DG's Visits

On Thursday, it was back south to visit the Forres Club where the weather relented long enough to get equipment into the hotel. President Ian's Club is yet another one with a very ambitious programme on top of which they are already getting to grips with their supporting role for current DGN Iain in the lead up to his year as Governor. It is difficult to know what to particularly highlight among the Club's many activities but chief among them must be their fund raising with shortbread, and their enormous support for water projects and for young people. Allied with their fun-filled social occasions, I am sure that they have got the balance just right in Rotary.

DG's Visits

Wednesday evening took us further north to the Rotary Club of East Sutherland in Brora, with the magnificent surrounding scenery scarcely diminished by the torrential rain. What a transformation awaited us at the re-vitalised East Sutherland Club. To say that I was blown away by their activities both socially and on fund raising would be the understatement of the year. President Alistair and his members have achieved an amazing change, to propel the Club into the forefront of Rotary activities. On just about any category one might care to name, including contributions to both PolioPlus and Foundation, the Brora Rotarians are right up with any other Club in District. East Sutherland celebrates its 21st birthday next March, an occasion which I hope will be very well supported.

Wednesday saw us at the Loch Ness Club where we received a warm welcome from President Mike and his members. Mike has a 'full time' job as both Club President and the District's Health and Safety Officer.The Club does a huge amount for the local community but also finds time for activities involving young people and supporting the various 'boxes' which are so crucial to survival at times of disasters. I had the pleasure of being involved in another induction, with Rotarian David Noble joining the Club. I wish him every enjoyment and satisfaction from his membership. As an aside, that brought me up to 5 new Rotarians this week. If we continue at this rate, the target of 100 new Rotarians in the year should be no problem and Presidential Citations will be at their highest ever level. My congratulations to all Clubs which have already brought in one or more new members and my encouragement to the others to do likewise.

DG's Visits

Tuesday 21 saw us heading westwards to Inverness to visit the Culloden Club. In beautiful weather, this part of Scotland was looking at its best and it would have been nice to have had the time to explore some of its many attractions. President Ian and his members were in good form and again they have a dynamic programme planned, which is wide and varied. This included the introduction of a new member, John Marr, who I had the privilege and pleasure of inducting. John has many skills which will add to the strengths of the Club and I wish him well in his Rotarian career.

DG's Visits

Mon 20 July saw the start of my 4th week as DG and visiting the Buckie Club where Daphne and I received a very warm welcome. It was a great pleasure to be back at one of my 'AG' Clubs and to meet up again with my mentor in District affairs, Past Secretary, Alex Fowler, who gave me so much sound advice. I hope that I can repay this by being equally helpful to those new to District office. The Club has an ambitious programme for the year ahead, including a substantial increase in their membership. This was immediately obvious from the presence of three new Rotarians, Jo, Loane and Gerry, who I had the pleasure of inducting. I wish them every success in their Rotary careers.

DG's Visits

Friday morning(16 July) saw us back down to the Abernethy Trust, or more precisely to Loch Morlich to see the raft building and negotiation of the obstacle course on the loch. As everyone was thoroughly soaked by the moorland cycle ride from Abernethy to Loch Morlich, it did not seem possible that they could get any wetter. I was wrong! However, they all seemd totally unfazed by this and built magnificent rafts and got round the course in a surprisingly short time. Their togetherness and enthusiasm were most impressive. All seemd to have enjoyed the week thoroughly, with one team already talking about a re-union. The difference in them all was quite remarkable with diffidence replaced by a new confidence in their abilities. A big well done to all the councillors and staff.

DG's Visits

Thursday evening saw us arrive in Thurso to the accompaniment of more torrential rain, but the warm welocme of President Alan and his Inner Wheel Chairman wife, Lorna, together with the friendliness of the members, made us rapidly forget the outside conditions. Thurso is an incredibly well organised Club, right in the forefront of new developments and targets of Rotary. Again, like a number of the northern Clubs, they have a substantial programme involving young people and are committed to supporting both PolioPlus and Foundation. Equally appreciated by any DG is their promised and substantial support for the District Confernce at Aviemore in September. I had run out of Brownie points to give before the evening was over.

