Biased Balls !

Last Thursday evening found Brue Valley Rotary Club getting to grips with Outdoor Bowling at Castle Cary Bowls Club. Members of the Bowls Club demonstrated infinite patience when explaining grip (which apparently is all important), bias (more of which later), ends and jacks. Brue Valley were certainly not fast learners; in particular the balls’ inbuilt bias caused many problems throughout the evening. For those who need a lesson on bias – bias is the natural curve built into a bowl creating an arc from the point of releasing the bowl to the point it stops – clear? There were of course moments of individual success including your correspondent’s team being thrashed 16 – 1. One thing was certain – it was all huge fun on a lovely evening. Following the bowls we enjoyed a simple sausage in a roll meal with our lovely hosts. Thanks are due to Castle Cary Bowls Club for making us all so welcome.

Double Espresso !

The decision to hold two coffee mornings last Saturday in separate towns on the same day and time was not the result of strategic thinking on the part of Brue Valley Rotary !  It just happened ! Bruton’s coffee morning at the town’s community hall was ably masterminded by Colin Juneman with a full supporting cast in attendance. The Castle Cary coffee excitement at the Market House was in the capable hands of Mike Stokes assisted by a leaner team (numerically) than the Bruton event. 

The tried and tested formula of bric-á-brac, books, lovely cakes and other foodstuffs plus the inevitable raffle ensured the morning’s success despite lower numbers than expected. Profits of £182 and just over £140 respectively from the Bruton and Castle Cary events were raised for good causes. 

Thanks to all who helped – special appreciation and thanks are also due to Morrisons for their generous donation of coffee and raffle prizes. 

Gas, not hot air!

On Thursday, Brue Valley visited the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant at Wyke Farms. The plant is where bacteria gobble up waste from the farm and cheese production, along with some specially-grown crops, to produce enough methane to power the cheese production, make electricity and supply the national grid. It is a major part of the energy mix that means that Wyke Farms are now 100% self-sufficient in energy production. It also minimises the amount of waste that has to be dealt with and provides fertiliser for the land.

Wyke Farms have grown to be the largest independent producer of cheese in the UK and the AD plant has grown too, with more expansion planned. Tom Clothier, family member and company director, gave us a fascinating talk and tour of the plant, all of which is controlled by one person on site and by others on their smart phones. In a very informative and entertaining hour or so we learned what AD is, how it contributes to the business and what plans there are for the future, as well as seeing some of the feedstock used and getting up close to the machinery.

Having thanked Tom for his time and hospitality, we then retired to a local pub for a drink and a bite to eat.

Thank You Brue Valley – 2nd Water Project in Zanzibar

Received from Haji Hassan in Kitogani

“Hi. Chris. I hope you are doing well. Yesterday I was invited in Stone town Rotary installation new President ceremony. It was good. I supposed to make short speech. Just a heartwarming story how my community’s life changed maximum 5 minutes. Also Madame Bernadette handovered me the bunner and today I just installed to the tower, now project complete 100%. Thanks you very much.”

Simba talking at the Rotary Club of Stone Town, Zanzibar

The Rotary Club of Stone Town meeting

Handing over of the banner

The Banner on the completed Water Tower

What goes up must come down…

Mr President’s post on Friday showed the Rotary gazebo resplendent with its never-used sides hoisted to provide additional sun protection for the marshals and Raynet helpers at the Classics at the Castle on Sunday.

Sadly, and notwithstanding the anchoring weights, a gust of wind on Friday evening saw the gazebo make a bid for freedom over the car park. Consequently, when the Brue Valley team arrived on-site for the actual event, the gazebo had acquired additional superstructures equally never seen before.

All did not look happy with our faithful gazebo but the users on Sunday still reaped the benefit of its sun inhibiting qualities (not afforded to the BV team who were out in the sun all day!). Ours worst fears where confirmed when it came to taking the gazebo down:

Beyond concern about the gazebo and despite the heat warnings, Team Kew at the catering village managed to keep the punters fed and watered whilst maintaining a litter free environment whilst the rest of the BV team (including a guest appearance from Angela and Andrew DM as part of the Raynet team) got on firstly with traffic management and later with crowd management during the various parades during the day.

We await confirmation of the the amount raised (and the amount of water consumed) but it was a very successful day. A couple of pictures from the event which give a flavour of our Service above Self:

Signing Up !

“ Become an expert in something; it doesn’t matter what” was the writer’s careers master’s advice on leaving school. The wisdom of this was amply demonstrated at Sherborne Castle yesterday where Brue Valley Rotary were in action helping in the setting up of the Sherborne Castle Classic and Supercars Show. Super calm Andy (in his first year of show manning coordinator) correctly divined that Brue Valley’s expertise was in Signage ! It wasn’t long before Andrew M, Roger L and Roger W were drilling, hammering and placing signage of every description around the huge Show site. It was swiftly apparent that each team member had expertise in some aspect of signage display.: Andrew M’s skills on the ladder and high altitude cable tie work, Roger L’s unerring accuracy with the electric screwdriver and Roger W’s work with the heavy post driver were much in evidence. The Signs went up – the job was done. Now for Sunday’s Show !  

STOP PRESS ! The Club’s gazebo was loaned to the Show – here it is as never seen before with its sides on – a room with a view ! 

RW