Club News

The Club was delighted to welcome two new members at its evening meeting on 14^th February.

Simon Moore and John Payne were formally inducted by President Dave Darby, who then introduced them to all the members present.

Simon and John have already attended some meetings and helped with the Club’s Christmas fund-raising activities.

As full members they will now be able to participate more fully in all the Club’s meetings and events. We look forward to getting to know them better and to making use of the skills and experience they bring to the Club.

The Club was delighted to welcome back Una McCabe from the St Vincent de Paul Society, a charity that Faversham Rotary supports. This charitable organisation tackles poverty in all its forms by giving practical assistance to people in need.

Una is one of the local volunteers and has spoken to members previously about the work of the charity in and around Faversham. This time she gave an update on the help that has been provided recently and she also looked ahead to the expected difficulties that people will have in coping with the increasing costs of gas, electricity and food.

SVP assists families and individuals in several ways, including help with money issues and friendship & support for the vulnerable and isolated. The volunteers can also provide information about other sources of help that are available.

To find out more about the St Vincent de Paul Society and how you can support their activities please go to www.svp.org.uk

The Club has now resumed its regular evening meetings after a short break over Christmas and New Year. At two of the January meetings there were guest speakers who talked to members on two very different topics.

Peter Kean is an ambassador for Trinity House, the official authority for lighthouses in England & Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. Himself a retired merchant mariner, Peter spoke about the history of Trinity House from the granting of its first Royal Charter by Henry VIII in 1514 to the present day. There have of course been many developments over such a long period of time. There were shore-based lighthouses to start with, followed by the first rock lighthouse in 1698 on the Eddystone Rock. Then light-vessels were added in places such as river estuaries. The first of these was in position in 1732 near the Nore Sands in the mouth of the Thames.

Lighthouses are no longer manned as the lights themselves are now automated and solar-powered, as are the buoys which Trinity House is responsible for. Global positioning and e-navigation systems are just two of the latest technological developments which have been introduced.

All a far cry from the oil lamps in the original lighthouses, but all still designed to ensure the safety of shipping and the well-being of seafarers.

Peter’s talk was of particular interest as Faversham is so close to the sea and the busy Thames estuary.