Pumpkin Bulletin of Abbeydale Rotary, District 1220

“Service above self”

May 2020 No.692

Abbeydale’s April ‘in-action’ during lockdown

Includes:

President’s letter

District4Foodbanks

‘ADG’s Column

Environmental

‘Zoom’ing in to meetings

Hearing Ambassadors

Sheffield’s Spanish Flu

Pandemic

Members’ ‘Lockdown’

activitites including

news from our two

newest members.

Dates……. Inc. the A.G.M.

And lots of humour!!!!

Holy Trinity Church (Abbeydale and

Millhouses Parish), at Easter. Holy Trinity

is where the District Thanksgiving Service

would have been held in June, and where

Abbeydale Rotarian Peter Ingram is vicar.

President Graham

writes

……….

Now six weeks into lockdown for many of our

members. Some of us are still able to visit shops.

Many of them are helping out where possible. We

are all grateful for that. If you know of any person,

(member or not), who might be in need, please let us

know. A telephone call or card may help. Heather

Morris is keeping a watch out for any member who

needs some help. Thank you Heather for that.

Abbeydale Rotary has taken advantage of all the new

technology to keep members informed and carry out

as much of normal business as possible. Thanks are

due to Steve Walker for ensuring this new technology

is being used properly. It’s the way forward for

Abbeydale Rotary and we will be using this more and

more to help conduct and plan our work We are

using WhatsApp to keep members aware of what is

happening. Many members are using this to describe

with messages, jokes, photos and videos what they

are doing during their spell of self-isolation. We have

used the Zoom system for two Council meetings and

as you may know, this will be used for our AGM

meeting on Wednesday, 13th May. The meeting starts

at 7pm. You will have already received the official

notification of this from Mike Cox together with all

the reports from Council members. I hope that we

can get participation at the AGM from as many

members as possible. In order to help those who

have not used Zoom before, we are holding a

practice session on Wednesday, 6th May starting at

7pm. Details are with Steve W. who is to host it.

You will all be aware of our participation in the

District 1220 Rotary4FoodBanks Project. We have

donated £750 towards a District award of £1500 for

the Grace Food Bank. Work is progressing on this and

you will be kept up to date. This district project is a

major one and is been copied by other Rotary

Districts in the UK. It is one example of a proposal

arising from the District Strategic Review. We have

not forgotten our own strategy review and ideas on

the way forward will be discussed at our Club

Assembly. This is planned for Wednesday, 17th June

and again will be covered using the Zoom facility. It is

hoped that by then, we may see some progress

towards ending parts of the lockdown.

Throughout the last six weeks we have had some very

good weather and time for work in the garden. We

know that the Chelsea RHS and Chatsworth Garden

Shows are cancelled and so the RHS is organising a

virtual garden show. Why don’t we have one for

Abbeydale Rotary? There are plenty of members with

gardens and even eco-houses. We could all

contribute photos of displays in our gardens to a

central point and a montage of all be produced. We

could add to this as the weeks progress. I know that

in June/July there should be displays of sweet peas, (I

hope). It could form a record for the archives on how

we did during this crisis. I have attached some photos

of two displays in my garden. One is an azalea shrub

which is a cutting from a 25 year old shrub. The other

is one of my apple trees in blossom. This is a

Discovery apple from which I always get a good crop.

I have won first or second prize at the last three years

Dore Shows for apples from this. I hope that you find

this idea worth supporting. I look forward to seeing

the display from Einar and Hilary’s garden at

Holmesfield. I hope that you all keep safe and well.

Best wishes, Graham Taylor

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To support Abbeydale’s local

GRACE FOODBANK with a

monetary donation log into:

More about FOODBANKS,,,

Peter Ingram writes:

https://gracefoodbanksheffield.org.uk/

donations/#food

“Many people in our community are still leaving gifts for the Food Bank in the porches of our two churches, at St John's Abbeydale and Holy Trinity Millhouses, despite notices saying they are closed. With this in mind and to make sure the Food Bank receives the donations, this is to inform you that there is now a collection point in the porch at the vicarage, 80 Millhouses Lane S7 2HB. Any contributions will be delivered to the Food Bank every Thursday.

Thank you so much to all who have made monetary donations, they really are much appreciated at this time of increasing demand on the Food Banks.”

This is all part of supporting the District’s

Rotary4Food ethos

From the Assistant District Governor

Alex Ritchie

Firstly can I thank the many Members who have been in touch with me over the past few weeks to make sure I am surviving self isolation. I am, but I am missing the sport on TV, trips to the Lane and of course meeting up with all my good friends for lunch on a Wednesday. But, it could be worse. I could be stuck in a flat on the 10th floor of an inner city tower block with no friends, no job and little or no food.

