DG's Travels Week 25

Despite the very seasonal but not very pleasant weather of the moment, Daphne and I had the pleasure of joining the majority of the 2009-2010 DG's, together with other senior Rotarians from earlier years, at a special lunch yesterday in Edinburgh to mark the first Scottish President of RI. John and June Kenny were in fine form and delighted to be spending some time in Scotland and to have the opportunity to catch up with family, friends and local Rotarians. True to his philosophy, John reminded us that the current year is not yet half way through and that there is much still to be achieved, not least on increasing member numbers and making the final push on PolioPlus. He particularly congratulated DG's on the Thanks for Life initiative and wished it every success. The meeting was also addresssed by RIBI President David Fowler, who in his words, encapsulated the pride which all of us feel that we should have an RI President from these islands. John Kenny is only the fifth RI President to have come from RIBI, and follows in a proud tradition of Rotarians who have made a major impact on Rotary throughout the world. It is indicative of the very high regard in which John Kenny is held, that Rotarians had travelled from every part of RIBI to join him and June on this special occasion.

DG's Week 23

Today saw Daphne and I taking the long overdue opportunity to meet up with my brother and his wife and one of their friends. As all of us have some sort of Rotary involvement, I almost considered designating the meeting as worthy of an 'official' attendance! The day did turn very rapidly into a Rotary occasion, as the same venue had been chosen by the Rotary Club of Dundee to hold a party for their Rotary members with over 40 years of service, and their partners. Hosted by President Graham and his wife Joan, and aided by several other members of the Club who were providing chaffeur services, I thought that this was a really nice occasion. It acknowledged the role of a Past District Governor, Past Presidents and other Rotarians who have all contributed enormously to Rotary over the years. It is all too easy to push our elders into the background and I was delighted to see their contribution recognised in this way. The day was dry but cold, the venue was wonderful with great views, it was warm, and the food and company were both excellent. What better way is there to pass an afternoon. My thanks go to the Dundee Rotarians for this really nice gesture.

DG's Visits Week 23

This stage of a DG's year is one of change. Many activities which have become almost a way of life, draw to a close, other new activities begin, and there is always an awareness that time is passing rapidly by, with many objectives still to be achieved. Tuesday saw Daphne and I heading first of all southwards for a short meeting with the two other Scottish District Governors in the cold wilderness of upland Lanarkshire. The wind chill factor must have been considerable with temperature, elevation and wind speed combined. We then reversed our tracks to get to the Queensferry Hotel for the meeting of the West Fife Club. This is a very recent change of venue for their members, and is obviously different from their previous venue of many years standing. However, it is a super environment, with many plus factors and I am sure that it will soon feel like 'home'. The Club is in great heart, with many boxes ticked on the 'things to do' list. I would admit to a mixture of feelings on the evening as this was the last of my 87 Clubs to visit. On the one hand, it is good to complete the list before winter really sets in. I had not fancied driving back from Thurso on a cold winter's night with heavy snow. However, just to underline that nothing can be assumed, we were faced with heavy rain mixed with snow on the way home! On the other side of the coin, I will really miss my regular meetings with Clubs and their Rotarians. This is where the real business of Rotary goes on and I have the feeling that I will be more at arms length in the future, despite my best endeavours to do otherwise. However, I will watch with interest, the endeavours of the Clubs, no less so in the case of West Fife, where raising yet more money and increasing their member numbers figure highly in their plans. I wish President George and his members well on both counts.
I take this opportunity to thank all of the District 1010 Clubs for their warmth of welcome, hospitality and unfailing courtesy to Daphne and I on all of our visits. This has been a period of my life which I will always treasure, with all sorts of different memories from the many different parts which constitute this wonderful District. Daphne and I have been fortunate beyond measure and we do look forward to visiting the Clubs again in the future, on a less formal basis, and perhaps at a slower pace which will allow us to enjoy to the maximum, the Rotarians and their surroundings.

DG's Visits Week 22

Wednesday took Daphne and I into the heart of the Perthshire and Angus soft fruit growing area to visit the Rotary Club of Blairgowrie and to meet up with a number of old friends. To my great delight, the Club still maintains some of the old traditions and courtesies, and it was the first occasion in all of my visits when the President and I were preceded into the meeting by a mace-bearing Sergeant at Arms. The Blairgowrie Club has an especially strong relationship with the local community, and an extensive involvement with various activities to the benefit of both young and old. All of this is to the considerable benefit of their fund raising activities. The needs of the wider world are not neglected, with Shelterbox and a matching grant, high on their list of priorities. The sports and social sides of Rotary are not neglected so doubtless I will meet up with a number of them again on the curling rink, with as usual, no quarter asked or given. The visit was further enlightened by the presence of a large contingent of visiting Rotarians from Kirriemuir, led by their President Jim. To hear my Club address a second time, is surely beyond the call of duty, notwithstanding the fact that every one of these has been specifically tailored to the Club being visited. It was really good to see them all again.
My visit had to draw to a close all too soon, for a quick trip to Perth to meet up with AG Sandy to hand over posters for the Tfl campaign, and then onwards at haste to Edinburgh to catch the Birmingham 'plane south for a meeting of the RIBI General Council at Alcester. It was good to meet up with my fellow DGs again and they had been kind enough to save me something to eat notwithstanding my late arrival. As always there seemed to be a huge amount of business to get through, to the extent that the following day, I had started to wonder if I would even manage to catch the last flight north to Edinburgh on the Thursday evening. However, the fates were kind and it was nice to reach home base just before midnight. As always, the e-mails seem to flow in at least as quickly when I am away as when I am available, so there will be the inevitable catching up for the next 2-3 days. Apologies to anyone who was hoping for an immediate response to their message.

