What Paul Harris said -

'Eliminating poverty, disease, hunger and illiteracy is the driving force of Rotarian values.'

Season's Greetings

Jasmine and I wish you and your loved ones a happy, prosperous and, above all, a healthy new year. Thank you for continuing to care for those less fortunate than ourselves.

New Rotarians

On your behalf I extend a very warm welcome to the following who have joined us since I last wrote to you: Peter Raynsford - Hatfield John Smith - Hatfield Cecil Macaulay - Milton Keynes Andrew Robinson - Dunstable Edward Bedford - Ware This brings our number of new Rotarians to 51 so far this year. I am very grateful to all those clubs who are actively inviting new members to join our great organisation. Please let me have details of any others who have joined us recently so that I can welcome them.

The Oldest Active Rotarian?

It didn't take long for me to be corrected regarding the oldest active Rotarian in District 1260. Don Craik, Hertford's secretary informed me of Arthur Knights, a member of his club, who will be celebrating his 97th birthday in June. Is there anyone else out there who is older and still active in club affairs?

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

Over £7000 has already been donated by clubs in the District to this worthwhile charity. Thank you so much for your support so far. If your club is supporting the charity please let me know.

Mercy Ships

To date, very nearly £5000 has been donated to this charity by 11 clubs in the District in addition to the £2000 raised by Jasmine's sponsored walk. It might interest you to know that nationally, the sponsored walk has raised over £25,000 so far. To all those clubs which have supported this charity, a very big 'Thank you'.

Tsunami

The RIBI fund has now been closed and virtually all the £880,000 has been allocated to projects directly under the control of Rotary Clubs in the affected areas. Projects supported were: 'Box' projects, Aqua Filter Trust, Buy a Boat (Sri Lanka), Thailand Rotary Centre - RIBI Village, International Aid Trust (RIBI Village - Sri Lanka), Fishing Boat Project (Indonesia), Thambaddai School Project (Sri Lanka) and the School Reawaken Project in Sri Lanka. The last project mentioned replaced the Indian Chennai project which we were not prepared to support because Leslie Robertson had visited the area and felt that it could not be confirmed as being exclusively for Tsunami relief. The support of the Indian authorities could not be counted upon either.

Kashmiri Earthquake

Many clubs were involved in collecting blankets, clothing and money for the victims of the earthquake. On behalf of the countless individuals who benefited, a sincere 'thank you'.

Buncefield

Although a report of the events surrounding the aftermath of this disaster appears elsewhere I must pay tribute to the tremendous efforts of Tony Amies and the members of Hemel Hempstead Rotary Club. They willingly gave up hours of their time to collect money for the Mayor's Fund which is being used to support those directly affected by the disaster. I am also extremely grateful to the 14 (so far) clubs in District who have contributed money to the fund. You might also be interested to know that clubs from Liverpool, Banbury and Great Yarmouth also contributed. I hope to bring you up to date with the total raised in next month's newsletter.

RI Awards

Clubs are eligible for two RI 'Presidential Awards'. One is Club Membership and the other is the Presidential Citation. Contrary to the belief of some, neither of these awards is to the Club President - they are to the clubs. The Club Membership Award is for clubs who fall into one or more of the following categories: Highest growth rate, inducting most members, highest retention rate or sponsoring a new club. All the above relate to the District. To attain a Presidential Citation clubs must achieve a net gain of one member and undertake one activity in four of the following five categories: Public image Club service Vocational service Community service International service (including Foundation). In my view, most clubs are eligible for a Presidential Citation and there are a number of clubs who can achieve a Membership Award. If you think your club is eligible please complete the necessary paperwork before the end of March because I need to send it to RI in April. If you need any help please contact me.

