Club of Royston,Herts, UK
Scrapbook For The Rotary Year 2019/2020
25th June - Presidential Handover
Once
again
this
annual
event
was
held
at
Madingley
Hall,
a
fine
Jacobean
mansion
owned
and
run
by
Cambridge
University.
Over
sixty
Rotarians,
partners
and
guests
dressed
up
in
their
finest
for
the
event
and
were
all
provided
with
a
glass
of
bubbly
on
arrival
in
one of the upstairs reception rooms.
All
too
soon
dinner
was
announced
and
we
trooped
down
to
the
main
dining
room
to
find
our
respective
places
on
the
seating
plan.
Although
we
had
all
pre-ordered
our
meals
some
time
ago
from
the
provided
menu
this
year,
your
writer
had
had
initial
doubts
about his choice but unnecessarily as it turned out, the food was absolutely superb.
Once
the
meal
was
out
of
the
way
and
the
coffee
served
President
David
rose
to
conduct
the
first
part
of
the
formal
handover.
After
a
short
speech
which
included
thanking
everybody
for
their
help
in
the
last
year
he
made
particular
mention
of
the
enormous
help
he
had
received
from
the
outgoing
secretary
(Neil
Guttridge)
and
the
continuing
club
treasurer
(David
Smyth).
President
David
also
presented
a
bouquet
of
flowers
to
his
wife
Diane
for
all
her
help
and
support
over
the
past
year.
The
presidential chain(s) of office were duly passed over to the incoming president Martin Berry
A
series
of
handovers
were
then
made
to
the
incoming
vice
president
(Nichola
Day),
the
incoming
junior
vice
president
(Mike
Day)
and
the
outgoing
president
(David
Blundell).
A
“Best
PR
Campaign
“
special
award
was
made
by
the
incoming
assistant
governor
Karin
Weston
to
Di
Charles
on
behalf
of
District
1260
in
the
form
of
an
engraved
shield,
for
the
excellent work she produces for our monthly Rotarian magazine.
Incoming
president
Martin
made
an
amusing
address
in
which
he
expressed
his
total
confidence
in
his
team
of
club
officers
for
the
coming
year
and
hoped
that
with
such
an
excellent
team
in
play
he
would
be
able
to
take
some
well
earned
time
off!
He
proceeded
to
make
a
special
award
to
outgoing
president
David
in
the
form
of
an
engraved
spade
as
an
acknowledgement
to
David’s
comments at the start of his year that “what you put in to Rotary you get back in spades!”
Vice
president
Nichola
stood
up
and
expressed
the
club’s
admiration
for
Rotarian
Karin
Weston
who
is
shortly
to
become
an
assistant governor for District 1260. The applause was well deserved.
The
formal
part
of
the
evening
being
over
diners
were
able
to
mingle
and
chat
for
a
while
before
eventually
setting
off
home.
A
most enjoyable evening.
Words by Tony Briar, Pictures by Neil Heywood.
Click here to see all photos of the event
30th June - President’s Hello
A
lovely
summer’s
afternoon
brought
over
forty
Rotarians,
partners
and
guests
to
the
village
of
Meldreth
to
be
welcomed
by
President
Martin
and
partner
Josephine
into
their
lovely
garden.
A
great
deal
of
trouble
had
obviously
been
taken
to
erect
several
sails
between
trees
at
the
end
of
the
garden.
These
sails
were
intended
to
provide
shade
for
the
guests,
but
they
did
more
than
that
–
in
the
gusty
winds
they
billowed
and
snapped
and
left
some
people
nervously
wondering
if
they
might
be
caught up in them and carried away!
A
President’s
Hello
is
an
annual
tradition
of
our
club
and
enables
a
newly-elected
president
and
partner
to
host
a
social
occasion
in
which
to
welcome
members
to
their
home.
Today
we
were
welcomed
with
a
glass
of
bubbly
and
the
chance
to
enjoy one or two enormous strawberries with it.
There
was
a
tremendous
cold
buffet
laid
on
in
the
vast
kitchen
followed
by
a
range
of
enticing
desserts
and
cheeses.
Out
also
came
some
chocolate
mousse
and, I’m told, Josephine is a real whizz at these and guards the recipe closely.
After
three
and
a
half
hours
of
friendly
conversation
and
banter
plus
eating
and
drinking,
we
reluctantly
said
our
thanks
and
farewells.
So
thank
you
Martin
and
Josephine
for
welcoming
us
to
your
lovely
garden
and
for
all
your
hard
work.
Thank
you
also
to
the
social
committee
for
their
support,
and
a
huge
thank
you to the Freewheelers for all your mouthwatering culinary delights
Words by Tony Briar, pictures by Tony Briar, Ray Munden and Neil Heywood.
To see all the photos of the event click here
4th August - Annual Charity Kite Festival and Historic Vehicle Show
Rotarians
were
on
a
high
on
Sunday,
when
over
5,000
people
came
to
the
2019
Royston
Kite
Festival
which
took
to
the
air
again
over
Therfield
Heath.
The
day
was
"a
roaring
success"
said
Royston
Rotarian
Ray
Munden,
who
managed
this
year's
event.
"Everything
seemed
to
work
in
our
favour
this
year,"
he
said.
"The
weather
was
warm,
but
not
too
hot,
a
good
breeze
pleased
the
kite
fliers,
the
historic
vehicles
sparkled,
and
of
course
Royston
families
turned
out
in
strength
to support the show."
The
teddy
bear
parachute
drop
sessions
proved
to
be
as
popular
as
ever
with
youngsters
queuing
up
to
give
their treasured friends a fur-raising experience!
The
space
round
the
arena
was
filled
with
family
groups,
many
with
picnics,
and
there
were
more
traders
and
community
organisation
stalls
than
ever.
Ray
said:
"It's
become
a
real
community
event,
which
is
what
Rotary
is
all
about.
It's
wonderful
that
the
festival raises money for charity , but it's just as important that we bring our local community together on this unique day out."
The
car
that
won
the
cup
in
the
Historic
Vehicle
Show
was
a
1935
Austin
Chalfont
6/18
owned
by
Mr
&
Mrs
John
Ives.
This
vehicle
is
totally
original
and
unrestored
having
spent
most
of
its
life
in
a
museum.