As for Rotary, I have been kept fairly busy in helping to set up “Rotary 4 Foodbanks”, a humanitarian project about which all Members should be aware. Today, as I write this short column we have placed a question and answer section on the District web site about the project, so if you have any questions about it try the web site first or if still in doubt give me a call and I shall try to find an answer.

Whilst Abbeydale Rotary is supporting the Grace Food Bank at Low Edges “Rotary 4 Foodbanks” is supporting all foodbanks in the area and good contacts have been made with wholesalers and retailers who will provide basic food stuffs to the project at a good price. I hope you understood my letter regarding gift aid on any donations you wish to make towards the Grace Food Bank within the project.

This is not a short term project and I am amazed at what we have achieved in such a short period of time given the logistical problems of meeting up

I have become quite adept at attending zoom meetings, but with an old desk top computer I am having to use my i-pad and holding on to that for 90 minutes can become a little annoying. It doesn’t help my good friend David Hood takes the mickey!

I never in my wildest dreams thought my 3 year stint as a District Assistant Governor would end like this and my last column for Pumpkin will be next month when hopefully I can finish my stint on a more optimistic note.

Addendum. On 27th December last, I took possession of a brand new car. 4 months on and I have driven a sum total 317 miles. As an accountant I question if

that was a good investment! Alex

Not sure if this is the

right model Alex….

at least it’s an Audi !

Not had much

chance to see it! Ed.

Members have all been sent an email ‘invitation’ to join Abbeydale’s upcoming AGM ‘Zoom’

meeting on 13th May, 7pm, and the practice meeting the week before on 6th. Steve Walker also

sent out details on 27th April of how to access ‘Zoom’. If you have missed out on any of these, or

are still unsure how to use ‘Zoom’, PLEASE contact Steve - email: stephenrw@btinternet.com

Sadly, since lockdown, a few members seem to have gone into complete hibernation and have not

communicated through emails, ’WhatsApp’, or other electronic means. Hopefully this does not

mean any significant problems…. but Graham, Heather or any other

Abbeydale Rotarian would love to hear that you are OK.

Please don’t be a dinosaur and ………………..

Environmental update…..

Spring has sprung in Ecclesall Woods

Remember it was like this in January when we were clearing brambles.

The bluebells are here and makes our efforts well worth while. The same view now looking towards Whirlowdale Road.

It is quite noticeable on the other side of the main path, where we are yet to clear brambles, that the numbers of bluebells are considerably less.

Our task for 2021 as long as we are not in lockdown!!!

Phil Haywood

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Photos from Phil

Late last year, Andrew Campbell gave us a talk on Hearing Ambassadors. This is a District initiative, and

Cheryle Berry is a keen participant. I am Abbeydale’s Hearing Ambassador, and this means I should

promote good practice in the Club for supporting those with hearing difficulties.

Since the arrival of an unwelcome export from China, we are not meeting as a Club, but I thought I would

anyway summarise what could be done, in order to kick things off. Much of this we already do, other

things we cannot do.

In a nutshell, we should maximise the chance of people with hearing difficulties hearing what is being

said, whilst not marking such people out as having special needs. In the short term, (well, early post virus

anyway), for our Club meetings this means:

• standing and using the microphone whenever

we have a point to make to the meeting as a

whole. (Of course if you don’t really have a

point…). Holding the mic properly is very

important, otherwise it can be useless — see

the diagram.

• insist that the speaker and other guests adhere

to the rule. Some speakers believe that they

have “projection” and can be heard if necessary

in the next county, but this does not necessarily

make it clearer

• at table, and in other casual conversation, face the person addressed. This is more natural when

standing, but may take a deliberate effort when you are sitting to the side of someone, or

negotiating a forkful of Abbeydale’s best from plate to mouth. We all lipread to some extent:

consider how irritating badly synched videos can be

• at committee meetings, the chair should ensure that all the participants can hear clearly. It is

traditional to address the chair at meetings, but this may mean you are facing away from someone

who therefore hears you less well: try to be inclusive, talking to the group. Table layout should be

considered: for example squarer rather than elongated will make for easier speaking angles.

Alternatively the mic could be used, but this may be a bit heavy handed for small meetings.

Longer term, I will look into some technology. It may be possible to have table hearing loops for smaller

meetings such as committees. These of course cost money, but we can look at costs, and the possibility

of sharing with Vulcan. I have asked Abbeydale Sports Club: they are not going to consider installing a

hearing loop in the main room we use.

