Rotary Club of Guildford Chantries

Club Assembly

14^th May 2011

I was honoured at being asked to be Club President and a little apprehensive as I am following in the footsteps of some excellent Presidents and I want to congratulate Mike on his year in office.

I have selected Cherry Trees for my charity for this year as I have neighbours who have welcomed their support in difficult times and have friends who help with the charity. I want to continue our support for Guildford Action with a contribution to their funds and active support as required. I have asked Martin to liaise with them to identify their needs. I also want to continue our association with the Beacon Centre where we tend their garden twice a year. Trevor has agreed to continue liaising with them and arranging dates. Mike has organised Youth Speak for many years and we will continue our support for this event.

I bring to you a message from our new RIBI President Kalyan Banerjee. His theme for the year is “Reach within to Embrace Humanity” I believe as Rotarians that we have this inner feeling in that we believe in service above self, and in our support for local charities and international aid we embrace humanity. I may not have explained the concept quite as Kalyan Banerjee did at District Assembly but he acknowledged that it was a difficult concept, and gave me a DVD which I will make available to anyone who would like a fuller explanation. One of his favoured projects for the coming year is “Plant a Tree”. We will consider how we can implement this.

This year we have met with the Presidents and Presidents – Elect of the two other Guildford Clubs to discuss how we might get together on a joint project. A concert at the new Civic Centre was identified as a possibility and this will be explored in my year.

We give away approximately £6000 per year to local charities. Internationally we have supported projects overseas and more recently we have given money for Shelter Boxes to meet the needs of recent disasters. In 2009 John Penny sent a request for Clubs in the District to contribute to The Bill Gates Challenge. The request was for Clubs to contribute $195 per member during the period of the challenge. For Guildford Chantries this meant a contribution of £2400 over a period of 3 years. To date we have contributed £1600 and the final £800 will be contributed this year. I am very pleased that the Club has risen to the Challenge and met it in full.

During this last year Mike invited the new members under the chairmanship of Graham Vincent to conduct a brainstorming session on the way forward for the club, and to examine ways in which we could raise our profile. Graham presented the results of this session to the club a few weeks ago. His team did a remarkable job; it was a comprehensive study the results of which we are still digesting. Some of the issues relate to the club itself which we will debate together in a business meeting, but there are issues concerning Membership, Publicity, Communications, Website Activities and Community projects which I am going to ask Committee Chairmen to consider and perhaps make recommendations to the Club.

I circulated a list of positions within the Club at the AGM. I wish now to announce that this year’s council will comprise: Michael Belford, Tony Bennewith, Frank West, Des Flanders, Alan Finnis and Diane Belford. We will meet at my house on the Monday prior to the Business Meeting. I will circulate the list of dates by e-mail.

I think Guildford Chantries is a great club, it has great fellowship, interesting speakers and a variety of events, and it is a place I want to come to on a Thursday evening. It is my aim in my year to provide speakers and events that interest members so that they feel as I do that it is the place they want to come to on a Thursday evening.

Thank you