D.G's diary

To date I have visited 49 clubs. Thank you so much for the warmth of your welcome. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and look forward to attending your special club events during the remainder of my 'year'. My diary for January is as follows:

12th District service Team
16th Milton Keynes 'Swimathon' launch
17th Conference committee
18th District Quiz 19th District Executive
23rd Watford Clarendon Burns Night
25th International Half Yearly meeting
28th St. Albans Band Concert
30th Stevenage Grange special meeting
31st Hertford club visit

District Conference

There are a few clubs yet to register. Could you please do so a.s.a.p and please make all bookings (including hotels) through Registrar John Hiscock. If you have recently inducted new Rotarians please encourage them to attend. I hope that we'll meet at Cardiff - we will have a great time together.

Presidents' half yearly meeting

This meeting has now been rearranged for Thursday February 16th at 7.30 p.m. The venue will be Tilsworth. As I have already received two apologies from Presidents for the new date could I ask you to please consider sending your Vice-President to represent you. It is important that your club is present so that we can have a meaningful exchange of ideas. If your club meets on a Thursday evening perhaps you could consider attending and handing over the reins of power to your Vice President for one evening. It would be good training for him/her! I have included a short questionnaire with the call notice. Please complete it and return it to me a.s.a.p. The agenda is in your hands so please let me know what you would like raised for discussion. I already have two items - how to increase membership and progress against the club/district goals.

Club events

As I've mentioned previously, if you have a project or event to which you would like to invite me please do so. I would be happy to attend if my diary is free. May I also remind you that we will be celebrating club projects at the District Conference so now is the time to let Robert Boulton (Ware) know if you'd like space in the exhibition. If you want to borrow 'Pull Up' stands (similar to those of the District Youth Activities committee) they are available from RIBI. And finally ……

Pause for thought

'People may doubt what you say But they will always believe what you do.'

All clubs are invited to contribute details of recent or forthcoming events concerning our District as well as items of general interest to all Rotarians. Please post or email to Peter Lardi at 13 Oxenden Drive, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire EN11 8QF or email: lardi@btinternet.com

AFTER THE TSUNAMI
ROTARY REBUILDS LIVES - ONE YEAR ON

On the anniversary we review progress by clubs in RIBI, helping to rebuild lives in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia. RIBI clubs have raised over £10 million, made possible by the generosity of the British public. Rotary Clubs responded quickly and continue to assist communities affected by the earthquake and tsunami that devastated south Asia's coastal regions on December 26. Excellent progress Many projects are planned, funded and/ or completed including rehousing, rebuilding schools, providing fishing boats, shelter, water and essential items through Shelterboxes, Aquaboxes, Emergency boxes; major projects and achievements are:

• 10,000 Aquaboxes - sent to the affected area providing clean water for more than 40,000 people for three months
  

• 12,000 Shelterboxes and Emergency boxes - providing temporary shelter and basic necessities for 120,000 people.

• Sri Lanka Village Project - in partnership with the International Aid Trust, an allocation of £125,000 has been made for the building of a 50-house village in the Pandura region, 12 miles from Colombo. The village will house some 50 families, and the buildings will be completed with the necessary infrastructure. The project has commenced, the land surveyed and purchased, and the 50 families will assist with the building, following receipt of training.

• Thailand Village Project - This partnership is with the Thai Rotary Centre, representing the 4 Districts in Thailand. The objective is to build a village, comprising 50 Low Cost Shelters, for some £100,000, a further £50,000 to provide infrastructure, water services, sanitation, and power. Low Cost Shelters are essentially modest ground and upper floor buildings.

• Sri Lanka Schools Project - The new Randombe school (officially opened December 8th 2005 - see photo p 4). Randombe is the first school rebuilt of the 25 allocated to Rotary in coastal areas of Sri Lanka. The Schools Re-Awaken project has been supported by Rotary Clubs in Sri Lanka and Rotarians all over the world. Clubs in RIBI have contributed £635,000. Clubs in Devon, Yorkshire and Essex have been working very closely with local schools in their area and have raised funds, as well as providing computer suites and solar panelled water filtration plant for these schools. Further to this, North Devon Schools will add their support by sending out staff, technicians and students over the next three years. Underwritten by Standard Chartered Bank, the project is supported by UNICEF. The schools are being built to minimum Government standards, and upgraded toilet, library, and computer laboratory accommodation. Thambaddai School in Batticaloa is also being funded by RIBI. A Primary and Secondary grade school, it has classes from Grades 1-10 (O Level) catering for ages 5 - 16 years.