DG's Visits

Wednesday evening saw us in Wick to attend their Club meeting at Mackays Hotel. The warmth of their welcome belied the foggy conditions outside, helped by the excellent meals they enjoy which are guaranteed to do serious damage to a DG's waistline. The Club strongly supports RYLA and other activities for young people, and it had been a great pleasure to meet up with President John the previous week at Abernethy, which he attended to touch base with the Club's attendees and to see for himself the scale of the challenges they hae to overcome.

DG's Visits

Wednesday morning, bright and early, saw us at the Inverness Riverside Club to meet up with President Duncan and his fellow Rotarians, and to enjoy a really excellent breakfast. All of our new Clubs are a breath of fresh air and it was most illuminating to hear of their thoughts on the increased flexibility on Club meetings required to bring younger people into Rotary. These ideas bear wider examination. Despite their recent creation, the Club already has a series of well founded activities in both fund raising and fellowship, and I look forward to seeing them continue to prosper.

DG's Visits

Tuesday evening saw us heading for the Dingwall Club in the most torrential rain I have experienced since climbing in the Himalayas under monsoon conditions. The conditions outside were more than compensated for by the warm welcome inside. The Club meets in the Tulloch Castle Hotel, a really grand building which gives a very aristocratic air to proceedings, especially the baronnial hall. It was a pleasure to meet up with President Frank and his Rotarian colleagues and to learn more of their plans for the year ahead. It was also an unexpected but pleasant surprise to meet up with AG John Sutherland who was there to present the Club with their Presidential Citation, always a sign of a well run Club.

DG's Visits

Tuesday saw Daphne and I on our way to visit the Nairn Club, where we received a very warm welcome from all the Rotarians, but especially President Jim and Past Presidents Martin and Alan. The Club continues to do great things with fund raising, and supports a wide range of activities at home and abroad. They have recently hosted young people from Chernobyl, something they have been doing for a good number of years. All too soon, it was time to leave the sunny shores of the Moray Firth behind and head westwards.

DG's travels

The start of week 3 saw me again at Abernethy to see the young men put through their RYLA paces. Already the signs of developing team strengths were evident. The full range of challenges to be overcome was impressive, with some tasks high off the ground especially challenging due to the wet weather. However, all were overcome successfully. It is a fantastic week and one that every 1010 Rotarian should see, even if they are not currently sending people to RYLA. It was a great pleasure to see some visiting Rotarians and to talk about the RYLA participants with councillors Arthur, Ken and Lars. This really is a tremendousopportunity to develop leadership skills in young people and I hope that all Clubs will continue to support it.

Rotary Club of Orkney

Thursday morning saw me on the 'red eye' flight from Sumburgh to Kirkwall to be met there by an early rising President Keith. A very useful morning was spent in discussions with him, looking not only at what his Club have already achieved but also how they had done so. Not least of their achievements has been the bringing in of a considerable number of younger Rotarians in the past year. They have already adopted the CLP, and their Forward Plan for the next 5 years is one that many Clubs would do well to emulate. With such foresight, it would be a major surprise if any unexpected event was ever to affect them. Lunch was a very convivial occasion with visitors from British Columbia also present. They are in the second phase of taking a large canoe, which requires a team of almost 30 to propel it, to various communities round the UK where they hope to get involved with the young people of the area and help with local fund raising. The Orkney Islands will be the scene of their activities this year and the Shetland Islands next year. I wish such an imaginative project every success. All too soon, it was time to leave another part of the world which I adore, and head sothwards to Inverness. It is my great good fortune as a DG to see so much of our wonderful Scottish scenery while I visit the Clubs.

Club Visits

By Wednesday evening, I had arrived in Shetland and enjoyed a very convivial evening with President Silvija. I have enormous affection for all the Scottish Islands and the Rotary Clubs which do such a wonderful job in serving these often far flung communities. Most of Wednesday was spent in the company of one of the Shetland Rotarians and his wife, visiting old haunts and being introduced to new ones. As always, the scenery was breathtaking. The visit to the Rotary Club in the evening was another thoroughly enjoyable occasion and I was greatly impressed at their ambitious projects for the year ahead. My time on the island came to an end all too soon but there is no doubt that I will return again on the first possible occasion.

