Meet a Friend on Monday Night, Host a Dinner Party 1st Host 2nd Host Speaker Subject

Report for 2nd July, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held its weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 2nd July at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Chris Metcalfe. There were 34 members present and 3 guests.

Rotarian Pat Beeson congratulated Rtn. George Locke on his 90th Birthday and thanked him on behalf of the many pupils he had taught in his 35 years as head of Brooksbank School. President John then presented George with a 'This is your Life' style book compiled by Rotarian Dr. Bruce Bain.

President John then thanked the club for it's support during his year of office.

President John handed over the chain of office to President Elect Ingrid Holdsworth who will be president for 2007/8. Ingrid thanked John for his leadership during the past year.

President Ingrid then appointed Rotarian Diane Park as President Elect and Rotarian Ian Park as Vice President. Ingrid informed the club that her chosen charity for the year was Glenholme Respite Service. She said Rotarians should attend more Round Table functions and target them as future members of Rotary, thus increasing membership.

President Ingrid also said Rotary should lose it's Fuddy Duddy Image and make the public more aware of Rotary's existence. Rotary should be more effective in the community. Ingrid said she was there to listen to any ideas Rotarians might have in the coming year to make Rotary more effective and make people aware of the new Rotary Motto 'Rotary Shares'.

President Ingrid received a huge welcome from the members and guests alike. She has made history by being the First Female President of the Rotary Club of Elland.

President Ingrid read a letter of thanks from New President of RIBI Allan Jagger and his wife Rose thanking the members of the Rotary Club of Elland for their support at his inauguration at the Royal Armouries Museum on Saturday 30th June. Allan said he was proud to be a member of the Elland Club.

As there was no speaker, there was no vote of thanks.

FIN.

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Report for 25th June, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held its weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 18th June at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 34 members present and no guests.

It was a 'Fellowship Meeting' with no speaker, thus allowing Rotarians to converse amongst themselves.

Next years RIBI President Rotarian Allan Jagger informed the meeting that due to certain circumstances the 2009 International Convention which was to be held in Seoul, Korea, will now be held in Birmingham, England. This is great news for British and Irish Rotarians.

Rotarian Hazel Metcalfe informed the meeting that the visit to the new garden in Overgate Hospice was postponed till next week because of the weather. She had also received a copy of the St. Patrick's School Newsletter, in which Rotary Club of Elland is thanked for it's generous contribution to the schools new garden.

Hazel also informed the club that the four shelter boxes it had purchased had been sent to Trinidad, Volivia.

Rotarian Ian Park then informed the club that his wife, Rotarian Diane Park was the Proposed New Parliamentary Candidate for Halifax. The club members gave this announcement a rousing round of applause, and vowed their support to Diane.

As there was no speaker there was no vote of thanks and the meeting concluded at 7.30 pm.

FIN

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Report for 18th June, 2007

The night got off to a good start with Rtn. Michael Jones buying drinks for all the Rotarians, as he had just become a Grandad again! President John Leslie then presented Rtn Trevor Wilson, a founder members of the club, with a silver plaque to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Elland.

It was announced that the 'Human Fruit Machine' had raised £150 at the Overgate Fair on Saturday 16th June.

President John then handed over the chair to President Elect Ingrid Holdsworth to put forward the proposals of next years committees. Ingrid said she would guarantee that she would do her best for the smooth running of the club in the coming year, and that she wanted to reach out to those in the community who were less fortunate. She was also nominating Glenholme Respite Home in Westvale as her chosen charity.

Ingrid then called on the chairmen of next years committees to give their proposals.

Rtn Diane Park chairman of Club Administration gave her committees proposals which were passed unanimously by the club.

Rtn Tony Chadwick gave the proposals of the Community and Vocational Committee saying they would support the Rotary 'Right to Read' campaign and also the 'Rotary Chess Project'.

