Tabler Magazine Summer 2024

BRAINS TO CONSCIOUSNESS The humanity-enhancing potential of Artificial Intelligence, and navigating its downsides, are explored by AI expert Dr. Daniel Hulme, Satalia CEO, WPP Chief AI Officer and Founder of Conscium.

IS HOLLYWOOD QUALITY CONTENT NOW ACCESSIBLE TO ALL? This month’s tech focus is on the pioneering Distortion Studios.

Summer 2024

www.roundtable.co.uk

TABLER

FROM BUMBLEBEE

CONTENTS From the President..................................................... 4 From the Events Officer............................................. 6 Workshops................................................................... 7 New Brand Guidelines............................................... 8

TABLE NEWS Orchard Initiative....................................................... 11 Legal Message............................................................ 12 Charity Horse Racing Night...................................... 13 Charity Record............................................................ 14 High Tiddle.................................................................. 16

INSPIRING STORIES

FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the summer edition of Tabler Magazine.

My first as editor and it’s jam packed with stories from Tables and Tablers up and down the country. Thank you all for your submissions!

2024 has kicked off with a real buzz, with tales of success from the membership workshops to the fantastic news that RTBI has seen growth for the first time in a long while. Things that wouldn’t happen without the motivation and dedication from all of you as Tablers, so well done!

In this edition Steve Eccles the new National President reflects on the year leading up to taking the reigns and guides us through the board’s plan to drive membership growth and diversity with the 3 year plan. We have details of the up coming membership workshops and a breakdown of the latest brand guidelines. All tools designed to help your table thrive.

You’ll notice we’ve gone AI heavy in the summer edition.

With generative AI moving at such a fast pace you’ll soon be left behind if you don’t start experimenting soon! On page 29 I’ve set out some helpful hints and tips to leverage if for use with Round Table. And on page 28 Tom Hall examines the threat of the AI job cull.

Rob Rob Menown Chelmsford 132 National Comms Officer

AT YOUR LEISURE Gadget Season...........................................................25 Music Review.............................................................. 26 Artificial Intelligence..................................................28 Guide to AI.................................................................. 29

HEALTH & WELLBEING Climbing against Adversity...................................... 31 Novelty Football Kits................................................. 32 Past President............................................................34

INTERNATIONAL TABLING Dream Trip to Nepal..................................................36 South Africa Rocks..................................................... 39 RT Travel Funding.......................................................40

Round Table Family Ladies Circle................................................................ 42 XRT & 41 Club.............................................................43

EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR & NATIONAL COMMS OFFICER Rob Menown Chelmsford 132 media@roundtable.org.uk DEPUTY EDITOR Tom Hall (www.newwordorder.co.uk) DESIGNER Clare Ferris (clar3ferris@gmail.com)

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As ever I hope you enjoy this summer issue. I look forward to receiving all your submissions for the next episode!

Steve Garratt.............................................................. 19 Daniel Hulme.............................................................. 21

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I made a commitment to develop a longer term plan for modernising our culture without losing our character, to make sure we look relevant and attract the next generation of Tablers.

At the start of the year, I adopted the tagline ‘Transform Tradition and Empower Change’, and made the commitment to members to work hard in my VP year to: • Reflect on how Tables are ‘Adopting, Adapting and Improving’ and review whether Tables are genuinely following the aims and objects that all members signed up to.

• Start direct conversations with members on how they see the future of RTBI, through a combination of; talking to members; social media engagement; and working with the National Council.

A BLUEPRINT FOR EXPANDING MEMBERSHIP NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF RTBI STEVE ECCLES OUTLINES HIS VISION FOR A FLOURISHING ROUND TABLE Just over a year ago I stood for election to be the next National President of RTBI, partly out of a love of Table and the impact it has had on my life, and partly out of frustration. Frustration that we had seen a steady membership decline, and despite many boards trying to sugar coat it whilst working hard to find solutions, the simple fact was that Round Table was slowly dying with more people leaving / ageing out than joining.

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I’d heard National Presidents in the past talk about Round Table being as relevant today as ever, and I truly believe that it is. My concern is to those that haven’t heard of Round Table: does it look relevant?

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Unlike the 1970s when Round Table was at its peak in terms of membership, my belief is that there are so many different things competing for where young men spend their time, and we need to put RTBI in the shop window.

When I was lucky enough to be selected by members, I made a commitment to spend my Vice President’s year engaging with members to understand views and formulate a plan to combat the declining membership.

• Undertake a comprehensive membership survey to understand the current views of Tablers on the opportunities and challenges that we face in growing our membership. One in which over 1,100 members gave their views.

• Review the value of capitation, and explore how we can make the most of the resources that we have at our disposal, including subletting part of Marchesi House to bring in income.

• Explore changes to the brand and brand values to ensure that we are positioned as a modern organisation. These were overwhelmingly supported, and gave RTBI a fresh new look.

• Bring all of these findings together and deliver a 3-year rolling plan for RTBI, which is simple to follow and sets a clear, longerterm strategy for RTBI and future success, and ultimately ensure that we are on the route to make impactful change to RTBI in terms of culture and approach, and ultimately growth.

There was a risk that changing the culture within RTBI would be like changing the direction of an oil tanker, but I was fortunate that there have been a number of highly motivated Tablers that were already starting a project of membership growth, delivering a blueprint that aligned almost perfectly with what I wanted to deliver. This included six membership workshops across the country, with all Tables that attended now on a path to growth.

What this means is that I think we have both delivered some excellent foundations for modernisation, and already hit the ground running in terms of membership growth, with RTBI growing in membership for the first time in a generation, and my hope is that we can carry this momentum into my year as President.

So, plans for next year, to work with the incoming board and deliver more of the same. To deliver on the 3-year plan, and to support Tables at grass roots level, directly engaging and enabling them to thrive. I also want to ensure that we focus on better communication at all levels, whilst not forgetting the importance of diversity and inclusion, to make sure that Tables offer a welcoming and inclusive culture to future members.

In terms of my plans for how I intend to prioritise my time over the course of this year, I want to prioritise rolling up my sleeves

WELCOME

and getting stuck in with members at their socials, community event and business meetings, where I can have direct conversations with members, and I will always try to prioritise attendance at Table events, rather than the more traditional view of a National President spending his time going from charter dinner to charter dinner, as my fundamental view is that this is not where I can have the greatest impact on the future of our amazing club.

son. Sadly Anthony couldn’t be saved, but the legacy now results in the charity helping to save four lives per day.

If you have an event coming up, send a request via my website (www. steveeccles.co.uk) and I’ll try to be there.

So how can we help in their 50th Year.

There is no presidential brand this year. As far as I’m concerned, Round Table is our brand and we need to be consistent in our external messaging.

We’ve had some great presidential themes in recent years, but my feeling is that whilst they can have a huge impact over the course of a year, they have often overpowered the RTBI brand. We need to have consistency in our message at a national level if we are going to be successful in the longer term.

But I am going to have a charity this year, as I think this is an area which can bring together Tables and Tablers across the country with a common goal, and we’ve seen that over the last year with Chris Bush’s partnership with the Air Ambulance.