• Indonesia Fishing Project - with Rotary Club of Jakarta Central D.3400, involves the provision of Fishing Craft, with essential equipment, nets, engines, and Fishing Platforms (not unlike Fish Farm cages). The project also provides for reconstructing the fish market and boat landing facilities, in the Aceh region of Sumatra. The boats are constructed locally, and 75% of this donation will be spent locally, giving work not only to the fishing families, but to those building boats, platforms and other essential work. Four boats and two fishing platforms funded by RIBI were launched in August. These are complete with an engine, fishing nets and ice box and an initial supply of diesel fuel and lubricating oil.

• Fishing Project in Sri Lanka has been running in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Falmouth and two other Falmouth and Truro based organisations. Funds have been provided to purchase 20 Fishing boats equipped with 15hp kerosene engines, and appropriate nets for coastal fishing. Each boat provides a livelihood for 3 families directly and 2 further families on the periphery of the industry, in fish selling and processing. Each boat will pay a rental, not to Rotary, but to a community fund, to provide ice making and storage facilities. Each boat operates offshore without the need for quays and harbours.
  

NEW SANTA IN WHEATHAMSTEAD
The Harpenden Village (HVRC) have for many years borrowed the Santa Float from Round Table. This has enabled them to carry out a very welcome house to house collection around Harpenden for a few nights prior to Christmas. This arrangement has worked very well over the years. However in 2005 HVRC decided to develop their own 'Santa pod', using established skills within the membership. In December, with great excitement the new unit was trialled in Wheathampstead for four nights. There was a tremendous reception from the residents, with parents and children coming out to take photographs and youngsters being introduced to Santa. The collecting tins received in excess of £900 on behalf of local charities.

Santa Rides High
The Santa pod is based on a welded steel frame with a ball hitch suitable for any car with a standard tow bar. The frame is covered with ply board, suitably placed lighting and a car audio system. There are spotlights strategically placed to light up Santa who stands at the rear of the unit on a raised platform. In addition to a complete Santa outfit, a local seamstress also made a suitable cape for each of the Rotary elves! The general conclusion: the trial was a very successful operation. So December 2006 the HVRC intend to expand the area covered. Santa pod is here to stay and hopefully, for many years to come, will be able to boost funds for local charities. David Law

Ceremony at the new school in Ambalangoda,

a town in the Southern district of Galle, about two hours drive from Colombo. The tsunami affected 182 Sri Lanka schools including 92 totally destroyed. 25,000 students and 3,400 teachers were without schools after the tsunami disaster. PDG Ravi Ravindran, Chair of School's Re-awaken and an incoming Rotary Foundation Trustee; Vyv Game, Principal of Braunton Community College, Devon; Andrew Herniman DG 1170 - RI Director Noraseth Pathmanand's wife; Mrs Lorna Boyd; RI Director Noraseth Pathmanand; Sir Thomas Harris, Vice Chairman of the Standard Chartered Bank; RIPE Bill Boyd, Past RIP Luis Giay.

Meeting Needs of Residents & Workers Tony Williams, chairman of the DCT, has explained to the Hemel Hempstead club the scope of the problem he faces, the criteria for administering the fund, the resources that he has available to him, and the successes so far. The explosion effected 370 businesses on the industrial estate. Of the 25,000 employed on the estate, roughly 2000 people were casual or temporary workers who lost their jobs immediately. Two hundred of the businesses are now operational, while 170 face various degrees of disruption. Seventeen buildings are expected to be demolished, while 170 are in need of repairs. The situation with housing is that four houses are to be demolished, and many others need repairs to doors and windows. The DCT set up a help line to handle claims, and made their first grant within four days of the explosion! They have so far had 50 applications for help, and processed 35. In the last week the number of applications has begun to grow again. The DCT can help:

