Finding the right political balance

As the clocks have now move forward to herald the start of spring, the early risers amongst us can also start to look forward to beginning our working days in daylight. In my case I am assisted in rousing myself from slumber by the aid of chirping birds nesting outside the bedroom window; not always welcome on the days when I would prefer a lie in.

The arrival of spring is seen as a time of renewal and regeneration, along with the prospect of some warmer, dryer weather which seems to put a spring in the step of us mere mortals. It is no surprise that local organisations, gearing themselves up to hold their Annual General Meetings, will be considering who they wish to lead them into the fray as they select their Chairmen and committee members for the coming year.

This can often lead to a good deal of lobbying as interested parties jockey for position in the hope of gaining favour amongst their allies or opponents. Where this occurs in politics, and political balance comes into play when selecting positions of power, this can give cause for concern. Consideration is often given to the favours that might be bestowed on opponents in return for that all important casting vote that can be the key to success when it comes to decision making.

In recent weeks, in the space of just a few hours, I was lobbied on four separate occasions over one particular issue. By the end of the day, far from being persuaded to side with one lot or another I felt like digging my heels in. As a member of a political party my leaders have always had some difficulty in ensuring that I will tow the party line when required to do so. I have always been an independent thinker and could not in all conscience go along with something that I really do not believe in, and resist strongly any bullying tactics.

In the case of key decisions that can have an impact on the wider community, such as frakking, the constant stream of emails from one particular group, clogging up my inbox as they implored me to take up their cause, quite frankly became something of a nuisance; so much so that I deleted them unread. I have strong personal views on frakking but this blanket method of communication, at the press of a button, does nothing to gain my sympathy. This is one of the key problems with modern technology, which has fast become the modern version of junk mail.

I favour picketing myself, and always enjoy the presence of the stalwarts at County Hall who, regardless of the weather, take up their positions prior to key meetings. I may not always agree with their views but I admire their conviction and their tenacity. The whole point of such activity is to persuade and influence their target audience.

Of course the majority of the meetings held on behalf of local government are now held in public, providing an opportunity for those who choose to attend to raise questions. It is unfortunate though that so few meetings benefit from the attendance of those most affected by the outcomes. In many cases the challenges made are done so for political motives, rather than the collective good of the community as a whole, but at least we can take some small comfort in the fact that key decisions do not merely become a rubber stamping exercise.   

Service does Matter

I am not a regular supermarket shopper, much preferring to support my local shops. On occasion though, especially when working late or away from home, there is little option but for me to spend my hard earned money with the big boys.

Being passionate about customer service I was conscious of several contrasting experiences this week. 

In my local Co-op in Ilminster, having bought several bottles of Fairtrade wine, the sales assistant readily offered to help me carry my purchases to the car.

Later in the day at Waitrose in Salisbury, buying several hundreds of pounds worth of wine for an upcoming professional exam course, I expressed my frustration at being unable to find what I needed. This was when a young salesperson, Ryan, came to my rescue, ably aided and abetted by a security man, Matt, who did not actually work for Waitrose but was interested in wine. The outcome was that after 45 minutes of concerted effort I was able to go on my merry way with my purchases, along with a free bottle of wine and wine carriers thrown in for good measure, in addition to a 5% discount. I felt well satisfied. 

By contrast, in Sainsbury's in Fareham the following morning, at around 7.45am, I approached the deli counter where both of the women present refused to serve me saying 'We don't open until 8am'. I was not impressed. Shame on them, and their employers for allowing such a poor attitude to exist. Someone needs to remind them that it is the customer that pays their wages. It is precisely this negative job's worth attitude that gives British service such a bad name.

Fairtrade Fortnight - on the ground in Africa

Keen to support the activities being held in Ilminster during Fairtrade fortnight, Cllr. Linda Vijeh, currently working at a project in Nairobi to support a children's home, went on the hunt for Fairtrade goods so that even though she is 6,773 miles form home she could help to support awareness of this important initiative.

Said Linda, 'As Kenya is one of the main African countries involved in Fairtrade, I thought that it would be simple to find Fairtrade products to buy. Unfortunately, after scouring the supermarket shelves for hours all I came up with was a jar of honey and some tea; no coffee or chocolate to be found at all. While here, I am hoping to meet with officials from the Fair Trade Organisation of Kenya to see what they are doing to promote Fairtrade within the country. I admit that I could not resist buying the 'hangover tea', made from green tea ginger and mint. Given the amount of gin we have been consuming this week I may need it!'     

NOT ALL RELIGION IS BAD

We cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend that some of the horrendous atrocities that have been perpetrated in the name of religion do not exist. Our news is dominated on a regular basis by accounts from both young and old of the abuse they have been subjected to.