It
has
a
one-off
bespoke
interior
and
was
originally
commissioned
by
an
unknown
person
of
royal
blood,
hence
the
interior
privacy
screens.
Originally
10
were
bodied
like
this
of
which
6
remain
worldwide
mainly
in
museums.
John
acquired
the
car
last
year
and
prior
to
his
ownership
it
had
only
enjoyed
4
outings
in
the
previous 14 years
About
5,000
people
came
to
the
Festival,
and
although
the
full
accounts
won't
be
ready
for
some
days,
Rotarians
are
sure
that
there
will
be
a
healthy
surplus
to
benefit
president
Martin
Berry's
chosen
charity,
the
Sick
Children's
Trust.
Ray
paid
tribute
to
the
hard
work
of
the
many
Rotarians
whose
effort
and
commitment
made
the
day
a
success.
"It's
an
amazing
piece
of
teamwork,
and
it
shows that when we all pull together, we can do amazing things," he said.
Words by Neil Heywood.
To see the complete album of photos of the event click here.
There
were
fourteen
walkers
this
month
who
assembled
at
Ashwell’s
oldest
pub,
the
Rose
and
Crown.
Everyone
having
arrived
we
set
off
early
on
a
route
that
took
us
along
Back
Lane
in
the
village
and
then
very
quickly
on
to
open
land
for
a
mile
and
a
quarter
gentle
(for
some)
climb
until
we
had
a
magnificent
view
over
the
countryside
which
took
in many distant sights in both Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.
After
some
gentle
flat
walking
on
established
paths
we
descended
into
the
little
hamlet
of
Hinxworth
where
we
stopped
to
admire
the
(reputably
haunted)
medieval
14th
century
Hinxworth
Place.
This
protected
building
is
evidently
constructed
with
clunch
(a
chalky
stone
once
extensively
quarried
in
this
area)
with
infilling
of
loose
flint.
The
larger
part
of
the
building
is
currently
owned
by
the
rather
famous
sculptor
John
William
Mills
and
we
admired some of his works which we could see in the garden.
Shortly
after
this
we
stopped
for
a
well
earned
coffee
break
before
continuing
on
through
clearly
marked
tracks
back
in
the
direction
of
Ashwell
church
steeple
(also
called
a
Hertfordshire
Spike)
which
we
could
see
far
away
in
the
distance.
After
traversing
fields
of
corn,
farm
tracks
and
minor
country
lanes we soon found ourselves back at Ashwell village, straight opposite the Rose and Crown. A welcome sight after 5½ miles!
We
were
joined
for
lunch
by
Jim,
Phillip
and
Ruth.
Despite
the
pub
having
lost
their
chef
that
morning
with
only
half
an
hour’s
notice, the meals were both tasty and timely; and the beer tasted particularly good after the walk!
A big thank you to Neil for organising the walk and lunch.
Words by Tony Briar, photos courtesy of Bryony
11th August - Monthly Walk
18th August - Garden Party
A
great
turnout
for
the
August
social
event
of
this
Rotary
year.
Members
and
their
partners
descended
on
Mike
and
Nichola’s
lovely
garden
near
Saffron
Walden
for
a
leisurely
garden
party.
This
was
a
great
occasion
to
catch
up
with
friends
for
a
good
old
chin-wag
and,
any
lull
in
the
conversations
was
quickly
filled
by
the
antics
of
the
pet
kittens
and
chickens
who
were
just
as
interested
in
seeing
who
all
these visitors were.
A
well
stocked
bar
and
a
really
good
spread
was
laid
on
by
the
Sports
and
Social
committee
and
their
army
of
helpers.
There
was
plenty
of
food
to
go
round
and
many
took
the
opportunity
for
second
helpings!
A
few
games
were
set
out
for
those
wishing
to
try
out
their
skills,
with
petanque
in
the
gravelled
forecourt
of
the
house
to
croquet
on
the
back
lawn.
There
was
another
more
fiendish
looking
game
involving
tossing
wooden
bricks
(or
something)
-
this
scribe
couldn’t
quite
grasp
the
rules
and
I
suspect
Phillip
might
have
been
making
them up “on the hoof”!
Grateful
thanks
to
Mike
and
Nichola
for
hosting
this
event
and
putting
up
with
us
all,
and
to
the
Social
Committee
for
organising
it.
Particular
thanks
also
must
go
to
the
ladies
who
put
on
such
a
delicious range of dishes.
Words and picture by Tony Briar. (Click on any of the images to enlarge)
8th September - Monthly Walk
An
elite
little
group
of
seven
enjoyed
an
approximate
five
mile
stroll
under
a
slightly
cloudy
blue
sky
and
in
much
cooler
temperatures than our last outing. Not sure of the distance as every watch/Fitbit said something different!
The
group
photo
was
a
bit
of
a
challenge
so
take
a
look
at
both
of
them
and
decide
‘Where’s
Wally
Now?
Or
should
I
say
Where’s
Jonathan / Peter M Now?? I confess to being the guilty photographer who is still to conquer the wonderful art of Selfies.
Autumn
is
indeed
here
and
we
dressed
for
the
season
in
warmer
gear.
As
advised,
no
shorts
were
worn
as
we
did
meet
up
with
several
long
sections
of
nettles
and
thistles
along
the
way.
Leaving
cars
at
The
Royal
Oak
in
Barrington
we
took
a
gentle
walk
from
the
village
green
down
to
the
start
of
the
River
Walk
along
the
River
Cam
or
Rhee
(
both
rivers
join
somewhere
near
this
point)
into
woodlands.
Lots
of
tripping
and
stumbling
from
everyone
finally
brought
us
out
onto
the
Malton
Road
and
into
the
edge
of
the
village of Meldreth.
A
short
walk
along
the
road
brought
us
into
Shepreth
and
over
the
bridge
to
the
Shepreth
L
Moor
Nature
Reserve.
Not
too
surprisingly,
it’s
called
The
L
Moor
because
…
as
you
might
have
guessed
…
it
is
L
shaped!
Under
the
railway
bridge
and
out
into
Shepreth
village
we
passed
the
old
water
mill
house
and
crossed
over
the
bridge
to
walk
along
the
lane
behind
Willers
Mill
Park
Zoo.
Peering
through
the
mesh
fencing,
we
took
quite
a
while
to
try
and
identify
the
animal
we
could
see.