Rtn Hazel Metcalfe Chairman of the International Service Committee said they proposed to support the Rotary Club of Georgetown Central's "East Ruimveldt Community Developement Project". This project has 5 different components, being: Water Supply; Literacy and Numeracy; Computer Laboratory and Training; Entreprenurial and Income Generating Training; and Leadership and Management Training. They also intend to involve local schools in raising money for Shelter Boxes.

Rtn Michael Whitworth Chairman of Foundation proposed to find two delegates from Brooksbank School to attend a Peace Jam. They would also try to find candidates for Paul Harris Fellowships.

Rtn. Peter Robertshawe put forward the proposals of the Public Relations Committee and Rtn Lloyd Halstead followed on with the proposals of the membership Committee. Lloyd proposed that each member should approach at least four likely candidates with the view to increasing membership.

Rtn. Edward Walker Chairman of Youth Opportunity said they would continue with 'Kids Out', taking children to Cannon Hall Farm. They would also be seeking RYLA candidates and continuing with Mock Interviews at Brooksbank School, the Choir Festival and introduce 'Rotary Young Chef of the Year'.

The meeting was supervised by the District Governors Representative Rtn. Philip Poole, who said that he was delighted with the proposals of Elland's Next Years Committees.

As there was no speaker, there was no vote of thanks.

FIN

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Report for 11th June, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held its weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 11th June at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 34 members present and 1 guest.

Rotarian Hazel Metcalfe thanked all the Rotarians who had helped in her 'Open Garden' days at the weekend. It had raised £900 for the St. Patrick's R.C. Primary School Wildlife Garden Restoration Project. President John then presented a cheque for £900 to Head Teacher Caroline Wood of St. Patrick's R.C. Primary School .

Rotarian Ian Park then stood and explained what a 'Paul Harris Fellowship' is, and how prestigious it is to receive one.

He then presented Caroline with a 'Paul Harris' certificate awarded to the school and its pupils who have raised so much money for Rotary Charities over the years, as well as helping with other Rotary projects such as the Christmas Live Alone Lunch.

Caroline thanked the club for the honour bestowed on the school and its pupils and and told the club she realised how important it was.

As it was a night for Committee Meetings there was no speaker and therefore no vote of thanks.

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Report for 5th June, 2007

Elland Rotary celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Monday 4th June 2007 with a Charter Dinner held at Berties of Elland. President John Leslie presided over a banquet attended by the presidents and members of The Rotary Clubs of Brighouse, Cleckheaton, Dewsbury, Friendly and District, Grange over Sands, Halifax, Halifax Calder, Harrogate Brigantes, Hebden Bridge, Kendal Sth. Westmoreland, Mirfield, Ossett, Sowerby Bridge, and Todmorden.

Founder Member Harry Hamer received a memento of the occasion and made a wonderful speech as did Rotarian Hazel Metcalfe on behalf of Rotary International. The Elland Club Charter was read by Rotarian Michael Jones, and a toast was made to the Rotary Club Of Elland by President William Crow of Brighouse.

When President John Leslie toasted ' Our Guests', the reply was given by His Honour Judge Patrick Robertshawe in an Hilarious speech. It was a night to reminisce over 50 years of service by The Rotary Club of Elland and also to celebrate the thoughts of things to come.

The evening was compered brilliantly by President Elect of RIBI, Rotarian Allan Jagger.

FIN.

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Report for 21st May, 2007

Hi,

Elland Rotary Club held its weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 21st May at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President Elect Ingrid Holdsworth, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 22 members present and 3 guests.

President Elect Ingrid's charity for next year will be Glenholme Respite Home in West Vale. To tell the club about it Ingrid invited Speaker Jo Denning. Jo explained that respite care is a chance to give your regular carer and yourself a break, a change of scene, a holiday, or a rest; make new friends and enjoy the company of other people. In Calderdale, respite care is provided at Glenholme in West Vale. They look after people with learning difficulties who may live to a good age and yet need constant care.

Modern conveniences are also needed, which are not provided by the government, such as televisions, Game Boys, Pool Tables etc.