It is often the case that those who have suffered at the hands of church leaders will henceforth reject and vilify anything to do with religion; this is perfectly understandable.

However, in disparaging all religion because of the repulsive behaviour of a few, we are in danger of tarring everyone with the same brush. There is good and bad in every society, and whilst we should never, ever, ignore the bad, much can be gained by focusing on the good that is done.

Whatever one’s personal views of charitable activity carried out in the name of religion, my own recent experience in Nairobi at the home for children living with HIV/AIDS run by Christian Organisation Children of God Relief Institute (COGRI) has caused me to think differently about this.

It is no great secret that, coming from a long line of atheists, my own introduction to Christianity has been fairly recent. I have approached it with my eyes wide open, with none of the blind trust that those brought up in a Christian environment often seem to possess.

In agreeing to visit the home for two weeks voluntary work I had not given any thought to a religious connection until it became clear on my arrival.  

On the Sunday we were invited to attend mass in the community centre, which judging by the pool table in the corner obviously doubles up as a games room once the business of the day has been observed. What I enjoyed most about the experience was the extent to which the youngsters were fully involved in both the preparation and in participating in the service itself.

They had clearly been practising their song and dance routines, which to the background noise of a young drummer made me feel that I was truly in Africa. Far from being a serious occasion, the natural rhythmic swaying to the beat of the music was a joy to witness. They had me bopping in the aisles too, although I confess that I did find the sermon rather too long and perhaps not as child friendly as I would have hoped for, given that they made up the vast majority of the congregation.

What I had been witness to during my two weeks stay was the result of one man’s vision of a future for a whole generation of children who through no fault of their own have been born with HIV/AIDS. The persistent stigma and prejudice that still exists in relation to this invidious disease makes projects such as this all the more impressive.    

Rightly, or wrongly, I came away thinking that for these children having a place like Nyumbani to call home is indeed a miracle.

CHARITY VOLUNTEERING - JUST AN EGO TRIP?

replacing broken windows

Nicholas and Mike Halley repairing a wash station

Given my keen interest in the welfare of vulnerable young people, I was keen to seize the opportunity to visit a Rotary led project in Nairobi that provides homes and education for children living with HIV/AIDS. Like most people, having agreed so readily to tag along with a team of Rotarians from Scotland, I was slightly apprehensive about what I had let myself in for.

I had expected the worst, certainly in terms of the travel, food and accommodation, and was largely pleasantly surprised; once I got used to rice and beans for every meal, eco-friendly toilets (don’t ask!) and electricity and water for just a few hours each day.  We were split up into two working parties, each taking turns at the home itself and then spending time at a village community around 4 hours drive away.

The village consists of 100 houses, divided into clusters of four properties, in each of which 10 children of mixed ages live with two surrogate ‘grannies’.

In addition to the funds we had raised to donate towards the running costs, plus the two large suitcases full of clothing we were instructed to bring with us, our key role was to carry out any number of maintenance tasks from a list provided to us. This proved to be quite a challenge as we were in the main people of a certain age and with no specific skills, especially when it came to metal working, plumbing, plastering and glazing.

We were quickly able to establish that we were not capable of demolishing and rebuilding a garage in the time we had there, so settled down to fixing the communal wash sinks and re-glazing the many broken windows. The only problem was that none of the materials were to hand. Ordering and having them delivered took the best part of two days leaving us not much time to get down to work.

As someone who is out and about from first thing in the morning until late at night I found the hanging around the most tiring of all, especially when the temperatures were hovering around 30’C.

On mentioning that I was coming out here a friend implied rather disparagingly that this ‘charity tourism’ was self-indulgent, satisfying our own egos, and that rather than going out to satisfy our own feel-good factor we should just send the money over.

This gave me pause for thought but on reflection I realised that he was quite wrong.

One of the key benefits of visiting such projects is in being able to witness first-hand the valuable work that is being done, learning about other cultures, realising that others do not enjoy the same standard of life as us, and most importantly, the opportunity to interact and become involved with those we have come to help. Handing over money is not quite as simple as it sounds. To be perfectly frank, from my own exasperating experience, the jobs would just not get done at all. What bothers me more though, is that despite the lack of money and resources, what we are not doing is encouraging the people who live in these communities to take on ownership of their own living environment.

In the case of Nyumbani, as funding streams become ever more difficult, they are making a real effort to become self-sustainable by investing in projects to bring in much needed income.

There are no simple answers to the multitude of problems that exist in the world, but I am more convinced than ever that doing something practical is of far more value than just putting my hand in my pocket.

