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This month’s issue contains news of the Club over the month of July, a normally quiet time. Peter’s presidency

got off to a flying start with the new Calendar already on sale while each committee has laid down their plans

for the coming year and we have had a full crop of excellent speakers.

Editorial I feel reticent to mention the weather again in case

I upset the present pattern which we are all enjoying.

So thoughts turn to the future in other ways. All the

convenors have committed themselves to their

programmes that extend the commitment of the Club both locally and internationally; the breadth of

involvement is truly breath-taking

But, overall, it is the release of the new Charity

Calendar for 2014, shown below, which was first available at the Perth Show where a committed

team led by Ian Baird were able to show how well the public have received the venture. The pictures

selected through the Club Photographic Competition are shown right. Good luck to everyone.

Vice President Bob Abernethy and Club Secretary Janet Simpson with the new Calendar for 2014

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Rotary Fair 31st August

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Tom explains the advantages of buying a Charity Calendar

Rotarian Ian Hallifax, one of our newest members relaxed with the Club Members in his talk on Virgin Mobile, which he had been instrumental

in development. As a marketing strategist, Ian was involved with the launch of Virgin Mobile. As if that wasn’t enough he used his skills to

develop the brand Scottish Golf.

It was Ian’s concept to create a communications facility for all golfers for

which he formed a virtual golf club based at St Andrews. The Gateway by the 17th hole of the Old Course, now the home of a European Centre for

the golf industry, the hub for the transmission of information allows the marketing of the game in Scotland.

St Andrews was chosen as the natural venue for such an entity because of its tradition as the ’Home of Golf’, and provides visitors with advice on

hotel accommodation, where to play golf, and even about activities for non-golfers

Peter MacDougall, Club President 2013/14

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Speakers 2 July Ian Hallifax - "The Creation of Virgin Mobile"

16 July Alastair Anderson - "The Guildry"

23 July Andrew Turnbull - "Microlite Flying"

30 July Susan Scott - "PLUS Perth"

Rotarian Alastair Anderson gave a

talk on the Guildry Incorporation of Perth which began as an early friendly

society, supporting members who had fallen on hard times, infirm members,

widows and students. The first Dean of Guild was elected in the early

fifteenth century to preside over the

Guild Court, which dealt with disputes between traders and also collected

fines for breaches of the trading laws.

In the early sixteenth century

craftsman were admitted to the Guild Council and we still have two

representatives from the trades who officiate at the present day Guild

Court. Nowadays the Guildry is a charitable organisation which

continues to provide support for its

members by way of bursaries, pensions etc. and also supports

deserving local causes.

It was good to have such a talk from

the horse’s mouth, so to speak, as Alastair was elected Lord Dean of

Guild in 2012. His term of office will last for three years, serving a further

three as ex-Dean

The club welcomed Susan Scott, manager

of PLUS Perth & Kinross. Susan explained that the organisation was a user-led charity

for people who had suffered from mental

health problems and also those who were recovering from any form of substance

abuse. Based in the city centre, their small office provided an important resource

where PLUS members could drop in and

get support and also benefit from working with other PLUS members and volunteers

to aid their recovery. Susan went on to explain that her biggest challenge, other

than funding, was trying to tackle and overcome the stigma which goes along

with mental health. She then highlighted a

recent project which Members had started at ‘Horner’s Plot’, a small piece of waste

ground behind the Barber’s shop between South Street and Canal Street. Members and volunteers were now

working on the onerous task of clearing the site and had the intention of starting cultivation and perhaps sale of produce in the

fullness of time. Such projects are immensely valuable for PLUS

members as it gives them a purpose in life and a sense of value within society as well as counteracting some of the stigma felt

within the greater community. PLUS did not provide ‘services, or have ‘clients’ but acted as a ‘scaffolding’ to assist Members

affected by mental health to aid them back to making a valued

contribution to society. Susan explained that they received modest funding from the local council and health board and had recently

benefitted from the Guildry’s funding of their Members newsletter – a valued means of communication and support amongst

Members. Susan answered a range of questions from Rotarians, underlining the interest she had generated by her talk. In inviting

Rotarians to thank Susan for her talk, Bob Thomson, who is a

member of the PLUS Board of Management, commented on the passion which Susan obviously had for this challenging endeavour

Charity Golf Tournament at Dunkeld Golf Club

Wednesday 4th September

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President Peter exchanging banners

with Rotarian Tom Katus from Rapid City, South Dakota who visited our

club in July along with his granddaughter Rebecca

Colin Moreland, Iain Smith & Ian Baird selling Calendars on a sunny day at the Perth Show as part of the team organised by Ian that worked hard over the three days

The Jo Homan Charity – a letter from J. Infant Pamila and P. Muthapandi.

Dear Uncles and Aunties

Having now started back to school after the Summer with my family, I am looking forward to moving into the

11th Standard. I have progressed through my education and am now moving towards Apprenticeship which will allow me to receive training and a qualified position. Without all the help I have received from you, this would not have been possible and my family thank you for giving me this opportunity. With love

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George Cameron, convenor of the Community Committee, hopes to begin a new venture providing

financial support for the purchase of “Datalink Emergency Information Bottles”. This is a system

where a small green bottle is located in the fridge

of vulnerable persons which contains details of their medication and medical conditions. There is a small

magnetic green flag on the outside of the fridge to let medical support personnel know the information

is in the fridge.

This is part of a voluntary scheme aimed at

reassuring the household that essential information is readily available to the Emergency Services,

should an accident, sudden illness or break-in occur.

Andrew Turnbull, already known to many Club

Members through his chartered Accountants firm, gave

a delightful and amusing talk on his new experiences

with the microlite, (or is it microlight?) a small airborne machine of doubtful temperament. He was able to relax

with his love of trout fishing but craved more excitement in his retirement, setting himself the target of learning to

fly.

Choosing the microlite as a suitable vehicle through cost

and training, he worked towards his pilot’s license and membership od the Scottish Aero Club. To achieve the full license required a solo flight which

Andrew explained was only made clear to him as he climbed aboard.

An eventful journey saw him negotiating the Fife

airspace with clearance from Leuchars and, as it turned out, more guidance than he thought he

needed. His target, the airfield at Kingsmuir, turned out to be, indeed, a field which he tried to locate by

going to the coast and following the road back.

Still unable to make the location, he asked for advice

from Leuchrs control tower to be told he was just above the field. It was only on landing that he found

a New Zealand visitor had been following him on the ground to find another spot.