Ponteland

Their meeting place

Ponteland is a unique club whose average age is 79 and who proudly showcase their 4 members over the age of 90. They were welcoming and hospitable from the moment we walked into the door.

It was one of the few clubs for whom we did our speech before the meal was served. After the presentation, they were an engaging crowd who asked many questions, and we had lively discussion for over half an hour.

The Club's Banner

The Bell

Getting ready for the presentation

Club President presenting Banner to us

Newcastle United Match

This evening we attended our first football match at St. James’ Park.

Lindsay Showing the Colors

The Park

Look at the Crowds!

Some great action

We want a goal!

GOAL!GOAL!GOAL! - Look at the kids going wild

A Friday Lunch

In between classes, we spent some time with Rotarian Burland Jacobs from the Stanley Rotary club. He took us out to lunch and brought Lindsay some beautiful flowers. We spent time discussing the law and British court system vs. the U.S. It was an informative and fun lunch at Eldon Square. When we moved over here this past fall, we had no idea we would meet so many kind and thoughtful individuals.

Middlesbrough

Today my host Rotarian drove me an hour south to the Tees Side area of the North East where I spoke to the Middlesbrough club. The area is home to a number of chemical industries and many of the members had previously been employed as engineers or scientists with the nearby companies.

The First Passenger Railway

High Street

After a busy week, we finished up with a bang at Stockton on Tees. I found out that the first passenger railway in the world left from the old station which is located a few feet from where the Rotary club meets. I also was told that their High Street is the widest in the UK.

Club Settings

We were able to use our powerpoint presentation as part of our speech at Stockton. It was a tasty and entertaining lunch.

Presentation of Stockton Club banner

An Exciting Trip to Durham!

Near the entrance

Rotarian Ian picked us up from the train station in Durham on Thursday and became our guide for the afternoon. As we walked around town, he pointed out sights and gave us short history lessons on the area and town.

He arranged for a guided visit of the Durham Cathedral, led by a District Rotarian. In the Cathedral, we saw the eternal flame placed about Bede’s tomb. The eternal flame was placed by the Durham Rotary club last year. We were given guided explanations of “nooks and crannies” that most visitors could likely miss. We also saw the place where the remains of St. Cuthbert were laid to rest. It was very informative and fun.


On a less historical note, there are a few Harry Potter sights at Durham Cathedral as well. Below are some pictures of the cloister area where scenes were filmed, as well as Lindsay standing by a fire hydrant that was covered up for some shots.


We then took a tour of the city along the river and had a spectacular view of the castle and cathedral.



Ian invited us into his home for tea and biscuits. We met his wife who is also a Rotarian in the Durham Elvet club. Following a wonderful afternoon, we enjoyed a lively and informal Rotary meeting. We made our presentation to the group, and they asked many questions. After our speech, we attended a special dinner hosted by several of the area clubs.

Meeting Area

Presentation of Durham Picture by Club Officer
It was then back to the train station for a short ride home. It was a fabulous day spent in Durham.