• local residents in the blast zone
• temporary and casual workers on the estate
• self employed workers replacing tools of trade o
• contents not insured
• excesses on insurance cover
  

 

PICKING UP THE PIECES

The immediate effect of the explosion at Buncefield storage depot on the 11th of December is now becoming clearer, in terms of damage to property and loss of income to people and businesses. Help for individuals is being met by a fund set up by the Mayor of Dacorum, and administered by the Dacorum Community Trust (DCT). Damage to property and businesses is being handled by Total and their insurers. Much effort is now being put into alleviating the short term consequences, the long term consequences will only come to light in the coming months and years. There have been many surprising facts associated with the explosion suitable for inclusion in the Guiness Book of Records. One truly remarkable fact stands out; this was the largest peace time explosion in Europe since the Second World War - and nobody was killed.

Rotary Support

The fund being administered by the DCT currently stands at around £200,000. The major contributor is Total, with other significant donations contributor is Total, with other significant donations from businesses in Hemel Hempstead totalling about £40,000. The most significant contribution from the local community has come from Rotary collections and club donations. Tin shakes raised £5,500 and club donations currently stand at over £3,200, with more money still being received. The following clubs have so far sent donations: Amersham Potters Bar Great Missenden Ware Harpenden Village Hoddesdon Leighton Linslade Luton North Milton Keynes St Albans Priory St Albans Verulamium Tring & District Watford Watford North - in District 1080: Great Yarmouth and Great Yarmouth Haven and in District 1180: Liverpool Garston Aintree & Kirkby; District 1090: Banbury. A donation has also been received from Berkhamsted Bulbourne Inner Wheel. One of the very early grants was £500 to buy presents for a children's home, promised by a company which temporarily ceased to trade. Other grants have covered:

• heaters for houses with boarded up windows (around 100 homes were close to the blast)

• a set of tools for a self employed chef

• window cleaner's ladders

• handling a bridging loan on a house which was under contract to be sold but which is now in need of repairs!

Two days after the explosion most residents were allowed to return to their homes. At this stage the Hemel Hempstead club President, Tony Amies, in conjunction with Sainsbury's, supplied food parcels to those families that requested them.

The Broader Picture

In parallel with the work of the DCT, there are many other things happening to alleviate the effects of the explosion. Air and water pollution is being monitored, but so far nothing untoward has been found. Fifty million litres of petrol, diesel, water and foam are being removed from the site. An emergency business support service led by Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce is offering free consultancy, property services and advice on cash flow issues. A business recovery group led by the Herts County Council has been looking at the measures needed for medium and long term recovery of the area. Finally the position on the costs, estimated at around £12m, incurred in "responding to the incident" and "starting the recovery process" is being assessed by the Government.

John Rowlands

Currently four trophies, awarded annually to clubs, cover the following categories:

• Printed Club Bulletin
• o Club Web site
• Club Bulletin distributed by email
• Club PR Activity in the Community

This year a new fifth trophy is offered, the Pixel Prize, awarded for a photograph which best represents the ideals and activity of Rotary. Trophies are awarded at the District Induction Dinner in July. Closing date for entries: 17th June.

Bulletins Ancient and Modern

It may seem unnecessary to mention it, but to be considered for a trophy it is necessary to submit an entry. Currently I receive two email bulletins. Are only two clubs creating email bulletins for their members? I receive ten printed bulletins, which I read from cover to cover, to steal ideas! Are there 43 clubs that produce no printed bulletin for their members?

PR for Your Public

Please consider your club activities which have taken place or will take place between now and June for the PR trophy. Any activities which promote Rotary in the community can be entered. Membership drives, fund raising events, awareness campaigns, should all be entered. A brief note explaining the aim of the PR activity should accompany the content of what the club has done and achieved. In determining the winner preference will be given to campaigns of publicity to achieve a planned objective. Web sites are judged on effective support to the club and its members, being relevant and attractive. Judging will go on all the year and no submission will be necessary.