So this year, I am going to be working with the Anthony Nolan Trust.

Anthony Nolan is focused on saving the lives of those with blood cancer or blood disorders. They were set up in 1974 by Shirley Nolan who established a stem cell register to save her young

30.

They also fundraise to invest in research and supporting patients and families.

• We can fundraise…. It costs Anthony Nolan £40 to add someone to the register, so if every member raised £40 we could help add around 3,000 people to the

I MADE A COMMITMENT TO DEVELOP A LONGER TERM PLAN FOR MODERNISING OUR CULTURE. register.

• We could help grow the register, either by joining directly, or getting trained up and recruiting locally in your communities. As I said before, young men make up the majority of donors but make up a small proportion of the register.

• We can also raise awareness. The one thing that we have is a network of social media pages that directly tap into local communities, and this can be really powerful in raising local awareness.

And there will be a fundraiser to raise money for Anthony Nolan.

I’m not having a ball as such, no black tie or sit down dinner, I’m just having a big party in a barn in Essex, live bands,

So what’s the target?

It’s the 50th anniversary of Anthony Nolan, so it would be lovely to set a big target of say £500,000. Yet, we know we have many calls on our time and we never know what other priorities can crop up.

So, I’m setting us a target whereby for each member of Table we cover the cost for Anthony Nolan to recruit another person onto the register. £120,000 – that’s £40 per member – around £500 per Table.

And, given that Anthony Nolan needs to increase the number of young men (age 16-30) I would like to get 20 Table members to sign up and get themselves trained as ‘recruiters’ to help get people signed up onto the register in their Region (1 per region?)

We have 285 social media accounts – you can make a real difference in helping Anthony Nolan reach out into your community to recruit new members for the register and help them raise funds.

So I really hope we can collectively get behind Anthony Nolan this year.

So, that’s my plans for this year, and I truly hope that by working together we can #DoMore to put Round Table on the front foot as we head towards our 100th year.

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I’m sure that many people will be aware of the long-standing relationship that the RT Family has had with Anthony Nolan, and this year the trust is celebrating its 50th Year, so it seemed like the perfect chance to rebuild our support for such an important charity.

They are focused on growing their stem cell register from 900,000 to 1,000,000 in 2027, and have a huge shortage of male donors between 16-

gourmet street food and festival glam…. Plus a few surprises. It’s just going to be a proper Table knees up!

And hopefully we can raise some money for Anthony Nolan.

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The Woodland Games 2 12th-14th July Round Table Rocks 8th June And many many more...

Nationally, we have some great events lined up for you this year, with NSW The US Games already sold out, it’s going to be an incredible event and I can’t wait to see you guys there. I’ve already got my party bus booked!

Make sure you grab your tickets for NSW 2025 as soon as they come on sale as they are sure to sell out fast!

Don’t forget tickets are also on sale for:

OPEN YOUR DIARIES… DAN ROBERTSON, ROUNDTABLE’S NATIONAL EVENTS OFFICER Hi all, I hope you are all settling into the new Table year and are busy planning some fantastic events for 24/25.

There have already been some cracking events including: •

The Spalding Fest

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Ilfracombe Beer Festival

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Shirley Beer Festival

•

Bourne Festival

Coming up we have: The North Wirral Round Table Beer Festival 27th-30th June

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Diss Round Table Beer Festival 19th-20th July

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Ringwood and District British Pedal Car Grand Prix 7th July Hastings Beer and Music Festival 4th-6th July Brackley Round Table Beer Festival 27th July Aylsham Beer and Gin Festival 19th and 20th July Skinflint Rally 19th-22nd September

Prez Fest 15th March 25: Join National President Steve Eccles and raise some money for a great cause, The Anthony Nolan Fund.

Expect a great line-up of live music and entertainment, grab a bite to eat at our street food theatre, and be prepared for a few surprises they have hidden up their sleeves.

Back to Cardiff RTBI AGM 9-11 May 2025 A Back to The Future themed weekend where the party is only interrupted for our Saturday morning AGM, even then we can’t promise that Hoverboards will be absent!

A Friday night Doc Brown’s neon party followed by 1955s Enchantment Under the Sea Dance on the Saturday evening.

Please remember to contact events@roundtable.org.uk to let me know what you guys are getting up to so we spread the word about the amazing events going on (and so I can gatecrash some of them!)

YIT Dan Robertson National Events Officer

WELCOME

and your fellow Tablers are getting the most enjoyment out of your Table experience. Bringing Tablers together in an exciting, interactive, and informative forum which will concentrate on:

TABLER NEEDS YOU...

ONE WEEKEND TO CHANGE IT ALL. •

Tired of disengaged Tablers not turning up to the events you run?

•

Not sure what value Table has for you?

•

Struggling to run fundraising events due to low numbers of volunteers?

•

Social media have you confused or worried about posting?

•

All of the above?

Are you ready to tackle these challenges head-on and unlock the full potential of your Tabler experience?

Then the Chairman and Vice Workshops may just be the weekend you need!

Who can attend?

Chairman and Vice Chairman are offered first refusal on the two positions open to every Club in RTGBI. However, we have opened these weekends to empower any Tabler who wants a better Table experience.

The workshops focus on making your club more attractive to new members and ensuring you

How to make your social media presence effective and appeal to the new members.

•

Programme and social ideas. Exciting, vibrant and inviting activities are the product we sell to our prospective and current members.

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Successes and pitfalls we have experienced while helping the 100 clubs we have so far coached across the UK.

The workshop will be followed with some downtime – then a ‘’Table night’’ activity, a group dinner, and a social night out getting to know other guys in the same boat as you.

Sunday – after checkout, we will have a brunch ‘’leadership workshop’’. This will be focused entirely on Table roles, and how to thrive in them. We aim to make this a valuable session to help you achieve the best year possible as chairman and prepare vice chairman for the following year.

We will also cover the basics from how to chair a meeting and the importance of setting a direction/goals, right through what the roles and responsibilities are within a club, and how to delegate effectively.

You can find registration information on Tabler World via the below links Harrogate Workshop Registration Bristol Workshop Registration Armagh Workshop Registration Wrexham Workshop Registration Registration for the rest will open in due course keep an eye out for announcements via email.

We look forward to having you all attend. Cheers to learning, growing, and thriving as leaders of your Table.

Yours in Table The Programme and Membership Committee

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Join us for a weekend full of valuable insights, practical solutions, and meaningful connections. It’s time to reignite engagement, maximise value, boost event attendance, and conquer social media with confidence. Don’t miss out—reserve your spot now and take the first step toward membership growth and success!

•

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WHO ARE WE?

BRAND GUIDELINES in & Ireland

Round Table Great Brita Spring 2024 V 1.0

MOVING THE BRAND FORWARD ROUND TABLE’S NEW BRAND GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN UNVEILED, HELPING TABLERS PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD IN WHATEVER WE DO

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Welcome to the new era of Round Table Great Britain & Ireland! The guidelines equip you with the tools to ensure every interaction, online and off, reflects our dynamic spirit. We’ve modernised our visual identity, with a sleek new logo that celebrates our legacy while embracing a bold future.

