the Rotary movement and also to introduce friends to the Club and its Members, with a view to recruitment.
On the night we entertained 9 Guests and provided several presentations on various facets of our Club's work, interests and objectives. It is intended to follow up our links with these Guests, hopefully having them come along to further meetings which may lead to them joining the Club.
Rotary Centennial
Wednesday the 23rd of February was, by design, a very busy day for our Rotary Club as we celebrated the 100th Birthday of Rotary.
The morning saw President Hedley along with Mike Collins, Malcolm Davies and Tim Steward go along to Halton Haven Hospice in Runcorn to attend the official handing over of a purpose made vehicle to the Hospice.
This, our Centenary Project, began last Presidential year when our Club linked up with the Rotary Club's of Runcorn and Widnes in order to embark on this most ambitious Project.
The final cost of the vehicle was just over £22,500 and by agreement, all three Club's provided equal amounts of funding for this Project. Pictured with the Presidents and Past Presidents of the three Clubs and the vehicle are Margaret Dandy, Director of Halton Haven Hospice and the actor Bruce Jones who plays Les Battersby in Coronation Street.
Along with many other Rotary Clubs throughout the World, our Club arranged to meet at midday in order to celebrate the 100th Birthday of Rotary. The President was able to join 20 other Club members for this special Lunchtime Meeting. Following a presentation, which included the reading of a letter from RIBI President Gordon McInally, all Club members raised a glass and toasted Rotary as can be seen in the photograph.
It was however agreed not to have a Birthday Cake as 100 candles would have presented a fire hazard as well as being very difficult to blow out all in one go!
Wishing to continue the celebrations for as long as was possible, the President and his wife joined 38 other Club members and their wives at The Mill Hotel in Chester for a formal Dinner aboard the L'eau-T Cuisine cruiser. This Black Tie evening was organised by Martin Mann but due to a prior engagement in Acapulco - Mexico, he and his wife were unable to attend, however Peter Holland made sure everyone's needs were catered for (please excuse the intended pun).
Again the toast was to Rotary but this time it was followed by the singing of Happy Birthday to Rotary. Clearly a good time was had by all, especially Don Paterson and his wife who won a bottle of Cattier Champagne.
Stroke Awareness Day
On a cold and wet Saturday the 9th of April our Club, along with many other Rotary Clubs, teamed up with the Stroke Association in a bid to target high blood pressure, the single most important risk factor for stroke.
For the third year our Club used the Wellspring Christian Trust's building on Church Street. Despite competing with the wedding of Charles and Camilla in the morning and the Aintree Grand National in the afternoon just over 200 people took advantage of our offer of a free blood pressure check.
Our photo's show bp's being taken by some of the highly trained team in the consultation area.
