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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013

SOUTH COTSWOLDS NEWS

This year we have a new format for SCN’s regular monthly piece from the President. I will write about the club, RIBI and RI. The Secretary will normally cover what we have been doing and remind us of the presentations we have had, and opportunities, in the programme, for a wider audience. I have searched the Rotary websites for information; you should recognise parts of the article, which considers the roots of volunteering, service and Rotary.

Every Rotary club supports four avenues of service: International, New Generations, Community and Club Service. Each of us, retired or still in work, contributes our experience and skills to the club, often helping to improve the lives of those far less for-tunate than ourselves.

But do we always tap into the rich seam of our members’ experience? Using our skills creates a feeling of ownership, when the project is successful it creates a sense of achievement, the feeling of being valued, it generates that intrinsic satisfaction, which is needed by most of us volunteers. One valuable point in retaining our members is that all this backfires when the hard worker hears someone who had minimal involvement, being praised and thanked.

The Club needs to set up good relationships with more local groups, because involving them in our activities will give people the opportunity to see how they would fit into the club and how their service and skills would be valued. We also should promote that working Rotarians have opportunities to enhance their skills and would be given responsibilities that can benefit their professional lives.

Our involvement in a project provides an opportunity for interesting press releases with action photographs and comments by those who have benefited, bringing the Club to the attention of those who also want to give something back into the community, hopefully through Rotary.

We are very aware that high ethical standards are at the centre of Rotary. In a world in which it is sometimes difficult to establish who sets the standards for ethics in business, social networks and society, we already have well established standards set out in the four way test.

Is it the truth?

Is it fair to all concerned?

Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

We should remember the test as we induct new members and are reminded that the object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful

occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;

The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service

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RCSC should always retain its high standards and while it has been interesting to hear what other clubs celebrate as successes, we will strive to do what we do well only better. When considering a new pro-ject, let us ensure the members are behind it, before we make any commitments. President Nigel

We kicked off my year in the sunshine. Tom and Yvonne invited us to their magnificent garden for the New Year Barbecue. Everyone contributed, it was a great day. I can only assume that RI used one of the quarter days for the changeover so it seems the President should considered himself hired! The four dates in each year on which servants were hired, and rents were due (Lady Day (25 March ('Old' Lady Day was 6 April under the Gregorian calendar)) Midsummer Day (24 June) Michaelmas (29 September) Christmas (25 December).

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MEET A NEW MEMBER

President Nigel and Senior Vice Nigel were pleased to

welcome David as a new member and also to welcome

back former Club President Gary Warner.

DAVID BUSH

The Shrubbery

2 The Chestnuts

Lea SN16 9PQ

D. o. B. 12th July 1959

Tel. 01666 826165. or 07887 635356

Email: dwbush@davidbushassociates.co.uk

I was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire and spent the first 10 years of my life moving from location to location

as my father was in the Royal Air Force. I spent my formative years in Northampton where I attended

Northampton Grammar School (which became Northampton School for Boys in 1974 when the Secretary

of State for Education abolished its grammar school status). I’ve often wondered what happened to

Margaret Thatcher.

I went on to college at the University of Birmingham where I studied Commerce and I then trained for

the Chartered Accountancy qualification with Price Waterhouse (also in Birmingham). This was such a

long time ago that my humble status at PW had only just been changed from the Dickensian ‘articled

clerk’ to ‘student’ by the Firm. I spent four years at PW and emerged as a qualified Chartered Accountant

at the end of it. All this time auditing what seemed every West Midland’s steel stockholder and foundry

had given me a very clear idea of where I didn’t want to work permanently. That said, I spent eight

happy years all told in Birmingham and do regard myself as rather an honorary Brummie as a result.

My first job in ‘the real world’ was with Wincanton Transport. As a business, Wincanton coincidentally (or

not) seems to have gone from strength to strength since I left. I then worked for Early Learning Centre

(the children’s toy retailer) for 11 years in the eighties and nineties and was fortunate enough to become

Finance Director there. I was now really developing my love for customer-facing operations. Retail is a

fascinating sector because it is all about understanding human nature and what makes people buy; the

psychological aspect has always fascinated me.

For the last three years I have worked for myself (specialising in advising Banks as to appropriate action

to take with distressed and under-performing companies that they have lent to). I tend to work for

SMEs (small and medium enterprises) which operate in the retail, hospitality and leisure or care home

sectors. The whole working for oneself scenario is a little bit scary, but is there such a thing as secure

employment anywhere these days? Relatively late in my working career, I have been fortunate to

discover a job role which I have realised gives me huge job satisfaction. This is particularly the case if my

advice can save people’s jobs.

I am married to Maggie and have two grown-up children (David and Lisa). Maggie is a beautician and

also a dental nurse at Barlow Mow Dental Surgery in Malmesbury. I have a wide range of interests (most

of which I have insufficient time to pursue!). These include being a season-ticket holder at Manchester

United, being an avid Bridge player and enlivening my countryside walks with spots of ornithology and

lepidoptery.

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“FIFTY YEARS AT THE CHALK FACE”

The Club was delighted to hear that Peter Sheppard had been awarded the Times Educational

Supplement’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2013. Peter subsequently, and in typically modest fashion,

described his experience in attending the event and has now provided us with his an introduction to the

report that appeared in the Times Educational Supplement.

On 5th July 2013, I travelled up to the Park Plaza by

Westminster Bridge with family and some colleagues from

my school, the Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, to receive

the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2013.

