Club Assembly 2016

PP Ivan commenced the Assembly with a detailed report on the findings from the Visioning exercise held 08 June, he reminded that the purpose of the exercise was to look forward to what we wanted our Club to be in 2020 (i.e. 4 years from now). The 4 Key Messages were: we want to...

• grow our Club by attracting younger & Corporate members and getting them engaged early
• support youth needs
• be recognised as a welcoming, fun and out-reaching Club
• continue to support our core projects - TABU, Youth Action, Polio Plus, Shelterbox etc.

President Ivan noted that some of this will take time to build and these briefs have been given to our Service Chair heads for the relevant parts to be built into their programmes. He concluded by thanking all for their input and asked the Service Chairs to give their presentations.

PE Rosemary Simpson and PP Ronnie Porter revealed a new Pastoral Care concept noting that the format would be maintained each year by the current President Elect and Immediate Past President. They noted that pastoral care has been very informal and ad hoc in the past and has often led to members being neglected. However they stressed for it to work they do need members' feedback.

Doris Houston highlighted the next Club Social Events and also revealed some potential events. PP Alan Rundle also advised that the Ramblers would be returning.

PP Brian Clements (Asst. Chair) in Community Service Chair William Cross's absence highlighted the outline programme noting that the main areas of service will be Mitchell House School, SOS Bus and Harmony Community Trust and that they will be examining how best to support these organisations. He pointed out that there will also be support for the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal and fundraising through Christmas Charity collections at Tesco and a BBQ in May/June 2017. Vocational activities may involve offering assistance to schools in the areas of job interview training and supporting Eric Rainey and the Youth Service Committee in their Vocational work with YouthAction.

PP Gordon Millington (Asst. Chair) in International Chair Karen Blair's absence highlighted the numerous areas of work the Club had been involved with in this area the past. He highlighted that the major focus for 2016/17 would be in supporting ShelterBox and PP Ronnie McLean revealed some ways that this would be done highlighting that ShelterBox would be one of the recipients from the Christmas collections and that they were hoping to arrange a ShelterBox event in a very public place. PP Ronnie also suggested members might like to personally contribute to a ShelterBox and highlighted a potential solving of the question "what will I buy for Christmas"?

Eric Rainey noted that, whilst retaining the flexibility to respond to any requests or situations that may advise, the Committee would be focusing on continuing the relationship with YouthAction, TABU, Youth Leadership Development Competition and the John Savage Bursary, having occasional visits to groups making a real contribution to the lives of our young people, highlighting RIBI competitions and looking at ways to re-establish Rotaract and youth exchanges.

Chris Warnock noted that the Youth Leadership Development Competition's School interviews would be taking place in the last 2 weeks of October with Club and area finals by end November. He thanked all who have volunteered to interview. PP David Boyd advised that the incoming TABU Exchange would take place next March, noted that the planning would commence shortly and asked for any additions to the programme.

Walter Rader emphasised the success of the Club's collaboration with YouthAction noting that he had been told recently by some of the young people that without YouthAction and the Club's advice on interview techniques they would not have got their jobs or academic courses. He recommended the upcoming visit to RADAR and a further visit to FABLAB and stated that the Committee would be looking at further outreach visits.

Derek Baxter updated all on The Rotary Foundation, its goals funding, grants and scholarships. He noted that the Club currently hosts Global Grant Scholars Laney Lennox and Catherine Glen who are studying at QUB. He asked members to suggest Global Grant Scholar candidates for the Club to nominate and also for professionals to study for a new Scholarship for Water and Sanitation in the Netherlands at UNESCO. He reminded that the Club currently has 1 Benefactor and 5 Sustaining members stressing that more would be welcome. He advised that the Club will be promoting funding for Foundation's Polio Plus campaign and emphasised the Visioning aim to extend the Club's the Rotary Foundation Sustaining Membership to 75% of members and develop a proposal for supporting an underprivileged student.

PP Maurice Brooks reminded all why we joined Rotary with the RIBI "We are Communities" video noting that as a member Rotarians "Make a Difference and Change lives" by sharing skills and experiences help communities at home and around the world. He highlighted some of the many reasons to join Rotary: "Community, Friendship, Diversity, Socialising, Charity, Business Collaboration, Leadership, Equality, Networking Opportunity and Educational" and the current 4 classes of membership focusing on Corporate Membership. He stressed the Visioning aim means a target for this year of a net increase of 7 members and the District challenge for every member to bring 1 potential new member to the Club before Christmas.

PP David Boyd noted that the aim of the Club's Communications was to undertake effective communication of YOUR Club activities: to members and the general public through the Weekly Report and Website, Facebook and general press releases respectively. He particularly thanked Billy McCoubrey for regularly providing photographs and Brian Byers for his more occasional photographs. He urged all members to please THINK about communications when planning any event and have committee member tasked to take photographs and notes of event.

Assistant Governor Roland Bailie briefly reflected on each aspect of the presentations. He stressed that membership of Rotary is not only the Club's priority but also District's, RIBI's and RI's priority. He highlighted the excellent Community projects and complimented the Club on the Weekly Report. Highlighting the forthcoming conferences: RIBI's 7-9 April in Manchester; RI's 10-14 June in Atlanta and Districts's 29-30 September at La Mon Hotel; he emphasised that the Club is in superb hands.