You can stay overnight for just one night, a weekend, or up to two weeks at one time - it's up to you. Allocations for respite care are given on an annual basis from 2005, and advance booking can be made through the support provider at Glenholme.You'll have a room of your own at Glenholme, and there will be up to eleven other people sharing the services.

There were several questions which showed there was great interest in the project. A vote of thanks was given to Jo by Rotarian Malcolm Walker

Fin

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Report for 30th April, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held its weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 30th April at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President Elect Ingrid Holdsworth, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 33 members present and 7 guest.

Three of the guests were ex presidents of the Rotary Club of Elland Kenneth Garside, J. Braithwaite and Basil Dean who were there as special guests.

The Speaker was Neil Davidson of Marshalls who is the great grandson of Douglas Marshall. He spoke on the history of the company and how it started in Southowram growing in stature till it presently has sights all over great Britain employing 2,800 workers, and last year had an annual turnover of £378 million.

Neill spoke on and showed slides of Marshalls policy of promoting environmental support for local communities and charities. He spoke of organising 'Marshall Fun Days' helping to raise money for charities including Overgate Hospice and McMillan Nurses, of school educational visits to their sites, and running in the Great Northern Run raising £6,000. Neill said that Marshalls have a Corporate Social Responsibility to help the communities in which they operate.

It was a well received interesting talk, and a vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Ivan Dorr.

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Report for 23rd April, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held its weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 23rd April at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 37 members present and no guests.

President John thanked all those involved in the 'Blood Pressure Day' on Saturday 21st April. He thanked Arthur Walker and George Lock for the use of their caravans, Graham Jordon for setting them up, and Dr. Bruce Bain and Dr Bob Heys for carrying out the tests. It was a busy day with approx. 80 people being tested.

There then came the reports from the committee chairpersons for the past year. Secretary Michael Jones is stepping down having served 5 years in office. He will be replaced by Rotarian Chris Metcalfe. Michael reported that the club had a 90% attendance record for the year which put it in the top 10 for the district.

Administration Chairman Rotarian Ingrid Holdsworth thanked her committee for a very productive year. Membership Officer Lloyd Halstead reported that progress had been made in contacting businesses in Lowfields with the intent of producing new members.

P.R. Chairman Peter Robertshaw reported that the website had been visited by outsiders looking for information on Rotary and thanked Rtn. Con Cluskey for looking after the clubs website.

Rotarian Ivan Dorrs then read the report of the Community and Vocational Service Committee, followed by Rtn Hazel Metcalfe who reported that her International Service Committee had a hugely successful year. With the help of several schools in the area they had managed to buy several 'Shelter Boxes' to send to recent disaster areas.

Foundation Chairman Ian Park thanked the club for supporting Rotary Foundation which is the biggest charity fund in the world. Next, Youth Activities Chairman Edward Walker told the club that they had maintained greater contact with the schools in the area, particularly Brooksbank, where several sessions of 'Mock Interviews' had taken place. The Choir Festival held there had also been a success with 6 schools attending.

Treasurer David Astin then gave his financial report for the year and took questions from the floor about his proposed budget for the coming year.

As there was no speaker there was no vote of thanks. The meeting concluded with the usual Rotary Toast.

FIN.

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Report for 26th March, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held its weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 27th March at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 33 members present and no guests.

The Speaker was Rotarian Hazel Metcalfe who spoke on Shelter Boxes which was the idea of Tom Henderson an ex naval officer who spent his time generally doing dangerous stuff above and below the sea all over the globe. He went and found all that was needed...tents, sleeping bags, boxes, equipment - the best quality, (with some arm twisting) at the lowest cost. A Shelterbox can bring shelter and beds to people who have become homeless in disasters around the world... and all in a single box. Shelterbox is administered by the Helston-Lizard Club and sent worldwide through Rotary and International Relief Organisations.