Whilst it was a wonderful occasion, the real accolade was

to know that I had been put forward by staff and students

alike.

The synopsis below was read out to the guests at the

luncheon and I refer to this as I am, as you all know far

too modest to blow my own trumpet! Peter

Dedication is in Peter Sheppard’s blood. He can trace his roots to the Saxons, who fought to male

Athelstan the first King of England. So it is little surprise that he has devoted 47 years of a 50-year career

to the same school, or that he will continue to teach there until next year, well past the age when most

teachers have entered retirement.

The school in question is Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, known as Wootton Bassett Scholo when Mr.

Sheppard joined in 1966 after a three-year stint at Droitwich County Secondary School. Mr. Sheppard has

taught art, PE, science, history and geography. And, since going part-time in 2003, he has added general

studies and critical thinking to his CV, teaching sixth-form classes. (Surely a writer for the TES should

know better than to begin a sentence with ‘And’ which is superfluous anyway- Ed).

Staying in one school, then, does not signify an unwillingness to face new challenges. Neither does it

show a lack of ambition. Identified early on as a talented teacher, Mr. Sheppard rose through the ranks

to head of house, then assistant head, head of sixth form and finally deputy head, a position he held

from 1978 to 2003.

Long-standing colleagues say he is warm and supportive, and a natural raconteur. Many staff members

were actually taught by him and describe his lessons as productive and challenging, adding “He was the

teacher you wanted most.”

Next year, he’ll be back to show even more students how effective his approach can be.

Judges’ verdict. “Peter has given his whole life to his school and the community it serves. He provides

a vibrant example of energy, always going the extra mile. He is a superb role model for the thousands of

teenagers lucky enough to have attended Wootton Bassett, where he has worked his magic for more

than half a century.

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MEASURE FOR MEASURE

“Measure for Measure” is one of Shakespeare’s less well known plays, called a problem play, rather than

the more usual tragedy or comedy, although there were certainly aspects of both these qualities in the

play. The players were very talented and versatile, the setting was full of atmosphere, in a leafy glade at

Hatherop, complemented by well-constructed buildings representing, variously, a brothel, a bawdy bar,

and a prison, as required; a small herd of cows in a nearby field lent additional atmosphere.

A select group of Rotarians went to see this open-air performance on July 30th, and we had our picnics

on the grass in the grounds, which are most attractive. Seating was in grandstand-style, with good views

of the staging; moreover, the tickets were very reasonably priced, for such a polished performance.

I do hope that this could become a regular point on the Rotary calendar, and that many more members

will be encouraged to come and enjoy the evening. For details of further productions please see the

website of the Cotswold Arcadians at www.arcadians.org.

Thank you to President Nigel for encouraging us to go and appreciate such a good evening!

Diana Lloyd

PRESS RELEASE BY TANK NASH

Rotary Club and St James Place Foundation join forces to support Lewis Munday. Two local organisations, the Rotary Club of the South Cotswolds and the St James’s Place Foundation, have combined to support the efforts by the family of Lewis Munday of Tetbury to raise £35000 to fund a life changing operation for Lewis. As many people in Tetbury will know, Lewis aged 9, suffers from cerebral palsy, and through the tremendous efforts of his mother, Louise, and the rest of the family, nearly half the money has already been raised. The operation and intensive physiotherapy that follows has the potential to make a signifi-cant difference to Lewis' future and may help him to walk unaided. The operation, pioneered in the USA, has now been adopted by Frenchay, Great Ormond Street and other hospitals in the UK, but currently it is not funded by the NHS.

At a recent Rotary meeting Lewis, togeth-er with his mum Louise and twin brother Jack, received two cheques, both for £1000, one from Rotary and the other from the St James’s Place Foundation. In addition, Rotarians informed the family of their decision to pledge any profits from this year’s fireworks display to Lewis, where he and brother Jack won the guy making competition two years running. Held in the grounds of Sir William Romney ' s Schoo l , p ro fess iona l pyrotechnicians engaged by Rotary put on a splendid and safe firework display each year as a service to the community, not as a fund raising event. This year, however,

any profit will go to 'Munday's Mission' and the charity supporting Lewis' cause, 'Tree of Hope'.

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OUR PROLIFIC AUTHOR, TANK NASH, is due to have the book above published in September.

The President’s Putter took place again this year at Minchinhampton Golf Course on Tuesday 16th

July. Unfortunately there were only 7 true golfers taking part as several fell by the wayside. The heat took its toll and with plenty of water we all managed to complete the round. After the game we all had a nice shower, drinks and an excellent meal where we were joined by David Holborow (who read out the results) and President Nigel Gilhead, who presented the prizes.

The results were: 3rd place on countback Philip Selwood

2nd place - John Price

1st place Nigel Walker

The booby prize was awarded to Mike Hughes. Nearest the pin was won by Huw Rees as he was the only player to land on the green.

Total Scores:- Nigel Walker 32, John Price 30, Philip Selwood & Allan Collins 29, Huw Rees 28, Doug Hughes & Mike Hughes 24.

All in all, a very enjoyable day and thanks to Philip Selwood for making the arrangements with the

Golf Club. Nigel

Members’ birthdays:

29th September - David Lewis

30th September - Tank Nash

Closing date for October issue of SCN: 27th September

Who knows, we may even get an updated profile from our returner, Gary Warner?

Please note that the future programme is not being included in South Cotswolds News as it is circulated

regularly by Nigel Walker and is also available on the Club website.