The Three Blaenau Gwent Rotary Clubs work towards the Eisteddfod

Blaenau Gwent is to host the National Eisteddfod in 2010.

The annual Welsh cultural festival will be staged at The Works: Ebbw Vale - the former steelworks site at the centre of a £300m redevelopment project. The eisteddfod field will be created specially for the festival on a large area of the 185-acre former steelworks site which is being transformed ready for future housing, education, arts, leisure, business and transport use.
The announcement was made at last year's eisteddfod in Cardiff, 50 years after the event was last held in Ebbw Vale.
The eisteddfod is one of Europe's largest and oldest cultural events and hosting it in the heads of the valleys provides a great platform to show what the region has to offer and help change perceptions. The Works: Ebbw Vale is an excellent choice because it is one of the key strategic projects in the Heads of the Valleys regeneration programme.

The eisteddfod attracts people from communities throughout Wales and brings a range of cultural and economic benefits to the host authority, The Rotary Clubs of Blaenau Gwent, Abertillery and Blaina, Brynmawr and Ebbw Vale have set up a committee who will steer the path to ensure Rotary Projects are on show to all who attend, Other Clubs along the Heads of the valleys Corridor are also it is hoped want to assist and be involved.

Our Next meeting will have the Cardiff clubs come and tell us how they saw the work they did and direct us to the positives...look out for more information as its going to be an exciting time..

RC Abertillery and Blaina Handover Dinner 26th June 2009

It was off to The Golf club at Nantyglo, [West Mon Golf Club] to be part of the Rotary Club of Abertillery and Blaina Handover dinner.

Abertillery and Blaina Rotary Club are my clubs neighbours and we work closely with them when we can, but as I was invited as the DGN as the Assistant Governor Rob was at his own clubs handover celebrations' in Crickhowell.

Steve and I had a wonderful evening of fellowship and a good meal too. Thanks for inviting me President Michael and his wife Kay..and Outgoing President John...all friends from other avenues and all who have the best interests of their communities at heart. I look forward to working with you all in the next year.

RC Brynmawr Handover 30th June 2009

My Club had its handover on June 30th, and Christine Bayliss my dear friend in and out of Rotary is to be president this year, as Johnathon was unable to attend I was delighted to act as his replacement and install her as President for 2009-10, it was more of a delight, because Christine was the person who invited me to my first Rotary meeting and is part of my Conference team...Thanks Chris and enjoy your year...we will all be behind you in doing whatever you have planned for the club..The club members enjoyed a good meal and fellowship but also a Bran tub draw, used to raise money for Rotary Foundation and a throw a pound...to the bottle of whisky. Rtn David Dutson got the closest, not for the lack of trying on the rest of our parts!! but Foundation was again the winner...

Foundation is the name we use to describe Rotarys' own Charity, which is used to fund so many world projects Polio Eradication being just one of those important projects..

A Sunday is the day of Rest...

So I cleaned the House caught up on the washing and deep cleaned the bathroom, Now enjoying a glass of whiskey and ginger.....but Steve did cook a lovely Lamb roast...

Now catching up on Rotary, a new link came through for the training manual for the Presidents Elects..and that training starts in a few weeks so I have lots to do with my District Training adviser PDG JC Williams, a dear friend and confidante..

Thanks JC..and to all the President Elects, who will be already working on their plans for 2010-11..

RC Ebbw Vale Presidential Handover dinner.

After a day cutting hair it was of out for a well deserved Friday Night Dinner at the Parkway Hotel, to help celebrate Preisdent Dr Raju's installation as President for The RC of Ebbw Vale.

A lovely evening of fellowship where Past District Governor Ganesh was guest speaker, as usual Ganesh was wonderful. Good Luck for the next year Raju I know you will have The Ebbw Vale Members working hard as well as enjoying their undertakings..

The District Bowls competition- its u-tubed!