DG's Visits Week 22

Tuesday evening saw Daphne and I heading eastwards to visit the Montrose Club, very capably led by President Alison. It was a great pleasure to be there, despite the wet evening, and to meet up with a Club whose Rotarians do so much both for their own community and internationally. If you add to this, the service which several of their members give to District, there is absolutley no doubt of their commitment. Members had just finished sending off a very large consignment of Shoeboxes, packed by both their own members and the young people of Montrose Academy. This had been immediately preceded by a very successful event to raise funds for PolioPlus. A big plus for the Club is their very productive drive drive to bring in new members, something which no Club, however big and successful, can ignore. It was also a valuable opportunity to touch base with the two current District officials, Clive Bartram and Robert Ritchie, who are doing a wondeful job in organising the new Events team. I think, from the most recent District Conference onwards, there can be no doubt about the improved audio and visual quality of meetings and individual presentations. Change is part and parcel of any organisation and I am delighted that we have such talented and willing people giving of their skills and taking us forward.

DG Week 22

Monday evening saw me taking my first tentative steps into the wonderful new world of audio conferencing, using the District's recently purchased software. Even with just the four of us, James, Graham and Iain, I was conscious of how much time and expense was being saved, compared with at least 3 of us having to travel to some other venue. With the rain hammering down outside, it made a doubly enjoyable experience! As always with any new system, there are the initial trepidations over the unknown, but despite one or two initial technical hitches, such concerns were quickly dispelled. James was able to take us through the system whereby control was switched from one to another. This will allow us to run our own meetings in the future. This meeting was very much aimed at testing out the links but even from this, I am clear just what a fantastic difference this can make to District communications and both the cost of meetings and, for some, the difficulties of ever getting to meetings. There are obviously skills to be perfected but I am in no doubt that this represents the way forward.

DG's travels

Today, is one of several opportunities in the year when I have a real chance to give someone a break from their normal heavy workload. On this occasion, it was to accompany Daphne in her duties as a temporary warden at one of the RSPB reserves near Kirriemuir, so that the usual warden can have a few hours to herself. This is a very demanding job, summer and winter, and it must be very welcome when some of the RSPB local members can provide some relief. The forecast of rain was spot on first thing, but the weather then relented to give a bright spell mid- morning to the early afternoon. The number of visitors was lower than normal but the adverse forecast had obviously had an effect. As the weather tuned very dull, with outbreaks of rain in the afternoon, perhaps they had made a wise choice. The number of bird species was down on what we would normally expect to see at this time of the year, though four different birds of prey were prominent. The usual sightings of other wild life such as otters, deer and squirrels were conspicuously lacking. One remarkable feature was the impact of the prolonged wet weather, and I have never seen the water levels so high. This must have created a somewhat different landscape for both the water and land birds. It was a great pleasure to linger at this island of tranquility and just let the world pass by, but all too soon the light had gone and there was no excuse not to return to the hurly burly of a DG's life.

DG's Week 21

Saturday(21/11) provided a first opportunity to meet our incoming Ambassadorial Scholars as a group, in the very pleasant home environment of Rotarian Jerry Beaulier and his wife, Linda- Ann in St. Andrews. District Scholarships Officer Sylvia Donaldson had done an excellent job of getting the students and their Host Counsellors together, from Aberdeen, St. Andrews and Stirling. We were also joined by Rotarian Jack Daniels, a legend in his own time, who had hoped to take us all on a conducted tour of St. Andrews, a town about which he has extensive knowledge, but the weather was not keen to co-operate. Hopefully, there will be another occasion, Jack. Despite the wet weather outside, the atmosphere inside was very convivial. Julie, Constantina(plus husband Greg), Joanna, Lungile and Andrew are all very worthy representatives of their countries and all have had very interesting lives before they came to Scotland for a period of further study. It was a great pleasure to talk to them and to hear of their plans for the future. All of this was set against the wonderful background of the Beaulier's home with wonderful views looking out to the North Sea, superb food and drink and a very relaxed and happy atmosphere. All too soon it was time for people to go their different ways but I hope to meet up with the Scholars again during their time in Scotland. I hope that all of our Clubs will take the opportunity to invite at least one of the Scholars along to talk to them.