A
large
brown
hairy
creature
with
large
white
sticky
out
ears,
four
legs
and
a
very
aloof
expression
had
us
all
baffled.
Maybe
someone
might
take
a
trip
back
there only this time on the inside to find out and put us out of our misery as we had no idea what it was.
Across
a
few
more
grassy
areas
and
over
the
last
bridge
we
entered
Barrington
opposite
the
village
green
where
a
cricket
match
was
in
progress.
Despite
the
temptation
for
the
cricket
fans
and
old
timer
cricketers
among
us
to
stay
and
watch,
we
turned
left
and
headed
straight
back
to
the
Royal
Oak
as
we
were
all
really
quite
peckish
and
thirsty
by
then.
Two
of
the
team
had
a
quick
drink
then
headed
off
to
catch
a
train,
but
the
rest
of
us
enjoyed
a
roast
dinner
with
a
good
laugh
and
plenty
of
chatter
in
the
sunny
conservatory before finally making our way home and once again, a well earned feet up.
A very pleasant, undemanding walk in happy friendly company…what could be better on a beautiful Sunday Morning?
Lyn Berks
21st September - Concert by Cambridge Clarinet Choir
Garden
House
Hospice
has
benefited
from
a
charity
concert.
Part
of
the
Fringe
programme
within
the
Royston
Arts
Festival,
it
was
sponsored
jointly
by
the
Methodist
Church
and
Royston’s
Rotary Club, which enabled Rotary to donate their share, £400, to Garden House.
Stars
of
the
show
were
Cambridge
Clarinet
Choir,
an
amateur
group
conducted
by
Andrew
Webster.
They
entertained
an
enthusiastic
audience
at
the
Methodist
Church
on
21
September.
A
varied
programme
featured
music
of
many
genres,
from
American
song
book
classics
to
Gustav
Holst
and
Granados,
all
faultlessly
performed
by
the
12
performers
-
or
rather
13,
as
conductor Andrew Webster also had two solo spots to demonstrate his remarkable virtuosity.
Andrew’s
stellar
CV
includes
Glyndebourne
and
guest
Principal
Clarinet
with
all
major
UK
symphony
orchestras.
All
of
which
may
explain
the
musicality
and
precision
achieved
by
the
Clarinet
Choir
under
his
baton.
The
choir’s
other
solo
spot
was
awarded
to
Chris
Earnshaw,
whose
gruff
but
agile
contra-alto
clarinet
featured
in
SaenSain’s ‘Elephant’ from Carnival of the Animals.
Anne
Bannister’s
expert
team
of
Rotarians
ensured
that
the
capacity audience was well refreshed during the interval.
We’d
like
to
record
our
special
gratitude
to
Andrew
Webb
and
the
members
of
the
Clarinet
Choir,
who
generously
charged
no
fee
for appearing, thus enabling the Methodist Church and Garden House Hospice to benefit from the concert.
Story by Neil Heywood.
4th to 7th October - Walking Weekend
Twenty
Rotarians,
partners
and
guests
went
to
north
Norfolk
for
our
club’s
fifth
annual
walking
weekend.
We’d
previously
visited
the
Cotswolds
and
the
Isle
of
Wight,
both
of
them
chalky
and
hilly
places,
but
this
year’s
trip
was
different.
“Very
flat,
Norfolk”
said
a
character
in
Noel
Coward’s
‘Private
Lives’,
trying
to
revive
a
flagging
conversation.
Indeed
it
was
flat,
but
our
conversation
never
flagged.
Indeed
we
had
the jolliest of weekends.
We
arrived
on
Friday
night
apparently
equipped
for
a
long
siege,
with
numerous
cakes,
lots
of
mysterious
cold
boxes,
and
a
seemingly
bottomless
wine
store.
Our
HQ
was
Brazenhall
Barns,
a
set
of
converted
farm
buildings
near
Fakenham
–
in
contrast
with
last
year’s
Jacobean
elegance,
this
venue
was
super-cool
with
a
shiny
and
well
equipped
black
kitchen,
more
switches
than
an
airliner
and
lots
of
electronic
whizzery
-
although
even
with
every
light
switched
on,
it
was
still
difficult
to
read
a
newspaper.
On
the
first
night
everyone
ate
out,
at
Q’s
Bistro,
owned
by
Barbara
Mitton’s
niece.
I
arrived
too
late
to join them, but everyone who went, and the Trip Advisor reviews, tell me it’s a smashing place. If you are in Fakenham, don’t miss it!
Saturday’s
walk
had
been
planned,
as
usual,
by
John
and
Clarice.
It
involved
driving
a
few
miles
to
Burnham
Market,
where
the
occupants
of
the
various
cars
had
been
instructed
park
in
a
particular
place,
then
to
rendezvous
outside
a
certain
pub
a
few
hundred
yards
away.
These
being
Rotarians,
two
car-loads
parked
up,
then
headed
confidently
off
in
the
wrong
direction.
They
(all
right,
we)
covered
nearly
a
mile
wandering
hopelessly
round
the
town
before
finding
the
RV
point.
By
this
time
the
main
body
of
walkers
had
given
up
and
set
off,
leaving
us
remnants
to
straggle
along
in
their
wake,
shepherded
by
a
surprisingly
good
tempered
President.
Not
the
best
of
starts.
John’s
route
took
us
out
of
town
and
we
soon
found
ourselves
entering
the
swampy,
reedy
tidal
flats
that
separate
Burnham
Market
from
the
North
Sea.
To
our
south,
cows
grazed
on
the
lush
grass,
and
so
did
many
geese,
which
let
us
get
surprisingly
close
to
them.
Ray
told
us
they
were
Egyptian
geese.
That
seemed
strange,
but
maybe
they
had
come
for
a
holiday.
To
our
north,
a
river
meandered
in
great
loops,
then
there
was
water
and
mud
and
reeds
stretching
to
the
sea
a
mile
away.
We
noticed
only
a
few
birds,
which
came
as
a
surprise.
There
was
a
Little
Egret
on
the
other
side
of
the
river,
and
some
other
birds
in
the
shallows
which
Joan
said
were
redshanks,
plus
a
swan
and
few
gulls,
and
that
was
it.
But
Ray
and
Joan,
who
generally
lagged
behind
the
party
in
order
to
check
for
wildlife
through
their
binoculars,
told
us
that
they’d
spotted
a
wondrous
variety
of
birds.