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Our iconic “Do More” tagline remains the cornerstone of our purpose, empowering us to continue positively impacting the world. Let’s leverage these guidelines to ensure every word we share, and every image we display keeps the Round Table conversation vibrant, uniquely ours, and resonating with a modern audience.

We listened to our members. This brand update, and the new guidelines, are based on what Tablers told us in surveys, workshops, and forum discussions.

The membership survey results clearly showed that Tablers wanted us to move forward with these changes. It is believed a new look for the association will help us grow, keep more members involved, and

18-45, ent of young ordinary guys, aged Round Table is a worldwide movem going on an Whether it be trying a new sport, who get together to DO MORE. have fun, make to aim we nities, commu our adventure, or raising money for friends, and live life to the fullest.

AN EVENTS BASED

CLUB B

A YOUNG MAN’S CLU

RING A FOCUSED ON DELIVE IAL AND PROGRAMME OF SOC COMMUNITY EVENTS

spark discussions about these important topics.

You’ll find everything you need within the new Brand Guidelines to bring the Round Table brand to life. We’ve included access to the official logo in various formats, ensuring consistent application across all platforms.

The updated “Do More” tagline is presented with clear usage guidelines. To jumpstart your content creation, we’ve provided downloadable social media assets, including pre-designed templates for Canva. You’ll also find our approved brand fonts and a selection of high-quality images that embody the Round Table spirit. With these resources at your fingertips, you can create impactful and engaging content that strengthens your Table’s brand and ignites the next chapter of the Round Table story.

Download and view the RTGB&I Brand Guidelines 2024 here The guidelines seek to kick start the first pillars of the 3-Year Board plan, to modernise our image and invest in support for clubs. In the coming weeks, additional social media assets and Canva templates will be released to help Tables transform their online presence into powerful marketing platforms that drive engagement from prospective members and your current members.

TABLER MAGAZINE * SUMMER 2024

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TABLE NEWS

TABLE NEWS

focal point for community activities such as picnics, or as a green haven in which to relax and wind down.

We met with a local Councillor, identified some land that the council would be happy for us to adopt, agreed a way forward on maintaining the plot and easy as that, we had our land.

The next stage, finding out what we should plant? Now, in February/March is the time to plant bare-root fruit trees. It just so happens, B&M and Tesco sell them off for £6 a tree at the same time, bargain! So we bought 10 of these mainstream varieties such as Golden Delicious and Granny Smith.

Being a bit of a nerd though, I went down the rabbit hole of local, heritage varieties. These are harder to come by, and are more expensive, more like £25 a tree. But they are well suited to your local area, so do some research!

ORCHARD INITIATIVE GAINS NATIONAL ATTENTION IT ALL STARTED WITH A MUNDANE QUESTION WHILE WALKING THE STREETS WITH SANTA… What’s your favourite tree?

Mine’s an English Oak, a staple of the countryside, and supports more life than any other native tree in the UK. After doing the rounds, arguing the toss over who’s Favourite Tree is the best, the natural question was: Why don’t we plant some?

I took it on to provide a proposal at our next business meeting.

What is a Community Orchard?

Just as traditional orchards were often the centre of village life and a cornerstone of the rural economy, community orchards are excellent places for people to come together to plant and cultivate local and unusual varieties of fruit trees and to use as the

There are grants and funds available, which we are looking to use in the future, but these require early engagement with the council.

Thatchers Cider also offers 10 free Apple Trees should you be a successful applicant to their Community Orchard Project.

We planted our Orchard up in about 2 hours, had some good craic doing it, and we now have something to look on with pride when walking the dog!

Soon we’ll be making an information board explaining the Orchard, where each different variety is and what they can be used for.

They seem to be doing well, most are in blossom at the moment - so fingers crossed they settle in and we see some apples in a couple years time!

For those of you interested, the varieties we have planted are below!

Mainstream Apple: Cox’s Orange Pippin x 2, Jonogold, Golden Delicious , Granny Smith x 2, Cumbrian/Heritage Apples:, Keswick Codlin, Egremont Russet Autumn Harvest, Bradley’s Beauty, Duke of Devonshire Forty Shillings, Greenup’s Pippin, Ladies Finger of Lancaster, Liddel’s Seedling, Taylor’s Favourite Pear: Conference x 2, Doyenne du Comice x 2 We were really pleased with the public response, especially on social media. The BBC news picked up on the story and featured us highlighting the aim of preserving cumbrian apple varieties.

Marc Needham Maryport RT 292 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-68414670

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We wrote to the council with a proposal of a Community Orchard. The idea being, that we do a bit for local biodiversity, but also something that the public can look forward to using.

All in, to plant 20 trees with guards, stakes, mulch etc it cost us £500. It’s a small amount which will pay its dividends for years to come.

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A SOBERING LEGAL MESSAGE FOR TABLERS WE ALL LOVE ROUND TABLE, RIGHT? AFTER, READING THIS, YOU’LL PROBABLY LOVE IT THAT LITTLE BIT MORE. What I’ve found in my three years in Table is that people don’t seem to understand that local clubs are a club of two parts; the social part and the charity part. I’m writing today about the latter and why Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIO) should be on your radar.

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Picture this: You’ve run the best fireworks display you ever have; record profits; everyone is having a great time and then… Just as the last fireworks finish, everyone about-turns and trundles off, but the entrance they came through is now muddy, and Oh! Mr Bloggs slips and breaks his leg. Mr Bloggs, who isn’t best pleased, is now suing the organisers of Round Table for damages.

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Now, who is he actually suing? Is it Round Table? Is it RTBI? Is it the insurance company? No, it’s YOU personally. You would be personally financially liable. You are the person that will have to defend yourself in a court. But Kyle, I hear you plead, won’t the insurance company cover it? Possibly, but do you want to rely on that? Is it outside of the realms of possibility that the insurance may not cover this claim because of a technicality? Perhaps an out of date risk assessment, or the fact there wasn’t matting put down in that area? I wouldn’t want to

take that chance.

Taking a step back, how can they sue you personally? Most Round Tables are charities that are based on trust deeds. These trust deeds place responsibility on the trustees for the responsibility and actions of the charity. The main reason for this is that they do not have ‘the corporate veil’ whereby there is no separate legal entity.

Enter the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) which came about in 2012. The benefit of this structure is that it is a separate legal entity, which means that is one step removed from you personally, and in general, the organisation will take the brunt of any legal and financial action against it (apart from obvious negligence or fraud). This gives members of Round Table another layer of protection if the worst were to happen. In the case of Mr Bloggs, he’d now be suing the CIO as the responsible party for the fireworks, and broadly speaking, only able to recoup money from the charity.

As a volunteer, and someone who gives up their time for Round Table, I’m sure you’ll agree that you wouldn’t want to be personally financially responsible for the actions of the charity.

What’s more, the CIO can enter contracts in its own right. Last year, I signed a contract for over £25,000 of fireworks. What if a pandemic were to happen and the contract couldn’t be enacted, and you were still on the hook for the payment? Unfortunately, I don’t have £25k sitting down the back of a sofa. Again, the charity would be on the hook for this rather than you personally.

