The Year of President Dave Prince (2023-24)
Diary July 2023 - June 2024

Greetings from our 2023-2024 President Dave Prince.

As President of the Rotary Club of Upper Eden, I welcome you to our website and hopefully, at some time, to visit our club.

I joined the Rotary Club of Upper Eden in early 2009 and I must admit, I didn’t really know what Rotary was all about. However, in the past 14 years, I have got a much deeper understanding of Rotary and what its aims are, it has become very much part of my life. I have been club treasurer, a member of the Yomp Fell event committee and chairman of the PR committee. Being involved in different ways has given me a bigger understanding of Rotary.

Upper Eden Rotary is not a large club and is based in a very rural area. The club members are united in their enthusiasm for fund raising events and for attracting new members, and we as a club, need to move with the times, and offer a more relaxed and less formal approach to Rotary life. Please feel free to contact us with a view to coming along to see what we do.

Upper Eden Rotary is very much part of the local community, helping and supporting local, national and international projects. Local community services include, a monthly hearing aid repair clinic, gardening at a local care home and a local community park. I am also involved in helping at a fortnightly club for local people with memory problems or who are just lonely, a club set up by one of our club members.

I have gained an understanding of what Rotary is all about, an organisation involved in many different fields, not just local communities, but also helping raise funds for overseas projects, such the eradication of polio and sending shelter boxes to disaster areas. Please contact me, or any club member and come along to one of our meetings. We meet on a Tuesday evening at the Bay Horse in Winton, Kirkby Stephen.

President Dave Prince

June 22nd 2024. Mossgill Garden Party

On a brilliant warm sunny afternoon Carl and Claire Hallam welcomed everybody to their Mossgill home in Crosby Garrett for a wonderful garden party. With the weather set fair it was great to explore their extensive garden whilst enjoying Pimm’s and a barbeque. Later in the proceedings the raffle was drawn followed by an auction of promises. A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon of fellowship for Club Members and our guests that raised £1600 for Rotary designated Charities. President Dave thanked Carl and Claire for their extensive hospitality and Brad and his committee for organising the splendid event.

June 4th 2024. Fused Glass Demonstration

Following a meal President David welcomed Richard and Cathy Want and presented them with a cheque for £380 made out to the British Heart Foundation as 50% of the funds raised at the recent quiz, wine and cheese evening where they acted as the quizmasters. David then introduced our evening speaker Carola Frank who spoke about her glass fusing activities. Starting with the history of the craft some 2000 years BC she spoke of the development through the Centuries and how glass was once more precious than gold and silver. The American Bullseye Glass Company now holds the monopoly in the market and have brought the material up to date.

Carola then demonstrated the art of glass cutting in the preparation of a spoon rest and how the multi layers of glass are built up and later fused in a kiln at about 800C before being slumped in a mould to create the finished profile. The vote of thanks for a most enthralling talk was given by Rosemary.

May 21st 2024. Fred Hayllar

Fred gave an extremely passionate talk about his maternal Grandfather who he greatly respected. With his own father away at war Fred was brought up by him in his early years and he had a lot of respect of his life style on the 4 NE farms he worked throughout his working life finishing up with one of some 240 acres. Fred told numerous of his old stories and memories plus his grandfather’s love of horses. Ian gave the vote of thanks.

May 11th 2024. Rotafest

The Spring District Council meeting acted as the prelude to this year’s District Conference which took the form of Rotafest all happening at the Junction 36 Conference Centre. In true DG Pam’s style, the day was a complete contrast to previous Conferences in that Clubs had been invited to set up stalls to promote their activities and highlights and it proved to be an excellent forum for networking. Upper Eden was represented by the Iron Lung (by specific request of the DG) which had been borrowed from District 1285 for the event. It was of course obligatory for the DG to try it out for size.

April 23rd 2024. John Fothergill as told by Diana

Diana gave a very enlightening talk about one of her namesakes a Mr John Fothergill ( 1876 – 1957 ) who had an uncanny likeness to Basil Fawlty. He studied at St John’s College, Oxford and Slade School of Fine Art before opening, at the age of 22, the Carfax Gallery in St James where he met many leading artists. In 1922 a career change led to the purchase of the ‘Spread Eagle Inn’ in Thane which he turned into a very successful Pub. He later managed the ‘Royal Ascot Hotel’ and the ‘Three Swans’ in Market Harborough. Throughout his career he met many dignitaries and attracted the “Wild Scene”. He was praised for his cooking and innkeeping skills and wrote such books as The Innkeepers Diary and My 3 Inns recipe books. Shaun gave the vote of thanks for a most enthralling talk.

