28th MAY - REGULAR MEETING

Our attendance of 40 members included a welcome return of Alistair Scott-Brown, Hugh Grant and Mike Young, all of whom have been unable to attend the club for a while.

Also at the meeting was Assistant Governor, Doug Ritchie who had come along to present our own member Gerry Grant with the high honour of a Paul Harris Fellowship on behalf of the club. The award was presented to Gerry in recognition of the work he has undertaken on behalf of the club for Foundation and International causes.

Gerry accepted the award with his usual modest way.

21st May 2008 - SPEAKER MEETING

Today our meeting was attended by 42 of our own members. We were joined by 2 Rotarian visitors Jim Robb and Bill Jack, both of the Inverness Club and two non-Rotarian guests, Monica Lee-Macpherson and our speaker, Marie Mackintosh of InvernessCity Partnership a guest of Stuart Black.

Marie updated us on the Streetscape Project.The main aims of the project were to improve traffic management and to create amore inviting and welcoming space within the Old Townarea. There has already been a 48% reduction in unnecessary traffic using thecity centre and a corresponding increase in the use of public transport and thePark and Stride scheme. Several before and after photographs illustrated the changes that make the streets moreattractive; the attention to detail needed to achieve this was illustrated bythe repositioning of traffic lights in order to give an uninterrupted view ofthe iconic Greig Street Bridge. New lighting features in the design plans andthis includes uplights on the older buildings and variable coloured lighting onthe Ness Bridge. The latter will be discussedwith fishermen as there may be a potential for the effects to upset the salmon.There will also be specially designed street furniture and a Public ArtIntegration programme will see innovations at various locations, including theVictorian Market. The logo for the Old Town Art project includes a camel on topof an elephant ( symbols from the previous shield) and the slogan Right Enough( in latin) - words which sum up the eventual aim for the look of Inverness as a City. Marie was able to give reassurance that Highland Council will ensure that the improvements are maintained in good order.

Ian Gordon has been in contact with a Rotarian in Shanghai, whom he met on his recent trip to China, to offersympathy on the earthquake disaster . He had also told them of the Rotary aid being sent . He has received a very moving reply, which he read to the meeting,the text is included below. Ian has also contacted another Chinese acquaintancewho lives in the quake zone but has not yet received any response.

President George informed the meeting that the council have agreed to finance a further Shelterbox which will be sent to China through the District1010 and Shelterbox scheme.

7th MAY 2008 - SPEAKER MEETING PROVOST BOB WYND

Today's meeting was a speaker meeting where City of Inverness Provost Bob Wynd would make a presentation on his vision for the city to our 34 members and 1 guest present.

Provost Bob Wynd, a guest of Ken Mackie, told the club that he believes it is vital to increase the world profile and status of our City. The city status helps in this by enabling us to take part in events such as the recent economic development conference in Cannes, where our representatives were part of the Six Scottish Cities Group.

The fame of the Loch Ness Monster is an advantage in selling the city at such events develop links with other countries and Provost Wynd recently had the privilege of entertaining at a lunch both the Russian and American Consuls who were attending a conference in the City. Contact with Consulates helps development cultural links.

The Provost commented that although the use of the Common Good Fund for fireworks at the Old New Year was controversial, the resulting publicity has been immense and has helped raise our international profile.

In order to grow Inverness needs improved transport links, particularly on the East West routes and Provost Wynd outlined the current position on the A96 improvements and his hopes concerning A9 improvements.

Within Inverness it is important that new building creates communities not just houses; encouraging building firms to erect permanent structures for their contract base and sell these on as shops and community centres at the end of the project may facilitate this. The changes to the town centre (the Streetscape project) were essential to future development; transport links are already showing evidence of recovering from the period of disruption and ways of helping businesses to recover from its effects are being implemented.

It was also noted that 19 members had a very interesting vocational visit to the new Culloden Vistor Centre which had opened its doors to the public recently.

Our next meeting (14/05) will be a business meeting, where next year's new Committees have been asked to sit together to discuss the developments for the forthcoming year.

OUR MEETING - 30th APRIL 2008

At our regular meeting today our 42 club members were joined by one Rotarian visitor, President Derek McRae from Inverness Culloden Club.

One of our members, James Campbell presented a short film on the new Blythswood scheme Buckets of Love.

The scheme has similarities to both the shoebox and survival boxes projects where the donor is supplied with a blue bucket and then fills it with a mandatory list of small items which are likely to be useful for and appreciated by poor families or those affected by disasters. The content include things like toothbrushes, oven-gloves, yo-yo's etc. which fill the bucket. However, the ingenious idea of the bucket means that when the items are removed, the recipients can then use the bucket for carrying water or other items.

Donors can personalise the bucket by drawing their hand print on the front and or adding personal messages and photographs.

Anyone looking for more information should go to http://www.blythswood.org/index.php?id=39

Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday 7th May 2008, where our guest speaker will be Councillor Bob Wynd, Provost of the City of Inverness.

PREPARATION FOR ANNUAL BLACK ISLE BIKE RIDE

Over half the members of the Rotary Club of Loch Ness are in training for what they hope will be their biggest ever annual Charity Black Isle Bike Ride which takes place on Saturday 17th May.

The members of the club have been working hard to organise the event that they hope will once again raise thousands of pounds for the two selected charities which both have local connections to the Inverness and Loch Ness areas.

Loch Ness Rotary Club has now organised the annual bike ride for more than ten years, during which time it has raised in excess of £35,000 for well deserving causes.

Lead organiser for the event Gerry Grant commented, “We are very hopeful that this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever. The bike ride is for cyclists of all abilities and although the event is being run by the Rotary Club of Loch Ness, we would welcome anyone interested in joining us over the 23 mile course.

Making reference to the club’s selected charities, Gerry continued, “This year we have selected two international charities the Maya Leprosy Fund which helps people in Nepal who have this dreadful disease.

“We have also opted to assist in the fundraising towards a new operating theatre for The Nazareth Hospital in Israel. This theatre will offer some much needed medical care, attention and treatment to those in need of help in this trouble-torn area of our world.

“We expect to have over 30 of our own members signed up to take part in this bike-fest. However, we would be delighted to have any individual cyclists or cycling groups who may be looking for a bit of fun and fitness on Saturday 17th May to join us and help us raise some funds for our charities.

Anyone interested in taking part in the Black Isle bike ride should contact Gerry Grant on 01463 238566 or by email on cozac@talktalk.net.