DG's Visits Week 21

Tuesday evening saw me, somewhat weak at the knees but otherwise compos mentis, able to attend the planned visit to the Rotary Club of Dundee Camperdown. My involvement with this Club goes right back to before its formation, when PDG Iain Young asked me if I could recommend any potential Rotarians from the Carse of Gowrie area, which I was delighted to do. Some are still members today, some 18 years down the line. President Ian and his members were most welcoming and sufficiently concerned for my welfare that they even had a back up programme in the event of a last minute decision that I was really not fit to keep the appointment. It was a very enjoyable evening with a chance to catch up with many old friends and to hear about their many activities. The Club has always been a strong supporter of the various Box schemes and , in addition, are clearly now working hard on their plans for the Thanks for Life day. The evening ended with members packing Shoeboxes, which gave me much cause for reflection. As well as various essential items to health and welfare, every box contained a toy. It occurred to me, that for the vast majority of recipients, this was probably the very first time that they would have received such a thing. It underlined to me not only the understanding which Rotarians have of the problems of the world, but also their incredible concern for and generosity to those in the world less fortunate. A good evening and one which added to a whole stock of valued memories over my Rotarian career.

District Council

The day of the second District Council saw me flat on my back and unable to attend, to my intense frustration. However, virus infections are no respecters of one's diary. I had particularly wanted to be present as this occasion saw not only the appointment of many of the key District people for 2010-11, but marked the next stage in the wide-ranging dialogue as to how we can improve Rotary communications, while still staying within a realistic budget. It was also a day to announce much relief to Clubs who feared that the absence of matching grant funds might spell the death-knell of cherished projects. Further, it was a day to give an update on the Thanks for Life project and to update Clubs on the fantastic success of their efforts on behalf of ShelterBox. £34,000 raised in just one month, to purchase 68 Boxes was a truly magnificent effort and I believe that there is more yet to come. In the end, due to the absence of DGE George at GETS, I had to hand the reins over to DGN Iain who chaired the meeting exceptionally well, ably supported by Secretary Graham and IPDG David. The latter also provided an update on Schools4All. All the reports tell of a wide ranging but very positive debate on various aspects of communication which delighted me. As I have said before, Council is not my Council or District's Council. It is the Clubs' Council and their opportunity to express their views and preferences. These views will greatly inform Communications Chairman James and his colleagues in charting the way ahead. I conclude with apologies for my absence but it did prove the point that, in a well organised structure, the absence of the 'chief executive' should never create an unfillable hole.

DG's Visits Week 20

Thursday took me the short distance westwards to the Dewars Centre in Perth at the invitation of Chairman Kay Goodman, to join her and the members of her District 1 Inner Wheel Executive for one of their regular meetings. What struck me immediately was how little Rotarians actually know about the activities of their sister organisation.The ladies do all sorts of interesting things, some of which on the sports/ social and fund raising side are very similar to those of Rotary. These include curling on the former and funding Shelterboxes on the latter. Others such as the scheme to collect unused medication for use by a charity in the underdeveloped countries of the world, are matters I have never heard mantioned in Rotary. It is clear that there is much to be gained by sharing ideas, and there is a synergy when the two organisations work together which exceeds the sum total of their individual efforts. Chairman Kay chaired the meeting exceedingly well, in a most efficient manner which allowed time for views to be expressed but did not involve overly long discussions on matters where everyone was in agreement. I greatly enjoyed the experience, which was added to by the excellent hospitality and warmth of welcome. I look forward to learning more about Inner Wheel's many achievements at their District Conference next May.

DG's Visits Week 20

Another new week and a chance to see some more of the rich tapestry of Rotary life in District 1010. My first port of call was to the Howe of Fife Club and the opportunity to catch up with a number of good Rotary friends, not least IPDG David Rankin. As always, the Club is a hive of industry with new members, support for Shelterbox and PolioPlus, fund raising and environmental projects all very high on their agenda. I sometimes wonder if they have a secret track to my thought processes, as anything I suggest, they are either in the process of doing or have already done. IPDG David was of course the source of, and indeed catalyst for, so much of the change which is now sweeping through the District and, although the process will continue for a number of years, the benefits will last for many times longer. Those attending the District Council meeting on Sunday will hear about our latest thoughts on communications. There can be absolutely no doubt that we have to advance boldly down this road. The problems and costs of holding the traditional meetings and methods of communication increase with every passing year and we simply have no choice but to embrace the new 'electronic' technologies, including video conferencing. A particular highlight of my visit was the announcement by District Shelterbox Specialist John Kerr of the current position following the appeal to replenish the stocks of these vital aids to preserving life, which had dwindled to zero following a successsion of world tragedies including the Sumatran tsunami. To say I was gratified would be a total understatement. I was totally blown away by the generosity of the District 1010 Clubs'response. In the month of October alone, our Clubs raised over £34,000 which equates to 68 Shelterboxes. A magnificent achievement for which you all have not only my grateful thanks but also those who in due course will welcome these boxes as a way of restoring some modicum of normal life in what are generally catastrophic circumstances.

DG's Visits Week 19

The week ended with our attendance at the Rotary Club of Alloa Ball. My predecessors had all told me that, whatever else I did in the year, this was one event which I should not miss. Daphne and I were not disappointed, with the fantastic food, the great company and the excellent music all as good as they could possibly be. How the caterers managed to provide such a range of choices for all of the four courses I do not know, but, suffice to say, this was one occasion when I decided not to concern myself over much with my waistline. The dancing was fantastic with old familiar pieces mixed with new dances, always worthwhile to learn about and master. President Robert and his wife Elizabeth certainly know their way round a dance floor, a sign that their time in the Young Farmers was well spent. Where Robert gets his energy from I do not know, but a 2.00am finish to the dance saw him snatch a few brief hours of sleep before being up to deal with the 5.00am milking. I was relieved that my offer to help was either not taken seriously or politely declined, and the extra hours in bed were welcome. It was a lovely way to end the week. I can only say to those Rotarians whose Club has never had a Ball or no longer does so, why not join the good folk of Alloa next year. You will have a night to remember.