There are two models of CIO, the Foundation, and the Association model. My view is that the former foundation model is most suited to Round Tables across the country. Billericay Round Table has recently opened one of these to enact their charitable activities, to protect our members if the worst were to happen. There are other fringe benefits, and reasons why you should consider this for your organisation, but for me, protection of our members is most important.

I’ve produced some templates and supporting material to try to make this as easy as possible for tables to adopt and adapt to their needs. If you’d like more detail, feel free to contact me at kyle.mcgill@594-gb.roundtable.world or on my mobile on Tabler world.

TABLE NEWS

GIDDY UP TABLERS! RAISE MONEY AND ENJOY HORSE RACING. WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?, SAYS SIDDHARTH SHESHADRI Dublin Round Table 203 organised its second annual Charity Horse Racing Night, a cherished event symbolising our dedication to community support and connection. Over the past two years, this event has raised over €20,000, reflecting our commitment to making a tangible difference.

This year’s spotlight was on My Canine Companion, an organisation we deeply admire for their exceptional support through service dogs. Lyra and Waffles, two charming dogs from the charity, graced our event, adding a special touch to the evening.

The warmth and solidarity were palpable throughout the evening. There was a contagious sense of joy and excitement as guests engaged with the races.

However, the true highlight was the collective spirit of togetherness and the drive to support a worthy cause.

Thanks to the overwhelming support of our community, this year’s event was a resounding

Looking forward, Dublin Round Table is already preparing for next year’s race night, which will be part of our 75th Charter Celebration Weekend. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased via links on our social media pages. https://buytickets. at/roundtabledublin203/11728030

With unwavering dedication and the backing of our community, we are confident in achieving great results once again, continuing our mission of service and fellowship.

YiT Siddharth Sheshadri

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The night saw over 150 guests, including international Tablers, who came together for an evening of joy and unity. The atmosphere was electric as attendees cheered for their favourite horses, but the essence of the event was the camaraderie and shared purpose of raising funds for My Canine Companion.

success. As we moved closer to our fundraising goal, our motivation to continue making a positive impact grew stronger.

We believe that the success of the night left many attendees not only thrilled but also deeply satisfied with their contributions.

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WHAT A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE! ON SUNDAY 21ST APRIL, MEMBERS FROM CLUBS ACROSS THE LAND CAME TOGETHER TO RECORD A CHARITY SONG FOR ROUND TABLE.

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The song, titled ‘Good Times’, was recorded in Studio 3 at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios - the same room where Pink Floyd recorded their ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ album, and where other huge artists such as The Beatles, Amy Winehouse, Nile Rodgers, Liam Gallagher and Stormzy have all recorded. We really fell head first into musical history, but more on that in a minute. So how did we end up in Abbey Road Studios?

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It started with one man’s vision - Sam Iddison (Chelmsford RT132) who, bored with watching the excessive rain we had over the winter out of the window and wondering when he could plant his crops (he’s a farmer), instinctively decided he wanted to become a recording artist.

At its inception, Sam brought together a small committee asking for those with a musical background to step forward. What he got was a few people who said they’d help and that they have a Spotify subscription.

These qualifications would have to do. The proposal was to write, perform, produce, and sell a charity song with the intention of reaching number 1 in the charts. An easy task with 3,000 Tablers nationally. We

found a producer who was up for the job of guiding us through this venture. Once this was in place, the first task was to pick a music genre and write the song.

Genre? Easy! We want pop rock, like We Will Rock You. Next up, write a song. How do you write a song? We had no idea. It was really amusing at first, no one had the first idea of even how to start.

A few months passed and the music producer had put together a music track for us to write the words to. It was good, we liked how it sounded and this inspired us to put the energy into getting something down on paper.

I had a go and soon realised that it was really hard - I mean brain blank hard. We had an idea, but what is a good way to get something down on paper, just to get something started, set out correctly and looking like a song?

We could ask the music producer and lose ownership of the song (emotionally, not commercially), search high and low within the Table membership, or try AI. No one came forward, so we chose Chat GPT. We had a go at plugging in some prompts so that the song followed our collective ideas. It spat out our first draft. It wasn’t what we wanted but gave us a great framework and structure to use, thank God. Good Times was coming together. Over the next month or so, the song was completed in first draft.

Next step, to put it out to members to see what they thought. It was good, quite a few people saying that it got stuck in their head and they were singing it the next day. After a few tweaks, it was finished.

So now, back to Abbey Road Studios. Booking this studio is impossible as a member of the public - or so they said. Their studio can only be booked in blocks of three days, but Sam was firm that it had to be a special experience. It turned out that in 5 weeks-time they had two bookings with a one-day gap in between, and on a Sunday. Perfect! But is 5 weeks enough?

This is where the Table-wide campaign began. We wanted to find a Tabler lead singer and 100 other people to join in for the chorus. We received several good demo videos and tapes for the lead singer and people signing up for the chorus. We reached the minimum we needed to make it work, so we knew the stage was set!

TABLE NEWS

Walking from St Johns Wood tube station to the studio, you cross the iconic zebra crossing to get to the front of the building. When walking through the gate, a friendly worker tells us that the studios are not open to the public.

We smile and tell him we have passes.

It feels very exclusive.

READY? GO! I CANNOT SPEAK FOR OTHER GROUPS, BUT WE SANG OUR HEARTS OUT.

The studio was amassed with cables, sliders and buttons. Oh, and also an old piano that we couldn’t help wondering

Then it was time for the next group.

We saw them in the corridor on our way out. We were buzzing, everyone expressed how much fun they’d had and we then all head off back over that zebra crossing. It really was an amazing experience. We set our sights on the good times and thought we’re gonna go and try something new.

Sing “somthin” not something, sing “gonna” not going to, and then something about the key for the song and tapping a note on the old piano.

Ready? Go! I cannot speak for other groups, but we sang our hearts out. We sang through the song several times.

Some people were out of key and asked to sit down, some people were singing too high and asked to sit down. They were then put in smaller groups and recorded separately so that the music techies could do their thing to make it amazing. It was hilarious, the director doing his thing, leaning into each group and listening for the offenders. “It’s you, sit down”.

Good Times will be released on the 20 th of September with all proceeds going to Round Table’s Children’s Wish and Air Ambulance UK. To get into the top 40 we need to sell 7500 downloads/ CDs/Vinyl records. If you preorder your 99p download on Amazon or iTunes (keep your eyes out for future news on this) that sale counts in the first week of release meaning with a good wind, we will hit the top 40 and some. Don’t forget to buy your copy and be part of this Round Table history.

The hour was over quickly, and the producer on the other side of the glass looked pleasantly surprised at the end.

Lastly, a big thank you from everyone involved to Sam Iddison for his vision and perseverance!

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On entering the building, we are instantly met with tonnes of memorabilia and photos. Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Elton John – wow! We are briefed about their no phones policy (no phones out of pocket in the corridors or you’re out), we get our wrist bands and are then free to go to Studio 3 (first door on the left). The chorus was recorded in 1-hour sessions throughout the day, with a dedicated session for the National Board and one for 41 Club members – in fact 41 Club went missing and had to be hunted down as they were nowhere to be seen at the start of their time slot; they’d left the studio and were found down the road in the gift shop.

who had tickled the keys of in the past.