There
were
marsh
harriers,
and
curlews,
and
lots
of
others,
none
of
which
had
been
evident
to
the
less
bird-wise
members
of
the
group.
We
all
admired
Ray
and
Joan’s
powers
of
observation.
It
would
have
been
difficult
to
miss
a
group
of
a
dozen
camouflage-clad
persons,
all
with
huge
telescopes
on
tripods,
peering
at
an
unremarkable
bush
a
few
yards
away.
They
were
twitchers
or
birders
(there’s
a
difference). We learned that they were observing a rare avian visitor. You’ll have to ask Ray what it was.
The
landscape
changed
and
we
were
back
on
a
road
approaching
Burnham
Staithes,
a
village
with
a
fine
pub
nemed
The
Hero,
a.k.a.
local
boy
Admiral
Lord
Nelson
-
they
are
very
keen
on
him
in
these
parts.
Here
we
were
served
welcome
pints
of
beer
and
monster
doorsteps
of
cheese
on
toast
and
ham
sandwiches,
which
we
devoured
greedily.
Then,
back
on
the
road
and
more
marshes,
mud
and
birds
for
another
four
very
agreeable
miles,
including
brief
stops
at
a
couple
of
interesting
and
remote
churches
before
we
were
back
in
Burnham
Market.
It
’s
an
interesting
town;
some
of
us
visited
a
famous
hat
shop
(a
little
disappointing,
Sue
Ross
said
afterwards)
while
others
drank
coffee
outside
the
Hoste
pub.
It
was
charming
to
watch
the
picturesque
inhabitants
of
the
place
going
about
their
traditional
fishermen’s
tasks
–
driving
their
19
plated
BMWs
and
Range
Rovers,
sipping
a
soy
cappucino
and
shopping
for
organic hummus or Gerry Weber tops.
Back
at
base,
it
was
time
to
assault
the
cake
mountain
and
drink
tea,
then
wine
and
G&Ts
while
BBQ
captains
Beardwell
and
Higginbotham
donned
aprons
and
fired
up
the
twin
hearths
outside
the
French
windows.
The
cooking
process
lasted
longer
than
predicted,
partly
because
we
ran
out
of
charcoal
and
an
expedition
had
to
go
to
look
for
more.
Luckily
someone
found
charcoal
in
a
petrol
station,
and
the
final
results,
combined
with
salads
and
nice
bread,
were
excellent,
as
were
the
puddings
many
people
had
brought. Some more wine was drunk.
Sunday
morning
was
gloomy,
and
it
was
raining
hard.
Quite
unsuitable
for
walking,
unless
you
are
named
Munden
or
Scott.
While
the
rest
of
us
planned
a
less
energetic
day,
Ray,
Joan
and
Sandra
set
off
into
the
gloom,
determined
not
to
be
deterred
by
a
bit
of
wet.
There
was
rugby
on
the
TV,
but
by
mid-morning
after
France
had
defeated
Tonga
I
joined
a
group
which
decided
to
visit
Blickling
Hall,
a
fine
Tudor
mansion
not
far
from
Cromer.
The
visit
was
instructive,
though
the
interior
is
kept
in
semi-darkness
to
conserve
their
priceless
textiles
and
paintings,
making
it
difficult
to
distinguish
a
portrait
of
the
Third
Earl
from
that
of
his
horse.
The
NT’s
room
guides
and
the
restaurant
staff
did
a
fine
job,
but
the
journey
home
was
a
nightmare
of
seriously
flooded
roads.
We
had
chosen
the
wettest
part
of
England’s
wettest
county
for
our
Sunday
excursion,
and
it
was
a
relief
to
see
everyone
get
back
safely.
The
Mundens
and Sandra had returned from their walk perfectly dry, or so they told us.
That
evening
we
demolished
Jonathan’s
peerless
chilli
con
carne.
After
dinner,
John
and
Clarice
provided
a
fiendish
picture
quiz,
won
by
Sandra,
Lyn
and
Jonathan.
Then
it
was
time
to
finish
off
the
contents
of
the
cellar,
do
the
washing
up,
and
go
to
bed
before
heading
for
home
on
Monday
morning,
along
roads
that
had
mercifully
dried
out.
It
was
an
excellent
couple
of
days,
and
we
owe
special
thanks
to
Peter
and
Barbara,
for
planning
the
event
and
discovering
Brazenhall,
to
John
and
Clarice
for
planning
the
routes,
to
President
Martin
and
Jo
for
hosting
our
planning
meeting;
to
Jonathan
and
Lyn
for
sourcing
all
the
barbecue
food
as
well
as
cooking
industrial
quantities
of
chilli;
to
Steve
and
Sue
for
doing
the
rest
of
the
shopping,
and
to
everyone
else
who
baked
cakes
and
puddings, washed up, barbecued, made coffee, and generally co-operated in making everything go so well.
Words by Neil Heywood.
Click here to see all the photos of the weekend
13th October - Annual Swimathon
Sponsored
swimmers
completed
more
than
1800
lengths
of
the
Royston
Leisure
Centre
pool
on
Sunday
night,
and
raised
an
estimated
£3,500
in
the
process.
Royston
Rotary
Club’s
annual
Swimathon
challenges
teams
of
up
to
six
swimmers
to
raise
sponsorship
money
by
completing
as
many
lengths
as
possible
in
50
minutes.
The
funds
raised
are
split
between
each
team’s
favourite
good
cause
and
Rotary’s
chosen
charity.
This
year
the
club
has
chosen
the
town’s
parish
church
refurbishment
fund,
which
will
help
repair
the
damage
caused by last December’s disastrous fire.
Fifty
six
swimmers
in
thirteen
teams
showed
up
at
the
Leisure
Centre.
They
came
from
Royston’s
Methodist
Church,
cubs,
scouts
and
guides,
the
town’s
twinning
association,
boys
and
girls
from
the
new
King
James
Academy,
and
even
individual
family
teams.
“It
was
a
super
evening”
said
organiser
Rotarian
Howard
Peacock,
“there
was
a
great
atmosphere
with
everyone
from
seven
to
seventy
having a good time while raising money for some excellent causes. We’re delighted.”
Words by Neil Heywood.
Click here to see all photos of the Swimathon
7th November - £5,000 Donation to Sick Childrens Trust
Royston’s
Rotarians
have
donated
£5,000
to
the
Sick
Children’s
Trust
–
for
the
second
year
running.