One box contains a tent to fit ten people plus Sleeping Bags, water purifying tablets, tools and equipment, cooking aids, plus light and heat. The boxes bring back human dignity to people, and they also save lives.

Hazel has been enlisted as a lecturer on shelterboxes, and as such she has visited schools throughout the Calderdale District. The schools have helped to raise money to send boxes to stricken areas. They cost £490 each and it means the children will be helping 20 people for at least six months with food and water and basic amenities.

Hazel also showed a short film on the Shelterbox project after which there were lots of questions from the Rotarians. The talk was well received, and a vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Alex Major.

Fin.

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Report for 5th March, 2007

Hi,

Elland Rotary Club held its weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 5th March at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 31 members present and 1 guest.

The Speaker was Louise Holland who is the Community Fund Raising Manager for Kidney Research UK in Yorkshire. Louse said that it was Founded in 1961, and that Kidney Research UK is the leading UK charity funding research that focuses on the prevention, treatment and management of kidney disease. The charity also dedicates its work to improving patient care and raising awareness of kidney disease. It is dedicated to improving the understanding of kidney disease, its causes, prevention and treatment.

Louise is passionate about her work and told the meeting that Thursday 8th March is World Kidney Day and representatives will be present in Boots, Foster Square, Bradford from 10 am till 6 pm. She invited everybody to come along to find out more about the disease.

There were some questions afterwards, then Rotarian Alan Blackburn gave a vote of thanks.

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Report for 24th February, 2007

Hi,

Elland Rotary Club held its weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 12th February at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. President John thanked President Elect Ingrid Holdsworth for organising a very successful Presidents Night at Berties Of Elland on Saturday 24th February. Rotarian Ian Park announced that the Table Top Sale on the 24th Feb. had raised £350 for Foundation.

There were 28 members present and 74 guests. There was 1 Rotary member from Brighouse, 2 from Huddersfield, 13 from Denby Dale, 14 from Sowerby Bridge and 13 from Halifax. There was also representation from Elland Inner Wheel. They had all come to hear a presentation from Group Study Exchange Group which has just returned from New Zealand where they had been for five weeks.

The group consisted of Rachel Pickering who had the opportunity of stroking a penguin chicks wing whilst she was learning about New Zealand Farming Systems, Darren De Souza who visited three hospitals, three District Health Boards, two Re-cycling Centres a housing Project and a Public Health Team. Rachel Slowley who discovered that schools were the centre of the community, and that they took pride in the achievements of their past pupils. Alex Godfrey experienced vocational days and cultural activities that were truly amazing.

The group was led in New Zealand by Rotarian Judy Hazlehurst who said that the five weeks spent with them was the most amazing time of her life. There were lots of questions for the group from the Rotarians present. Rotarian Allan Jagger who is President Elect of RIBI then presented the group with special GSE Emblems which would allow them to visit any Rotary Club in the world.

A vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Pat Beeson.

Fin

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Report for 19th February, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held its weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 19th February at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 35 members present and 3 guests.

Faye Haigh from Overgate Hospice attended the meeting as a guest and received a cheque for £7,500.00 from President John Leslie. This was the proceeds of the collections made over the Christmas period in conjunction with the Christmas Sleigh. Faye explained that it took £1.5 Million to run Overgate for the year with only £100,000 coming from the NHS. The rest comes from public funding. She thanked the Rotary Club for it's donation to a worthwhile charity

The Speaker was Rotarian John Wheelwright who spoke of his recent trip to China to visit some of the wonderful new theatres which have sprung up over there. John went in the company of actor Barry Rutter and Ric Green from Opera North. John raised lots of laughter as he donned a Chinese Jacket which he bought on his trip. He explained how the trip was partly sponsored by the British Arts Council and the Board of Trade which has £180 Million to spend in promoting British Trade abroad.

The British Council only offer 40% of the cost of a theatre tour in China, and the rest has to be raised in sponsorships from Banks, Accountancy firms and others trying to break into China. John gave a very humorous account of his experience and despite being heckled good humourdly he managed to finish his speech.

A vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Bruce Bain.

Fin

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Report for 12th February, 2007

President John announced that the ' Posh Supper' held at John & Pauline Wheelwrights house last Saturday had raised £669.00 which would go to Rotary and Inner Wheel Charities.

Rotarian Ian Park asked the club for a donation to allow three teenagers to attend the next ' Peace Jam' which is being held at Bradford University on the 3rd and 4th March 2007. It will give three young people a chance to work with Nobel Laureate Jody Williams the Foundation coordinator of the International Campaign to ban Land Mines and winner of the 1997 Nobel Peace prize. She will spend 2 days working closely with 200 young people from the Bradford and Leeds area on issues ranging from violence, racism and bullying, problem solving skills and conflict resolution. A resolution to give a donation of £90 was passed unanimously.

As it was a night for committee meetings there was no speaker and thus no vote of thanks was given.

Fin.

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Report for 5th February, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 5th February at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 31 members present and 2 guests.

The Speaker was Christina De'Angelis from Adelaide, Australia who is a Peace Scholar studying at Bradford University. Christine started out as a Social Worker fighting against Social Injustice in the world. This took her to Lebanon in 1999, where she joined a group of Christians on the 1,000th anniversary of ' The Crusades' taking part in a march following the route of The Crusaders. They all wore Tee Shirts with ' We Apologise' written on them, apologising for the murders and injustices carried out by the original Crusaders.

The Crusades have left a legacy of hatred of Christians in the area and Christina found it mind boggling the reconciliation's that took place at grass roots when they sat and spoke about their differences to the local people.

When she returned home from one of her trips her father handed her an application form for the Rotary Peace Scholarship Program. Christina filled it in and finished up in Bradford where she finds her fellow students, her tutors and the help given her by Rotarians completely mind blowing. Some of her fellow students have been in combat, have been captured and tortured, and are now learning how to do something about it.

She is studying Peace and Conflict where she has discovered that if you want things to change in the world you have to start with yourself and change some of your own ideas. Peace is not just in the cessation of conflict but in the mutual understanding of each other at grass roots.

There were lots of questions, and several points came out of this. One being that there is a loss of respect for older people and that younger people do not listen, and there is a breakdown of Family Values. Another is that some Imams do not speak English , are not properly trained and do not communicate with the young people in their care. A lot of talking needs to be done at grass roots.

Rotarian Keir Woodward gave a vote of thanks for a well spoken 'geography lesson' as Christina had taken everyone on a tour of the many countries where peace envoys are needed.

FIN.

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Report for 29th January, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 29th January at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 33 members present and 2 guests.

Rotarian Ian Park stood to inform the meeting that a staggering sum of $112 Million had ben raised last year for the International Rotary Foundation to aid international charities.

The Speakers, of which there were two were Dr. Anna Rewilak and Vanda Bingley. Dr. Anna informed the meeting that having trained and worked as a medical doctor for some years, she felt that not enough was being done to address the spiritual aspect of ill health. She resigned from the NHS in 2002 and set up the Hebden Bridge Hope Centre to help empower people to a better life through meditation.

At the Light of Hope Trust CIC College of Light they teach about the human energy field and the effect our energy field has on our day-to-day lives not only in terms of our own well-being but also the effect our energy has on our environment and those around us.

Vanda then spoke and told the meeting that having trained as a nurse for some years she got married and started to raise a family. Unfortunately her husband died at age 46 from an alcohol related illness. She decided to take advanced training in drink and drug related illnesses and became involved with The Mountain of Hope healing programme.

The Mountain of Hope offers an innovative holistic approach, bringing healing and hope to people suffering with drug and alcohol dependency. Vanda helps cure children and teenagers from drug and alcohol addiction.

After the talk there were lots of questions from a very interested audience. A vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Diane Park.

FIN.

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Report for 22nd January, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 22nd January at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President Elect Ingrid Holdsworth, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 33 members present and 2 guests.

