Blog test

Test blog

Men at Work

David Thomson and John Cogley have been working out how to edit the Portsmouth Website

Portsmouth Young People Speak Out

At the first round of the Rotary National "Youth Speaks" competition four teams from Portsmouth inspired the audience and judges with their eloquence and closely reasoned arguments.

Here the judges are surrounded by the speakers.

Winners of the Intermediate level competition, on the topic of cloning, were Francesca McBride, Holly Parry and Unity Browns from the Portsmouth High School.

Winners of the Senior competition were Charlie Smith, Phoebe Chubb and Issy Gladston also from the Portsmouth High School.

The second round will take place in the Portsmouth Council Chamber on 4th February.

Rotaractors Visit in Force

To meet our Ambassadorial Scholar, the growing Portsmouth Rotaract troupe visited the Portsmouth & Southsea Rotary Club in force Tuesday and were roundly welcomed. 

Here President John Cogley holds the beer mug on the right, while Theo Avram, a Rotarian and Rotaract Project Leader is front row centre, and Adam Leemans on his right.

Ambassadorial Scholar Visit

Adam Leemans, a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar reading Energy and Sustainability at Southampton University talked to the Club on Tuesday 14th Jan.

Adam is from Illinois and a very impressive young man already with an engineering degree from West Point, and a determination to make engineering more efficient in its use of energy and use of renewables. He is a Lieutenant in the US Army. 

Support for Rowans Hospice

Amanda Mahoney accepts the club's cheque for £510 on behalf of the Rowans Hospice - the cash had been raised by fundraising during the year.

Support for the Elizabeth Foundation

Sally from the Elizabeth Foundation, which helps preschool deaf children learn to listen and talk, accepts our cheque for £510 which we raised during the year through various fundraising activities. 

Support for Naomi House

Sarah Hudson accepts our cheque for £510 on behalf of Naomi House childrens hospice which we ourselves raised during our Dragonboat Festival last May.

Philippines Disaster - thank you public

Rotarians were joined by members of Rotaract on two days seeking public support for Rotary Shelterboxes for the Philippines Disaster victims.

Collections took place at the Cascades and Gunwharf

Support from Rotaract was much appreciated

Shelterboxes, of which we keep a store for instant dispatch, each contain a tent, water purifying and cooking equipment, tools and blankets to house a family of ten for six months.

Public support was fantastic - more than £2,300 raised in two days - that's more than £140 per hour! 

Thank you for your help!

Rotaract Plans Victorious Weekend

Would-be Rotaracters planning, with supporting Rotarians, their stand at the Victorious Festival this bank holiday weekend in Portsmouth Dockyard.

Rotaract's concern is spreading the news to local people between 18 and 30 that Rotaract is alive in Portsmouth, and meeting from 6pm on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at the Corner Cafe, 1 Landport Terrace, Portsmouth. For an invitation email pandsrotaract@live.co.uk

Christal's First Class Honour

Christal Clashing, a former Olympic swimmer and our very own Ambassadorial Scholar, gained first class honours yesterday at Portsmouth University.

Here Christal is with her father Owen, aunt Beverley and Rotarian Des O'Keeffe after the degree ceremony.

Paul Harris for Jim Harper

Jim Harper was today awarded a Paul Harris fellowship - the highest honour Rotary can give, for years of service to the Portsmouth Rotary Youth Club, and for exceptional service to the club over 40 years.

Visit of the Lord Mayor

The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Cllr Frank Jonas came to tell us about what excites him near the end of his term of service. Here President Tony Palmer gives him a cheque for his charity.

Welcome Gordon and Thodore

President Tony welcomes  Gordon Tate and Theodore Avram as the latest members to join the club

Award for Rio Gravatai Project

Portsmouth & Southsea's Rio Gravatai Project in Brazil has been recognised by District 1110 as an outstanding outstanding achievement. 

Here District Governor Mary Pike is presenting Dennis Meadus with the 2012/13 Avenue of Service award,

Dragonboat Day

In a three-club effort - dragonboats appeared in Palmerston Road and in Commercial Road to raise awareness of the Portsmouth Dragonboat Festival on 18th and 19th May, and to celebrate Rotary Day when Rotarians share with the public our campaign to eradicate polio.

Here Portsmouth North Rotary man the boat in Palmerston Road.