April 20th 2024. Quiz, Wine and Cheese as Told by the Winning team

A Saturday night out filled with wine, cheese and quizzing; what more could you ask for? Well, in the case of the “Bat and Chatters”; you could win. Thankfully, the quiz master pitched the questions at our age range with Tony Bennett, Henry Kissinger and Bobby Charlton all making an appearance. We had been fearful of a potential “Reality TV” round given our knowledge of that field was zero. The “How local are you?” round was saved by Brian getting Eden Farm supplies and Jangling Annie (Annas) but we were definitely helped by the fact that Ivor didn’t know what road he lived on. Overall, our team members all played their part in what was a somewhat surprising victory but thanks must also go to Brad for arranging such a fun and relaxed evening and the quizmaster Richard Want and his assistant Cathy for a wonderful selection of questions. The evening raised £760 which was split equally between The British Heart Foundation and Rotary designated Charities.

April 9th 2024. AGM & New Member Induction

The formal part of the evening commenced with the induction of 2 new members. President Dave welcomed Shaun and Tristan and presented them with their Rotary pins and welcome packs to the rapturous applause of the membership. The following AGM accepted the annual reports from the various Committee Chairs and Officers before the confirmation of the Committee Chairmen for the subsequent Rotary year commencing on the 1st July.

March 30-31st 2024. Easter Weekend Commercial Vehicle Rally

This annual event was again a great success with 2 days of sunshine that certainly brought the crowds out from far and near. Based in the Rotary gazebo located in the market square members sold event programmes and acted as an information point for the numerous visitors. The ever-expanding event drew buses, commercial vehicles, classic cars and motorcycles from all over the UK including the Isle of Mann which were dispersed around Kirkby Stephen, Brough and the surrounding villages.

March 13th 2024. Indoor Bowls UERC v Appleby

14 members joined with 20+ members of the Appleby Club for the annual interclub indoor bowls match on Wednesday 13th March overseen by the District Governor Pam Holgate. After a sandwich and chips supper, 4 teams of 3 were chosen from each Club before battle commenced. Each team played 2, three-ends matches with the Appleby Club coming out as the overall winner. A great night of fun and fellowship.

March 4th 2024. Table Tennis at Barrow in Furness

As part of the District Sports competition an Upper Eden team escorted by the Clubs Sports Officer, Ivor, travelled to Barrow in Furness to take part in the District table tennis semifinal. Unfortunately, they came second but this did not detract from some get craic and fellowship.

February 20th 2024. Korean Scout Jamboree as told by Nicholas Richter

Nicholas Richter a Loki Explorer Scout of the Kirkby Stephen pack gave us an informative talk of his visit to the 25th World Korean Scout Jamboree in 2023. Forming part of the 18 strong Cumbrian contingent 2 years were spent fundraising for the trip before they jetted off to Korea to join in with a further 40,000 Scouts from 153 Countries. Things however didn’t go as planned as the searing 40 deg C heat proved too hot for activities and the campsite was plagued with reported rubbish, dirty toilets and infestation such that the camping part of the trip was curtailed. The UK Scout leaders however laid on alternative arrangements back in Soeul which included trips to the Olympic Village, and Demilitarized Zone. Nicholas found the locals extremely friendly and enjoyed the local cuisine. Ben gave the vote of thanks for a most interesting talk.

February 9th 2024. Daniel Eggington: Trek to conquer the Darien Gap

The Club working in conjunction with Crosby Garrett Village Hall and Space to Talk were treated to a brilliant evening listening to Daniel Eggington talk about his previous adventures including tours of South America and his trek to conquer the Darien Gap. A jam-packed hall with lots of audience engagement ensured a positive and informative evening was had by all. Big thanks to Daniel and Space to Talk for their efforts and supporting the evening throughout. We wish Daniel the best of luck as he heads off on his next endeavour “The Blackwater” and we’re looking forward to welcoming him back later in the year to hear how he got on. You can follow him via his socials or by contacting Space to Talk.

January 30th 2024. Anne Taylor: Railway Women and MMG PHF

Anne, having been commissioned by Lottery Funding, gave a fascinating talk about local Railway Women who had worked in the early days of the Railways. At the dawn of the Railways it was predominantly a “Mans World“. However, women had back-up roles in the various tea rooms, working as gatekeepers and even engine cleaners. This historical research project forms part of the lead up to the bi-centennial celebrations of the opening of the Darlington to Stockton Railway taking place in September 2025.

