Visit to the Rotary Club of Gibraltar April 2013

Visit to the Rotary Club of Gibraltar April 2013 … Philip Brouard President 2012 / 13 … Peter Halligan President Elect 2012 / 13 Greetings from the ...
Author: Edmund Randall
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Visit to the Rotary Club of Gibraltar April 2013

… Philip Brouard President 2012 / 13 … Peter Halligan President Elect 2012 / 13

Greetings from the Rotary Club of Bromley

On Tuesday 26 th June 2012 our outgoing President, John Taylor, gave his Valedictory speech (Copy attached - Appendix A). He then presented the following awards to members of our Club:THE PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIP AWARD Fellow Rotarians and guests, this year I am honoured to present to a member here today, the highest award given by Rotary. For the benefit of our quests here today The Paul Harris Fellowship may be awarded by Rotary Clubs to Rotarians and other members of the community who have given exceptional service. This very special honour is named after the founder of the Rotary Movement and was established in 1957. Our member to be awarded here today started Rotary life at Tooting Rotary Club in 1985. The Club had their meetings at a Polish Club and our member has vivid memories of beetroot soup regularly accompanied with boiled chicken. Please do not suggest this to the caterers here! Career demands disrupted contributions to the activities at Tooting and subsequently our member transferred to Woolwich Rotary and finally to Bromley in 1999 . I am of course referring to our Past President, Ivan Chapman. I do not intend to read out all Ivan’s achievements, they have been considerable and I know it would only embarrass him. However, I must record Ivan’s fantastic contribution in fundraising for Rotary Foundation and his support of slum schools in Nairobi. As we all know Ivan has become an authority on District and Global Grants. He is also managing to find time to become more involved in District matters and I am sure that the Rotary Foundation Committee in particular will welcome his experience, knowledge and experience and I must say drive to make things happen. Ivan, you and your wife Wenche have been an inspiration to us all and I have the greatest of pleasure on behalf of the Bromley Rotary Club in presenting you with the Paul Harris Fellowship Award. …...................................................................................................................................... PAT PALFERY SMITH As you are all aware this is Pats last day with us before she heads up North for pastures new. Pat joined Bromley Rotary back in 2003 and was our first lady member. We understand Pat is transferring her Rotary membership to another Rotary club and once again will find herself to be their first lady member. I wonder, if the men ‘up north’ know what’s aboutto hit them! I do know is that our lunch time meetings are likely now to be considerably quieter! Seriously, Pat you have been an outstanding credit to this club for the past nine years and I know you will be missed not only by all of us here today, but by many members of our local community that you have helped since you joined Bromley Rotary Club. Pat on behalf of the Club, I have the honour of presenting you with a Service award.

ATTENDANCE TROPHY As you are aware the club awards an attendance trophy at the end of each Rotary Year. (Officers of the Club are excluded). For your interest the average attendance over the year for Club Members has been 67%. The winning member for this year (and incidentally I believe has won before) is Mike Olivey our incoming Treasure with an attendance of 92%

….............................................................................................................................................. BEES KNEES TROPHY Our Bees Knees Trophy was introduced by Tony Bingley during his Presidents year 1995-1996. It is to be awarded to, in the opinion of the President, the member who has contributed most during the President's year. This has been a very difficult decision for me. However after long deliberation I am awarding the Bees Knees Trophy for this year to Karen Bransgrove. I think everybody will agree that since joining us she has shown that

On Tuesday 3rd July 2012 our incoming President, Philip Brouard, was inducted and gave his Induction Speech (a copy of which is also attached - Appendix B).

The President's Barbecue was held on Saturday, 11th August and was a HUGE success. It was a very happy afternoon at the home of Michael & Maureen Hitchens and we enjoyed their beautiful garden in hot sunshine. The President paid tribute to the two Michaels, Hitchens and Wright, and Peter Halligan who did a wonderful job in cooking for some 36 of us, and he thanked Maureen for inviting us to their home and garden. Our plates were filled with king prawns cooked to perfection, a delicious looking pink, along with a choice of steak, sausage, pork, kebab and various salads. Maureen co-ordinated the puddings and there was a good choice. It was great to welcome the President of Inner Wheel, Eve Reynolds, and three FRIENDS of Rotary: Mary and Martin Print and Tony Reynolds PHF. We were all delighted to see VP Lucy James back with us again. My own thanks to the two Michaels and Peter who, with Maureen, had organised it all. John D. Chairman Club Service

THRESHER’S ROTARY DAY OUT On Wednesday August 8th, Anne, Derek and myself accompanied 13 small children and their carers on our annual trip to Swanley Park. The day started at about 10.30 with the pickup at the nursery. Having settled in the play enclosure they then enjoyed the sand pit and pool. Later they had their picnic lunch forward by ice cream. We then enjoyed the train ride around the park and some 50 individual trips on the small fairground. At about 3 o’clock the happy band made their way back to the coach for the trip back. The staff thanked us and asked Anne to forward the many photos she took. With a promise to meet again next year, we all departed. Rtn. Michael Hitchens.