Youth Speaks - Second Stage

Eight winning teams from the first round of Rotary's national Youth Speaks competition made eloquent and convincing speeches in the Portsmouth Council Chamber - thanks to the support of Lord Mayor Frank Jonas.

The the two winning teams from this competition Portsmouth High School seniors and West Hill Park School intermediate teams will go on to meet teams from all over Hampshire, Dorset and parts of Wiltshire in March.  

Visit to Cosham Rotary

Thirteen Portsmouth & Southsea members enjoyed the hospitality of daughter club Cosham in December 2012. 

Good evening for Gardening

Portsmouth Rotary Housing is keen to fill our newly free Tuesday evenings with honest toil. Here a gang of Rotarians are attempting to win control of the yard behind one of our sheltered homes.

Fellowship Committee Annual Dinner

The fellowship committee like to enjoy a special meal with their partners every year - this year it was held at Steki's.

Kids Out

One day every year Rotary takes 20,000 deserving children, as a reward, to places like Paultons Park. This was the Portsmouth & Southsea party at Paulton's Park yesterday (the big ones are Rotarians). You can tell from the smiles that the children seem to enjoy it too.

Paul Harris Fellowships

Recognising years of work devoted to Rotary causes, John Bishop, Roger Devonshire and Albert Jewitt were this week presented with Rotary's top award - Paul Harris Fellowships.

Welcome to Julie

Acting President Tony welcomed Julie Houghton-Thomas as our second female recruit in as many months. 

Help for our Lord Mayor

Lord Mayor Cllr Cheryl Buggy accepts a donation of £400 from acting president Tony Palmer for her charity from funds raised over Christmas by the club.

We support the RNLI

From funds raised at our Portsmouth Dragonboat Festival last year we decided that £800 should go to support the work of our brave lifeboatmen. Here president Albert and secretary Anthony  present our cheque for £837 to Graham Jewell, chair of the Portsmouth RNLI.

All the Space You Need

Portsmouth & Southsea Rotary Club, with a few friends, visited Astrium, the Portsmouth based space business which is world No 2 in satellite technology.

After an inspiring talk about Portsmouth's place in satellite construction, launching and maintenance, we toured the immaculate site to see communications satellite components being constructed, and then assembled onto the satellites, in ultra clean conditions.


We had to agree with our guide James Hinds, that this is one of Portsmouth's best kept secrets.

Greetings Box Launched

Here's a new idea to encourage informal visits between Rotary clubs in the neighbourhood - it's a Greetings Box

.

As soon as a club gets it, they are encouraged present it to another club. Points are awarded towards an annual visiting trophy.

Here Albert Jewitt, President of Portsmouth and Southsea Club makes the first presentation of the box to  Cloin White, President of the Fareham club at their Thursday lunch, winning 14 points for Portsmouth & Southsea.

Real Tennis Evening

23rd March - to celebrate Thanks for Life day members enjoyed a real tennis evening at the Seacourt Club, Hayling before enjoying supper there with partners. 

GSE Talk

Laura Edwards is our club's candidate for the Group Study Exchange team to visit Brazil in April.

Laura told members about her work as an environmental scientist helping Portsmouth Water avoid harming the natural environment while planning to meet our future demands for water in a changing climate.


Laura will visit southern Brazil and the Rio Gravatai basin with a GSE team of five. There she will meet professionals in her field, and speak to many Rotary clubs.

We look forward to welcming her back upon her return in May.

Later in the year a similar team of young Brazilians will visit our district and hopefull tell us about their world.

Portsmouth & Southsea neck and neck in the Atlantic

The club as TWO members competing in different yachts in the ARC Trans-Atlantic yacht race.

Geoffrey Palmer is one of 5 crew in Skyhunter II (yacht number 205 in the live yacht-position map)

John Cogley has a crew of 22 in the much larger Chalenger II (yacht number 26)

Geoffrey's emails are being added to a Skyhunter blog.

Thousands of Purple Crocus for Portsmouth

Our worldwide Polio Eradication Campaign is now hopefully in its last stages.  Rotary is planting millions of purple crocus, to remind supporters of the purple paint our teams apply to children's fingers when they have been inoculated.

Here our club are planting more than 2000 purple crocus in Commercial Road. All due to flower for "Thanks for Life" day - 23rd February.

Sail4Heroes at Gunwharf

Portsmouth Rotarians turn out in force to support the Sail4Heroes team passing through Gunwharf en route from Plymouth to London. We shook buckets at tourists at Gunwharf and at Southsea Seafront before sending them on their way.