DG's Visits Week 19

Tuesday evening took us back towards the centre of Aberdeen where we had the pleasure of joining President Mike and the members of the Deeside Club. It is hard to believe that they were only founded in 2000, so well established do they now appear. They have a wide range of activities, especially for young people, including RYLA, Kids Out and the Primary School Quiz. Internationally, they support all the 'Box' schemes and are currently putting in place a grant scheme for Uganda. A high priority is attached to their fellowship events and they are currently engaged in raising the public profile of the Club and Rotary. New members and support for Foundation are given equal prominence and the all round nature of their Rotary activities is exactly what one would wish to see.

DG's Visits Week 19

The Tuesday evening was spent in the excellent company of Asistant Governor Ewen Hatchwell and his wife Jacky at Bieldside, where between us, I think we managed to put the world, Rotary and otherwise, to rights. It was a very kind gesture which saved us the job of driving back to Dundee late on the Tuesday, only to have to return the following day. It also gave us some much needed breathing space the following day, and an all too rare opportunity to get some exercise. This we did by driving west to the Falls of Feugh to see the water in a very spectacular state due to the recent rainfalls, with spray coming right up over the bridge. This was followed by a walk over the first part of the track round Loch of Kinord where we were fortunate enough to see many different birds including fieldfares, redpoll, redwings and bullfinches among others. It is a magical part of the world which holds fond memories from my early field research days

DG's Visits Week 19

Tuesday saw Daphne and I heading north to visit the Dyce Club. For once, the satnav behaved perfectly, circumventing all the usual traffic on Anderson Drive and delivering us unhindered to a short traffic queue just a few yards short of the Menzies Dyce Aberdeen Airport Hotel. I would not have dared to try this route unguided or relying on road maps. President Jim and his members were in excellent form, and eager to tell us about their many activities in the community, internationally and on the social side. On the last of these victory in the gavel had to be balanced by lesser success on the curling rink, but forthcoming social and fund raising events will keep them busy. I was greatly impressed by the involvement of many members in planting crocuses and daffodils, a very practical demonstration of Rotary's environmental credentials and wish to preserve and beautify our surroundings. It sends a really good message to our communities when we undertake projects of this nature. The evening seemed to fly past and, all too soon, we had to bid our farewells.

DG's Visits Week 19

The first week proper in November started with a District Executive meeting in Perth. The presentations from the service chairs on their own areas of activities made for fascinating listening, and simply underlined the huge amount of valuable work which is undertaken by the Rotarians in our District. James Martin indicated some of the possible ways forward on communications which he will enlarge on at the next District Council meeting on Sunday 15 November in Aberdeen. John Minhinick also gave us an excellent update on Thanks for Life which again Rotarians will have a chance to hear more about in Aberdeen. Various decisions were taken which will be announced to Rotarians at that same meeting. My thanks go to everyone who attended in Perth, often having to deal with appalling road and rail conditions as a result of flooding, to get there.

DG's Visits Week 18

Week 18 saw a somewhat weary DG, after far too many hours on a train the previous afternoon and evening, heading south and east to,the links of Kingsbarns, to participate in the wonderful National Golf Competition run by the Rotary Club of St. Andrews Kilrymont. As the North of Scotland(aka District 1010) were the current holders of the trophy, which is so like the Claret Jug of the Open Championship that you would be hard pushed to tell them apart, I was in no doubt that I had to be there to help to defend the trophy against the combined assault of the South of Scotland and England. To say that the previous day was the worst possible preparation to play the game of golf, would be the understatement of the year, with the first two holes seeing no contribution from me to the points tally, but our pairing ably held together by the superb golf of past AG Jim Young. Thereafter, things did improve, with a wonderfully competitive match developing against our opponent pairing of Geordies, both of whom were superb golfers. The pendulum swung both ways, with our pairing triumphing on the final hole. The round was hard fought but absolutely enlivened by the superb company and repartee. My jaded spirits were totally restored by the time we returned to the Clubhouse. It was my pleasure to present the prizes which I thoroughly enjoyed, including one where my initial bemusement over Brain Gray's statement that I could not present this particular prize, turned to enlightenment when he said I could not present a prize to myself. The prize in question was the use of a Honda sports car for a week end, for the drive closest to the flag on the fearsome 15th hole. After looking at one stage as if it might cost me a fortune by the ball going into the hole, it remained close enough to the pin to defy any attempts at getting closer. The day was quite superb, with chief organiser Brain Gray yet again waving his magic wand to ensure perfect weather, in total contrast to the days before and after. The event is superbly organised, from the bacon rolls first thing, to the black bun and whisky to restore momentum half way round and the excellent high tea. The competition is enlivened by various tests of one's golfing mettle for accuracy and distance, all set against the magnificent background of one of the finest but hardest links courses in Britain. In addition to what was an excellent day of fun and first class fellowship, the day raised an impressive amount of money for various charities, including one of my own favourites, WaterAid, for which I took away a greatly appreciated cheque for £1000. For this, and indeed for another first class occasion, my thanks and congratulations go to President Grace, organiser Brian and all his team, and indeed all the St. Andrews Kilrymont Rotarians. As to the result of the contest, various individuals returned staggeringly high Stableford points scores which will surely have them closely scrutinised by the Handicaps Committee next year but saw them collect various trophies, and the team trophy returned again to the north of Scotland, so ably captained by Jim Young who led by example from start to finish. Here's to next year.