Also longer term, once the plague has passed and we can again organise public events such as the

Pitchfork Party without fear of killing everybody off, we need to look at how we could improve their

experience, since nearly all probably have a degree of age related hearing loss.

This is a “starter for ten”: please comment if you wish, ideas or objections are welcome.

Peter Veal

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Ann receiving her

District Award

A friend from church sent me the following articles (this page and the next) — which I found both

fascinating and a little unnerving. My maternal grandmother died of Spanish flu in 1918 when my

mother was only 9 years old and I heard the other day that nearly 10,000 people died in Sheffield

alone during the epidemic. Let us be thankful that this is not predicted to happen with covid-19.

Pat Jackson

It says: “Wear a

mask or go to jail”

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This article is from a news release on Friday 24th April 2020 by the firm

for which Katie Birch works.

Katie’s wonder dog is ultimate ice-breaker for firm’s

remote will’s service ! Clients of a Sheffield-based wills adviser have had help adapting to appointments by

video call from an unlikely source – a sausage dog named Billybob!

Katie Birch, (our newest member and who works for Graysons Solicitors), says her loveable pooch –

which religiously sits by her side for all appointments from her home office – has become “the ultimate

ice-breaker” for people not familiar with video calls.

She said: “I found the Coronavirus-forced shift to home-working quite a challenge as I’m a real ‘people

person’ but Billybob has absolutely loved it! He gets to be pampered all day and gets to meet all my

clients which he really loves.

“I have many elderly clients that have never used a video call service. They are quite nervous until they see

Billybob’s wagging tail and excited face – then they’re quite at ease!”

Graysons Solicitors has experienced a big increase in demand for wills following the Coronavirus outbreak

and the firm has had to adapt to a completely new way of working to ensure they can still deliver the

service.

Katie said: “The will still needs to be signed by the client in front of witnesses – and we need to adhere to

strict social distancing measures through out. So I normally complete the service by driving out to the

client, knocking on the door and leaving the will on the doorstep for them to sign. I normally take an addi-

tional member of the team with me to be a witness. It is working very well.”

Few people know the need to stay safe and adhere to current lockdown rules as much as Katie – both

her parents work for the NHS. Her mother’s a sister on an intensive care ward.

Katie – who is part of the Wills, Estates, Trusts and Elderly Client Services team at Graysons – is no

stranger to going above and beyond the call of duty at the firm. She also helps spearhead much of the

firm’s fund raising activity and works closely with the likes of Bluebell Wood, Sparkle, St Luke’s Hospice

and other charities. She has provided free wills advice services as well as additional support with powers

of attorney and trust arrangements.

Katie Birch (and Billybob) can be contacted on katie.birch@graysons.co.uk or 0114 241 9011.

Graysons are located at Courtwood House, Silver Street Head, Sheffield, S1 2DD. Lawyers and client

advisers are presently working remotely and continuing to deliver high standards of client care and

service during the lockdown period. More information from: www.graysons.co.uk Released by Neil Anderson Media Ltd. More information from Neil Anderson via neil@neilandersonmedia.com or 0777 929

2212.

Neil Anderson Media, Results House, 656 Chesterfield Road, Sheffield S8 0SB.

Web: www.neilandersonmedia.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/neilandersonmedia

Twitter: @NeilHAnderson

Photo : Phil Haywood

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“THE GOLF DAY THAT NEVER WAS”

During this enforced break in proceedings, like so many of you, I have been tidying up drawers, cupboards etc. and there is one cupboard in my office full of Abbeydale Rotary files – or there was! As I cleared everything out I came across many things I had completely forgotten about and there in the middle of it all was the file for “The Golf Day That Never Was” Back in September,2002, Club President Eddie Coghlan (always known as Uncle Eddie) set up a small committee comprising John Knight and myself to organise a Charity Golf Day. Many Club Members offered their help and I was able to obtain overall sponsorship for the event from National Express which in these days had the franchise for the Midland Main Line. The Day was a great success and the following Club Presidents decided to repeat the event and in 2007 Steve Wilkin became our Golf Convenor and has made a great job of co-ordinating all aspects of the Golf Day ever since — utilising the help and support from members and raising a fair amount of money for charities. 2008 was Ann Norris’ year as Club President and she had nominates a charity supporting young people with learning difficulties. In the week running up to the Golf Day we were being warned of a really bad storm approaching across the Atlantic due to hit the North of England on the Thursday evening, but we never in our wildest dreams expected it to be that bad. I lay in bed on the Thursday night listening to the rain lashing down and I was up by 6.00am listening to all the weather reports on local radio and TV. I had filled the car up with the tombola prizes the night before and I set off for the golf course at 7.45am, wind screen wipers on at full speed. As I drove into the Abbeydale Golf Club water was cascading down the 17th fairway and the bunkers around the 18th were miniature swimming pools. I walked into the clubhouse and there sitting with glum expressions on their faces were John Knight, the Golf Course Manager and his Chef. They told me the Head Greenkeeper was out on the course in a buggy seeing just how bad things were and at that moment Steve Wilkin arrived. We just sat and looked at each other when the Greenkeeper came back and he and the Manager went into a huddle, then announced that the course was closed.