As you are reading this DG & District Newsletter, you must fall into one of five categories:

• You are reading the hard copy version of the Newsletter sent to your club secretary or president for circulation within your club. You may have a club circulation slip attached to the Newsletter so that all club members see the copy. You may also have received a copy as a District officer.
  

• You are reading the website (HTML) copy on your computer. This is opened by clicking on the Governor's Newsletter icon on the Home page.
  

• You have downloaded a pdf copy of the Newsletter to your computer, and are reading it on your monitor. This was found on the News Room page showing the Governor's Newsletter Archive and clicking on the pdf for the latest month.
  

• You have downloaded the pdf from the website and printed out a copy on your printer. This is 40% easier to do, isn't it?
  

• You are not a member of District 1260. Welcome!

I have heard several comments in District, "I haven't seen the District Newsletter" (regularly, or even not at all. If there is somebody in your club who isn't reading this newsletter, and would like to, do you have a suggestion how it should be made available to them? Is there a reason why they don't fit into the above categories? If the problem can't be solved within the club, and you would like to discuss this matter with one of our trained Communication Committee operatives, please call our Mumbai call center on 01442 258136. This is a 24/7 service providing a focused member facing empowering experience. Remember your call is important to us.

Adding Emphasis to the Wheel
The Pixel Prize, for film or digital pictures, open to all members of District. Submit as many pictures as you wish. Judging will be based on pictures showing Rotary actively supporting the community and use of the Rotary wheel to identify the photograph with Rotary. This half of the year provides lots of youth activities, fund raising events, Stroke Awareness and many more. So slip a camera in your pocket and capture an interesting moment. The best three photographs will appear in the July Newsletter

ROWGIRLS RACE ACROSS ATLANTIC TO HELP FUND ROTARY SHELTERBOXES

In November 2005, Sally Kettle, Jo Davis, Sue McMillan and Claire Mills, four ambitious and well-prepared women, set off with the Atlantic Rowing Race fleet, departing from La Gomera in the Canary Islands and finishing 3,000 miles away in Antigua in their boat Rowgirls Shelterbox. Their epic journey will help raise funds for Rotary Shelterboxes. This passage will provide the fleet with the best possible conditions, taking advantage of the predominantly south westerly current from the Canaries to South America as well as exploiting the surface current created by the favourable prevailing wind. The race window will also avoid the hurricane season in the Caribbean. Deemed The 'World's Toughest Rowing Race', the Atlantic Rowing Race 2005 follows route of the previous four rowing races in 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2004 with records waiting to be broken

Shelterbox all at Sea

Rowgirls Shelterbox will become home for the Rowgirls and is fully equipped with a water making machine, solar panels to power the GPS system, on board computer and a webcam. All the equipment needed to row Rowgirls Shelterbox - oars, custom made seats etc. They have also taken all the food required for the entire journey and at 6000 calories a day each that is a lot of chocolate, three times as much as we would normally eat. One question always pops up is: "How do you go to the loo?" It has been recommended that they use a bed pan on a rope - 'bucket and chuck it'! One piece of advice is that as the weather is hot and sunny, clothing becomes damp and salt-encrusted, causing very unpleasant chaffing, so many chose to row naked. A daily schedule of rowing 2 hours on and 2 hours off has been recommended, alternating sleep and rowing. This means that the boat will always make progress and someone will always be on the look out for tankers. Aside from rowing they will be confirming course, cooking up sumptuous meals (of dried carbohydrates and boil-in-the bag pudding) and enjoying the sunsets. Hopefully on-board tensions will be avoided with the odd game, perhaps hide and seek or 'I spy'! John Bryant of the Dunstable club said "We are delighted to support the Rowgirls, as Claire is a local girl, and my club is committed to fund two Shelterboxes at a cost of £490 each. I urge other Rotary clubs to recognise the Rowgirls achievement and support their appeal for Shelterboxes." Progress of Rowgirls Shelterbox can be followed on www.rowgirls.com