The
donation
comes
from
the
proceeds
of
the
club’s
annual
Kite
Festival.
President,
Martin
Berry,
had
been
so
impressed
by
the
charity’s
work
that
he
took
the
unusual
step
of
making
the
award
to
SCT
again,
after
the
club
donated
the
same
amount last year.
The
Sick
Children’s
Trust
is
the
charity
that
gives
over
3,500
families
with
a
seriously
ill
child
in
hospital
a
warm
and
comfortable
place
to
stay
when
they
need
it
most.
Across
England,
the
charity
runs
ten
‘Homes
from
Home’,
two
of
which
are
located
at
Addenbrooke’s
Hospital in Cambridge.
“We
think
the
Trust
does
a
wonderful
job,
and
after
we
learned
more
about
their
work
in
the
past
year,
I
thought
they
really
merited
a
second
award
–
and
all
the
club’s
members
thought
the
same”
said
Martin
Berry
as
he
presented
the
cheque
to
the
Trust’s
vice-
president Patsy Glazebrook at a ceremony in Cambridge, also attended by Dr Jane Hawking.
Martin Berry presents the cheque to Patsy Glazebrook
and SCT Hon Treasurer Trevor Mawby
13th November - Youth Speaks (Year 4)
Youth
Speaks
seeks
to
give
our
young
people
the
chance
to
express
themselves
on
a
chosen
topic
to
their
parents
and
members
of
their
family,
their
teachers,
friends
and
watching
Rotarians.
It
gives
them
the
opportunity
to
present
their
ideas
and
experiences
which is an important feature of modern-day life.
This
year
the
event
was
hosted
by
Studland
Rise
First
School.
Representatives
of
five
Royston
schools
took
part
with
thirteen
different
topics
and
by
twenty
three
presenters on a wide range of topics.
Rotarian
Graeme
Dargie,
had
previously
emphasised
in
his
opening
remarks
that
the
event
wasn’t
meant
to
be
a
competition.
However,
all
the
young
presenters
spoke
confidently
and
were
completeley
unfazed
by
the
presence
of
their
audience.
Special
mention
should
be
made
about
Teddy
Irish
from
Studland
Rise
school,
our
first
speaker,
who
spoke
fluently,
with
great
aplomb
and
without
notes
about
his wide-ranging subject, “Gods”.
A
certificate
was
awarded
by
President
Martin
to
every
speaker
at
the
end
of
the
event
following
his
complimentary
remarks
about
the quality of the presentations.
Thanks
must
go
both
to
Studlands
Rise
head
teacher
Mrs
Alison
Rinna
for
hosting
the
event
and
also
to
Hardcastle
Burton
(Royston
accountants & business advisers) who kindly sponsored the event.
President Martin addressing the speakers
and parents
3rd November - Monthly Walk
Fifteen
regulars
and
two
guests,
Susan
&
Richard,
met
at
Chequers
P.H.
in
Wrestlingworth
for
a
delightful
walk
through
the
gently
rolling
countryside
north to Cockayne Hatley and back.
The
first
part
of
the
walk
took
us
out
into
open
countryside
under
an
overcast
sky,
but
by
the
time
we
reached
our
coffee
stop
on
the
Clopton
Way
just
beyond
Hatley
Gate,
the
sun
had
come
out
and
we
were
treated
to
fabulous
views
across
North
Herts
and
East
Bedfordshire.
We
could
even
see the Johnson Matthey buildings in the distance.
After
refreshments,
we
continued
on
to
Cockayne
Hatley
–
a
tiny
hamlet
of
just
a
few
houses
in
the
middle
of
nowhere.
Although
very
small,
Cockayne
Hatley
has
an
impressive
history.
Originally
a
Saxon
settlement
it
is
mentioned
in
the
Doomsday
Book.
In
1408,
Sir John Cockayne bought the hamlet, and 1500 acres around it, and gave the settlement its current name.
The
local
church,
St
John’s,
sits
out
of
sight
a
little
way
above
the
hamlet.
It
is
a
very
impressive
building
which
is
out
of
all
proportion
to
the
community
it
serves.
It
is
known
for
its
brasses
and
other
monuments
commemorating
members
of
the
Cockayne
family
–
however we did not get to see any of them because the Church was locked when we got there.
Next
to
the
Church
is
a
graveyard
with
a
number
of
impressive
headstones
and
monuments.
One
of
them
(see
picture)
commemorates
William
Earnest
Henley
and
daughter,
Margaret.
Margaret
died
at
the
tender
age
of
6.
J.M.
Barrie
was
a
friend
of
the
family
and
it
is
said
that
Margaret
inspired
the
character
Wendy
in
Peter
Pan.
Robert
Lewis
Stevenson
was
also
a
friend
of
the
Henley’s
and
the
character
Long
John
Silver
in
Treasure
Island
is
based
on
William
Henley
who
only
had
one
leg.
He
lost
the
other
one
after
contracting
a
tubercular
infection.
After
dallying
a
while
in
the
churchyard,
we
completed
our
walk
back
through
Cockayne
Hatley
and
on
to
Wrestlingworth
–
and
lunch.
On
the
way
back,
Richard
told
us
that
he
had
worked
in
Cockayne
Hatley
as
a
boy.
Apparently,
all
the
fields
around
the
hamlet
were
full
of
apple
trees
–
indeed,
Richard
told
us
that
people
used
to
come
out
from
London
by
train
just
to see the orchards.
Finally,
a
little
known
fact
about
Wrestlingworth.
It
was
home
to
Sarah
Dazley
who
was
convicted
of
poisoning
her
second
husband
in
1843.
She
was
also
suspected
of
murdering
her
first
husband
and
her
infant
son.
She
was
the
last
person
to
be
publicly
hanged
in
Britain.
Story by Martin Berry,
15th November - Barry Love’s Farewell
It
was
a
sad
day
indeed
when
we
said
goodbye
to
Rotarian
Barry
Love
who
had
his
funeral
service
today
at
St
Mary’s
Church,
Fowlmere.
The
service
was
well
attended
by
his
large
extended
family,
friends
from
Fowlmere
and
beyond,
and
a
large
contingent
of
his fellow Rotarians.
