14 November
Tonight we had an attendance of 11. Arrangements were confirmed for the Christmas Fair in the Town Hall, Cumnock on Saturday 18 November. Provisional arrangements were reported for a Ladies Day/Evening on Sunday 24 March 2024.
The club raffle winner tonight was Gerald Alexander.
Our speaker tonight was Charles Sim, on the theme of Fair Trade in the Chocolate Industry. He described the work of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, which has as its principle the concept of equal chances for businesses and workers across the world, but especially in developing countries like Malawi. He pointed to the way in which developed countries had exploited the natural resources of less developed countries many of which had been colonies of mainly European countries in their Empire building days. Although most of the former colonies are independent now, they still don’t operate on a level playing field. He praised the work of the Cooperative movement in the United Kingdom in challenging unfair practices.
Our speaker answered a series of questions and comments from those in attendance, and “helped the lesson go down” with the distribution of free samples of chocolate, including well known brands.
28 November
This was a normal business meeting with an attendance of 10. John Mould, who has been a regular member of the club’s rambling group for a year or two, and who had been attending as a guest at the last three meetings of the club in the Dumfries Arms Hotel, was inducted into membership of Rotary and was warmly welcomed by President Jim Kyle and fellow members.
A brief report was given on our involvement in the Christmas Fair on Saturday 18 November in the Cumnock town Hall. This was our first involvement in an inside venue (in previous years the Fair had been outdoors in the Cumnock Town Square). Our stall was well placed to attract custom and the prizes on the table were gratefully received by owners of winning tickets, resulting in over £200 in takings for our designated charity, the Honeypot Respite Centre.
Our President Jim Kyle had an “inside job” with Santa Claus, and seated in the entrance hall persuaded visitors to donate to our chosen charity. As a result the donations and stall takings amounted to about £480 towards the charity.
Arrangements for our final meeting of the year 2023 were announced and agreed.
The club raffle this evening was won by John Swanson.