DG's Visits Week 18

Tuesday afternoon, and it is raining heavily. Surprise, surprise. Our now familiar road north on the A90, takes us on this occasion to the Rotary Club of Portlethen and District and the warm welcome of President John and his Rotarians. This was visit no. 80 out of the 87 planned so far for the current Rotay year. We enjoyed an excellent evening in the convivial surroundings of the Newton Arms, where I heard much about the Club's many activities. They are really on board with all the targets set for the current Rotary year, and I particularly appreciate their support over a range of activities for young people both at home, including RYLA, and abroad, in helping the Ugandan orphans of the Bubaare and Muko schools. Their awareness of the need for good PR to extol the activities of Rotary and attract always needed funds for various good causes, is absolutely on the ball, as is their awareness that 1 + 1 can often make 3 in terms of the success of some activities such as the Thanks for Life project where it can be of value for several Clubs to combine resources. The Club is a very important part of its local community which I rate as very important, notwithstanding the many deserving causes internationally. Yet another Club to provide help for the much needed and highly valued Shelterboxes, I commend their successes, admire their energy for one of our smaller Clubs and wish them continuing success in the future.

DG's Visits Week 17

The Friday morning saw an early start to travel south to York for the District 1020 Conference.All three Scottish Governors work closely together and it has been a great pleasure to support each other's Conferences. The week-end began with a superb evening's music from a group called Scocha which I had not heard previously. I wish I had even a tenth of the performers' energy, as they went through a wonderful repertoire of both very upbeat songs which stirred the spirits and certainly had everyone's feet tapping, and sad songs which tugged the emotional heart strings. The Conference programme was a similar mixture of very upbeat activities going on round the world, and those where you could not be anything other than sad and hope that better times and help would come to those whose lives are so impoverished. The Saturday evening dance was held in the York Railway museum where happy revellers sat in close proximity to the austere magnificence of the carriages of various Royal Trains over the years. Sunday started with a service which was multi-denominational in everything but name, went on to the pearls of wisdom of Sir Tom Farmer and ended with the droll, laid back humour of Robbie Glenn, retired prison governor. The week-end had an excellent blend, well chaired by Governor Alastair Davies, ably supported by his wife Kirsteen. Where would Governors be without their partners..

DG's Visits Week 17

Thursday evening(23 October) took Daphne and I to Forfar to the very pleasant occasion of the induction of Rotarian David Logan, now the Rev David Logan, as minister of St. Margaret's Church on the High Street. A former police officer, there is no doubt that David will bring the same dedication to his new profession, and I count the congregation as fortunate in having such a hard working and committed incumbent. The occasion was amazingly well supported, not just by the church's own congregation, but by many others from local churches and from other walks of life. The singing was quite superb and I hope that David felt that it was a very fitting beginning to his new ministry.

DG's Visits Week 17

After Stonehaven, it was time to head north to visit the Banchory-Ternan Club on Deeside. My thoughts that the rain could not get any worse were totally misplaced. Windscreen wipers struggled to cope and a more appropriate form of transport might have been a WW2 amphibious landing craft, as large volumes of water swept down the roads. The sanctuary of the Burnett Arms was welcome indeed, as was the warm welcome in every sense of the Banchory Rotarians. This is another Club with a wide range of projects which they support, and a special interest in young people, both overseas and at home. Their support for Shelterbox is so welcome at this time when all existing resources have already been used. The Club has embraced the concept of 'forward planning' with a vengeance, taking a long hard look at what might follow on, once polio has been consigned to the footnotes of history. Top of their list is malaria, another appalling affliction of Mankind which can and does kill millions. It has no respect for health or wealth, as many have found to their cost in the past. However, protection can be provided at relatively low costs. As always, this, allied with education, will be essential to success. There is a prospective world-wide Rotary project here. Certainly, within District 1010, I believe that a number of Clubs working together will achieve far greater success and leverage, than any Club working on its own. I wish President Jim and his fellow Rotarians every success in taking their proposals forward to a much wider audience. The return drive home was an experience, but not one to be readily sought out or repeated. The possibility of the short route over Cairn o' Mount was rapidly dismissed on reports of roads washed away by flooding, and even the well tried Slug Road had assumed all the characteristics of a water slalom course. The tendency to aquaplane under these condition was happily easily overcome by the excellent elctronic control systems built into the car. However, our own front door was a very welcome sight.