Barry
had
been
an
active
member
of
Royston
Rotary
Club
for
many
years
but
following
a
diagnosis
of
Myeloma
(a
form
of
cancer
of
the
bone)
and
some
ground-breaking
experimental
treatment
at
Addenbrookes
Hospital
he
survived
until
just
a
few
weeks
ago.
During
his
last
ten
years
Barry
continued
to
throw
himself
into
club
activities.
In
October
2013
he
arranged
a
highly
successful
charity
concert
by
the
Opera
Dudes
where
£13,500
was
raised
for
Myeloma
UK
at
which
his
consultant
oncologist,
Dr
Jenny
Craig,
as
well
as several myeloma patients were able to attend.
About
4
years
ago
Barry
became
a
lot
weaker
and
had
to
be
admitted
to
a
nursing
home
in
Chesterton
in
Cambridge
where
he
reluctantly settled in but remained cheerful until the end.
We’ll all miss Barry with his thck bushy beard and witty repartee. Our condolences go to Betty and to all his family
Barry and Betty - Summer 2015
15th and 16th November - Children in Need Collection
The
Majority
of
the
Royston
Rotary
Club
and
many
of
their
partners
worked
tirelessly
over
these
two
days
to
collect
money
for
the
BBC
Children
In
Need
Appeal.
Most
worked
in
two-hour
shifts
at
both
Royston
High
Street
and
the
Tesco
Extra
supermarket,
where
Pudsey
bear
was
a
big
draw
with
the
kids.
It
was
cold
work
(the
temperature
was
in
single
figures)
and
the
north
wind
howled
down
Royston
High
Street.
However,
neither
Roystonians
nor
Rotarians
were
put
off
by
the
cold
weather
and
a
healthly
collection
was
made
in
aid
of
this
good
cause.
Organiser
Jonathan
Berks
has
reported
that
£3,900
was collected which is £600 greater than last year.
A big Thank You to all volunteers and also to the people of Royston for their generosity.
4th and 7th December- Decorating Christmas Trees at Royston Nursing Homes
Once
again
Royston
Rotarians
turned
up
trumps
for
the
less
fortunate
in
the
community
by
erecting
and
decorating
Christmas
trees
at
two
nursing
homes
in
Royston.
On
Wednesday
4th
December
we
assembled
at
Richard
Cox
House
Nursing
Home
on
Dog
Kennel
Lane
where
we
put
up
and
decorated
a
single
7
foot
tree
in
the
day
centre.
We
had
a
number
of
willing
helpers
to
offer
us
advice
as
to
the
best
way
to
decorate
the
tree
and
when
it
was
all
done
we
were
treated
with
(most
acceptable)
glasses
of
sherry
and
some mince pies.
On
Saturday
the
7th
December
a
slightly
larger
group
of
Rotarians
descended
on
St.
George’s
Nursing
Home
on
Kneesworth
Street
to
erect
and
decorate
three
6
foot
trees.
Here
the
mood
was
already
“Christmassy”
with
seasonal
music
playing
and
lots
of
decorations
already
up.
After
our
trees
were
decorated
we
were treated to mulled wine and more delicious mince pies.
LHS photo is of the tree at Richard Cox House, RHS photo is one of the St George’s trees.
Thanks to Bryony for arranging and co-ordinating this annual event which brings so much cheer to all concerned.
3rd December- Induction of New Member
At
our
regular
weekly
meeting
at
Royston
Golf
Club
we
were
delighted
to
welcome
Jean
Green as a new member to the Rotary Club of Royston.
Jean
has
visited
our
club
a
number
of
times
and
has
(apparently)
not
been
put
off
too
much
by
our
behaviour.
She
becomes
the
sixth
female
member
of
the
club
in
addition
to Natalie (who is an honarary member).
Kash
and
Ray
jointly
proposed
Jean
for
membership
and
it
was
Ray
who
has
been
nominated as Jean’s mentor for the next few weeks.
The
picture
shows
President
Martin
(left)
performing
the
induction
ceremony
for
Jean
with Ray looking on proudly.
8th December - Monthly Walk
As
the
ten
of
us
left
the
south
end
of
the
lane
down
the
side
of
our
house
(in
Great
Chishill)
we
were
subjected
to
an
extensive
view
of
rolling
countryside
over
which
we
would
walk
-
to
Shaftenhoe
End,
the
Mill,
Barley
and
the
countryside
beyond.
On
a
sunny
day
it’s
a
beautiful
sight.
Unfortunately
the
day
was
a
little
grey
but
dry
and
a
big
improvement
on
the
past
December
walks
of rain and snow.
The
going
under
foot
was
good
until
we
reached
Chalky
Walk
where
we
were
dodging
the
mud
and
water
caused
by
the
recent
downpours.
We
were
on
our
way
to
visit
the.grave
of
the
Naughty
Nun
at
Little
Chishill
Church.
You
will
note
from
the
photograph
that
the
tomb
stone
is
built
half
into
the
wall.
Stories
abound
as
to
why
this
is
the
case.
The
consensus
is
that
she
fell
foul
of
somebody
in
the
clergy
and
after
some
disagreement
they came to a compromise.
We
left
John
(W)
checking
his
geocache
in
the
church
yard.
Passing
through
the
first
of
four
kissing
gates
in
less
than
a
hundred
yards
we
were
on
our
way
to
Shaftenhoe
End
.
There
are
lovely
views
wherever
you
look.
The
owner
of
’Hotel
Chocolate’
lives
close
to
the
gate
where
we
joined
the
lane.
At
the
road
junction
we
stopped
briefly
to
admire
the
highly
decorated
letter
box.
These
knitted
decorations
are
a
recent introduction by a charity raising money for the homeless at Christmas. See Photograph.
A
short
walk
on
the
road
towards
Great
Chishill
took
us
to
a
track
on
the
left
across
the
fields
to
the
newly
renovated
Chishill
Mill.
Again
there
were
extensive
views
to
both
Great
Chishill
on
the
hill
and
over the valley to Shaftenhoe End, Lovely view of stables and the village of Barley.
The
Chishill
Mill
is
one
of
only
four
post
mills
in
the
country
and
the
only
one
that
has
the
ability
to
turn
to
keep
its
sails
head
to
wind.
It
has
recently
been
renovated
by
the
village
trust
and
in
June
last
year
was
opened
by
Sam
Smith
who
used
to
live
in
Great
Chishill.