Following the presentation, President Dave, passed the floor over to Ray who announced the award of a Paul Harris Fellowship (PHF) to Michael Metcalfe-Gibson (MMG). A PHF is one of the highest forms of recognition a Rotary Club can bestow on a member and was presented to MMG for his many years of service to the Club and the undertaking of various senior posts.

January 23rd 2024. Burns Night Supper

With storm Jocelyn howling outside, 28 members, partners and guests sat down to the Club’s traditional Burns night supper. Jim Wardrope was on hand to lament the Burn’s poem before “killing the beastie“ as we all raised a toast to the immortal words.

January 13th 2024. Installation of Bird Boxes in Jubilee Park

On a dry, sunny and not too cold morning a handful of UE Members turned out to erect 10 nesting boxes in the refurbished Jubilee Park. The boxes had been constructed by the local Loki Explorer Group utilising donated materials and 2 of their members came along to assist. The boxes were sited at various heights facing North/East as per recommendations of the British Ornithological Society and we just have to await the Spring to see who takes residence.

December 7th 2023. PP Stephen Barnes PHF

At this weeks Memory Club, Past President Stephen Barnes was presented with a Paul Harris Fellowship (PHF) in recognition of his sterling service to the Club including the role of Past President and a very long serving Secretary. The award was made by the current President David Prince.

November 25th 2023. Christmas Fair and Lights Turn On

The Club turn out in force on a cold crisp day Saturday 25th Nov to support the Kirkby Stephen Christmas Fair. Manning the Rotary gazebo (sited in the square) throughout the day they acted as the information centre for the numerous activates being held around the Town as well as distributing copies of 2 treasure hunts “Hunt the Movie Poster" and a “Reindeer Poster Hunt“.

Towards the end of the day a large 75 strong illuminated tractor parade preceded the arrival of Santa and the drawing of the Rotary Coop Xmas raffle which this year raised £1800 towards the over 80’s Christmas presents and a donation to the Cumbria Community Foundation Winter Warmth appeal.

October 17th 2023. Lawrence Cowin. The Conservatory

Our own Lawrence (Cowin) gave a very informative talk on the construction of the conservatory currently being added by himself to his new dwelling. For years he had contemplated such an oak structure but proprietary units come at a huge cost so decided to set too and constructed his own. Armed with his trusty hand saw he fashioned the numerous tenon joints in the oak beams, sole and wall plates and the members were mighty impressed by the quality of his scarf joints and the overall layout of the Conservatory. With just the doors to complete and hang, members look forward to viewing the completed construction. David Garrick gave the vote of thanks and congratulated Lawrence on the quality of his work based upon his numerous years of working in the trade.

September 29th 2023. Charter Night

President David’s drive to bring in changes to the Club were carried through into our 44th Charter night celebrations. Rather than a starter, canapes provided a welcome change and gave the 50 or so attendees the chance to mingle before sitting down to the roast beef main course which was carved at the table – another first. After a short interlude Dave’s Presidential speech was brief and to the point before he introduced Martin Bell of the British Antarctic Survey. Martin gave an excellent overview of the 3 month operation down at the South pole involving bringing the various stations back to life after 9 months of being frozen. Bryan White (who is shortly setting off to the pole) gave a great demonstration of the multi layered clothing necessary to combat the minus 50 C climate. A most enjoyable evening of great fellowship. Thanks must go to Fell and Dales for the superb catering and the UE Rugby Club for the venue.

September 19th 2023. Banking as it was. Michael Metcalfe-Gibson

Tonight’s speaker was Upper Eden Rotarian Michael Metcalfe-Gibson, who needed no introduction. Michael gave a talk about his early days working in the bank. He started in 1959 at Stockton-on-Tees and after one year, he moved to Redcar. In those days, all accounting was done by hand in a ledger, trouble was, most days it wouldn’t balance at the end of the day. There were no armoured vehicles then for transporting money around, so they went in a taxi with Michael riding as shotgun, his shotgun was a police whistle. After Redcar, he went on relief to Middleton-in-Teesdale then to Durham for four years, then to Hartlepool. Carl Hallam gave the vote of thanks and commented that it is sad that today banking is all very impersonal.