DG's Visits Week 17

Could I be forgiven about getting paranoid over the state of the weather this year? Yet again, another week of visits, etc has been accompanied by exceedingly heavy falls of rain. Conditions while driving up to Stonehaven were not memorable and it was a relief to get ourselves and equipment safely into the hotel. However, this had not deterred the Stonehaven Rotarians who were present in large numbers. As always, it was a pleasure to be meeting with Rotarians and to hear their views on a wide range of topics. This was added to by two special occasions. The first was to present certificates to their two RYLA candidates, who had had a wonderful week at Nethybridge and had been a great credit to themselves and the sponsoring Club. The second was to charter the new Stonehaven-sponsored Interact Club based on Mackie Academy. They are a fine bunch of youngsters who will be ably supported by both school staff and some of the Stonehaven Rotarians. The icing on the cake was the presentation by President Wilma of an exceedingly large cheque for PolioPlus-far larger vthan I had any reason to anticipate - £3000 to be precise. A very big well done to Stonehaven for a tremendous effort.

Sunday 18 was spent in the excellent company of Stephen Chorley, District Foundation chair, Jim Mulreany, GSE Co-ordinator, AG Samantha Miler, a past GSE Team Leader, and Barry Davies, Team Leader for the outgoing team to District 5510 Arizone in the late spring of 2010, to select the team. We were totally spoiled for choice with a wonderful group of candidates. It is a pity that RI limits the numbers, as it would have been nice to send everyone. In the end, decisions had to be made to produce a team of varied interests, as we are required to do, and the successful candidates will be notified in the next few days. However, everyone should be delighted at how well they presented their own cases and I am enormously proud that this District can bring forward such superb young people. There are opportunities every year to apply for this really excellent scheme, so I hope that those not selected to go this year will consider a future application. I also hope that all District 1010 Clubs will strive to bring the scheme to the notice of as wide a group of young people as possible.. I can also say that I would be absolutely delighted to see everyone of the candidates joining a Rotary Club in this District. We really do have to find the means to get such fine young people involved in the Rotary movement, even if this means a change to long held traditions and procedures.

DG's Visits Week 16

The evening of 14 October tool me back to a location with which I am very familiar, my paternal ancestral home of Monifieth. Their Rotary Club is one which I have visited, and spoken at, on many an occasion, and there was a genuine sense of homecoming. Now well established in their new home at Grange Golf Club, it would be a surprise if golf did not figure somewhere in both their social and fun raising activities. The Club is one of the most committed in the District, having picked up the trophy for attendance on several occasions. President David is another Club leader who has really embraced the need to bring in new members, with three younger Rotarians recently inducted and more on the way. They are great supporters of PolioPlus and Foundation while also finding the financial resources and time to support young people through RYLA, the PSQ, Euroscola and their own Interact Club. They have a range of activities in their local community, but have also found the means to purchase water purifiers for District 3180 in India, a ShelterBox, AquaBoxes and Shoeboxes, as well as providing help for the Jaipur Limb Centre, Spectacles for Jerusalem, Schools 4 All and other activities. Rotary friendships are promoted and encouraged by their 'Fireside Chats' which everyone enjoys. As a biologist and one concerned with positive aspects of the environment, I particularly applaud their objective to create a Sensory Garden at Ashludie Hospital. President David must be rightfully pleased with his Club's many achievements.

DG's Visits Week 15

The following day(14 October) saw us visiting the Rotary Club of Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, in their wonderful new venue at the Queensferry Hotel on St. Margaret's Head, where the view is, to say the very least, a major distraction. One would have to find very good reasons to forego this outlook by missing one of their meetings. This comes over as an exceptionally happy Club and perhaps the view has something to do with this. President John has really embraced the Club's wish to bring in new members, with an influx of enthusiastic young Rotarians and more on the way. All have brought, or will bring, with them a dynamism which augurs well for the Club's future activities, and just as importantly are already looking to bring in further Rotarians of their own age group. This is not to say that the Club is unproductive. Quite the reverse, with their support for PolioPlus, Foundation, help for the elderly and high profile PR activities. With a broad programme of social activities, including curling, golf and bowling, the Club clearly has an excellent balance. The Club is very receptive to a number of my ideas/ objectives for the current year, and will be looking to see how they can help.

DG's Visits Week 16

Monday having been spent on Rotary and real work administration, it was a genuine pleasure to get out on the road again to vist the Perth Kinnoull Club. President Janet was the perfect hostess and has the unenviable task of keeping a very vibrant group of Rotarians under control.She did this superbly well.It was also a great pleasure to see Rotarian Brian Raine, District Youth Opportunities Chairman, much restored in health and looking incredibly well despite everything he has been through recently. Kinnoull is another Club which has responded very quickly to my appeal for Shelterboxes, with at least one being funded in the very near future.They are also strong supporters of youth activities, PolioPlus and Foundation. Internationally, they support a Rotary Club in Swaziland and are maintaining their wonderful project to provide succour for the Chernobyl children . Time so often leads to forgetfulness or even invisibility, and I am so pleased that the Kinnoull Club has managed to maintain the latter link over such a long number of years now. The Club is also involved greatly with their local community and with other Perth Clubs in supporting the Perth 800 celebrations. On membership, like more and more Clubs, they are pursuing new members even though their existing membership base is quite satisfactory. As always, I totally commend such foresight.