Details
of
how
to
arrange a visit to view the mill can be found on the adjacent notice board.
A
short
stroll
up
the
hill
took
us
back
to
our
starting
point
to
enjoy
a
glass
of
mulled
wine
and
lunch.
Words by Jim Webb, photos by both Jim Webb and John Wahlich
17th December - Christmas Dinner at Chilford Hall
On
a
cold
December
evening
many
Rotarians
and
several
honoured
guests
set
off
by
various
means,
self
drive,
taxi
or
world
tour
(Kash)
to
Chilford
Hall
near
Linton.
Sat
navs
safely
delivered
most
of
us
in
plenty
of
time
for
pre-dinner
drinks
before
we
sat
down
to
a
splendid
3
course
meal.
If,
however,
you
enter
an
incorrect
postcode
into
your
satnav
then
you
might
be
an
hour
late
after
visiting
a
vineyard,
unfortunately
too
late
for
any
tasting
to
be
done.
And
so
Kash
and
his
unlucky
victim,
Karin,
arrived
while
most
of
us
were
tucking into our main course. Completely unabashed they rapidly ate and soon caught up with the rest of us.
The
venue
was
delightful,
a
well
set
up
and
pretty
marquee
that
was
kept
very
warm
while
the
food
was
delivered
very
promptly
so
we
didn’t
have
some
waiting
ages
while
others
eat.
The
staff
were
very
efficient
with
the
Maitre
D’
hopping
around
anxiously
to
ensure
that this was so.
Our
President
didn’t
bore
us
with
a
long
speech
(actually
his
short
speech
didn’t
bore
us
either).
It
soon
became
apparent
why
as
he
then
dashed
off
with
Jo
to
take
advantage
of
the
photo
booth,
hopefully
he
will publish the results later but there is a sneak preview on the left.
Thanks to Nichola for finding this lovely venue.
To see more photos of the event click here.
Words and photos by Ray Munden
President Martin taking
advantage of the photo booth
12th January - Monthly Walk
Sixteen
of
us
met
up
at
the
Fox
and
Duck
in
Therfield
for
a
5
mile
walk
which
was
extended
by
an
extra
half
a
mile
by
our
leader,
Sandra,
to
avoid
walking
over
muddy
fields.
It
had
rained
quite
heavily
during
the
night leaving a lot of surface water everywhere.
We
set
off
along
the
road
towards
Kelshall
and
lingered
by
the
stone
obelisk
which
features
a
number
of
small
information
panels
about
the
village
of
Kelshall.
Our
route
took
us
on
the
Hertfordshire
way
for
some
of
the
time
and
through
country
tracks
and
wooded
areas.
In
places
the
tracks
became
very
muddy
and
it
was
definitely
a
benefit
to
be
wearing
wellies.
We
arrived
back
at
the
pub
just
a
little
past
our
expected
arrival
time
of
12:30
and
14
of
us
sat
down
for
a
very
enjoyable
meal.
A
big
thank
you
to
Sandra
for
organising
a
good
walk.
Text by Bryony, photos by Bryony and Ray
11th January - Annual Rotary Quiz Night
Once
again
this
annual
event
was
held
at
King
James
Academy
lower
School
(Greneway
School,
as
was)
and
we
had
a
total
of
fourteen
different
teams
taking part.
The
event
was
once
again
ably
organised
by
Peter
Ross
and
he
was
supported
by
an
army
of
Roratians
and
their
partners
in
the
preparation
and
execution
of
the
evening.
The
quiz
consisted
of
ten
rounds,
each
of
different
subjects
and
each
with
ten
questions.
Once
again
we
had
that
Machivellian
character
Phillip
Martin
to
both
compile
and
call
out
the
mainly
fiendish questions.
A
fish
and
chip
supper
gave
our
poor
brains
a
rest
after
five
rounds
and
this
was
followed
by
the
raffle
ably
organised
by
Barbara
Mitton,
Sue
Ross
and
Di
Charles
(but
sadly
without
our
old
stalwart Iris Newling this year, RIP).
By
Round
10
there
was
keen
interest
to
see
if
team
TADS
could
be
beaten
this
year
but
sadly
this
was
not
to
be.
TADS
romped
home
clear
winners
and
having
only
got
16
questions
wrong
(allowing
for
the
Joker
round)
out
of
one
hundred
How
do
they
do
it?
The
photo
shows
a
representative of the TADS team receiving the winners trophy from Club President Martin Berry.
A
very
successful
evening
and
nearly
£800
was
raised
for
Rotary
charities.
Well
done
to
all
who
made it possible
5th February - Technology Tournament
Glue
guns
were
locked
and
loaded
at
the
King
James
Academy
(KJA)
Senior
site
(Meridian
to
you
and
me)
on
5
February
as
18
teams
from
local
schools
–
KJA,
Freman
College
and
Ralph
Sadler
–
assembled
for
yet
another
test
of
their
design
and
construction
skills.
They
included
a
team
of
teachers
from
all
three
schools,
and
what
seemed
to
be
an
encouragingly
high
proportion
of
girls.
The
gender
ratio
can’t
have
been
much
less
than
50:50,
including
several
all-girl
teams,
which is a Very Good Thing.
Tight
security
still
surrounds
the
event,
so
we
can’t
tell
you
the
details
of
the
task
the
students
were
set,
as
many
other
clubs
still
have
to
mount
their
event.
Though
it
looked
simple
at
first,
the
task
had
hidden
problems,
so
not
all
efforts
passed
the
critical
public
testing
stage
with
flying
colours.
Points
were
awarded
not
only
for
the
performance
of
the
finished
model,
but
for
the
team’s
planning
and
teamwork,
and
the
quality
of
their
written
proposals.
This
last
element
was
the
undoing
for
the
teachers’
team;
their
workbook
only scored two points out of a possible 20, no doubt to the secret joy of every student present.
The
Club
fielded
a
fine
team
of
judges,
stewards
and
scorers.
The
judges
moved
from
table
to
table,
asking
questions
and
making
gentle
suggestions
as
they
went.
County
Councillor
Fiona
Hill
and
District
Councillor
Tony
Hunter,
for
many
years
firm
supporters
of
the
event,
came
to
observe.
So
did
Andrew
Bullen
and
Jim
Gregory,
our
current
and
future
District
1260
TT
co-
ordinators.