Presidents come, Presidents go.

President Albert Jewitt thanking retiring President Jim Byrne at the handover meeting on 29th June.

Club has new PRO

Roger Devonshire expressed pleasure today on assuming the role of PRO

Dickie Bird receives his Paul Harris Fellowship

Ninety two year old member Dickie Bird accepts his Paul Harris Fellowship award for long service to the club and to the community at his home from President Jim Byrne with club almoner John Brogden behind.

Alan Neate Bequest

When longest-serving and oldest member Alan Neate died last year he suggested to his executors that Rotary might help him find worthwhile local youth projects for his estate to benefit.

Today his widow Marjorie Neate (seated beside President Jim Byrne) presented cheques totalling £50,000 to Charles Dickens School and twelve local charities with projects recommended by the Portsmouth & Southsea Rotary Club.

Inner Wheel Skittles

From time to time the Inner Wheel (our female partners) challenge us to a skittles match - which they usually win, as they did last evening (was it because they had more members present?)

Here Albert Jewitt presents prizes to the main winners Julia Parsons & Roger Devonshire

President Elect Albert Jewitt presents a prize for "Best Endeavour" to Tom Misson.

President's Dinner - Awards

At his Presidential Dinner in the Queens Hotel President Jim (left) awarded Paul Harris Fellowships to (L to R) David Collins, John Worley, Dennis Meadus (and bar) and John Owen.

A Day a Brooklands

A great day out out at Brooklands with 27 members, partners and guests.

We were treated to a two hour tour of the site which explained the birth of motor racing in the early 1900's the development of flight and the contribution that Vickers brought especially during WWII and beyond ending in a most enjoyable visit to one of the last real Concordes on the planet.

Please read the next edition of the "ROTAVATOR" to find out more.

A big thank you to Reg Gardner for organising the day and I won't even start to tell everyone about our visit to "Mercedes World" needless to say I don't think Sue will let me have the Merc I wanted, it was only £171k!!

A Great Walk

Sunday the 28th March saw the first walk of the year on the Southdowns starting at the Royal Oak in Hooksway, organised by Barrie. A gentle stroll through the countryside with no stiles and a few moderate gradients, the weather was kind and the rain held off, a good job as not everyone had a waterproof. A most enjoyable walk of about 4 miles ending back at the pub where we were joined by several other members for lunch at midday.

I can recommend the pub,
not only did it served a good value roast and an extremely tasty treacle pudding but also for its range of real ales, thanks once again to Barrie for a most enjoyable stroll and I for one am looking forward to the next walk later in the year.

Welcome Aboard Caroline

Caroline Gwatkin being welcomed into the club as a new member - 23rd March 2010

Dragonboat in Commercial Road

Advertising our upcoming Dragonboat Festival at Lakeside, planned for 22nd and 23rd May, we took a full sized dragonboat to Commercial Road Portsmouth on a busy Saturday. 

Thrashed Again!

After nearly two hours play against Havant Rotary we emerged comfortably in second place! Captain John Lindsey had to hand back the District Bowls trophy that we had won the last time the competition was played.

Thanks for Life Day

The Club joined up with Havant Rotary to take part in the national Thanks For Life event at the Meridian Centre. Polio Eradication display material was displayed in a shop window during the week. On Saturday we were available to talk to members of the public about Rotary's nearly successful campaingn to stamp out polio worldwide.

Brazilian Complements

Rosangela Garcia, past president of her Rotary Club of Agua Boa City, Brazil, and her friend Tania Seguna, presenting her club's compliments and banners to our club secretary at the Mountbatten Centre

Hi from Rotary

Greetings from the meeting of Portsmouth & Southsea Rotary Club (this post was made during a demonstration of Rotary Websites to members).

Youth Speaks Competition

This year's Youth Speaks Competition revealed another inspirational bunch of clear, articulate and self-confident Portsmouth students. Chief judge, Maureen Frost congratulated all on their enthusiasm and sense of humour.

Twenty seven competitors in front of the three judges.

Winning team in the Intermediate age group were Angus Allen (left) of the City of Portsmouth Boys School supported by Maz Masrul and David Bagshaw.

The Senior winners were also from the City of Portsmouth Boys School, Kieran Magee (right) supported by Harry Andrews and Nick Day.