DG's Visits Week 15

The next Club visit was not until Thursday 8 October, when Daphne and I had the pleasure of going to Inverness, the only other Club formed in the same year as my own in 1921. There are a number of other links, with sons of present and past Dundee Rotarians, now members of the Inverness Club. President Jim undertook his training in Dundee and a number of other members have Dundee connections or have worked in Dundee in the past. Here again, I was delighted with the tremendous turn out of their members, with President Jim even having come back off holiday to be there for my visit. Now, that really is Service Above Self. The Club ticks all the boxes, with activities for and on behalf of young people, strong support for PolioPlus and Foundation, help for Senior Citizens and support for all sorts of overseas projects. All of this matched by an excellent programme of social events. However, what really blew me away was their reaction to my appeal over Shelterboxes. This had emanated from the situation made known in the previous three days that there was a very great need for Shelterboxes as a result of a further tsunami and various earthquakes and landslips. All of this at a time when even the initial needs left the Shelterbox cupboard bare. I had asked Clubs to help if they possibly could and, if the had already planned to donate a Shelterbox during the year, to see if this could be brought forward. To my astonishment but obvious delight, Inverness said that they would be sending money immediately to purchase four! In my subsequent letter of thanks to the Club, I said that we may never know the precise identities of the recipients, but we can be sure that everyone will give thanks for our efforts and hold the generosity of Rotary deep in their hearts.

DG's Visits

Friday 2 to Sunday 4 October saw Daphne and I attending the District 1230 Conference of Governor Andy Slater and his wife Eileen in Glasgow. Their format is different but no less succesful to our own, and we had a very enjoyable few days. As always, sleep is never a commodity in great supply but this was more than offset by the entertainment and some really excellent speakers. These included Sir Tom Farmer talking about how to grow a business and Mel Young on the Homeless World Cup Foundation. I hope that Mel or one of his colleagues will be able to speak at one of our District Council meetings. It was also a great pleasure to meet up with some of their very enthusiastic Rotaractors from Glasgow and Renfrew. I am sure that the Clubs in our two Districts could get together to their mutual advantage.

DG's Visits Week 14

Wednesday 30 almost seemed like a day off, with only one Club visit, in comparison to the previous day. It was a pleasure to visit President Robert and his members, who turned out in astonishingly large numbers, as well as attracting a number of outside visitors, both Rotarian and non-Rotarian. Obviously no one had told them about the DG's visit! The weather was also quite different from the previous day, with the sun blazing down, just as it had done when Daphne and I visited the Scottish Bowling Championships in Alloa right at the start of my year in office. The Club recognises the need to advance the recognition and public image of Rotary and have created a new PR/Communication post to do just that. There is also a very strong commitment to young people through RYLA, the PSQ, Young Chef and Euroscola. They are strong supporters of PolioPlus, Foundation, the Nyumbani Project and Shoeboxes, with a wide variety of fund raising activities. They are ambitious growth-wise, both seeking to increase their current membership numbers through a new strategy involving all existing members, and looking to the future through the creation of an Interact Club.

DG's Visits Week 14

The evening of Tuesday 29 took us a bit further afield, accompanied by a return of the exceedingly wet weather which seems to have followed us around during Club visits. President Willie and his members gave us a very warm welcome to compensate for the elements outside and we enjoyed a very friendly and informative evening. Another Club with a very strong commitment to young people through things such as RYLA, the PSQ, RYLA and interviews for young people, they also punch well above their weight on PolioPlus. The Club has a very strong relationship with the local community to the mutual benefit of both. The Club is now well established in their new venue and look to expand their membership in the future.

DG's Visits Week 14

Lunchtime on the 29th took us just along the road to the meeting of the Claverhouse Club which again has a number of old friends and acquaintances amongst their membership. President Nick is another Club leader who has given very high priority to increasing their membership, recognising that this is an ever present need, even for the very succesful Clubs. Contrary to what some might believe, the Club is not anti lady members but looks first and foremost for people who will make the best possible Rotarians, irrespective of their gender. As Dundee's one true city centre Club, their lunchtime meetings must appeal to those who would like to be involved in Rotary but wish to do so at fairly close repair to their businesses.The Club does a great deal for both young people and the various 'Box' schemes, which are very much at the top of my list of priorities. They also run the quite outstanding Cyclothon, which started in a small way and simply keeps on growing and growing, raising a formidable amount of money in the process. Never can there have been a more profitable example of 'get on your bike'. Many charities will benefit as a consequence.

DG's Visits Week 14

The morning of Tuesday 29, saw Daphne and I up at the crack of dawn to attend the breakfast meeting of Dundee Discovery. They have moved their meeting place from the University Tower Block to the West Park Conference Centre where they enjoy excellent surroundings, an equally good breakfast and trouble free parking. With all that and their warm welcome, they are well worth a visit. President Craig and his members have ambitious plans for one of our smaller Clubs, not least a considerable increase in their member numbers. If you know of anyone who might be attracted to Rotary but who would struggle to make lunchtime or evening meetings, please pass their names on to President Craig or Secretary David. The Club has already established its niche in District through their organisation of the Young Chef and I look forward to this growing in scale throughout our 87 Clubs. One special element of the Club is the number of members who have had personal experience of Interact, Youth Exchange and Rotaract, and I hope that this is a pattern of developing future Rotarians which we will see increase in District 1010.