August 27th 2023. On Yer Bike

In conjunction with British Cycling, Upper Eden Rotary held our second Charity Fun Cycle Ride, a non-competitive event in an area of designated natural beauty, the Upper Eden Valley and Westmorland Dales countryside. The two photos below are from our Control and Registration venue Upper Eden Rugby Club, [who generously donated the use of their clubhouse] on Bank Holiday Sunday 27th August in aid of Rotary charities and Prostate Cancer UK. We had over seventy cyclists take part, and as a result are able to donate from the event a total of £1,200.00 to the ‘Rotary Ride ’ fund in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. The revenue was generated by entrance fees, sponsorship and individual donations for which we are so thankful.

We are conscious of the ever-increasing statistics of Prostate Cancer (even amongst our own membership) and the need for critical research required to accurately diagnose, treat and hopefully gain understanding to prevent the debilitating effects of this disease on men’s health.

August 17th 2023. Brough Show

A good turnout of Club Members was required for the annual Brough Show held on Thursday 17th Aug. In addition to staffing the Club stand with its “Wheel of Fortune” they also had responsibility for the public car parking and the main entrance ticketing. Luckily the weather remained fair so the Show had a good attendance.

August 15th 2023. Growing Well Visit

18 Rotarians and Partners paid an afternoon visit to the Growing Well facility located in the caravan park at the North bound Tebay Services. The aim of the project is to help people to manage depression, anxiety and other mental health difficulties and move forward in their lives. Work on the site only commenced in January this year and fantastic progress has been made in the erection of 5 polytunnels and numerous outdoor raised beds and an office block. The mainly salad produce, tomatoes etc is destined for use in the various Westmorland Group outlets. Diana gave the vote of thanks highlighting the extraordinary progress that had been made in a mere 6 months.

August 1st 2023. Adventure Leisure Vehicles Visit

Some 30 Members of the Club with partners and guests paid a fascinating visit to the Adventure Leisure Vehicle facility located adjacent to the Tebay roundabout. Mike, the owner of the Company, advised that since 2005, they had been inspiring adventure by offering innovative and luxurious Caravans and Motorhomes to customers far and wide. They hold the UK dealership of many European Brands and their dedicated team of professionals are committed to providing exceptional technical support for their unique and prestigious leisure vehicles. Plenty of time was available to peruse the many vehicles on show before President David gave the vote of thanks and the ensemble then retired to the George at Orton for sandwiches and chips.

July 30th 2023. Westmorland Day Festival

Rotarians had an early start on an intermittently damp, blustery day in order to erect the main marquee and the Rotary gazebo prior to the arrival of 50 or so mix of conservation and craft stalls. Acting as the main information desk and stewards they were kept busy throughout what proved to be a very successful event. A greatly enjoyed treasure hunt, organised by the Club, took participants both young and old on a mile long tour of the town returning to have a dip in the treasure chest !!

July 18th 2023. Visit to Acorn Bank Water Mill

A group of 26 made up of Rotarians, Partners and Guests paid a fascinating visit to the National Trust Acorn Bank Water Mill located adjacent to Temple Sowerby. They learnt the history of the Mill and how it is now run by a small Trust of volunteers with the Mill producing wheat flour on weekends and Bank Holidays. After a comprehensive tour of the Mill (which was in operation) and learning how the volunteers plan to develop the site the group retired to the Crown & Cushion in Appleby for chips and sandwiches.

July 11th 2023. Club Walk

9 intrepid Rotarians accompanied by 4 partners and Ben's dog headed off from our Bay Horse base on the Clubs annual Walk. With our leader ( Ray ) at the forefront we headed at first East before turning onto the Cote Garth Road that led us up to the old Stainmore railway line. Taking the line path towards the South fine vistas opened up down the valley towards Penrith and the Lakeland Hills. Dropping down into Hartley we followed the road back to Winton and a welcome soup, sandwiches and chips supper.

June 27th 2023. Change Over Night

Geoff completed his year in office by organising a very entertaining quiz at our Bay Horse base. This comprised of 2 general knowledge rounds, one on Country profiles and a musical one with some of the answers proving to be most jovial. Geoff then individually thanked his Club Council members for all their support with specific thanks to Arthur for the guidance he had provided throughout his year in office. Geoff then handed over the Chain of Office to the incoming President Dave Prince and a bouquet of flowers were presented to Ruth, Geoff's wife for her sterling efforts supporting Geoff. New President Dave looked forward to his year in the Chair and the support of the Club.