Perhaps our own leaders, in their dealings with foreign governments, should be paying more attention to how they are investing their resources in finding solutions to their own problems rather than relying on outside aid.   

SERVICE ABOVE SELF

with children from Community of Hope School for the Deaf 

with young Rotaract members

One of the best things about being a Rotarian is the opportunities it provides. Wherever you go in the world, whether for business or pleasure, there will always be a group of people waiting to greet you with open arms, a warm welcome, and the prospect of learning about a new culture from an insiders’ point of view.

In the 16 years since I joined the Rotary Club of Ilminster, as their first female member, I have made a point of visiting Rotary clubs in places as far afield as Marrakesh, Pune, Prague, and now Nairobi.

Sadly, in the UK many people think of Rotarians as being a bunch of, shall we say, rather mature do gooders. To a some extent, I can understand this. Certainly, many clubs struggle to recruit younger members to add new impetus to the fantastic work that Rotary carries out within their communities.

One of the joys of exposure to clubs elsewhere is in being able to experience first-hand the wide variety of ways in which they operate, and aa different approach that we can all learn from. In the past, there were strict rules about who could become a Rotarian and how frequently they must attend meetings, along with a whole manner of customs and rituals adopted by individual clubs. Thankfully that is no longer the case.

At a meeting I attended this week 7 new members, all in their early 30s, were inducted into just one club.

If Rotary is to survive then it must adapt to the constraints and challenges imposed by modern day life, preventing many of us from contributing meaningfully towards improving the lives of others.

A willingness to adapt can pose difficulties for long standing members who find that the clubs they joined are evolving in a way they find uncomfortable.

In visiting Nairobi and clubs in other similar cultures what strikes me most is the high esteem in which Rotary is held. Anyone wanting to make their mark in the world aspires to become a Rotarian. The result of this, as communities that might once have been considered to be third world, advance through education and technology, is that younger people are flocking to join Rotary, gaining valuable experience and leadership skills that will enhance their CVs as they get ready to explore the wider world.

This was brought home to me when I attended the 38^th Rotary Sunshine Rally at Jamburi Park, a venue the size of the Royal Bath & West Showground. Each year a group of Rotary clubs provide entertainment, food and goody bags for almost 4,000 children with disabilities. The event costs the equivalent of £60,000 to put on, funded largely by donations from local businesses, and celebrities who perform for free.

The rally, entirely volunteer led, was originally set up by a Rotarian whose son was disabled. Most of those involved were enthusiastic Rotaract teenagers and young adults. It seems to be the norm rather than the exception for youngsters to become involved with Rotary at an early age.

Of the many groups there, as a special school governor, I was particularly interested in meeting those from the Percy Davies School for the Disabled. I also had the opportunity to practice my sign language skills with pupils from the Community of Hope School for the Deaf, led by Sister Celine.

I feel that it is only by engaging with Rotarian groups across the world I can fully appreciate their diversity. If we close our minds, believing that we can continue to operate in the way we have always done, then we are missing an opportunity. Thankfully, while there are so many of the next generation who are passionate about Rotary and its focus on ‘Service Above Self’, then its future will be in safe hands.    

Awesome example to us all

Having been appropriated by the younger generation I feel that the word ‘awesome’ is somewhat overused these days. It was thus that I quite surprised myself when the words ‘I am in awe’ came quite unbidden my mind recently. Few people in my life have inspired me to think of them in this way.

This month I was privileged to be part of a team visiting the Children of God Relief Institute (CORGI) Nyumbani, in Nairobi, with a group led by Rotarian Alison Stedman of the Arbroath Club in Scotland. There were 14 of us in total and we had all agreed to raise funds in support of CORGI, whilst also spending two weeks painting, decorating and doing general maintenance work for both Nyumbani and a nearby village in Kitui district that was set up in 2006, and now has 32 houses with 100 ‘blended’ families in residence. These families are made up of grandparents who have taken on responsibility for their grandchildren where their parents have died as a result of HIV infection. In addition to their own grandchildren they also act as surrogate parents to other children; the concept is unique, and very successful.

As a wine writer, my own contribution towards the impressive £31,000 raised had been several wine tasting events. To further boost this contribution towards the annual running costs of $5 million it is hoped that match funding will be provided by Rotary Foundation.

The orphanage, set up by Jesuit Priest Father D’Agostino in 1992, provides a home from home for 120 children affected by HIV/AIDS. They are housed in cottages in groups of 15, with two ‘mums’. For many this is the only home they have ever known.