Keith Rotary Club

Monday evening saw my visit to Keith Rotary Club where I had an enjoyable and constructive meeting with President Gordon and his colleagues. All recognise the need to bring new blood into the Club and I was impressed at their plans for doing so. All other Rotary Clubs in the area can assist by identifying potential members, who for whatever reason may be unable to join their own Club, but would still welcome the opportunity to join the Rotary movement. The Club celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2 years time and everyone's aim must be to get it back to its original strength by that time.

RYLA

Last Tuesday saw my visit to the above, following a drive in torrential rain from Keith the previous evening. All the participants had been well and truly soaked the previous day but had come up smiling. Good humour and a determination to enjoy the week abounded. Some of the activities would tax the strength and determination of the hardened athlete but somehow just about everyone managed to complete the tasks. I enjoyed meeting both the participants and some of their instructors. It is a wonderful event for young people and my congratulations go to everyone involved.

DG's Visits

The past week has been another one of traversing the District. The first meeting was with the Aberdeen St. Nicholas Club. President Ian and his members were in great form.Perhaps the unseasonably good weather had something to do with this! Plans for the year ahead were impressive, undoubtedly enhanced by Ian's determination to go on one of the NIDs. I hope that his hopes are soon realised. An event for the not too distant future which I hope that all neighbouring Rotarians will support, is the Club's involvement in a Flower Festival on Friday 25 September at St. Machars Cathedral. Put it in the diary now.

D7070 Canadian Visitors-4 July

It was a great pleasure as District Governor to welcome some Canadian visitors to District 1010. They are from the same District which will shortly be hosting the wonderful youngsters of Woodmill Interact Club back in Canada. We met up in the superb and historic surroundings of Dunfermline City Chambers by kind courtesy of Rotarian and Councillor Joe Rosiejack of the host Dunfermline Carnegie Club. No one who knows the Woodmill youngsters can fail to be impressed by their enthusiasm and their many achievements, including live appearances on television from the RIBI Conference in Edinburgh. It was no surprise to find that they had personally prepared all the excellent refreshments available. My thanks go to everyone involved in organising today's event and my very best wishes to the Interact Club for an absolutely fabulous visit to Canada where I know that they will be made very welcome.

Scottish Rotary Bowling Championships-2 July

It was a great pleasure for Daphne and I to attend this superbly organised event, with participants from all three Scottish Districts. I was warned that whatever else I took along on such occasions, good weather was a prime requirement. The weather gods were indeed kind, with the torrential downpour reserving its attention until after the event was completed. By this time, we were well esconced inside, enjoying a traditional bowling tea. The Alloa Club under President Robert's direction were wonderful hosts, and the organisation of the bowling itself was superb, with the practised hand of Graham McMurdo, ably aided and abetted by Arthur Duncan, well in evidence. The fun and fellowship side of Rotary is no less important than its fund raising and other good works, and this was a day thoroughly enjoyed by all present. My congratulations go to all participants who soldiered on through an impressive day of matches under weather conditions rarely seen in Sotland, with temperatures in the very high 20's or even low 30's

First Club Visit by District Governor Bill-2 July

My first Club visit to Glenrothes RC was tremendous. A final farewell to outgoing President Lars Christiansen was conducted in true Scandinavian fashion, with helmeted and horned Viking warriors, and flaxen tressed maidens. Part of the eulogy was in Danish, or pseudo Danish, with every other trapping, apart from the traditional burning of the Viking chief in his longship. Some even thought that this might be appropriate! Lars has done a tremendous job and leaves the Club in excellent heart. The coming year's targets are no less ambitious under President Ian, with the raising of funds for PolioPlus and other worthy causes, balanced equally by a first class programme of fun and fellowship. The welcome and hospitality were first class. This is a Club which people will wish to visit and where newcomers will be made very welcome.