In the News

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/your/news/4245297.Malaysian_Rotatians_visit_Church_and_Oswaldtwistle/

Our Vocational Study Trip

My last vocational study trip was to Paccar Parts and Leyland Truck Assembly. Mr. Peter Zak, the Logistics Director is kind enough to brief me on business models for Paccar Parts and Leyland Truck Assembly. I am impressed by the scale of Paccar Parts Warehouse and its operation. Of course, the big WOW would be the truck assembly line. For the first time, I was exposed to the truck assembly line and it is HUGE.

Torotrak Ltd. specialized in traction-related R&D. It owns R&D and testing center that are sophisticated. I was impressed by the sophistication of equipment and investment spent as explained by Mr. Phil Winter. It opens my eyes on world of R&D.

You can find the enterpreneur spirit in Alan Myerscough which he started his automotive career 25 years ago. His achievement been ownership of Ford Sales and Service. Surely, he had come a long way.

Talk about James Bond, BMW would come to your mind. My next vocational study was to Lloyd BMW. Lloyd is a family business which is strongly positioned in Cumbria. It has branches elsewhere in UK too. It owns several luxury flagships. The General Sales Manager - Craig greeted me with sunshine smile. And I learnt some practices that are out-of-the-box from the management team. I find the ideas useful and will share with my colleagues later.

Toyota - the world famous brand. I was greeted by host who later introduced me and Dave to the manager. We were impressed by the nicely done showrooom in par to high standard (gamestation obviously attracted my attention). Dave and I had test drive session together.

As I stepped into MultiPart Solutions Private Limited, the Managing Director - Chris welcomed me to the conference room. Wow! Could you imagaine MD welcoming you for the visit. I am honoured. MultiPart is 4th Party Logistics company specialized in commercial and defence parts. Lately, they expanded MSys Database as an value-added or outsource services to customers from water industry to vehicle industry. What a wonderful visit as I was impressed by the scale and scope of its business! As in the photo, I was amazed by few storeys parts storage, combi-trucks, lean lift, etc. Could you imagine they deliver small item such as nuts to big item such as head of the truck!

Our Host Family

7th host family - Sheila and David Spiller from RC Church & Oswaldtwistle. Sob..sob.. my last English breakfast served with hot plates. How I wish the stay will extend longer.

6th host family - Ron and Sandra Marshall from RC Blackpool South. We had feast in Malaysia way - fantastic way to cure homesick.. And I had my first radio interview experience too.

5th host family - Elizabeth and Mike Hall from RC Ulverston. Bus stop look-alike backyard and the breeze is refreshingingly cool. An ideal place for forty winks.

4th host family - Caroline & Ellis from RC Carlisle. Ellis could cook very well and Caroline with her Apple Crump.. yummy. They never fail to catch Dancing on Ice show.

3rd host family (Louise & Dave King) from RC West Lakeland. Warm and caring couple. We also had guest among us. Could you spot who she is? And I love the Bob Hall songs they were playing.

2nd host family (Carol & Howard Jackson) from RC Preston Amounderness. Jovial and lively :) Mind you! He drives Saab Convertible like James Bond... whoosh...

1st host family for Cheong (John & Joan Lucas) from RC Chorley Astley. Aren't they lovely couple.. First host family that greeted me.

Dove Cottage & William Wordsworth

This is the residence of William Wordsworth - Dove Cottage. This place inspired some wonderful masterpiece of poems that he wrote.

Daffodils
by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Rotary District 1190 Conference @ Leeds

Day 1 - Opening Session

The spectacular & imposing Leeds Town Hall, where the conference was held from 6th-8th March 2009





The fantastical ornate interior





The Conference was officiated by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, the conferance Chairman Ron Bailey and District Governor Tony Parrini.



After Dinner, the team headed back to the Town Hall for an enjoyable evening with performance by the Royal Marines Band Concert. They played classical band favourites ranging from the Marines tunes, to the Big Jazz Band and Pub Songs :)





The happy team w GSE Co-Od Richard Bird



The smiles are hiding the fact that everyone but Richard was worried and anxious about the next day's presentation :)

Day 2 - It's Showtime!

After 4 hours of sleep, the team woke up bright and early and headed over for rehearsals.



Rehearsing on the front steps since the hall wasn't open at 8am :)



DG Tony Parrini introduced the GSE team and welcomed us warmly :)


*performance pictures witheld for security reasons*

The presentation went well *phew* however.... the joget performance........ was...... scary :)



The conference adjourned for the day before lunch and the team set out to wreck havoc in Leeds City!!!!








The evening's Gala Black Tie dinner was held at the Royal Amouries Museum, which was a fabulous place. It felt special to enter such a grand museum after official closing hours.

Battle scences were re-enacted especially for the guests.



Or more for my benefit... ;)



It was magical, exploring the museum at night.





We had to be dragged away from the musuem exhibits as the dinner bell was rung by the 'town crier' (see if you can spot him)



Fellowship





The food, great fellowship and wine brought out the Party Animals!!!

*WARNING- adult content ahead*



A little bit of OK Magazine influence coming right up!!



Tsk tsk tsk...... a scandalous way for a Team Leader and a GSE Co-Od to behave ;) (no names mentioned)







We danced and we partied the night away, or at least until the Museum authorities threw us out and we limped home w very very sore feet.



:)

Day 3

The conference started out w a Multi Faith service of which Jamie was given the priviledge to share a something from a Buddhist quote.

*personal excerp from Jamie*

I am most honored to be given the opportunity to share my faith in Buddhism during the District Rotary Conference of D1190. Personally I find that the session was so beautifully done as it unites 5 of world's great religions i.e. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism but all with the same message. The quote that I shared with the crowd is as follows:-

Quote from Udana Varqa of Buddha saying:
"Jangan Melukai Orang Lain Kelak Nanti Diri Sendiri akan Terluka" (In Malay Language) which means "Hurt not Others with that which Pains Yourself."



One of the speakers that planted seeds of inspiration in the listeners that day was Gary Skyner. Gary is a Motivational and Diversity speaker who uses humour to talk about how he has overcome the challenges presented to him in his life as the second Thalidomide victim in this country.



Congratulations to the organizing committee on a succesful conferance. The team will treasure the weekend in Leeds forever.

Yellow Cruise on 9 March

As we set ourselves out for Bowness, GSE team and Dave (PE from RC West Lakeland cum tour guide) were excited over the Yellow Cruise. The magnificent view of Bowness is ooh..lah..lah.

What a BEAUTIFUL view in Bowness! Don't you want to be there with us too? I am sure you would like to.