Steve and John went off to find telephones to let all the teams and helpers know and I was left talking to the Chef, who himself had always played in our event. The Chef and I came to an agreement that we would pay for the perishables and he would be able to freeze the meat etc. Steve and I agreed that he would come to my home at 4.00pm with all the paperwork as he was leaving on the Saturday morning for his holiday in Spain. There was also the biscuits and snacks that would have been handed out at the 10th tee. By now my wife Maureen was in Broomcroft and I was able to sell all of these to the Home Manager – the start of my fund raising. Friday afternoon and Steve came and took me through all the paperwork and on the Saturday and Sunday I wrote to all the 30 odd teams, the hole sponsors and the programme advertisers telling them of what had happened and asked them if they might be prepared to make a contribution to Ann’s charity which was losing out on several thousand pounds. It took some weeks to get a complete set of answers, but my faith in human nature took a major step to the good. All the hole sponsors and programme advertisers told me to hold on to the money as did some of the teams, but in the main teams either agreed a 50/50 split with me or agreed to leave it with us for the 2009 event. Now, when Uncle Eddie set up the first Golf Day he insisted we take out insurance in case of bad weather etc., but in many ways it was to get his insurance brokers to put in a couple of teams. Monday morning and I was on the ‘phone to the brokers and they were very reticent about making any claim. I know enough about insurance to realise I was on a sticky wicket seeking a claim for loss of surplus, but I was determined to have a go. Then there were the tombola prizes, now cluttering up my dining room. One Wednesday meeting, I set up a table and sold most of the wine etc. to members. What was left Alan Young stuck up in the roof of his garage for his Golf Day in 2009.

Concluded on next page

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By now I was beginning to have a small amount of cash stored away for Ann’s charity, but I was still not happy with the insurance brokers. They wanted statements from the Club’s Auditor and kept fending me off, even regarding the cost of the perishable food I had agreed to pay for. By now we were into the spring of 2009 and I got the impression that some of the Club Council Mem-bers felt I was on a wild goose chase. But, I would not give up. I had found out with which insurance company the brokers had placed the business, so nothing ventured, nothing gained. I telephoned the company. There then followed the most surreal telephone conversation I had ever had in my life. “Good morning, my name is Alex. Ritchie and I am the Secretary of the Rotary Club of Abbeydale in the City of Sheffield” “Sorry, what did you say your name was?” “Alex. Ritchie” “No it can’t be. Someone is playing a trick on me. My name is Alex. Ritchie” Silence from both of us, until we realised we were complete namesakes. He was also of Scottish decent and after around 15 minutes of questioning each other we decided we were not related. It was indeed surreal. Anyway we got down to business and he gave me the usual spiel that the insurance cover did not allow for the lack of surplus achieved for Ann’s charity. However he said he would speak to his boss and of course we both went off the telephone amazed with what had just happened. An hour later, Alex. Ritchie telephoned to say they would make an ex gratia payment and after my prompting he agreed to sponsor a hole in the following year’s Golf Day. I had won, and the total amount raised for the 2008 Golf Day is the second highest amount in the event’s 17 year’s history. I never heard from Alex. Ritchie again and we did not take out insurance again!

Let’s hope we can run the 2020 Golf Day and the sun shines.

Alex

Starting a

‘COMMONPLACE BOOK’

You can almost hear the hours

creaking as they now stretch our

sense of time!

Given the constraints placed on our social lives, it is

likely that many of us will be spending more time

reading. Sometimes, as we read, we may stirred by

a particular passage and perhaps we may even

make a note of it, to hold the memory of something

that lights a fire within you !

When I first retired I fulfilled an ambition to take a

writing course. I had always enjoyed writing and

had already published a few articles and also some

poetry, but I nevertheless felt I could benefit from

structured guidance. I was fortunate to secure a

place at university, in York, for a one year full time

MA in Literature, with particular emphasis on

Creative Writing. The course was hugely enjoyable.

Barrie, my tutor proved to be an enthusiastic and

diligent mentor. He, himself, was an established

writer with a series of published novels to his credit.