Rotarian Ian Park thanked everybody involved in organising the Quiz held at Bradley Hall Golf Club on Saturday 20th January which raised £400.

The Speaker was Ian Caruthers who is the Off License Manager at Sainsbury's in Huddersfield. Ian informed the club that his store had won 5 awards in the past year for their range of wines including the Which Magazine Award for their own brand Champagne.

Ian stated that there was a lot of snobbery in wine, and that the best wine for you to drink is the one you like the best. He went on to explain that the main reason for the difference in wines was the sun. The more sun the grapes got, the riper they became, and this affected the sugar level in them.

Ian then produced several wines for the Rotarians to sample and he explained the difference between them and how to tell. The Rotarians were shown how to swill the glass, then nose the wine, and finally taste the differences between them. Ian then explained the costing of wines, and told the club that whatever price you pay, £2.09 tax goes to Gordon Brown!!

Rotarian Ann Winnard gave a vote of thanks, and Ian received a tremendous round of applause for his speech.

Fin.

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Report for 15th January, 2007

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 15th January at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President Elect Ingrid Holdsworth, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 32 members present and 1 guest.

Rotarian Hazel Metcalfe reported that she had collected a cheque for £525 from Lindley Junior School. The money was raised by the pupils by doing chores at home and receiving £1 for each job completed. The money will go to buy Shelter Boxes which will help to save lives in Disaster Areas.

The Speaker was Rotarian Tony Doneston who is Vice President of Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club. Tony spoke about Heart Research UK which was founded by David Watson and is celebrating it's 40th Anniversary this year. HRUK is based in Leeds and is a visionary charity that leads the way in funding ground breaking, innovative medical research projects at the cutting edge of science into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease. Heart Research UK currently funds research worth more than £1.8 million at 40 hospitals and universities around the UK and has funded many ground breaking medical breakthroughs including some of the first UK heart transplants.

Tony spoke of the ground breaking research into tiny battery driven machines which can take over from the heart in patients and allow the heart to be healed. He stated that the heart treatment fascilities in Leeds are now about the best in the world, and that if you that if you survive a heart attack you can expect a very good quality of life afterwards.

Tony said that the target now for ambulances to attend a heart attack victim was 8 minutes, and that you should not be afraid to ring 999 if you suspect you are having one. Most men survive because of the instant attention given to them by their wives, whereas men tend to be more cautious. Tony's message is 'If in doubt, ring 999'.

A vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Trevor Wilson

Fin

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Report for 11th December, 2006

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 11th December at 12.15 pm. Presiding was Past President Tony Chadwick, and the secretary was Rtn. Chris Metcalfe. There were 25 members present and 24 guests.

The meeting was Elland Rotary's 'Live Alone Lunch', when member of the Elland Community who live alone are invited to join the Rotarians for a special Christmas Lunch. They are picked up and returned to their homes by the Rotarians. They were also entertained by the pupils of St. Patrick's School Elland, who sang a selection of Christmas Caroles. The pupils were under the direction of Clare Woffendon who accompanied them on keyboards, and Geraldine Clark. The choir finished to a rousing round of applause.

As there was no speaker, a vote of thanks was given to the St. Patrick's School Choir.

It was a busy weekend for Elland Rotary, as they also held their Christmas Party at Baines Hall on Sunday 10th December. Santa Clause came to visit and he handed out Christmas Presents to all the lucky boys and girls who were there. The raffle raised £626 for Rotary Charities. Santa then went off to get ready as he is touring Elland for the next few weeks on the Elland Rotary Sleigh, and will try to visit every street in the area, so watch out for him!

Fin

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Report for 27th November, 2006

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 27th November at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 37 members present and 5 guest.

The Speaker was Jamie Walker who had been on a Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), Rotary's training program for young leaders, which emphasizes leadership, citizenship, and personal growth. Jamie explained how spent 5 days with 31 other young people on the personal development programme. Firstly the group is split into teams, and each day a new team leader is chosen to supervise his or her team.

