- My preparation for the role of District Governor was shorter than most due to me taking over part way through the usual cycle leading up to handover.
That said, the training, the endless reading, and preparatory meetings somehow don’t or cannot give you the insight into the moment when the calendar changes on the 1st July and you suddenly become the District Governor!
It must be akin to taking your first parachute jump; you know you can do it, you have rehearsed it many times mentally but the moment comes when there is no going back and suddenly You are ‘on your way’!!
The official handover at The Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford was my ‘on your way’ day.
A new chapter was about to start both in my life and and in Rotary. I would like to thank everyone who came to the event and I would like to thank my own club, the Rotary Club of Bradford West for organising it and hosting the event; I am very proud of you all.
Having joined Rotary for the first time in 1986 at just 22 years of age, it was both unimaginable and incomprehensible that I could be Distrct Governor of a great Rotary Distrct like 1040 – Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.
Even just a few short years ago I could not have believed that I would be in this position. It is a great honour and I am extremely proud, but there is a job to do. I believe the position of DG will provide a wonderful opportunity to lead the 103 Rotary Clubs as well as the Interact clubs, Rotaract Clubs and not forgetting the Rotakids groups in Primary Schools.
I have a vision of the future that will enable Rotary to grow and develop in the coming years. This vision is consistent with my predecessors and I am confident that it will continue with my successors, who are already in the learning cycle and getting ready for their turn as the District Governor.
“Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves.”
Paul Harris was clear in his vision for Rotary, it is an organisation of action, of service to and for other people. That is why people joined Rotary in the beginning, in the last century and why people will want to join in the future.
As the District Governor for the Rotary year 2017 – 2018, I intend to lead by example. I want to get involved, provide good humoured service and inspire new members to join this great organisation.
I have never run a marathon before but to attempt the Edinburgh Marathon on 28th May was a great opportunity to help Past District Governor Phil Poole to achieve one of the goals for his year; to raise funds for Polio eradication. At the time of writing the total raised, including the Gates Foundation contribution, is £26,109.50p, an unimaginable amount and far beyond what I could have hoped for. I would like to say ‘Thank You’ to everyone who contributed to this magnificent total.
So what’s next I hear you ask? Watch this space!
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