One of the ideas he put forward to our group was

to start compiling a ‘Commonplace Book’. Simply

put, a commonplace book is a place where you can

record your feelings about the books you have

read. You may, for example include quotes that you

want to remember. You may want to record notes

about the nature of the characters. There are no

restrictions: the book will be an entirely personal

diary. I took Barrie’s advice to heart and kept my

diary for several years.

After successfully completing the course, I became

a part time tutor with U3A and ran courses on

Creative writing. I encouraged my students to keep

a a commonplace book. Some took up the option

and found it helpful. Noticeably those who did so

were among those who managed to have some of

their work published!

The current contraction of one’s social life has

inspired me to restart my commonplace book and I

thought some of you might also like to take up this

idea.

Enjoy your reading and STAY WELL! Bill Lee

Still on the subject of ‘books’ …. From David Ludlam.

Have you read the titles? VERY clever!

More suggestions for how to spent your time ….

Chris Kenyon says: Whilst Phil Haywood has made another planter.

Ann Norris decided to make ‘bread and butter ‘ pudding and writes:

This will not surprise those of you who

know me well!!!

Just thought that this might make you smile. Yesterday I decided that I

would use a small pack of bread that was in the freezer to make a bread and butter

pudding. Haven’t done this for ages. So I duly put the packet to thaw.

Later I put all ingredients and utensil out; on opening the bread I discovered it was OLIVE

bread. However I continued and have to tell you that it turned out quite well and added to my five

a day.

Lesson learned: to either open packages before starting or LABEL things!!!!!!!…….

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1

Mike pausing for a

breather whilst Trevor

keeps at it. (Or is he

just avoiding the

camera?? )

Photos sent in by Phil Haywood

Ann has also been busy writing : “To while away the time in lockdown, I am

recording a virtual day of life in Librazhd, Albania. All of it is true but not

n e c e s s a r i l y o n t h e s a m e d a y . ” .

As Ann’s fascinating story is several pages long we agreed that I would publish it as a separate document.

A copy, “A day in Librazhd” by Ann

Norris, will be sent as a separate

attachment with this Pumpkin. For

those of us who were fortunate

enough to visit Librazhd, and other

parts of Albania ,with Ann a few

years ago it recalls lovely

memories! Thanks Ann — Editor.

And look who’s been at it again! Young Hari Parker, with Immediate Past

President Grant Laughton’s help, was distributing Easter eggs. On Good Friday they went to Sheffield

Children’s hospital and the day after were a t Bassetlaw (Worksop) and Calow, (Chesterfield).

They delivered 400 eggs!!

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Ann took this stunning photo from her apartment in Librazhd.

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A wino sent home on furlough Drank merrily near Westward Ho Barolo and Bordeaux And Hogsheads of Merlow And Champers from every chate

Please doctor your wisdom impart A family we’re eager to start So kindly prescribe How we increase the tribe While keeping two metres apart

And now to keep you smiling...

God was caught on a

drone camera walking

on the Yorkshire moors.

When the police finally

challenged him, he re-

plied; “ I was just work-

ing from home!”

Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great sadness that I have to mention the loss of a few local businesses as a result of COVID-19. A local bra manufacturer has gone bust, a submarine company has gone under, a manufacturer of food blenders has gone into liquidation, a dog kennel has had to call in the retrievers and a company supplying paper for origami enthusiasts has folded. Inter-flora is pruning its business and Dyno-rod has gone down the drain. The saddest one though is the ice cream van man found dead covered in nuts and raspberry sauce. He couldn't take it anymore, and topped himself.

Thanks for all these… they came from Rotarians Graham Stevens, Don

Ellis, Dave Ludlam, and Stephen Ware plus personal family and friends.

Club Diary

Sadly isolating

All contributions for the next edition by email, please, to the editor: pat.jackson@blueyonder.co.uk

by 1st June 2020 Please put “Pumpkin” somewhere in the subject line, thanks, Pat

N.B. The editor takes NO responsibility for opinions expressed in this publication which are written by and ascribed

to another author!

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www.abbeydalerotary club.org.uk

www.facebook.com/AbbeydaleRotary-

Club

Twitter:

@AbbeydaleRotary

Other useful links www.rotary.org

www.rotarygbi.org

www.district.rotary1220.org

TEAM

The final word has to go to Stephen

Ware following the announcement of

the birth of Boris’s baby….

“Suggestion for the baby’s name… REX……. Which would still leave Boris with a B...IT on the

side!”

And remember… “Keep smiling through just

like we always do, ‘Til the blue skies drive

the dark clouds far away.”

As the pandemic peak is hopefully passed and some,

(the younger ones anyway!), are looking forward to

coming out of ‘lockdown’, there maybe other

consequences to face….

Thanks to David Ludlam for this!!!