President's Report, March 2009We got off to a flying start, as at mid-day on New Year’s Day, we ran the annual Wheelbarrow Race in Sunninghill. Preparations for this had been going on for weeks, and we were blessed with a cold, dry day, which was perfect for the event. There were 16 teams, who were required to consume various quantities of drinks on their way around the 0.7 mile course, and all the teams were in fancy dress, for which there was a competition. In addition, a raffle and auction was held, and many competitors and spectators went along to local hostelries after the event, either for a drink or lunch. The fund-raising was entirely in aid of the Ascot Chandler Day Centre in Sunninghill, and a total of £5,602 was achieved. The following week we had a superb talk at our lunch-time meeting, by Michael Harrison, who is a Digital Identity specialist. Among other things, he talked about the National Identity Scheme, to which he had originally been opposed, but now saw fit to advocate its introduction, but provided only that the security employs not less than 3 biometrics: Voice identity, Palm print, and DNA, which would be virtually impossible for false cards to re-create. Youth Opportunities activities were in vogue in February and March, first of all with the Youth Speaks Zone Final held in High Wycombe. We had teams from St George’s and Charters Schools, and they acquitted themselves very well, though they were not successful in getting through to the next level of the competition. At the end of February, the District Final of the Young Chef competition was held at Banbury, and our area (East Berkshire), was represented by a pupil form Ranelagh School, and one from the Licensed Victuallers School. The pupil from Ranelagh won the competition, but was unable to take up her place at the Regional Final, as she had a conflicting commitment. In early March we supported a Children’s Concert in the Hexagon Theatre in Reading. More than 300 children of ages 7 to 11 from Maidenhead and Ascot Schools went on stage to act, dance, play music and sing, having rehearsed at their Schools since last autumn, before an audience of around 1,200 parents, family, and friends. In mid-February, 22 of us attended the 5-Clubs Dinner, this year organized by Bracknell Rotary Club, and held at the Coppid Beech Hotel. We were very well entertained after the meal by Lt Col Malcolm Torrent, who had spent the whole of his working life as a musician in the Army, ending his career as Director of Music for the Life Guards. This really was a most enjoyable evening, shared by about 90 Rotarians from the 5 Clubs of Ascot, Bracknell, Crowthorne, Easthampstead and Wokingham. It’s our turn to host the event next year, so we do have a hard act to follow. On 8 February, it was 60 years since the award of the Club’s Charter, and we celebrated this very special event at a formal dinner on 11 February, at our usual venue, Mill Ride Golf Club. On this evening, we were entertained by Richard Snailham, who talked about a river trip in Bolivia, in a reed boat, and which had taken 6 weeks to complete. The other speakers on our second Wednesday ‘Friends’ evenings were Peter Caddick-Adams, who is a lecturer at the Army Defence College, whose talk was about military strategy, and David Hawkes, a former diplomat, who related many of the amusing stories that he had enjoyed during his career. At the end of February, we joined with the ladies of Inner Wheel to learn more about the charity ‘Hope and Homes for Children’, this talk being given to us by the CEO, Rick Foulsham. In March, many of us went with our wives and partners to a lecture and buffet given by Boehringer Ingelheim in Bracknell, at which we learned more about the illness ‘Depression’, and in particular how widespread it exists, and how seriously it affects many people’s lives for long periods of years. Our final event in the quarter was towards the end of March, when a group of 23 including Inner Wheel members went to Torquay for the annual District Conference. This was indeed a very successful weekend, when we were entertained and inspired by many excellent speakers and presentations, and learned more about some of the many activities in which Rotarians are involved throughout the World. We shared much fellowship throughout the weekend, also the beautiful weather that we had, and it really was a most interesting and enjoyable visit. David Marshall |