| While Covid-19 prevented new club President John Hudson from outlining his plans for the year ahead at the official handover meeting, he was able to make his incoming president’s address at a zoom meeting of the club council a couple of days later. His speech is reproduced in full below: “As incoming President, I’d like to briefly outline some of the ideas and projects I have in mind for the year ahead. “It has been agreed by the four incoming presidents in Maidenhead that we will re-instate the Presidents’ Quarterly Meetings, the first of which will be held in August. The intention is to build on the existing co-operation and contact between all four clubs, and to present a ‘Rotary in Maidenhead’ image to the public. “Via Club Council I would like to undertake a review of some of our club’s procedures and policies which may have remained unchanged for many years. If a simpler or more straightforward way can be found to do something, I think we should at least try it out. “At the President Elect’s training course I went to in March, we were encouraged to engage our clubs more with local community groups. I am therefore planning to approach the Maidenhead Sikh Temple, the Mosque, and the Synagogue, both in terms of trying to recruit new members, but also to explore any common ground and opportunities for co-operation with these groups. “Finally, a project that I am passionate about is the funding of a new toilet block for a rural primary school in Mazowe, in Zimbabwe. It has been a very slow process getting quotes for all the materials and services required, but this is finally coming together, bearing in mind that things happen at a very different pace in Africa. |  “The intention is to apply for a Global Grant from the Rotary Foundation via our District, who have been very encouraging and supportive about this project. “I will always be available for a chat over the phone, or to meet for coffee if any of our members have any issues or grievances they wish to discuss. I very soon learnt in the civil engineering and construction industry, initially working with an Irish, and later, a Scottish labour force, that issues or differences are best dealt with and resolved at an early stage, and that will be my approach as President. “I am very much looking forward to a challenging and busy year ahead as your President.” John Hudson President Maidenhead Rotary Club |
New President John Hudson, and Vice President Matthew Burdett