February is a very busy month for the Rotary Club of Retford, being the month when the Club celebrates its birthday. This takes the form of a formal dinner called the Charter Anniversary Celebration. Due to COVID-19, this year it was a joint 84th and 85th event and took place on 11th February at Ye Olde Bell Hotel, Barnby Moor.
Sadly, Club President Andrew Avery was unable to attend, so it was left to Immediate Past President Adrian Sumner to chair the event. Dignitaries attending included Chairman of Bassetlaw Councillor Jack Bowker, the Mayor of Retford Carolyn Troop, Rotary District Governor Martyn Bye and the President of Retford Inner Wheel, Dot Bastow. After the usual formalities, everyone was entertained by Expressions, a highly skilled group of musicians.
On Monday 14th February, a fun event was organised by Rotarian Michelle Honey-Floyd and Sally Ogle. The theme was art and Michelle showed everyone how easy it is to draw if you know what you are doing! Some splendid wine glasses and bottles were produced. A quiz followed where Rotarian Jaime Hitchcock’s knowledge and training proved decisive.
Normal Club business occupied two of the other Mondays, but the month ended with the annual RotaKids Evening.
Representatives from the 10 primary schools in the area with RotaKid groups plus two others hoping to form such groups joined Club members to listen to 18-year-old Amy Meek BEM speak. Amy and her sister Ella live in the Gedling District of Nottinghamshire and between them founded the charity Kids Against Plastic. She spoke on their campaign to reduce the use of single-use plastics.