Lining us up around an array of mics in groups of 3 or 4, the song’s director gave us the quickest singing lesson in history.

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underlying assumption that by coming together in fellowship, we pool wisdom, affirm our commitment to helping our communities and broaden horizons - or at least clarify them a bit.

To the casual walker on a certain Welsh mountainside early this March, neither wisdom, CSR nor clear horizons were easily discernible.

The mountains and castles of north Wales provide many a stunning view, and are a fantastic venue for a large group of Tablers and 41ers to come together and tiddle. Equipped with themed yellow bobble hats, lapel pins, chocolate bars and marked maps, there was an outpouring of Table spirit onto the slopes of Tal y Fan this particular March morning. No one could fault the planners of Tiddle ‘24.

THE EVEREST OF TABLING WHEN TABLERS AND 41ERS GATHER IN QUANTITY, THERE FOLLOWS A MINGLING OF EXPERIENCES AND A CELEBRATION IN FELLOWSHIP, REGARDLESS OF THE REASON THAT BROUGHT IT ABOUT.

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Besides our sundry ventures in promoting Table’s community and social responsibility, there are also occasions when - at least on the surface - we simply get together for a splendid weekend.

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To many, this is the category into which HighTiddle falls; a large-ish group of Round Table’s finest descend on a remote town for a night out on the Friday; a hung-over climb up a conveniently close mountain the next morning, to play a round of Tiddly Winks at the top; then descend to the shared hotel for a black tie dinner that evening, and the giving of various awards.

Curious looking neck decorations and lapel pins abound, esoteric jokes fly, and the general bonhomie of Table is well embedded by the time the bar closes.

In undertaking such, er, highbrow events, we are propagating the spirit of Table. There is an

But no planner can dictate UK weather, and no view is stunning when it is draped in damp Welsh mist. With visibility at around 30 yards at the summit, the aforementioned casual walker might not have seen the mighty Conwy castle, but they would have seen the distinctive yellow bobble hats of mis-navigating Tiddlers.

The walker might have wondered why so many of them seemed so hung over and generally ill-suited to mountain pursuits. They would definitely have wondered why these eccentric, mustardhatted individuals - so clearly inept in map-reading - still managed to miraculously gravitate to the same point near the summit of Taly Fan. That meeting point was a small nylon tent; impossible to stumble across in the limited misty visibility that morning, were it not for the eccentric sight of a line of people in coordinated yellow hats queuing up for the tent.

At the front of the queue the casual walker, if they looked closely, would see the leading individual check in with a chap holding a clipboard, then get down on all fours and shuffle into the small, precariously perched tent, backside aloft and apparently hunting for some welsh mountain variant of the gourmet truffle.

A few brisk movements would be followed by either a nylonmuted cry of triumph, or some muffled roar of frustration, before the apparent truffler would shuffle awkwardly back, straighten, and proceed haphazardly on with their journey, absent-mindedly scrutinising their ever damper, usually upside-down map.

Thus follows a familiar pattern for those of area 45. It is a tradition lovingly curated among the tables of the Midlands, yet curiously under-represented outside area 45.

It is the embodiment of fellowship, broader horizons, celebration of initiative in the organisers, of hungover fortitude in the participants, and the diversity of our own area 45. Within this tradition we do, as mentioned above, indulge our own eccentricities, but while doing so we connect better with each other and pool our wisdom of running table events - and we come together celebrating that odd fellowship we all enjoy so much, across RTBI, let alone area 45.

The intended membership of RT is community leaders, professionals and driven individuals. The motto of RTBI is “Adopt,

TABLE NEWS

Adapt, Improve”. Scratch the surface and you will see all these elements at High Tiddle. Be it in the tabler who climbed a mountain in flip flops, winning “Spirit of Tiddle”, or the one in a kilt, who won the trophy “Tiddle Knob”. You see it also in the young Tablers who have single handedly taken on the event to inspire their own Tables - or in the Tables who have collectively dived in as whole Tiddle committees. Adopt, Adapt Improve could be a motto for High Tiddle - what better manifestation of our purpose and eccentricities?

Those same strange dreamers that concoct High Tiddle are also those that build and drive many a successful fireworks event in the cold November rain/ mud, or prance around on Santa sleigh drive-bys, or organise Easter Egg hunt charity fundraisers. We, the eccentrics, step out from the crowd to raise

money for diverse charitable causes, where other saner individuals do not bother. We, those same eccentrics, celebrate our internal organisational differences and quirkiness. In some cases by climbing a mountain hungover and playing tiddlywinks.

Jonathan Washington Rugby RT 113

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ADOPT, ADAPT IMPROVE COULD BE A MOTTO FOR HIGH TIDDLE WHAT BETTER MANIFESTATION OF OUR PURPOSE AND ECCENTRICITIES?

In Tiddle, we in area 45 had broadened horizons together; celebrated a diversity that belies the comparatively narrow membership focus, and we have maintained an appetite for meeting as strange looking individuals on mountainsides who mysteriously reappear later in black tie. The dissemination of curious sounding awards aside, we are celebrating and maintaining a joy in curiosity and fellowship. We are sustaining our own community within a community. It is this odd group that we tiddlers belong to as Tablers; and from which a lasting curiosity and affection drives us to interact further.

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INSPIRING STORIES

INSPIRING STORIES

IS HOLLYWOOD QUALITY CONTENT NOW ACCESSIBLE TO ALL? WE SPOKE TO STEVE GARRATT CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF DISTORTION STUDIOS TO LEARN MORE. About Distortion Studios: Distortion Studios is a Virtual Production Studio run by an in-house team of specialists in immersive digital arts. The technology allows the studio to produce stunning in-camera visual effects and captivating environments for film, television, and other media. The team are also on the cusp of using tools like Unreal Engine and AI to allow filmmakers, musicians, or content creators to hit their creative goals.

What are some advantages of Virtual Production?

The big plus for me as a director is the engagement with the actors and the client for the “end look”. The performers have a real sense of place. When it’s done well, it feels like a location shoot, and everyone in the production team has exactly the same shot in their head because you can see it on the monitors.

In addition, just prepping for a VP shoot ensures all departments are deeply engaged in the look of the final shots, as everyone has had input during the pre-viz or storyboard phase to ensure what is being attempted is possible and scheduled correctly.

For me, VP is a really positive thing. When done well, it focuses everyone on what matters and ensures the whole team understands why we are shooting these shots and how they fit into the story.

Is Virtual Production still in its infancy?

VP is as old as film itself, all that’s changed is the tech we use to deliver it. The ability to move cameras freely in front of the background plate and achieve

One of the interesting things happening is seeing technology creeping into the writing and look and feel of certain productions, like Netflix’s 1899 - where VP was a fundamental part of the narrative. Life mimicking art and all that.

Currently the best uses of VP are the ones where it allows the story to go places it couldn’t before, where the scale of the production can be significantly enhanced, even though the budgets are travelling in the opposite direction.

