Mud, mud, glorious mud and a firework or two

After the weather enforced postponement, the Shepton Mallet Rotary Club bonfire and firework display went ahead this weekend with magnificent support of, the much voiced praise from the local community.

Brue Valley were able to field a reduced team, following the change in date, with Eddy manning the pay-lines and Melanie and Andrew M sent on a hike to the distant boundary for “perimeter” duty where they had a choice of standing in a raging torrent of water or on a bank of slippery mud.

The attached pictures are mainly taken from the perimeter – some may look blank but be assured they represent the view on the night and of your fellow Rotarians on duty

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Brue Valley Rotary Club meet Down Under.

Today witnessed another first for Brue Valley! Unable to attend next Thursday’s Business and Special General Meetings these stalwart Rotarians arrived by ferry and bus to hold their own meeting at a beachside restaurant in Manly. The dress code was naturally beach attire. The Rotary agenda was brief but the meeting occupied a substantial part of the afternoon. Our meeting closed following gentle stroll to Queenscliff.

Family Race Night for Parkinsons

Last night Brue Valley Rotary provided another popular village hall family Race Night, this time in aid of the Wincanton Branch of Parkinsons UK, at the village hall in Charlton Musgrove.  Over 60 supporters were present and, after enjoying a tasty Chilli and Potato supper, were treated to 8 fabulous races on which to place their bets.  Many ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ accompanied the racing not to mention other shouts of encouragement.

Brue Valley and Parkinsons UK are very grateful to the local businesses which sponsored the races, all the punters for taking part

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and to the generous supporters who ‘bought’ horses for the final race.

If you know of any organisations which would like to raise funds by holding a family race night, please do get in touch with the club.

Visit to White Lake Cheese

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Now, I am going to try hard not to make this blog too cheesy.

Our October 2019 outing was to the multi award winning White Lake Cheese beside the Bath and West showground where we were entertained to be most interesting tour of the cheese making facility before sampling the various goat, sheep and cow milk cheeses.  Finally, and in the dark, we were introduced to the goats themselves.

Many thanks to White Lake Cheese and to Melanie for organising the outing.

Not a washout !!!

Those who place emphasis on weather forecasts could have been excused for concluding that Saturday’s Castle Cary Carnival would be a washout. A washout is wasn’t. Brue Valley Rotary Club fielded a strong, experienced and dedicated  team of nine bucket collectors, who, despite the inclement weather, were soon in action.  Their technique of really working the crowds, persuading the reluctant to put their hands in their pockets, and seeking out donations from those skulking at the back is much admired and appreciated by the Carnival’s organising committee.  Buckets soon filled up with coinage and emptying was necessary en route to Carnival’s finish line. .Notwithstanding the smaller crowds it proved to be a good evening’s work to help local good causes ..

Deja Vu

Another year, another Children’s Carnival and the same strange lady sporting a bizarre outfit! Yes, it was the 2019  Castle Cary Children’s Carnival. Last year Nicky introduced us to the octopus – this year it was Spiderperson (one must these days be gender neutral). The Brue Valley Rotary bucket shaking team although numerically small were particular enthusiastic in their endeavours to ensure the public parted with their coinage. Our new member, Dave Terry, was frequently seen diving into the crowds to extract donations; Andrew M exhibited his customary bucket shaking expertise; as for Spiderperson,,,,,,,,,,! All much the same as previous years showing Rotary in Action. Deja Vu !