CLUB VISITS
At PETS I asked the then PEs to a me of appropriate dates for the DG's "Official Visit" and followed up with a letter requesting (among other things) the same. To date I have received dates from just 23 Clubs and am eagerly awaiting a timely response from the remaining 26! They know who they are and I am not going to chase them up ­ yet! Suffice to say they start at the beginning of the District Directory and finish at the end of it!

So far I have visited just eight Clubs, attended one Charter plus the District 127 Inner Wheel Assembly and Handover (the only man among 95 ladies!). I had expected to be doing four to five DG's visits every week but at this rate I will still be doing them in June 2006!

Having put in the plea for dates I can now report the visits already made have been highly entertaining, informative and well worth getting lost in Sheffield !

Having sat through many a DG's official visit I am keen to make it more of an inter-active occasion and so far the results seem to justify this approach.

COMMUNICATIONS
There are times when the words "Communications" and "Rotary" might as well be in different languages (see above) and as for the amount of Rotary at arrives via the post ...!

In District 1270 we need to keep paper information to the minimum and make better use of IT; every Club has an email address in the District Directory and the District Communications Officer, Rtn Stuart Green has set up a user friendly District Website for the dissemination of pertinent information.  Please make use of it. If the Club Secretary is going away for a few weeks rest and recuperation it is up to him to either nominate an alternate email address or make suitable arrangements via the District Secretary for the timely delivery to his Club of relevant correspondence. 
Having pushed the case for emails, they are only effective if the recipient looks at them ! They also need to be relevant and concise; I am currently averaging ten a day of which 50% are trivia and deleted immediately. 

MEMBERSHIP
August is Rotary's membership month and your Chairman of District Membership Services Committee is organising a Membership Seminar in September for Club representatives to both debate and be informed of strategies that may help them in their quest for new members. If you don't think your Club needs new members then just c;lsk yourself the question "if we do nothing now, where will our Club be in 10 years time?". For some Clubs the answer is already staring them in the face..!

GSE TEAM
The visit by the GSE team from D6020 this year was a great success but we now need to start putting together a team for the return visit next April. We need suitable candidates and volunteers for the post of Team Leader. Your contact is Rtn Stuart Leyland, page 11 of the Directory.

YOUTH ACTIVITIES
Rtn Bob Bennison (page 12!) is ke .. put Youth Exchange back on the District Calendar and is putting together a team of like minded Rtns to try and rekindle . interest in this activity. They do need your active assistance with this and I urge you to contact Bob if your Club has experience of Youth Exchange in the past or is keen to become involved.

DISTRICT COUNCIL MEETINGS
These should be something you look forward to attending and not a case of "Who is going this time...? ".

At the 14th September meeting I intend to have all District Officer's reports circulated well in advance, any queries - try and get an answer before the meeting but if unable then ask during the "Forum" session. Officers will only add new info and not read out their previously circulated reports..!

I hope to have a guest speaker (not necessarily a Rtn either!) and (hopefully) a couple of Clubs giving details of an interesting project they are involved with. I would appreciate your input as to what YOU would like to see and hear at these important meetings.

Having sat through many a District Council meeting .and wondered why I was there, I am keen to make them interesting and informative plus an opportunity to actively participate in some lively debate on matters of Rotary interest not just in our District but internationally ! We sometimes tend to forget what the "I" in RI stands for.

DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2005
Less than than 8 weeks to go to what promises to be a weekend of entertainment, information and above all fellowship! Saturday afternoon will see Dragonboat racing between teams of Scouts, Rotoractors and (so I have been told) Ladies of the Inner Wheel! It would be sad if it was left to the lads and the ladies only so I hope some brave Rtns will also be taking part...!? Same dance band as last year, the Saturday Night theme is Black and White and on Sunday morning we have, among other notables, Terry Waite speaking about Freeplay Foundation. Register now !

And finally, remember Rotary should be FUN ! but fun with a purpose.