As a writer, I like to write big. I want to show the world in which my characters live, and VP allows me to show more of that world than ever before. It gives me the freedom to write for locations I could never get to on a client budget... that has opened up limitless possibilities. With clever scripting and lots of planning we really can do a lot more than ever before.

What sorts of people are getting involved in Virtual Production?

A controllable studio environment allows us to expand opportunities to a diverse workforce. Studios can be extremely accessible for disabled creatives and performers - which has to be a good thing. In Bristol, the studios that are popping up in the city like Distortion, tend to be away from the traditional production areas like Whiteladies Road and closer to the suburbs. This gives a level of visibility within communities that wouldn’t traditionally see this kind of work on their doorstep I hope.

An often-forgotten advantage of studio shooting is accessibility and sustainability. Flying crews around the world is costly and extremely carbon-heavy, and it doesn’t suit many clients and brands these days.

Typically there’s a lot of timing and location restraints that Virtual Production negates. Can you expand on these?

The cost of erratic weather on shoots can not be underestimated.

The climate is changing, and the UK has just suffered its wettest year for nearly 80 years. Having VP as part of your mix allows you to be more flexible if weather stops you shooting.

It’s also perfect for night shoots. I have spent far too many weeks in a railway tunnel or a soggy wood on the edge of Bristol - I would

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A VP studio is not a place for lots of creativity. That should all be done in pre-production. When you get into the studio, you should have a clear shot list and a clear schedule with some contingency factored in because tech issues will likely come up.

shifting perspective or Parallax is a big step, but fundamentally, it doesn’t change the use case, it simply widens it.

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Is Hollywood quality content now accessible to all?

over the next ten years but it’s not for content creation, it’s for content delivery.

How do you get inside the client’s mindset?

I could write a book on this. Clients are inspired by the content they consume.

We have clients who go to many gigs, festivals, and concerts. They want theatre, magic, and spectacle.

trade all of them for a nice warm studio. ‘Shoot Nighttime Anytime’ should be our strapline come to think of it.

How

does

Virtual

Production

compare in terms of lead times?

Most of the time you would normally spend in post production, you would now spend in pre-production. This should give you a good idea of how your time will be used. On set, once it’s set up, it can be quicker, but it can also be slower. I don’t feel timesaving is a big selling point currently.

However, for all the reasons we have mentioned earlier, it will get you to the final picture quicker.

As the tech evolves, it will become more stable and begin to save time over a long shoot, but right now, creative control, consistency, repeatable shots, safety, sustainability, and work-life balance for the crew are all great reasons to consider a VP shoot instead of a location shoot.

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Are there fears that these sorts of shortcuts will take away the role of

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creatives?

The one thing I am excited about is the ability to blend real-world sets with their Unreal counterpart using hi-res scanning techniques - this also points to an area that is rarely discussed in VP: the need for brilliant real-world set builders that work extremely closely with your Unreal team.

The connection between the realworld foreground elements and the Unreal background elements means we will always need talented humans involved. Even if we can create backgrounds in AI, they still need to match something built in the real world.

VP IS AS OLD AS FILM ITSELF, ALL THAT’S CHANGED IS THE TECH WE USE TO DELIVER IT. Costume, lighting, camera control, etc, will always need to be done by creatives. Make-up becomes so important in VP too. The list goes on and on. Ultimately, the tech is just a tool, and you need thumbs to use a tool - ask any cat!

Do you see potential for Apple’s Vision Pro headset?

As a director I could imagine using an Augmented Reality (AR) headset to navigate an Unreal world- plan shots with the team like they did on the Lion King Live action - that would be fun.

But the experience is an individual one.

I don’t see a day when the whole team is wearing headsets to engage with each other and on the whole, people just don’t like wearing them. AR will have a role to play in all of our lives

We have other clients whose only points of reference are other live events they attend. We have clients that only watch cinema or TV. We even have one client who is a massive gamer and uses that as a point of reference. The process is always the same - understand the narrative: what is the story we are trying to tell the audience? What are our common reference points with the client and the brand? What is the best way to tell the story? Everything comes back to that, get that right and the tech will choose itself.

Mood boards are the perfect way in here. We need to examine what we all want to achieve with that particular project: how does it fit into work we have done before? Does it have a personal importance for the client commissioning the project?

INSPIRING STORIES

could understand how bumblebees see the world, we could use those insights to understand how human beings see the world.

One of the bottlenecks in building big brains was the ability to train these known networks quickly. I got extremely interested in the fields of computational complexity and the optimisation of algorithms and spotted the opportunity to bring these technologies together. From my experience working with industry, there is a vast number of inefficiencies and opportunities to use algorithms to make things better.

Can you define consciousness?

FROM BUMBLEBEE BRAINS TO CONSCIOUSNESS THE HUMANITYENHANCING POTENTIAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND NAVIGATING ITS DOWNSIDES About Daniel Dr. Daniel Hulme is a pioneer in Artificial Intelligence, spanning both neural networks and computational complexity. He founded UCL’s very first AI spinout company, Satalia, which was supported through its commercialisation company UCL Business (UCLB).

Satalia was acquired by the WPP Group of global companies in 2021 and Daniel now also holds the position of Chief AI Officer at WPP, Entrepreneur in Residence at UCL and CEO of Conscium.

How did you start out thinking about AI? When I joined UCL 25 years ago I was fascinated by the idea of building intelligent machines without really thinking about its impact on industry. I started my Ph.D modelling the brains of bumblebees.

Bumblebees have a million brain cells and can achieve amazing things. They have remarkably similar ways of looking at the world as humans. If we

The word ‘awareness’ is relevant to consciousness, and we need to decide if it is safe to build aware machines. I am starting to see companies building AI’s based on insect brains and putting them in machines, and drones. That is worrying because those things could be ‘psychologically tortured’ or come to some harm; a concept that Nick Bostrom calls Mind Crime. So, we need to have some frameworks to think about the ethics and the detection of conscious machines.

One issue is that we are going to start attributing consciousness to machines that are not conscious, and that is a problem. I also think we might end up creating machines that are conscious and not realising it, and that is a problem because you end up potentially creating slavery or genocide. The purpose of our company is not necessarily to create conscious machines, however. It’s to determine if we should, and how to do it safely.

If you are interested in reading further about the consciousness debate, there is a particularly informative book by a professor called Mark Solms, The Hidden Spring. He does an excellent job getting his arms around the topic.

So what is AI? The current popular, but weak, definition of AI is ‘getting computers to do things that humans can do’. But, actually humans are bounded and limited by our abilities in many ways.

So benchmarking machines against humans is a silly thing to do.

Humans are good at solving problems that have about seven things to consider, or finding patterns in about four dimensions, but computers can solve problems with thousands of moving parts and can find patterns in thousands of dimensions. So, using human beings as the benchmark for intelligence is not the right thing to do.

There is a much better definition of AI that comes from a definition of intelligence, which is ‘goal directed adaptive behaviour’. The goal should be to build systems that can make decisions, then learn about whether those decisions are good or bad, so the next time we get better decisions.