During our visit, my first, but Alison’s 17^th (!) we were introduced to the key people involved in the day-to-day running of this orphanage. Sister Mary Owens, the Executive Director, a recipient of the prestigious Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship in 2008, welcomed us and explained in some depth the aims and aspirations for the future of Nyumbani.           

It was during our meeting that I began to feel in awe of her. Originally from Ireland, and now 78 years old, she has been in Nairobi for 48 years. Her professional background was in education but she quickly came to realise that in almost all cases the children who are brought to live in Nyumbani, had suffered significant trauma in their young lives. Many will have been the main carers of their parents as they lay dying, and left to look after younger siblings. Sister Mary decided that one of the best ways to support these children would be to study psychology and then train to become a counsellor.

I soon learnt that Sister Mary does not let the grass grow under her feet. Not content with this, and conscious of the high cost of running Nyumbani and the associated laboratory, in addition to the clinic open to the wider community, she began to consider ways in which they might become more sustainable. This led to the setting up of a farm as well as the planting of several thousand hardwood trees to provide another source of income. Realising that she knew little of either agriculture of farming she has now embarked on a project to learn as much as she can to ensure the project’s success.   

Whilst the rest of us, on reaching our 70s, will be looking to slow down a little, with so much still to be done Sister Mary is clearly still a force to be reckoned with.

Oh, and did I mention that she has twice been held up at gunpoint. An awesome lady indeed.   

A GOOD READ

I have always been an avid reader, and cannot get to sleep without a good book in hand. Nowadays though, with more than four hours sleep a night remaining as elusive as ever, I tend to be very selective about my pre-bedtime reading material; nothing too frightening, exciting, or upsetting, as I find myself re-living the events through my dreams. I like to think that I have a Catholic taste in the books I choose. Apart from declining anything with a font size that would require a magnifying glass to make sense of the text, or that is so heavy I can barely lift it, I am always happy to pick up something from my village ‘phone box’ library or root around at book sales for anything from chic lit. to travelogues and of course food and wine books, as well as a classic good story. I would love to be able to join a book club but just don’t have the time and consider that the regular swops I carry out with friends is sufficient recommendation to introduce me to a new author.   

For me there is nothing like the feel of a good book and I count my blessings that a love of reading has enriched my life in so many ways.

With the advent of Kindles it was expected that book sales would decline but the reverse seems to have happened. I have owned a Kindle for four years and apart from downloading ‘freebies’ I have yet to use it. I have heard all the arguments about the convenience of this lightweight high-tech option, particularly when travelling, but I much prefer to take a stack of paperbacks with me to leave behind for someone else to enjoy, allowing more space in my luggage for those must have souvenirs.

I do believe that the enjoyment of reading needs to be nurtured from an early age and it is right that our schools should focus on this aspect of learning. In addition to library led reading challenges, there are a number of local initiatives being introduced to encourage the development of this key skill; and the Rotary Club of Ilminster regularly provides volunteers to listen to pupils reading.

Last year saw the first ever Ilminster Literary Festival and, in the wake of its success, plans are well under way for an even bigger and better event this year being held from the 31^st May to 8^th June, in the run up to another popular feature of the Ilminster calendar, Ilminster Experience. In order to ensure that ILF is a real community affair, with something for everyone, 19 different local venues are being used across the town for over 30 wonderful, inspiring events, including book signings, lectures, poetry readings, creative writing workshops and competitions. From Dylan Thomas to Shakespeare, along with gardening, history and espionage, and everything in between, there will be tea parties, lunches and dinners galore with much sought after celebrities such as Terry Waite and Paddy Ashdown all making an appearance to enlighten and entertain us.

I am keen to learn more about cider at Perry’s Cider Mill, and although I do not have any children of my own I shall always treasure the signed, illustrated copy of Peter Horacek’s Blue Penguin that I purchased last year.

For my contribution, I am really looking forward to running the literary quiz (nothing too high brow!) at Donyatt Village Hall on Wednesday 7^th June at 7.30pm. See you there!

Quiz raises £248 for Donyatt VH

Pic - winning team - Ilminster Mayor Val Keitch, Jane Hewick, Lisa Shearman, quiz master Linda Vijeh

14 teams battled it out at Donyatt Village Hall last week as quiz master Linda Vijeh put everyone through their paces with a 2016 quiz, raising a total of £248 towards the upkeep of the hall.

Afterwards Linda said, 'it was no surprise to me that Val's team won. I quiz against her every week and I knew that this quiz would be a tough one. It did help of course that she had two formidable quizzers on her team too! the evening was really enjoyable, with a ploughmans being provided at half time. Although it takes ages to put together I love doing these for local organisations. One day I will get a life!'