As president for the year 2009/10 It is my pleasure to welcome you the the Jedburgh Rotary club website.

It has been an interesting start to the year, with the concepts of another committee to take over from the traditional ones.

 On thinking about this, I decided to retain most of the original committees, but to look also at the various activities which have sprung up within the club over the past few years. 

What I want to see this year is for these ideas to be developed as well, but to keep the ownership of them strictly in the hands of those who voiced them at first. I hope to encourage those individuals to take these ideas forward this next year or two, but to be free to co-opt anyone in the club, on a permanent or temporary basis, to help. I also hope the club members will be receptive to this, somewhat fluid, arrangement. 

I see my role this year as trying to act as an emollient (my medical background, I’m afraid) in bringing about a smooth progression of the club’s activities. 

In addition, I thought it would be interesting if members could choose the committees they wished to serve in, and for convenors to offer their services as well. This has happened and the results are positive, and will, I feel, be of benefit to the club this year.

 So, I ask the committees, have a program, of whatever you wish, but also look at the various ideas around the club, and see what your committee can do to be of help, whether or not it lies strictly within your committee’s remit. We will also have to keep in mind the zone project of two dialysis machines, which is now gathering pace. 

Finally, remember that ‘form follows function’,   ie, we alter the system to help us achieve our goals, rather than having the system dictate our goals to us.