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Conscium is the world’s first applied AI consciousness research, aiming to pioneer intelligent, efficient, and safe AI that builds a better future for humanity.

A popular definition of consciousness is ‘what it’s like to be something’, but I do not like that definition. When studying consciousness there are typically four elements: one is that there is a ‘thing’ that is contained/bounded. The second is the environment that that thing is in. The third is some sort of interface between that thing and the environment. The hard part is defining the awareness of oneself in that environment through feeling or a model of itself: and that is still under rigorous debate.

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From bumblebee brains to consciousness

Do you think AI can solve some of the world’s major problems like global warming?

There are six problems that I think humanity is driving towards. You’ve heard the word ‘singularity’, which comes from Physics, and a point in time where we cannot see beyond. It was adopted by the AI community to refer to the Technological Singularity, which is a time when we build a ‘brain’ many times smarter than ours. In fact, Conscium was created to explore how we can create safe and aligned AI.

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There are many problems that occur along this path. The ‘post truth’ world is one. AI misinformation bots and deep fakes are challenging the fabric of our reality, but I think that we could solve that by identifying deep fakes, and authenticating content before it gets pushed out.

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The second is environmental. These algorithms that we have been playing with for almost two decades are amazing at reducing the amount of carbon it takes to produce things: routing vehicles, allocating staff, etc.

I believe that if we applied these in the right way, then we would be able significantly reduce the amount of energy we need to run the planet, giving us control over our ecosystem.

The social singularity is not my

expertise, but this is about curing death. There are scientists that believe there are people alive today who will not ever have to die. This is being accelerated by AI. The legal singularity regards surveillance. Influencing people is an incredibly powerful position to be in so we need to understand where to mitigate the use of these technologies to manipulate people, or to accumulate massive amounts of wealth and power.

Then the final singularity is economic, and regards jobs, and job losses. There is a lot of scaremongering around this area. The one extreme is when AI can free up lots of jobs, it probably will. If that happens very quickly, we could have social unrest. The other extreme is if we use AI to remove the friction to bring down the cost of creating and disseminating food, education, transport, energy, healthcare. There’s reason to believe we can bring the cost of those things down to nearly zero.

People are considering whether AI can create a world of abundance in which people have all the things that they need to be economically free to contribute to humanity how they want.

And where did you think the opportunities lie today?

Any unnecessary friction, across any

supply chain, in any industry is ripe for being addressed by AI. Optimisation algorithms have been around for a while – how widely were they actually being used in industry, and was it a hard sell to encourage businesses to think about adopting them into their workflows and systems?

I heard a phrase recently, which is, ‘if you are one step ahead, you’re a pioneer. If you are two steps ahead, you’re a martyr’. And I think for the past 15 years, I’ve been trying to raise awareness that the problems businesses have are not ‘insight’ problems, that they are ‘decision’ problems.

I would love to geek out around the mathematics here, but if you apply the wrong algorithm to solving these problems, it can take longer than the end of the universe to solve them. If you apply AI algorithms, it can take milliseconds. The battleground now for organisations is the realisation that, if they want to succeed, they need to have the best algorithms and talent to solve these problems.

What was Satalia’s big break in using AI to improve organisations?

Our first big break in around 2014 was with Tesco. Tesco had a large-

INSPIRING STORIES

scale optimisation problem that they needed to solve: delivering groceries to their customers. They knew that they needed to use leading edge algorithms from academia to solve that.

When they saw that we could build end-to-end systems that could adapt themselves with the user Interfaces, they commissioned Satalia to build their entire ‘last mile’ delivery solution.

They could have easily got a lot of the solution ‘off the shelf’, but they wanted to build a solution themselves. So, we built what they claim to be the best last mile delivery solution in the world.

It was phenomenally successful.

I think what’s exciting for me is not just using these technologies to solve individual problems across the supply chain, but to create a digital twin of a company. We are getting to the point now where we can represent an entire organisation as a large optimisation problem. The efficiencies you can get from modelling organisations in their entirety is phenomenal.

How did UCL Business (UCLB) help you?

They supported me from the start when “AI” was not the commonly known term that it is today, through to the present. UCL Business’s purpose is to maximise the real-world impact of the skills, knowledge and vision of UCL’s researchers. The organisation’s business support infrastructure really helps ideas to reach fruition.

one of the things that we are building is a concept called “brand brains”.

we continue to do that, people will be comfortable.

If you go and ask Midjourney or DALL-E or ChatGPT to create an image of ‘a cat in space holding a soft drink or ice cream’, then it will create a generic picture of that. But if you are a creative working on, let’s say, the Coca-Cola account, you need to make sure that that content is aligned with brand guidelines. In the future, our software will understand that it’s not just a soda, it’s ‘Coca-Cola’ and has Coca-Cola’s tone of voice, aesthetics, etc.

The next ten years is going to be crazy.

It will see Cambrian explosion of not just application of generative AI, but many other AI tools that are going to exponentially accelerate. It is going to be an exciting decade.

The ‘audience brains’ we are creating are phenomenally powerful and can be tailored to cultures or newspapers or political parties or minority groups. So, if you want to see how a demographic will respond to content, or whether you are offending anybody or even breaking the law, then that is possible.

There are other applications for this.

Instead of seeing how audiences respond to marketing content, I can build a brain that represents you in your world of work and understands how you can better fit into the organisation.

That all does sound a little bit creepy Daniel!

It’s all about the intended use of these technologies. If you intend to use them to squeeze utilisation out of people them, then people won’t allow you to do it. But we intend to use these technologies to enrich people’s lives. If

Beyond that, I don’t think anybody really knows what’s going to happen.

But what I do know is this: it’s within our gift to create the future. We don’t just sit around and wait for that future to happen.

Are we a little bit too late coming to the discussion about whether AI is moving too fast, too quickly, or have we still got time?

The answer is I don’t know. I had a private audience with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman a few years ago and we were talking about the impact that AI is going to have. Back then he thought we would achieve Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) by the end of this decade. Now the feeling is that we could start to see AGI happening even sooner.

We don’t know whether, once we’ve built a machine that’s as intelligent as us, how quickly it will take for that machine to become a million times more intelligent than us. That’s one of the exciting Singularities that we currently have facing us.

How is Satalia using generative AI – the medium which we have seen pop up out of nowhere in the last year or two?

We are building several different solutions in the generative AI space.

My hypothesis is that, over the next several years, everybody will be able to generate any content they want. So,

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In my Chief AI Officer role, I use my platform to think about the impact that these technologies will have on society in the longer term and how we can use these tools. I examine questions like: “Is it cool? Is it creepy?” and how we can hold ourselves accountable.

