Visit to UNESCO Paris 26 October 2007 - Alan Terry

As part of the  annual programme of events for the International Committee of the Rotary Club of Bailgate, a visit was arranged to UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in Paris.

 On 25^th October 2007, a group of Rotarians and their wives/partners, numbering 34 altogether, left Lincoln by coach for Paris travelling by motorway and ferry.  The party was accommodated in the Porte de Pantin area of Paris.

 On Friday 26^th October 2007 the party arrived at the UNESCO headquarters building  in the Invalides and Eiffel Tower quarter of Paris and were given a talk by UNESCO staff on the workings of the organisation throughout the world.  After a coffee break, there was time for questions and discussion with members of UNESCO staff.  The group learnt about world heritage sites and how they were funded, and other aspects of the workings of UNESCO.

 After lunch, the party dispersed to follow their own programme within the city.

 The group returned to Lincoln by coach on 28^th October 2007.

 

A TOUCH OF TIBET  - Terence O’Halloran

 Bailgate Rotary Club Foundation Committee entertained five Tibetan Monks who have been hosted in Lincolnshire by two European Buddhists who flew them over from India where they normally spend their time in a monastery.

 The monastery leader and his four companions gave a very harmonious blessing (a chant) to a gathering of some 40 Rotarians and their wives, before explaining through Tom Morley, their ‘driver’ as he called himself, how they created a “mandala” in order to express in coloured sand a “painting” of their temple which was then blessed and chanted over before being swept up, put in a vase, and placed in the River Witham in order to spread the prayers of the chant wherever it might end up.  

 

 

 The notion was intriguing and so were the five individuals who spoke English by varying degrees (they have only been here since August) and managed to communicate very well.  They enjoyed the food which was provided for them, prior to explaining that they usually survive on a small cup of tea and 250g of bread for breakfast, much the same for lunch, and rice and a cup of boiled water for their evening meal.  Lincoln provided them with a feast.        

The background of the five monks was varied: three of them were from the Tibetan Plains and the Nomad Tribes, and the other two were from a farming background in Tibet.  All five had moved away in their teenage years to join a monastery in India where they are sponsored by the Indian Government, away from the oppressions of the Chinese influence which has now become decidedly marked in the Tibetan province.  Tibet was taken over by China in 1959. 

 

 

 

The monks had brought with them some pashmina and other goods which had been purchased by their sponsor.  Pat, a practising Buddhist from Sudbrooke, provides their airfares and “keep”.  All of the proceeds, including the original purchase cost, were deigned to go back to India to put 50 new rooms onto the monastery to accommodate a new influx of monks with an overall target of £25,000.  Since August they have already raised just under half of that which bodes well for their visit and the philanthropy of their host.  As Tom said: “It is a good job we have got three bathrooms in the house, but at least we have only got five visitors this time, we had nine the last time they came over.  You have got to be very good friends”.  

 

And that was the way the Rotarians parted with their visitors - very good friends.  It was a most enjoyable evening.

The names of the monks were Lobsang, Jinpa, Choden, Lung To, Sam Do, and Tom (the ‘driver’

 

 

9 September 2007

A Bachelors night out

Take one Rotarian’s garden, fill it with 200 enthusiastic Rotarians and Friends armed with generous helpings of various picnics and copious bottles of wine add a sunny if not somewhat chilly evening finally provide them with the best show in town ‘An evening with the Bachelors’ and you have the perfect recipe for success.

It was with some anticipation that we all awaited the appearance of Con and Dec we had fond memories when in our youth of their many hits ‘Diane’, ‘I Believe’, ‘Charmaine’ ‘Sound of Silence’ and many more, we were not to be disappointed they provided us with a superbly polished performance as only the very best can, they invited the audience to recall their own very first record and we had requests from Queen to Robbie Williams all performed with enthusiasm and musical skill.

Our very sincere thanks must go to Rotarian Roger and Inner Wheel member Betty Papworth also the Fund Raising Committee for their work in making this event possible. 

A great night out and all in aid of Rotary.

 

 Dennis Borman 

 

 

 

 

 

23rd March 2006  I am very grateful to all those who bought a tin of Yorkshire Tea on Wednesday evening.These tins were a part of a much larger consignment donated to Rotary.

 

Rotary was invited to sell these tins and to put the proceeds to The Rotary Foundation. Obviously Taylors of Harrogate have heard of the great humanitarian work done by The Rotary Foundation. This is the Charity of Rotary totally organised by and supported by Rotarians throughout the World.

 

The sale of  the tins has raised from our club the sum of £86--not a great sum but every little helps and if you want to know how it helps you only need to look at the current edition of the Rotary magazine and read the report of the two committees-Foundation and International. Two items in those reports stand out. One is that the sum of £7m was raised from the public in response to our appeal for funds for the Tsunami disaster and the aid provided by Rotary reached many areas before the Major Aid Organisations. The second item which stands out is that districts and clubs themselves contributed £856,000. You will note that the committee is trying "to make sure this money is being spent correctly and safely."

 

I know well that some members of our Club are opposed to the whole principle of Foundation. I can never understand their point of view but I am content that they should go their way and I will go mine. There are many different facets to Rotary from the friendship we all enjoy at our weekly meetings, through the fellowships such as the golf fellowship the caravan fellowship and many others too numerous to mention, the Vocational fellowships, which are organisations of Rotarians following the same professions but above all our motto of Service Above Self leads inevitably towards charitable works.

 

I was so impressed by the generosity shown by the members on Wednesday evening. I had 20 tins to sell and I made £86. It does not take a mathematical genius to appreciate that some members contributed more than the basic price of £4.I thought the gift of a tin to Peter Brown was a good idea-a small piece of publicity which might produce a good result one day!

Ray Ingram.