Our District Chairman - Deirdre Griffin

Friends,

This exceptional year is drawing to a close.   And so, hopefully, are the tight restraints imposed by Covid.  Spring is in the air.  The trees are coming into leaf.  The plants (and the weeds) are preparing for their season in the sun.

I am sure you are all looking forward to the sunshine and its warmth, as well as getting together again.  I know you have all been keeping in touch with one another somehow over the last months.  Suddenly we can have a face to face meeting.  Are we really ready for that?  I think that is going to be a strange experience, and  some of us are going to be a little wary at first.  Start meeting, and going to meetings, when you are ready to do so.

My year as District Chairman is also drawing to a close.  I have just Watton and Stowmarket special events to come;  not forgetting of course our DCM and AGM in June. Then I happily hand over the mantle to Coral.  I know you will give her your every support.  She has had a long time to wait to take over the reins.

The highlights of our Inner Wheel year should have been our own Conference and the Convention.  Alas both were impossible face to face.  So instead in April I attended our Association AGM and the Jaipur Convention – virtually.

Our AGM went very smoothly. The four proposals were all carried.  Please see the 2021 AGM minutes for the results.  The minutes were circulated to all clubs on 19 April.  

The Jaipur Convention was well managed.  Over 4000 attended, including a handful of our own members.  You could take virtual tours of Indian cities;  enjoy ethnic dancing from many countries; hear about projects clubs were involved in; spend money in the market. 

The two days of business meetings were a little bit long.  I was in front of a computer screen for at least 13 hours over the two days.  There were very few breaks, not even for lunch.  We had one or two technical glitches, but that is hardly surprising with people joining in, in large numbers, from all over the Inner Wheel world.  Also, this was the first time IIW had tackled anything like this before, and at relatively short notice.  The Conference Committee were complimented for their hard work.

Voting was easy and went smoothly.  A summary of the outcomes of the proposals and general motions are here on the website.  There were no surprising outcomes, but I recommend you to have a look for yourselves. Results

You may already have heard of the result of the bidding for the 2024 Convention.  Manchester!  Where it all began.  I do hope many of you will attend.  Convention is quite an experience, far more enjoyable in reality than virtually.  And there will be no need for queuing at airports.

Well, with that, I am signing off.  I’m looking forward to seeing you all at our next District meeting, alas online, on 22^nd June.  All papers will be circulated in advance.

In Inner Wheel Friendship,

Deirdre,

District Chairman

May 2021