The supervisors are ex military, and each day is taken up by different activities. These activities include a murder hunt, a mountain rescue, a traverse and orienteering trip amongst other exciting tasks. All activities are graded and a winning team selected at the end of the week. Although Jamie's team won, he said it was not the winning or losing that counted, but the wealth of leadership skills he took away with him.

Jamie answered a host of questions after which a vote of thanks was given by Rtn. Malcolm Walker.

Fin.

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Report for 20th November, 2006

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 20th November at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 36 members present and 1 guest.

The Speaker was John Kenealy, Deputy Editor of The Halifax Courier. John said that the most complaints they received was about spelling mistakes, and the reason they happened was because The Courier was fast and getting faster, and when you go fast, mistakes happen.

He was pleased to say that they had recently won three awards. One for Best Leader Column, one for Best Columnist and the other for Headline Writing. John said that in the twenty years he has been with the paper the standard is at the highest level it has ever been.

There have been changes in printing methods over the years. There has also been changes in methods of communication with the advent of the World Wide Web, Phone Texting and the rise of Google. The pace of change is incredible. The Courier sees it as an opportunity, and John reckons it is a most exciting time for a journalist to live through.

John says that The Courier wants to win the Website of the Year Award. This will mean more pictures, more news, funny stuff, quirky stuff and most exciting of all, Video Reporting on the website. John said that quality journalism will see them through the new era, and he hoped we would all come with him on the exciting journey. What they most need is feedback from the public to see them through.

There were lots of questions from the Rotary Members especially about The Courier being the only regional broadsheet in Mainland Britain. A vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Edward Walker.

Fin.

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Report for 30th October, 2006

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 30th October at 7.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Chris Metcalfe. There were 24 members present and 51 guests made up mainly of Inner Wheelers.

It was a special night of song and dance given by Grassroots Theatre Company from Zimbabwe. Grassroots uses dramatic art forms to address thermatical issues in Zimbabwe and the Southern African Region. Their three week tour of Yorkshire has been organised by the Archbishop of York and has taken in visits to local schools and organisations to educate people about the prejudice and discrimination against people living with the HIV and AIDS virus in Africa.

Grassroots explained how in Zimbabwe the communities social fabric has been destroyed and the community spirit is dying, more so due to the worsening poverty in the country.

The evening was enjoyed by everyone and a collection taken up raised £170 for Grassroots charity the Saganisai Children's Festival to be held in April 2007, which is to help fight the effects of HIV/AIDS in Rural Zimbabwe.

A vote of thanks was given by Rtn. Ian Park.

FIN.

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Report for 16th October, 2006

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 16th October at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Chris Metcalfe. There were 34 members present and 2 guests.

The Speaker was Rotarian Alan Brooks who was assisted by Rotarian John Boggis. Alan spoke and showed a film about the charity HOPE Community Village which is based in Kerala, India. It is run entirely by volunteers to ensure that every penny raised goes towards the project in India. There are no expenses whatsoever. There are 30 children housed at the moment in three houses, and the completion of a fourth house will see the housing of another 10 children.

The charity, with the help of their Indian trustees recently became involved in the relief work in the village of Colachel after the recent Tsunami. They were able to supply temporary shelters and build and equip 5 fishing boats to enable the locals to have a way of earning an income. They also built and stocked a shop for a lady who had lost her husband.

They have enough money to build 2 more houses at a cost of £2,000 each, but they desperately need more money to build another 20 homes. Alan Brooks said that any money raised would be greatly appreciated and would change the lives of these unfortunate people.

A vote of thanks for the speech was given by Rotarian Diane Park.

FIN.

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Report for 25th September, 2006

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 25th September at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 36 members present and 5 guests.

Four of the guests were visitors from The Rotary Club of Keighley.

