Year 2005

The first event in the new year of 2005 was the President's Walk led by Jon Martin on Sunday morning, 2 January. The weather was crisp and bright, which is more than can be said for some of the Club members on the walk. Afterwards the whole party retired to the Bent Arms in Lindfield for beers and sarnies, as you do.
Later, some members went on to Plumpton to collect at the race meeting for victims of the recent tsunami disaster in southern Asia. This collection alone raised another £4,000 for relief funds.

Pictured (left) is typical Rotary Shelter Box. Over 1000 shelter boxes have been sent through RIBI to SE Asia so far. Each Shelterbox contains a tent, water, a cooking facility and sleeping bags for ten people.

Joint meeting with Haywards Heath to hear MSDC Chief Executive

John Jory, Chief Executive of Mid-Sussex District Council, spoke to members at a joint meeting with the Haywards Heath club at the Haywards Heath Golf Club on Burns' Night in January.

Before supper, the haggis was ceremonially piped in and then formally addressed by Club Vice-president Alex Mackenzie

The opening round of the
District 1250 Youth Speaks
public speaking competition was held at Walstead on 27 January, with two teams from Great Walstead School and one from Warden Park School.

(left) The three participating teams, with the Presidents of Haywards Heath and Cuckfield & Lindfield in support, and (right) David Sawyer (Haywards Heath president) with the successful Great Walstead School team.

President of RIBI Gordon McInally opened the new conservatory provided by members of the Club at the Age Concern premises in Haywards Heath on 3 February to mark the centenary of Rotary International
Pictured (left): Past President Trevor Clapp, President Ivan Grundon, District 1250 Governor Peter Nightingale,
RIBI President Gordon McInally
and Charles Boughton-Leigh of Age Concern

(left): Presentation of the cheque fot the last instalment

(right): Some of the guests at the lunch afterwards; Paul Harris, RIBI President's wife Heather McInally, Joan Nightingale, Alex Mackenzie and Assistant District Governor David Langley

The Club's weekly meeting on Tuesday 22 February at the Bent Arms included one or two special touches in recognition of Rotary's one hundredth anniversary the following day.
Special guests attending included Carol Ann Slater of the St Peter & St James Home & Hospice and Norma Speller of Headway Hurstwood Park, two of the principal local charities supported by the Club regularly for many years.
The talk after supper was given by Ray Harper from the Rotary Club of Sussex Vale. Ray told the story of Rotary's founder Paul Harris, under the title "Known and yet unknown"

The 21st Charter Dinner of the Club was held at the Ravenswood, Sharpthorne, on 19 March.
After dinner and the speeches, members and guests were entertained by vocal and keyboard duo Lindsay Field and Mick Rose. Following the President's stylish lead, a spontaneous outbreak of dancing rounded off another enjoyable evening.

The District Governor proposes
the toast to the Club

President Ivan Grundon responds
and toasts the guests

President David Sawyer
responds for the guests