8th January – A smaller-than-usual number of us, met on a cold night with flurries of snow. We considered a few items of business, and shared details of the varied range of events, both social and fundraising, that we have in the early months of 2024 – see our website at shaftesburyrotaryclub.org
As an alternative to having a speaker, we enjoyed a social meeting and even shared our worst Christmas cracker jokes. There were a few that were genuinely funny!
18th January – Rotary Young Chef. Shaftesbury School kindly hosted the annual Young Chef competition organized by Shaftesbury Rotary to allow the students to demonstrate their skills. The winners, Rose & Freddie, now have the option to go forth to compete at the District Competition.
President Peter Sale and judge, Liz Bailey of Beautiful Buffets, sampled the dishes to decide the winner. The students were limited to a budget of £18 and had two hours from start to finish to prepare and present their dishes. We wish the contestants well in the next round and their future.
22nd January – Business Meeting. Our monthly meeting to discuss Club business and upcoming events such as the Youth Speaks competition, Town Talk, Wine Tasting, the Easter Fun Run, and the North Dorset Cycle Ride, to name a few.
27th January – BURNS NIGHT. A sell-out joint evening organized by Shaftesbury Rotary and Freemasons was held at The Heritage Suite in Bell Street. Almost 70 donned our tartan and met to celebrate the evening. An excellent piper welcomed us for the evening with Richard Shean as our MC. David Wynn-Mackenzie made a faultless address to the haggis with full Scottish vigour and drama. We enjoyed a three-course traditional Burns meal prepared by the Beautiful Buffets team, followed by the traditional speeches and laddies/lassies addresses delivered by President Peter, David Kerswell, and Hazel Kerr. After singing the traditional Auld Lang Syne accompanied by pipes, the Sturminstrels played us through to the end of what we all agreed had been a very successful joint event. A raffle held in aid of local causes raised an amazing £400.