The speaker was Robert Turner who is the Waste Strategy Manager for Calderdale. Robert started by handing out Tick Sheets to all the members which is part of a survey for the Calder Area. Robert stressed that there was a need for change over the next 25 years. There was a need for consultation as to what Calderdale needs to do by 2020. Presently it is doing reasonably well. At the moment 80% went to landfill in Lancashire but the need to Recycle was the way forward.

At the moment, he said, Calderdale is in consultation with Bradford about sharing the cost of waste treatment and disposal. At the end of his talk Robert was inundated with questions which he answered very well. A vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Hazel Metcalfe.

Fin

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Report for 18th September, 2006

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 18th September at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie back from his holiday, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 31 members present and 2 guests.

The Speaker was Jenny Hill who spoke on Barnardos and the work that they do in the community. Jenny explained that the charity was founded in 1867 by Dr. Thomas John Barnardo, who was born in Dublin. She explained how he set up a ragged school in the East End of London, where poor children could get a basic education. One evening a boy at the Mission, Jim Jarvis, took Thomas Barnardo around the East End showing him children sleeping on roofs and in gutters. The encounter so affected him he decided to devote himself to helping destitute children.

In 1870, Barnardo opened his first home for boys in Stepney Causeway. He regularly went out at night into the slum district to find destitute boys. One evening, an 11-year old boy, John Somers (nicknamed 'Carrots') was turned away because the shelter was full. He was found dead two days later from malnutrition and exposure and from then on the home bore the sign 'No Destitute Child Ever Refused Admission'. Thomas Barnardo accepted all children and stressed that every child deserved the best possible start in life, whatever their background - a philosophy that still inspires the charity today.

Barnardo's supports Cornerstone in Elland and works with and alongside children, young people and families with the purpose of helping them achieve a positive experience of childhood and family life.

Jenny answered some questions after her speech and a vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Chris Metcalfe.

Fin. http://www.barnardos.org.uk/

Report for 11th September, 2006

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 11th September at 6.15 pm. Presiding was Vice President Ingrid Holdsworth, as President John Leslie was on holiday, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 30 members present and no guests.

All the Club Committees held their meetings so therefore there was no speaker on this night. The decision to hold meetings on Club Nights has been a huge success as Rotary Business is dealt with promptly and efficiently. With there being no speaker, there was no vote of thanks.

Fin.

Report for 4th September, 2006

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 4th September at 6.15 pm. Presiding was Vice President Ingrid Holdsworth, as President John Leslie was on holiday, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 26 members present and 1 guest.

The Speaker was Rtn. Allan Jagger who spoke on the job he was doing as Vice President of RIBI. He said that all Rotary Clubs in Gt. Britain and Ireland made up RIBI and that each club was entitled to send representatives to the RIBI Meetings. Unfortunately he said that less than 60 attended the meetings. Apathy was creeping in at Club Level which then went on to District, and so on to National Level.

Allan said that the problem was how to re-energize the members at club level. What was needed was feedback from the clubs through RIBI so that Rotary can improve. A Leadership Development Committee was needed for the educational process so that Rotary can train leaders. At the moment there are not enough experienced people leading RIBI into the future.

There were lots of questions asked of Allan which he answered magnificently. A vote of thanks was given by Rtn. Alex Major.

FIN.

Report for 21st August, 2006

Elland Rotary Club held their weekly meeting at Baines Hall, Elland Cricket Ground on Monday 21st August at 6.15 pm. Presiding was President John Leslie, and the secretary was Rtn. Michael Jones. There were 31 members present and 2 guests.

June 2nd	Charter Night	Charter Night	Charter Night	Charter Night	Charter Night
June 9th	Committees	David Longbottom	Phil Howe	Committees	Committees
June 16th	CLUB ASSEMBLY	George Locke	Michael Jones	CLUB ASSEMBLY	CLUB ASSEMBLY
June 23rd	None	John Leslie	Graham Jordon	None	None
June 30th	HANDOVER	Norman Kemp	John Leslie	HANDOVER	HANDOVER