Its a diary date for July- the First Tuesday of each July the District has a Bowls competition in Llandrinddod Wells, Lunching first with the Landrinddod Club and then over to the Bowls green for a Match!
I played there years ago, in fact I was the first female Rotarian to play! But I couldn't play very well....but my club won that year...okay..it was our number one team and I was on the the number two team...but I played! and enjoyed the day! Trouble is the winning club has to organise the next years competition, so I have been banned from playing ever since just in case I was a good mascot!!!!!

I enjoyed the day too this year, the rain held off and I met up with friends and made some new ones too...a day of real Rotary fellowship and I am already looking forward to next years competition, Organised by RC of Machen...as they won this year with RC Of Briton Ferry coming second..a really close thing too... Well Done every one...

If you wonder what happens at a bowls match...go check out the u-tube video added by the RC of Knighton...great idea and Thanks Knighton....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzEDZrGMtMY

A week goes by....

Another Busy week full of Rotary events as well as Family and Work..

Last weekend started in Bristol with a family wedding, with a quick ride down the M4 on Sunday Morning to get to Neath for DG Claytons handover to the new DG Bob Higgins....ok I wasn't too quick..but I could have been as we took the TVR and she can go quick if you need her too...but of course you don't need to prove anything to the young boys! the car and I know it does what it does if it wants to [or I want it to!]

DG Bob and his wife Edwina now are the captains of the Ship which is District 1150....Good Luck Bob, You have my full support and that of Steve Too..Bob serves the District until July 1st 2010 when I get to be the District Governor..lots of learning and planning ahead before that event can happen though, so this blog might see a few expletives in that time!

Thursday 2nd July GSE Work...

Well I've been trying to work out the GSE visit in 2010-11 today..I've teamed up with a Phillipines District and can't wait until Oct 2010..

So why worry now I hear you say, well time marches on and I need to get plans in place...Thanks Rob for letting me bend your ear today....

Whats GSE I hear you ask?

About the program

The Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business people and professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. For four to six weeks, team members experience the host country's culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.
In a typical four-week tour, applicants participate in five full days of vocational visits, 15 to 20 club presentations, 10 to 15 formal visits and social events, two to three days at the district conference, three to four hours per day of cultural and site tours, and three to four hours per day of free time with host families.
For each team member, the Foundation provides the most economical round-trip airline ticket between the home and host countries. Rotarians in the host area provide for meals, lodging, and group travel within their district.

Look out for info on GSE in our District....

Wednesday 1st July Rotary Doctor Bank meeting

Well Rotary has many spokes to its wheel and one of them is Rotary Doctor Bank...I've been secretary of this wonderful charity for about 3 years now and have enjoyed the company and fellowship of like minded people....okay a hairdresser conversing with Doctors is sometimes a challenge, for them understanding me that is......
tonights meeting was a good one, with our new Chairman taking his place tonight and our new secretary coming along to see what we get up to, I've agreed to do the job a wee while longer until Rtn Trevor Reynolds finds his feet with what we do why and when....it was great to meet Trevor and he certainly is energetic for a man in his later years...Thanks Trevor...

A little bit about what Rotary Doctor Bank is about...

Built upon the Rotary ideals of a non-political, non-sectarian service by providing health care to people in need the Rotary Doctor Bank in Great Britain and Ireland provides medical and other health care to work in developing countries. Most of our work is in the African countries of Malawi and Uganda but we have supported assignments in places like Nepal and Kiribati (formally the Ellice Islands).
The Rotary Doctor Bank maintains an active register of volunteers whose skills are matched with the requirements of mission hospitals and clinics. We then assist the volunteer with documentation and making necessary arrangements for travel. If the volunteer is a Rotarian, the Doctor Bank can assist applications for Voluntary Service Grants from the Rotary Foundation. There are no age limits but all volunteers are required to be clinically competent, and fit enough to work in the hot and often challenging environments in the countries to which they are assigned. A typical assignment will be for four to eight weeks but occasionally are shorter

Tuesday 30th June 2009

A great Night with my club for our Presidents Handover night, Christine was President 10 years ago, so we've recycled her...!!!! I can't wait for the year ahead, Good Luck Christine...