Who Are We?
Our
President is Rob McGraw..
This year Rob intends to concentrate, as requested by the Rotary International
President,on children's needs both at home and abroad. He is loking forward
to the AIRSHOW weekend which he and his committee have been planning for the
past twelve months. He will be taking part in this year's AM?AM and will support
the planning of one in 2009. His particular charities which he is inviting
the club to support are Alzheimers Society, the Great North Air Ambulance and
Prostate Cancer. He proposes to involve four local clubs in a venture to bring
our five clubs together during the year in a concerted effort to work together..
He is to introduce to the club, through our Sectretary John Newberry, a weekly
email base newsletter with details of each forthcoming meeting therein.
Alan
Katz is our President elect and will follow Rob into office in July 2009.
He and his wife Susan hail from Manchester. Following
a career in accounting
and finance work, Alan remains involved with the profession through research
and examination work. Moving to Windermere in 1990 and semi-retiring in
1997 Alan joined Rotary in 1998 and has developed
particular interests in International Service.They have two daughters.
The club members all serve on one of our five committees - Alan is chairman
of Club Service Committee which is the 'engine room' of the club. In addition,
we have the following four committees:
Pat
Crowfoot is chairman of our Community
Service Committee - Pat has been married to Rachel for
forty five years. They have four married children and ten grandchildren!
Pat has spent his career in the Banking industry with a wide coverage of
experience. The last twenty five years were spent as a specialist director
in the credit card industry responsible for risk and loss prevention. Pat
is a keen walker and sportsman, playing hockey for many years. He joined
Rotary just over a year ago and is enjoying the experience.
David
Matthews joined the club in 1985 and is an architect. He trained and practiced
in London before moving to Windermere in 1973. He is chairman of our International
Service Committee. His father was also a Rotarian. Before retiring,
David played an important role in the Pattinson group of companies and the
Windermere Steamboat Museum as well as maintaining his architectural practice.
David continues to have numerous hobbies including politics, woodturning,
reading, gardening and giving talks on historical subjects.
Mike
Blackledge is our Rotary Foundation Committee chairman.
He has recenyly moved house into Windermere and works a lot of his time in
Manchester where he and his wife Jean, have a flourishing business. One of
Mike's passionate hobbies is biking. He owns a BMW beast and recently completed
a 3000 mile journey into the Jutland area of Denmark with several stops in
between. This particular venture was a Rotary Motor Bike Fellowship tour
and Mike met many other Rotarian bikers from several European countries.
Mike is also taking part in a sponsored cycle ride of 200km to raise funds
for Foundation.
Wilf
Elllis is our Vocational and Youth Committee Chairman.