Intermediate Youth Speaks competition on 22nd at BS College. 2 teams from TBSHS, 2 from H & E, and 1 from BSC competed for the trophy. Judges Rosie Howatson (Chair), Polly Mead and Nick Hyde. Winners - TBSHS Year Y8 Team on subject - The Magic Numbers. bsrotary.org

Santa and his elf doing their bit for our Christmas collections, at Tesco Bishop’s Park. If you see them, do make them smile by adding to the weight of their buckets,so we can buy vouchers to make Christmas a little brighter for local families who are struggling to make ends meet

Excellent day’s work at Waitrose by members of the Hockerill Anglo-European College Interact Club, who, for a donation towards our Christmas Collections, asked customers if they would like to have their shopping packed. We are grateful to Waitrose for allowing us the opportunity

Today it’s the turn of TBSHS Interact Club to offer bag packing at Waitrose, with the usual support of teacher Simon Etheridge. They are obviously enjoying their work and supporting Rotary Christmas Collections at the same time. Visit bsrotary.org

Great effort from Hockerill Anglo European College Interact Club just before Christmas. They filled around 50 shoeboxes - split 2/3 male and 1/3 female - with toiletries and warm hats and gloves - a Christmas gift for Bishop’s Stortford homeless.

Our speaker last Monday was Kate Turner from The Bish, a splendid new, high spec magazine, full of articles of local interest, available free of charge in many retail outlets in the town. Her talk was most interesting and we shall look out for future issues with enthusiasm.

Our annual Interschools Quiz took place last Monday evening at BS College, with 8 Teams from 7 local schools. The winners were from BS College with runners up from The Bishop’s Stortford High School. Both teams can be seen in the photos below, with Joint President Hugo Richardson

You’re invited to our speaker meeting on 29th April – 7.15 for 7.45 pm - Great Hadham Golf Club, SG10 6JE, Ticket price, to include dinner - £25. Speaker Andy Halliday. More about Andy at cleartrackperformance.co.uk/staff/andy-hal… To book plus details on how to pay contact [email protected]

Annual Golf Day at Great Hadham Golf Club on 11th May with 13 teams participating. In the evening, a Charity Auction following dinner. The day raised around £7000, which will all be put to very good use. Winners - Lever and Co. Runners up - Barrow LLP bsrotary.org.

Presidents’ Night:Great Hadham Golf Club on 15th June to honour Bernie Cotton, Richard Hartley and Hugo Richardson, Joint Presidents.Former member, Peter Amos, toasted the Club - Richard Hartley responded. Hugo Richardson toasted the guests - David Wilde responded. MC, David Earl

Rotary Young Chef competition held on 20 June at Birchwood School. 10 teams from local secondary schools. Junior winners - Birchwood High School. Intermediate winners - Herts and Essex HS. Yoanna Wu crowned Rotary Young Chef 2024 and will proceed to District round in 2025.

Monday 1st July was the first day of the new Rotary year and when the new President takes office. This year two of last year’s trio will be continuing - Hugo Richardson and Richard Hartley. Hugo represented both on Monday, when he accepted the chain of office from Bernie Cotton.

Paul Winspear, Editor of BS Indie, spoke at our 5th Monday evening meeting on 29th July. He gave an excellent resume of his career to date, and elaborated on the vagaries of running a local paper today, prompting many appreciative questions.The Indie is a great asset to the town!

Sarah Kerr and Paula Hewlett from Hummingbirds Cancer Support, whose work for cancer sufferers and their carers the Club keenly supports, updated us on 16 September and were presented with a cheque by David Green. For more info on the club visit bsrotary.org.

Jo Sides,founder of the Welbeloved Club,was our speaker last Monday.Her Club provides lunch once a month to 100+ lonely single guests over the age of 65 in the Memorial Hall, Sawbridgeworth.Pres. Richard Hartley presented Jo with a cheque from our Club. bsrotary.org

Youth Technology - Birchwood School, 12 Nov. Task to design/construct Dragster using STEM construction kit. Birchwood made first clean sweep ever. Judges Colin Butler, Richard Roscoe Duncan Forbes, Chief Judge, John Barfoot. bsrotary.org.

Rotary Youth Speaks competition on last two Monday evenings at Bishop’s Stortford College. 7 Senior teams. Winners - BS High School . 6 Intermediate teams. Winners - BS College. Judges - Rosie Howatson, Polly Mead, Nick Hyde. bsrotary.org.