August 2009

I had a pleasant start to my first meeting as President: I was able to welcome Phil Cunnah who is a potential member. He has been a regular supporter of the club over many years and, at last, his pal Ken Greig has persuaded him to have a closer look at us. At our earlier handover dinner, Phil had received a Certificate of Appreciation for the invaluable help he had given on plant delivery day. At this meeting, we presented him with a liquid token of our appreciation.

John Filce addressed the second meeting with a PowerPoint presentation about the forthcoming switch over to digital television in Wales. Our club is an agent of Help the Aged, the charity appointed by the powers that be to assist older viewers who have difficulties and concerns about the exercise. We may be called on later to assist them, but, first, I think John will be called on to assist our members!

The second meeting coincided with John’s 65^th birthday: he’s not old enough to qualify for a free set-top-box; nevertheless, he and Joan very generously provided us all with an excellent buffet and a celebration cake complete with photos of a younger John on the top. Thank you John and Joan for a generous and enjoyable evening: please put Alan Jones out of his misery and explain how you put the cake through the printer!

We had to cancel the Golf Day. It was only the second time we could not proceed – the other time was caused by the foot and mouth outbreak. Not enough teams had registered to enable the committee to arrange prizes of the quality that has given us our reputation for an excellent event. I believe it is a sign of the present economic climate that firms are cutting back on supporting such events. I hope that before the end of my year of office we can try again and hope for a return to our normal level of support.

A party of 20 represented the club at the District Governor’s Handover. We were the largest group present at the event. It was a very different sort of handover, foretelling what I hope will be a different and enjoyable year with DG Frank Marnel. We started in the splendour of Stanley Palace, Chester. The handover and presentations were preceded by Pimms and a buffet: it was followed by an open deck bus ride to The Groves to board the Princess Diane for a cruise up the Dee. This was a Hawaiian evening and all were dressed in the most colourful clothes I can recall at any previous Lions function.