DG's Visits Week 14

The frenzy of the last 3 weeks having subsided somewhat, there is now a chance to update my activities. At the beginning of the week, I visited the nearest Club to my home, Abertay. Not surprisingly, I know and have known many of their members for a great many years. The Club is in vibrant form and showing clearly the benefits which can arise from a change to their meeting time. They have a very happy blend of enjoying themselves and raising lots of money for good causes, with some events such as the Jazz at the Castle event and their presence at the Dundee Flower and Food Festival combining both. They attach great value to the need to publicise Rotary's activities, with their Club Magazine yet again picking up the top prize. It was a pleasure to present this to editor Adrian Stewart. As with a number of Clubs, they have an active involvement with Age Concern, something which I totally commend. We will all get there one day. The Club has ambitious membership growth plans and I wish them every success in this vital activity for all Clubs, and a very happy year under the leadership of President John.

DG's Visits Week 12/13

The final event of the week was the attendance by Daphne and I at the 55th Charter Dinner event of the Huntly Rotary Club. The Huntly Club has achieved much in its lifetime and I hope that the next 55 years are at least as succesful. It is interesting to reflect that back in the days of Huntly's formation by the Rotary Club of Keith, the District consisted of only 27 Clubs. My, how we have grown! President Greg and VP Paul had determined that this would be a light hearted evening, with a minimum of formalities and a maximum of good food, drink and entertainment, and so it proved. The speakers were excellent but not overly lengthy, with Procurator Fiscal Jim Robertson rounding off the evening in fine style. He really has mastered the art of amusing a mixed audience and was greatly appreciated.

DG's Visits Week 12/13

On Friday morning, I had the privilege and pleasure of sharing in the official opening of the NAFAS/Rotary Golden Wheels of Service with Annie Adams of NAFAS and Jim McColl of Beechgrove Garden fame. The event was sponsored by 18 of the north east Rotary Clubs and all the displays exemplified various Rotary causes and themes, such as Adopt a Minefield, WaterAid Mercy Ships and ShelterBox. The displays were mounted in the beautiful St Machars Cathedral, a very familiar location from my days as a student at Aberdeen University. As student in the near by Botany Department and a resident of Crombie Hall just down the road, this was all very familiar territory. The floral displays were quite outstanding and Nature cooperated by providing the most beautiful weather. I hope that the event received enormous support and that the two chosen charities, Breast Cancer Care and CRANES, benefitted from an always welcome boost to their funds.

DG's Visits Week 12/13

Thursday brought us back to Aberdeen and a visit to the Balgownie Club in their delightful meeting place in the Mains of Scotstown Inn at Bridge of Don. I spent a very interesting evening with President Ron and his members hearing about their plans for the current year. Especially impressive are their recruiting plans, with mail shots for an Information evening which cover thousands. I will be very interested to hear how this goes and wish them every success. The fact that at least 20% of their members will bring prospective members to a Club meeting also augurs well for a very succesful recruiting drive. Most Clubs are looking for 2-3 new members. Balgownie are targeting at least five. The Club is also well to the fore in looking at cooperative activities with other Clubs, as evidenced by their joint involvement with Ellon RC in helping to organise The Sandwalk, a test even for those in prime physical condition. Keen supporters of the Wishaw Games and other events in their local community, the Club is also a staunch supporter of the various 'Box' schemes.

DG's Visits Week 12/13

Wednesday evening took us to the third of my experimental joint Club meetings which involved the Peterhead and Central Buchan Clubs-one of our older Clubs with our newest. Again, my thanks to AG Andrew for making all the arrangements. It was a pleasure to meet up with Presidents Mick and Donald again, and to hear about their differing experiences in the current Rotary year. On the one hand we have Peterhead, fully established and with a definite track record of proven events. On the other, we have the bold young Rotarians of Central Buchan, still learning but eager to do so and to move forward to make their own mark on the Rotary world. Not surprisingly perhaps, there are a number of things which they can learn from ech other in the process of change which is passing through the Rotary movement today. Enthusiasm blended with wise counsel and a steady hand. What better combination could you get. Peterhead are seeking to add new blood to the Club while Central Buchan have just recruited their first additional member. It is great news to hear how Clubs all round the District have embraced the drive to increase member numbers and I wish everyone great success.

DG's Visits Week 12/13

Monday morning meant a very early start to fly from Inverness to Stornoway where we were met by President Bob who very kindly left us to catch up with much needed sleep in the afternoon before taking us out for a superb meal along with his wife Janette and Club Secretary Kenneth, preceded by drinks with them, Kenneth's wife Sandra and SVP Donald. The following morning was gainfully occupied with a tour and briefing on Stornoway with President Bob, before we headed off to meet the rest of the Club members. This is yet another Club whose activities are vital to the local community and whose fund raising belies their smaller numbers of members. It was a great pleasure to visit Lewis again and enjoy their magnificent scenery and equally impresssive food. I could do serious damage to my waistline there, so perhaps it was just as well that we had to set off back to Inverness in the afternoon. However, the promise of a warm Western Isles welcome will soon draw us back again.