East Sutherland Rotary Club Moves to Brora

For the first time in its two decades of existence, East Sutherland Rotary Club has moved the venue for its weekly meetings from Golspie to Brora. Last week, they held their first meeting in Brora’s Sutherland Inn – recently refurbished by new proprietors Leon and Kerry Sims.

Said Club President Malcolm McCall, “We’re delighted to take advantage of the excellent facilities and warm welcome here in the Sutherland Inn, and we look forward to enjoying fellowship and good food here in the future.”

For further information, contact William Sutherland, Hon Sec Rotary Club of East Sutherland. Tel 01549 402646 (daytime) 01862 811898 (evenings.)

Dingwall Rotary Club - Wade Walk 2007

It is with some pride we can look back at our 2007 Wade Walk – which raised a little over £7000 for Charity which is about the same as last year
Which is tremendous – particularly so when you might remember that a similar event had taken place a few weeks earlier – and I have no doubt that we lost a few of our more serious walkers to that event.

Our infrastructure Costs / Toilets / Transport / Printing / Food / Red Cross / Radio Cover was a little over £2000 ….However this was largely cancelled out by income from Entry Fees and also Income from the adverts on the main walkers sheet - which were obtained (or should I say ‘prised’ ) out of people by Jim Evans

We ran two walks last year – and our luck was in - as they both took place in good weather

The Main Event took place on the 2nd June 2007 - and 90 people took the long Route of 16 miles and 15 opted for the short route of 6 miles or so ( making 105 walkers in total) . I am pleased to report that no one got lost, and we didn’t lose any dogs this year either. Neither I am pleased to say did any signs go missing – and here I have to thank the guys who walked the route on the day before, and also on the morning of the event.

Thanks also to all in Dingwall Rotary - as you turned out in great numbers and made my job so much easier with your requests to help ……and your for kind and gentle reminders of the things I had forgotten…..Thanks also to our long suffering wives who ‘manned’ ( or should I say ‘ladied’??) the kitchen and organised the food ….. for both events.

Also to our photographer George Reynolds who took the photo’s - for both events – and in each case dashed back to his office to print them out in time for the walkers arriving back for food and sustenance.

The Mark 2 Event took place two weeks later on the 16th of June 2007, and we were delighted to run this again for our great friends from Glen Ord Distillery – who weren’t able to make the 2nd June - as they were committed to an event for the Highland Year of Culture - and here….I would especially praise Lynne Sutherland for organising such a great support from the Distillery.

A goodly number of Rotarians (and their wives ) turned out that day and we accompanied the Glen Ord Team round the circuit at a very brisk pace – I think the easiest way of describing it was that it was almost like a ‘Rotarian Relay’ as people were joining us at some checkpoints and leaving at others. And again I thank you all for your support ……

We had 24 Walkers that day of which 19 opted for the long walk and 5 sauntered round the forests on the short walk)

All of which brings the total for the two events at 129 - which I note is about 8 less than last year.
In conclusion I would like to thank My Committee and all I have forgotten to thank and to congratulate David Adams – our Treasurer for putting up with me.
I would also pay sincere tribute to our sadly missed friend and Rotarian David Stephen who provided the Database and Technical support for us, and who sadly passed away towards the end of last year .

I can report that Our winners were as follows:-

Ord Distillery Team (for the 3rd Year) who raised a magnificent £2536
Craig Evans (best Adult) who raised £ 180
And Ruth MacLachlan (best under 16 entry) who raised £ 72

And I am delighted to report that your executive Committee have agreed to disburse the following amounts to our named Charities.

Macmillan Cancer Support Highland £2,500
Heart 2 heart Nurses appeal Highland £2,500
Family Mediation Highland £1,000

With the remainder (£1,000) being set aside for Bob Baxters project in Malawi

Thanks to you all …Rotarians , helpers and walkers for supporting such good and worthwhile causes

Frank Hallett Wade Walk Chairman – Dingwall Rotary

Rotary Club of Shetland

When attending the RIBI Conference in Belfast in April last year, President Larry Sutherland of the Shetland Club was so impressed by the ShelterBox appeal that he arranged for one of the Boxes to be loaned to Shetland for several months. During the autumn and winter Larry and some of his Rotarian colleagues took the ShetlterBox around many of our schools both primary and secondary where they demonstrated the Tent and its contents. Such was the enthusiasm expressed by the children and their teachers that enough money was raised to provide six ShelterBoxes to be deployed to disaster areas around the world. As each Box is individually numbered, the children can be kept in touch with where their individual Box has gone, and Larry has re-visited several of the schools to pass on this news.
In April the Shetland Club held its bi-annual Motor Show in Lerwick, which was well supported both by the local motor trade, and by the Shetland public. The sum of £5,300 was raised for our Charities Fund, and the following month President Larry, while in Aberdeen, visited the Red Cross Guest House there and presented Mrs Catherine Cardno, the officer in charge, with a cheque for £1,000 towards their refurbishment appeal. When the Guest House was first set up some years ago, the Shetland Club contributed £10,000 to the initial cost of one of the rooms, and we have continued our close association with the House ever since. The facility is much used by Islanders who have to stay in Aberdeen while relatives and friends are treated in hospital.