Thursday 13th September 2012 CHARITY GOLF DAY ROYAL BLACKHEATH GOLF CLUB Yet again, a very successful fund raising golf day was organised by Fred Carey and Phil Coady at the Royal Blackheath Golf Club. Despite the gloomy economic situation, they managed to get 12 four ball teams to enter, secured sponsorship for most of the tees, and encouraged many of the participants to part with even more of their money at the auction during the after match dinner. A great event, very well organised, and enjoyed by all. A total of almost £5,000 was raised for the charities supported by Bromley Rotary Club.

The winning team - Simon Corcoran and his friends.

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL BOOT SALE August Bank Holiday weekend - Flamingo Park, Sidcup Over £1,000 raised - well organised by Karen again.

HEVER FESTIVAL THEATRE A enjoyable evening was had by all who went to see the Owl and the Pussycat at Hever Castle on Saturday the 18th of August with a meal beforehand at the The Wheatsheaf.

Saturday 6th October 2012 London Walk HISTORIC SPITALFIELDS A group enjoyed an interesting walk around the Spitalfields area with John Halligan (Peter’s brother). The tour included:Devonshire Square - with it’s ‘pleached trees’ Cutlers Gardens - old East India Company warehouses Middlesex Street - better known as Petticoat Lane market, named after the petit coats worn by the Huguenots in the 18th Century Hanbury Street - former site of the Trumans Brewery Brick Lane - where bricks were made in the 1500’s. Now home to many curry houses! Fournier Street - site of a Huguenot (Protestant) Church, which then became a Jewish Synagogue, and is now a Muslim Mosque! Ten Bells Pub - where Annie Chapman was last seen drinking before being murdered by Jack the Ripper.

Thursday 27th September 2012 HARRIS CUP GOLF COMPETITION A great match, in good weather, was fiercely fought out by ten Bromley Rotarians and a single guest (Tony Reynolds) at Pedham Place Golf Course.

and the winner was ......... Adrian Lawrence (Tony Galley was 2nd and Gilbert McGinn, 3rd) Many thanks to Peter Halligan for organising a great day.

DISTRICT CONFERENCE Lille, France, 26th - 28th October 2012 A group of 14 Bromley Rotarians and partners / friends took the very early train from Ebbsfleet in order to arrive at Lille in France in time for the start of District Conference on Friday the 26th of October. Overall the Conference was well attended (although at about 500 was about 30% down on the numbers attending a more local Conference) and there was the usual well balanced set of both Guest and Rotarian speakers. The lady from 'Calendar Girls' was particularly entertaining

On the Saturday evening there was the Conference Gala dinner and dance. The DJ managed to get everyone up to dance, with the wine flowing again! On the Sunday, after the last of the speakers, we had a light lunch before getting the train home - leaving Peter to meet with Fifi (which he will tell you about if you ask!)

Members enjoying one of ‘Halligan’s Safari Suppers’. Hosts - Karen and Darrin Bransgrove

Schools’ Day in March

Fun & Interesting Facts about Gibraltar ·

Gibraltar consists of a long limestone mountain, which has as may as 140 caves. Its highest point is at 426 m.

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Gibraltar was listed as the 5th most stable and prosperous British Territory, in a one-year investigation of 235 countries and territories by Jane’s Country Risk.

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The official language of Gibraltar is English and the unofficial one is Spanish.

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The main ethnic groups in Gibraltar are Gibraltarian (of mixed Genoese, Maltese, Portuguese and Andalusian descent), other British, Moroccan and Indian.

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Majority of people in Gibraltar are Roman Catholics.

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The currency of Gibraltar is Gibraltar Pound.

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Under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, Spain ceded Gibraltar to Great Britain, in perpetuity. Spain and France laid siege to Gibraltar, during the American War of Independence (1775-1783), with the hope of getting it back.

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Spain has been asserting a claim to the territory of Gibraltar for long, seeking its return.

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Gibraltar and the Moroccan mountain of Jbel Musa are known as ‘The Pillars of Hercules’. This is because it is believed that Hercules used them as his handgrips, when he decided to pull Africa and Spain apart.

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The Strait of Gibraltar links the Mediterranean Sea with the North Atlantic Ocean.

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The evidence of human habitation in Gibraltar has been traced to as far back as Neanderthal man.

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It is believed that modern humans migrated to Gibraltar, from Africa, around one hundred thousand to seventy thousand years ago.

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Gibraltar was visited by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks and Romans, in the past.

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An Arab army, under the leadership of Tariq Ibn Ziyad, annexed Gibraltar in 711. It was then that it came to be known as Jebel Tariq - the Mountain of Tariq.

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In Gibraltar, the British monarch is Chief of State. He/she appoints a Governor and Commander-in-Chief, as local representatives.

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Gibraltar practices self-governance in all the areas, except defence and foreign policy.

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Gibraltarians i.e. the people of Gibraltar are British citizens and most of them want to stay that way.

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In 1967 and 2002, the people of Gibraltar voted to remain a British dependency.