Club Assembly 2017

PE Rosemary led a presentation of the Service Programmes for the 2017-18 year highlighting the 3 men who will be leading the way for Rotary across the world: RI President Ian Risely, RIBI President Denis Spiller and Rotary Ireland District Governor Garth Arnold. She introduced the Club Executive: PE Mark Davidson, VP Karen Blair, IPP Ivan McMinn, Hon. Secretary Crawford McIlveen and Hon. Treasurer David Warnock and Council members: David Boyd, Tim Browne, Brian Clements, Philip Donnan, Doris Houston,Lorna McGill,Gordon Millington and Walter Rader. She also advised that the Service Chairs will be: David Allister, VP Karen Blair, David Boyd, PP Maurice Brooks, William Cross, Doris Houston and Eric Rainey.

President Ivan gave an update on the progress on the Visioning targets set by Club members. He advised that so far all targets had either been met or were well on course and was particularly pleased that the average age had dropped from 74-67! Noting that it was work in progress he urged all members to keep it going in year 2.

		International –in VP Karen Blair’s absence, Vice Chair PP Gordon Millington reported on the Club’s 4 main overseas activities. He advised on the purchases of ShelterBoxes and AquaBoxes, noting that 1 Aquabox provides clean water for 5,000 people for 1 year! We will further assist the Rombo project and as we get a lot of visitors from across the world we will make a specific effort to welcome, talk to and hopefully learn from them.
He concluded by advising a new programme “lendwithcare” would be trialled noting that a speaker would address the Club on it in the future and showed the video left.

Community & Vocational – William Cross indicated, that although he had not yet had a Committee meeting, he proposed ongoing support for Mitchell House - highlighting the upcoming Kids out Day and West Midlands Theatre Company production (see below), that there would be a Tree of Remembrance this Christmas at a location to be decided and that the Committee would be looking at how best to support SOS NI and Glebe House as well as considering a new District scheme recommended by PE Rosemary ‘Suicide Watch’ indicating that there would be a training course in the Autumn and anyone interested to please contact himself or PE Rosemary. He also reported that the room refurbished in the Crumlin Hospital under the Be a Gift to Crumlin scheme was now completed.

Membership – PP Maurice Brooks highlighted the Club’s Visioning targets of 70 – 77 – 85 and 92 members for the next 4 years and noted that the Club membership at the end of year 1 was 69 highlighting the 11 new members. He indicated the 7 steps that must be taken for new members – identify, introduce, invite, induct, inform and orient, involve and educate – and stressed that retaining existing members was also vital. He emphasised that diversity was essential as was the need to promote and communicate the Club’s values and benefits to prospective members; live up to what we promise and promote and ensure Club meetings live up to set expectations and emphasised that membership is “Up to You!”

Youth Service - Eric Rainey highlighted the active and successful relationship with YouthAction and the GET SET Programme particularly thanking those who have participated recently in the individual interviews and the 100% rated event at the Ulster University. He hoped that next year the Club would continue with the successful Youth Intern programme and Rainbow Factory Suitcase Theatre possibly taking a night of their main show. He noted that there would be a Club visit to BAC (John Savage Award recipients 2017) and asked for nominees for the 2018 Award and highlighted that Alan Braithwaite’s impressive training session had shown how rapidly the world was changing. He expressed hope that a Rotaract Club would be re-established and District and RIBI Youth competitions would be supported. He thanked all members for past support and would welcome continued support from all, particularly new members, in the coming year.

TABU - PP David Boyd reported that it is anticipated that the 2018 outgoing team visit to Highland Park/Highwood Club would take place around 28 March – 06 April led by Chris Warnock with PP Alan Rundle. He advised that schools would be contacted in September and interviewing would take place in November and asked anybody interested in taking part in this process to contact him.
Communications – PP David Boyd also reminded that the Weekly Report is sent out every Wednesday morning at around 8.30am. He advised that now 60% of members read it within 24hrs (25% in the 1st hour!) and asked all members to open it and if not aware of getting it to check their spam folder. He also stressed that at any event photographs should be taken (even by mobile phone and sent Actual Size!) and a short report made either in note or verbal form. He emphasised that the Club’s communications “depends on You!”

The Rotary Foundation - Assistant Chair Derek Baxter presented Chair David Allister’s programme for the coming Foundation Centenary year:- to increase Sustaining Membership by signing a standing order of $100 pa (thereby supporting the Foundation’s programmes particularly End Polio Now), continue to host Rotary Global Grant Scholars; and recruit applicants for outgoing Scholars and Peace Scholarships.
He also highlighted the possibility of recruiting applicants for a 3 month District Peace Scholarship at Corrymeela led by the Rotary Club of Ballycastle and possibly sponsoring an underprivileged student. Stressing that David invites members who would like to be involved to contact him he showed the video right showcasing the Rotary Foundation 100 years of doing good in the world.

Social – Doris Houston reflected on past events and highlighted that future events would include a BBQ at President Rosemary’s; a visit to an Ulster Gardens’ Open Garden and the Gobbins Cliff Path (dates to be decided) and asked members for any other suggestions.

PE Rosemary noted the 1st successful Golf Outing organised by Tim Browne and the upcoming President’s Day Golf and Handover Meeting. She highlighted next year’s theme ‘Making a Difference’ asserting that that is what the Belfast Rotary Club has done and showed the video of Ian Risely introducing his theme (see below). She noted that a Club Health Check Questionnaire would be circulated and asked members to please complete it. She concluded by thanking all for their attention, the Convenors for the presentations and Jenny Boyd for the Powerpoint presentation.

ADG Roland Bailie offered greetings from DG Elect Garth Arnold and was very complimentary on the excellence of the Assembly presentation of current plans. He noted that District now had a Strategic Plan to support and strengthen clubs and urged the Club to work towards the RI and District President Citation. He commended other District programmes for the Club’s consideration and urged members to “keep up the good work” engaging “adults of good character” to become members from various sources. He recommended always wearing the Rotary pin and encouraged all members to sign up for Rotary Foundation Sustaining Membership at around £7.00pm ($100pa). He also highlighted the District Governor Handover Event and the 3 Rotary Conferences (see below) encouraging attendance.

Concluding he stressed that social events were very important as Rotary should be full of friendship and urged all to enjoy Rotary and thereby Make a Difference. President Ivan thanked him for his encouraging words.