Since October, I have represented the club at several other Rotary Club functions with my wife Ellen. The Belfast Inner Wheel held a very successful Charity evening with excellent entertainment provided by Fusion theatre, a cross community drama group singing songs from the shows. Congratulations and thanks to President Doreen and her members.

We have also enjoyed attending and meeting with members of: the Newtownabbey Rotary Club at their Charity Gala Ball, the Strandtown Probus Club ladies lunch and the Belfast West Rotary Club and Belfast Inner Wheel Christmas lunches and I bring greetings to our members from all these clubs.

A group of 30 Rotarians, spouses and friends attended the Hayley Westerna Christmas Concert in the Ulster Hall and were treated to an delightful Christmas programme of music.

The informal Thursday night meetings whilst not attracting huge numbers, have proved very enjoyable and stimulating for those attending and the Radisson have agreed to us continuing in the new year.

Congratulations to Marnette Lyons following her participation in the Polio Vaccination Programme in India and her talk to the club on her experiences.

We have had a number of interesting speakers recently including Raymond O’Regan a historian from QUB who enthralled us with a potted History of Belfast past and present.; Jim Gamble of the Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre who told us of the work of the organization and asked for our help in keeping the case of Madelaine McCann in the public eye; the presentation of the John Savage cup to Harmony Hill Open Centre for services to the community and contributions from Rotarians Eric Rainey and Wilfred Mulryne and on scouting today. The connection of PP Alan White’s family with this very worthwhile organization demonstrates the ongoing principle of service above self.

I attended the official launch of the annual Family Appeal by the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul both organizations in conjunction with the BBC on Friday 4th December and we were pleased to have speakers from both organizations to explain current needs in the community and the difficulties many families are having in making ends meet. We also welcomed the panel of judges for the Belfast Regional final of the Youth Leadership Scheme.

My thanks to PP Trevor Hinds and his team, who stepped in at the last minute after we had lost two convenors in short succession. Not only did he and his team stage the Belfast Club final but also the Belfast Cluster final where three students were selected to go to Paris and Strasbourg. I was hugely impressed by the quality of candidates through my involvement on the panel for the Belfast Club final. This is a very worthwhile project.

Last Saturday our interview panel met to select the 2010 TABU team to visit Chicago. This was one of the largest and strongest number of candidates to date. We wish the successful candidates well.

On Monday the Christmas season formally started with our own Christmas dinner which was entertained by the Campbell College Choir lead by Mrs Wilson.

May I take this opportunity to wish all Rotarians and their families a very happy and restful Christmas.

Yours in Rotary


The President's Message ~ October 2009 can be seen here 
The President's Message ~ July 2009 can be seen here 
The President's Message ~ June 2009 can be seen here 
President Courtenay Thompson's Annual Report 2008/09
can be seen here
The President's Message ~ April 2009 can be seen here
The President's Message ~ March 2009 can be seen here