Good Afternoon all

My name is Lance Erasmus I am your area chairman for this year and I am hoping to visit all tables in area 54 befor the year is out to introduce myself and put in acouple of proposals, I have requested that a mailing list is put together for table chairmen in are 54 for two reasons. One so that you can all freely e-mail ideas or queries that you may have or if you need support in any way be it numbers at an event or a question you may have regarding round table please Copy in exec@area54.org.uk just so we know what is happening out there. I would like you all to email me you house and program so I can start filling my diary where possible to make to your events, I will be sending a message to all members in Area 54 to introduce myself and to lay out some ideas and give details of forthcoming area events etc etc

I look forward to meeting you all

I know that this early in the year all details of you executive may not be upto date please try update your details on the area 54 website

Yours in Table

Lance

http://lists.area54.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/table.members for anyone

By way of introduction my name is Tom Roche and I was a very active Round Tabler in Amersham (504) for over ten years (during which time I was awarded the diamond badge for introducing more than ten new members into Round Table) and was proudly Vice Chairman in 1999, Chairman in 2000 and returned a couple of years later as President.

 Yes you have guessed it I want something……………. I am 50 this year and to mark the occasion I have considered many things, from climbing the three peaks to the London , Dublin or New York Marathon, swimming the channel or just popping down the pub !

 After much detailed research thought and consideration a few friends (hopefully including Steve Isherwood another retired Round Tabler) and I have decided to raise enough money to radically change the lives of over 500 people by providing access to fresh water for a village in Africa .

 We are going to raise the money by completing a sponsored cycle of 400km (the distance between London and Newcastle upon Tyne) over a six day period in South Africa . My friends and I will be paying for all our own costs ensuring all money raised will go straight into buying and installing the PlayPump Water System in a rural African school.

 The idea is a very simple one …”As children spin and play on the new roundabout, fresh clean water is pumped from deep underground into a storage tank and then to taps. Four billboard spaces surround the tank and are used for a combination of advertising (see the Fujitsu sign) the revenue from which is used to fund maintenance and guarantee sustainability and for powerful public education messages. This simple idea is changing the lives of thousands of African people”. 

   I recognise many local Tables are asked for all sorts of donations but as this is such a worthy one that will have such a positive impact on so many lives I really do feel it is worth supporting.

 Thanks in anticipation

Finishing the Cornwall Duchy Marathon

Now a third of the way into his 12 Marathons in 12 Months challenge, Jeff Carter is still hard at work maintaining his fitness for the nine remaining marathons left on the schedule. Next on the list is Stratford for the Rotary Club Shakespeare Marathon followed by the Edinburgh Marathon in May.

As always, donations are most welcome to any of the causes he is supporting and you can do so while reading about his latest exploits on his website http://12m12m.com or follow him on Twitter as jeffcarteruk.

In addition, Jeff would be more than happy to fill a speaker evening on his exploits when the challenge is complete so feel free to contact him on jeff@12m12m.com

That time has come.  Potentially the very last beer festival run by Hitchin RT and North Herts CAMRA.  

On Friday 12th and Saturday 13th March Hitchin RT and North Herts CAMRA will be providing much needed refreshment in the form of our annual beer festival.  Last year was an absolutely stonking event… we stupidy managed to run out of beer early on Saturday afternoon.

This year we can assure you that this will not happen again.  Firstly we are ordering in 20% more beer than last year, that is going to be 70+ British ales, beers and stouts in addition to foreign lagers and of course the ever popular ciders and perrys.

Entry is free to Round Tablers if you bring proof of membership/badge/top etc.

The event raised over £11k last year despite running out of stock – this is split between Hitchin RT and CAMRA.

We have a posse of Swedish tablers joining from our sister table Nassjo so we need a bit of protection – please come!

Those outside of the locality will not know about the long raging debate about the future of Hitchin’s Town Hall, our venue.  The vote on its future takes please shortly after the festival. There is a great possibility that this is going to be the last festival.  Please come along to make it a good one.

REEF TELEVISION ARE FILMING THE SALE FOR ‘TRASH TO CASH’ ON BBC ONE

HALF OF THE PROCEEDS FROM ANYTHING SOLD WILL BE DONATED TO

Round Table India Project “Building Girls Toilets at Schools” To help them remain in education

Hope to see you there!

Just to let you know that Colin and I have agreed to take part in a BBC Programme Trash for Cash.  

The deal on the Show is that proceeds of disposing of our excess stuff is divided between us and a charity of our choice, we are hoping to raise enough money to build a toilet block at a girls school in India. This is not an impossible task as it only costs £600 to build a toilet block.

The toilet block will be built by Round Table and Ladies Circle in India so I know all the money we raise will be spent in Building materials and local Labour  – nothing will evaporate in administration.

I have been heavily involved in this Project for 2 years and so far Ladies Circle international have raised enough money to build 120 toilet blocks, and talking to the local people in India  one school has had 50 Girls return to education since the toilet block has been built, this makes such a difference to these girls, Please if you are able join us at the house sale we would love to see you. 

Thanks Again

Chris and Colin

Jeff Carter, former member of Bushey & Oxhey Round Table 691 is planning to run a Marathon every month in 2010 to raise money for several very worthy causes. His website is already live at http://12m12m.com where you can donate directly on-line.

Please consider supporting this insane valiant effort!

Welcome to the new Area 54 Website

As you can see, we’ve tidied things up a bit! Shortly we will be posting information on forthcoming Area events and stuff we’ve been up to. If you have any suggestions for content or would like to submit an article for publication please get in touch.

YiT

Jon Morby - Area 54 Chairman