East Grinstead Meridian Rotary Club Visit
The Club were delighted to welcome to Belfast 9 members and partners from the Rotary Club of East Grinstead Meridian 21-24 April 2013. This fraternal visit by President Chris & Mary Smith, Phil & Shirley Baker, Alan & Sue Collinge, Keith & Barbara Hardin, Brian & Christine Jackson, Ken & Violet Jackson, David & Wendy Roberts, Mike & Joan Schnierer and Bob & Anne Shaw was initiated by a wish from some of their members to visit the Titanic Centre following a speaker who had been in the submersible down to the Titanic wreck. Given that Belfast Club's PP Gordon Millington's wife Norma's son is married to East Grinstead Meridian Club's President's daughter (!) the visit was arranged and organised, with thanks, by PP Gordon.
On Monday, joined by President Alan and several Belfast Club members and partners the group were received by the Lord Mayor in the City Hall. An Honorary Member of the Belfast Club himself, he welcomed them to Belfast and explained how the City was moving forward for the future. President Chris Smith was particularly taken by the ceremonial naval sword on display in the Lord Mayor's parlour which has a very fine shark skin handle.
Following a tour of the City Hall they joined Club members at the Europa Hotel at the Club meeting.
Formally welcomed by President Alan, President Chris introduced their members and partners and gave an insight into their Club which comprises of 34 members and was formed 27 years ago (on St George's Day) as an evening meeting Club. He related several interesting details about East Grinstead including that their name derives from the fact that they are located on the Meridian Line. He presented President Alan with a banner and received a Club Centenary tie and history book. During the meeting they heard from President Elect Ken Morrison and Past President Gordon Millington about the Club's FASA trailer project which is about to come to fruition and from PP David Boyd about the long standing TABU exchange programme. Luckily the sun came out for a, albeit very windy, tour of Belfast and Parliament Buildings in an open-top bus.
Tuesday was Titanic day and again joined by several Club members and partners the group spent the morning at the Titanic Experience before strolling to the Pump House for lunch. Over lunch PP Gordon explained about restoration plans for a naval warship HMS Caroline moored in Belfast. Club member Norman Apsley, Chief Executive, NI Science Park, explained about the Science Park and the leading, innovative companies in Northern Ireland. David Gavaghan, Chief Executive Titanic Quarter, then described the future retail, residential, business and leisure plans for this huge area of the former shipyard.
On to the Pump House itself and the guide explained the engineering brilliance that brought Titanic into being and in the dry dock where she was fitted out the size of the ship was brought into perspective.
The East Grinstead Meridians also managed to fit in in their short visit the Andy Warhol Exhibition in the new MAC and the Crumlin Road Goal.
At the concluding dinner held at Malone Golf Club President Chris noted that it was St George's Day and the Club's 27th birthday! He thanked the Belfast Club and PP Gordon for their visit which they had really enjoyed and had seen a side of Belfast that was not really evident in England.
The Club thank all those who participated and PP Gordon Millington, Brian Gillespie and PP Brian Ferguson for their organisation.