The
Club’s
Graeme
Dargie
had
a
‘watch
and
learn’
brief;
he
is
to
take
over
the
event
next year, succeeding our current TT guru Brian Whittaker.
Finally,
the
scores
were
revealed.
Freman
won
both
Senior
and
Foundation
prizes,
and
Ralph
Sadleir
took
the
Johnson
Matthey
Innovation
Award.
A
clean
sweep
for
Buntingford!
But
everyone
went
away
with
a
certificate,
and,
we
hope,
an
experience
that
will
spark a few future careers in science and technology.
Editor’s
note:
A
great
many
pictures
were
taken
by
our
photographer
Neil
Heywood;
however
because
of
privacy
concerns
we
can
only show a few innocuous ones on a public facing website such as this. Main text by Neil Heywood.
President Martin Addresses the event
Some of the Judges, stewards and
scorers look on
Mill
Road
in
Cambridge
has
always
been
a
surprising
place,
so
it
was
fitting
that
the
city’s
first
purpose-built
mosque
should
be
located
there,
and
that
the
building
itself
is
full
of
surprises.
A
group
of
Rotarians
and
their
partners
visited
for
a
tour
in
February.
We
were
given
a
comprehensive
tour,
progressing
from
the
Islamic
garden
and
fountain
which
separates
the
peaceful
mosque
from
busy
Mill
Road,
and
then
after
removing
our
shoes,
into
the
large
atrium
with
its
impressive
brick
walls
incorporating
a
Koranic
verse.
Finally
we
were
led
into
the
great
prayer
hall
itself,
with
its
fine
calligraphic
inscriptions
on
the
walls.
The
building’s
signature
structures
are
its
‘trees’
–
the
many
columns
of
laminated
spruce
whose
branches
spread
and
intertwine
across
the
ceiling
in
complex
and
pleasing
patterns.
There’s
an
evocation
of
King’s
College
Chapel’s
vaulted
roof,
but
the
mosque’s
trees
seem
more
free
and
organic,
creating
the
illusion
of
walking
through
an
immense
forest.
If
you’ve
been
here,
you
might
also
be
reminded
of
the
branched
columns
of
Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
Sustainability
and
respect
for
the
environment
is
the
guiding
principle
of
the
whole
place.
There’s
no
minaret,
for
example,
the
dome
is
modestly
proportioned,
and
the
roofline
echoes
that
of
surrounding
buildings.
The
bricks
which
face
the
timber
structure
are
the
familiar
Cambridge
gaults.
It’s
all,
our
guide
told
us,
because
the
mosque’s
designers
wished
to
be
good
neighbours,
blending
into,
rather
than
dominating
the
neighbourhood.
As
you
might
expect,
the
site
is
also
close
to
carbon-neutral.
Heating
and
ventilation
is
by ground source heat pumps, grey water is harvested for WC’s and irrigation, and the roof is invisibly covered with solar panels.
Our
tour
included
a
visit
to
the
mosque’s
exhibition
area,
where
examples
of
Islamic
scientific
innovation
were
to
be
seen:
there
were
astrolabes,
a
camera
obscura,
medical
instruments,
observatories
and
much
more.
Our
friendly
young
guide
was
happy
to
answer
questions,
and
indeed
we
all
felt
that
we
were
welcome
guests
in
this
beautiful
addition
to
Cambridge’s
wonderful
places
of
worship. We came away impressed and a little better informed about the ways of our neighbours, which is never a bad thing.
Story and picture courtesy of Neil Heywood
6th February - Visit to Cambridge Central Mosque
8th March - Monthly Walk
Fifteen
walkers
gathered
at
The
Brampton
Mill
pub
on
a
fine
blowy
Sunday
morning.
It
had
rained
in
the
night,
the
river
was
flowing
fast
and
the
mill
wheel
was
turning.
After
placing our lunch orders we set off.
There
is
an
entrance
into
Hinchingbrooke
Country
Park
(click
for
map)
just
opposite
the
road
leading
to
the
pub
which
was
very
convenient.
We
parted
company
with
Tony
who
was
taking
the
shorter
(less
muddy)
route
and
headed
round
the
main
lake,
along
the
Chestnut
Avenue
and
up
past
the
apiary
where
we
paused
to
try
the
fitness
equipment
whilst
a
couple
of
walkers
took
advantage
of
the
nearness
of
the
toilets
by
the
cafe.
Once
reassembled
we
skirted
the
wildlife
lake,
up
through
the
woods
and
along
Pine
Avenue
to
the
cafe where Tony was waiting for us.
After
our
coffee
break
and
being
given
a
history
lesson
on
the
place
we
all
headed
back
to
the
pub
arriving
in
good
time
for
lunch.
We
were
extremely
lucky
with
the
weather
which
stayed
fine
until
we
were
seated
inside.
The
many
paths
around
the
Park
varied
from very muddy, under water, slippery to dry pleasant walking.
Walk arranged by Bryony, who also wrote the text. Photos by Neil and Bryony
Press Release: Meldreth Coronavirus Community Scheme
An informal group of local people, led by a County Councillor, have created a support organization called the Meldreth Coronavirus Community
Scheme. This group (MCCS) supports about 160 elderly, disadvantaged and vulnerable people in and around the village of Meldreth (South
Cambs) as they try to cope with the consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic. It has been buying food, medicine and other essential items for
people who cannot afford to buy these things for themselves. The MCCS has raised £1365 through their Just Giving page and has a matched
Rotary 1260 District grant of a further £1,000.
The Rotary Club of Royston are proud to have been an active financial supporter of this group via their Just Giving page
The MCCS have started two other projects as follows
Nutritious Meals:
The group is now working with Melbourn Village College to provide a nutritious meal once a week, for the families of children who are entitled to
receive free school meals. The meals are cooked in the kitchens of Melbourn Village College by a volunteer (a furloughed professional chef) and
delivered to the homes of people in need by a team of 100 volunteers. This meal service delivers to 57 local people (30 children and 27 adults)
and will run to the beginning of July 2020 when these children may start returning to school.
PC’s for home students:
Some children, who cannot attend school because of the pandemic, are unable to study at home because they do not have access to a
computer. The MCCS has asked local residents to donate unwanted PC’s and a local IT specialist has volunteered to refurbish these machines so
they can be used for home study. 30 PC’s have already been donated.