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AT YOUR LEISURE

GADGET SEASON

GADGETS

TABLER’S PICK OF THE GADGETS OF 2024 SO FAR WILL HAVE YOU NEGOTIATING WITH YOUR OTHER HALF AND/OR BANK MANAGER FOR A BIT OF SLACK. Let’s be transparent “Hmm. Now that is pretty cool,” were my exact thoughts when I checked out the latest OLED innovation at CES. The LG Signature OLED T TV is a true marvel of engineering, featuring a transparent OLED panel which can display partially transparent video or function as a regular TV with OLED’s full contrast. Why? You might ask. Well, gone will be the days of clunky, zen-killing, rectangular televisual monstrosities taking over your finely tuned home décor. Instead, you’ll be able to mount the glass to your wall (perhaps atop your favourite art) – and deftly reveal a Netflix show at a moment you actually need it. Alternatively, when not in use, the screen rolls down into its base, eliminating cable clutter. The base itself includes a contrastboosting layer that automatically rises when the TV is turned on. With wireless 4K HDR 120Hz streaming technology and powerful built-in sound, it’s a lifestyle object that seamlessly blends art and technology.

NO PRICE AVAILABLE YET 8K reasons to upgrade

PRICE: NOT SPECIFIED Watch this space Just as the iPad and iPhone slipped seamlessly into our lives, the Apple watch now replaces many a signature timepiece due to its damn usefulness.

Its Series 8 continues to lead the smartwatch market.

The always-on display provides instant access to

STARTING AT £399 People of influence Instagram and TikTok have spurred a renaissance on cutting edge filming to standout from the common or garden influencer. The Sony Alpha A9 IV is a dream camera for photographers too.

Its lightning-fast autofocus system tracks subjects with precision, even in challenging conditions.

The high-resolution sensor captures stunning details, and the 4K video capabilities make it versatile for both stills and motion. Whether you’re a professional or an enthusiast, this mirrorless camera delivers exceptional performance.

APPROXIMATELY £4,499 Tab-top anyone?

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 blurs the line between laptop and tablet. Its vivid PixelSense display offers accurate colours and touch responsiveness. With the latest Intel processors, it handles demanding tasks effortlessly. The improved Surface Pen support makes it a creative powerhouse for artists and notetakers alike.

STARTING AT £1,099 Switching it up Ever since the days of Duck Hunt, I’ve watched with interest as Nintendo makes its latest mass market move. Some have been abject failures, while others are the stuff of legend. The Nintendo Switch Pro takes gaming to the next level. With enhanced graphics and better battery life, it’s perfect for both handheld and docked play. The improved Joy-Cons provide precise control, and the extensive game library ensures endless entertainment for gamers of all ages.

FROM £299

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The long running debate over whether you can ditch your TV for a projector might’ve just tipped in the latter’s favour.

Billed as a ‘world first’, Samsung’s The Premiere 8K Projector redefines home entertainment. It supports wireless 8K streaming and can project a massive 150-inch 8K image from just 12 inches away. The laser light source ensures vibrant colours and sharp details whether you’re watching movies or gaming. The built-in 8.2.2-channel Dolby Atmos sound system further enhances the cinematic feel.

information, while advanced health sensors monitor heart rate, blood oxygen, and ECG. The sleek design complements any style, and the watch seamlessly integrates with your iPhone and other Apple devices.

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THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS WE ALL WANT TO DISCOVER THE SECRET TO SUCCESS.

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MUSIC REVIEW

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Sure, practice makes perfect, but what does that mean? Dr Robin Harrison FRSA gives his learned insights.

Can we ever achieve perfection? Is there a secret to success? Do you get tempted by those adverts that say, “7 habits that lead to success” or “3 sure fire ways to become a millionnaire”? They’re everywhere, but rather than biting onto these ads that are really designed to sell and make money, let’s explore how real people “practice” to become “perfect” (whatever that is!).

Run a Marathon Beyoncé is famous for her 3.5 octave vocal range, astonishing vocal runs and dynamic dance sequences on the stage. Just how is that achievable, how do you prefer for such a demanding physical and artistic performance? Famously, her dad made her run up to 3 miles whilst singing her album or concert sets. There’s even been a study by Pour Moi, in relation to their sportswear, researching which songs enable you to shave time off your big run; allegedly Beyoncé’s are the most effective and will reduce your marathon time by up to a whopping 23 minutes!

Source: https://www.pourmoi.co.uk/nowtrending/nowtrending-the-music-artists-that-make-you-run-fasterrevealed Do Nothing Elton John enjoys controversy, but are his views on practice true? When asked by ultimate-guitar. com about practice, he responded, “Never. When I make records or go on tour, the last thing I want to do is play the piano. I’ve got a piano in my house and one in Atlanta – never touched it.” So the secret to success is not to practice? Somehow that just doesn’t ring true. https:// www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/ elton_ john_says_he_never_practices_piano_talks_how_ he_feels_about_playing_guitar.html Don’t seek perfection, improve and Improvise The Status Quo guitarist Francis Rossi has really developed his practicing since he turned 40, and works on a couple of hours per day. However, he said in an interview with The Guardian, “And don’t worry about all that practice makes perfect rubbish - whoever said that should be strung up - don’t start waving the idea of perfection around to someone who’s starting to learn an instrument because it’ll put them off. Practice to get better, practice for fun, but don’t practice to make perfect.”

Francis describes improvisation as the way forward, a more organic and spontaneous approach. He sees those that read notation well, whilst being talented, as essentially learning to speak but only being able to speak by reading words off paper. I can relate to that, the musician who learned how to play well classically, who has been successful, but didn’t really “lift the notes off the page” or “live the music.” It’s only when I delved into the world of improvisation that I played my best.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/ may/10/popandrock1 Technique: Train and Train and Train The obvious next step is to explore a giant of improvisation, Oscar

MUSIC REVIEW

Peterson. Incredibly, whilst one of the most famous improvisers of the 20th century, much of his routine was the exact opposite. Initially a trumpeter, but suffered tuberculosis at the age of 7 and so thereafter only pursued piano, he learned famous classical technical methods such as scales, Hanon, Czerny and Dohnanyi and practiced them for hours per day (put it this way, if you haven’t heard of all of these methods then you probably haven’t trained classically towards a conservatoire qualification). He is said to have practiced from breakfast to lunch, lunch to dinner and dinner to bed, some say up to 18 hours on his longest days. Then, he adapts this practice regime and ensures that both hands can play every lick, or maintains one hand in time and let’s the other have more elastic freedom

“PRACTICE TO GET BETTER, PRACTICE FOR FUN, BUT DON’T PRACTICE TO MAKE PERFECT.” Center the Soul Sting is famous for his physique and yoga-centred approach to life alongside swimming, running and walking. However, is this the Sting of today rather than what led to his initial fame? It was more than his nickname for wearing a black and yellow striped jumper that made him famous. Perhaps the most significant attribute of most legends is their ability to listen. What did sting do? Taught himself Spanish guitar as a child and played along with 78 records. His ear came first.

So what is the secret to success? Is it: 1. (Running a marathon rehearsing your skill,

whilst

2. Doing nothing at all, 3. Improvising, being organic and not worrying about perfection, 4. Pure disciplined technical training, 5. Going the wrong route until you hit rock bottom, 6. Centering the soul and listening first?

Dr Robin Harrison FRSA, founded www.the-maestro-online.com, a platform dedicated to improvisation masterclasses by international, globallevel musicians, and a brand new pop piano exam board that encourages the organic, improvisation, creativity, and not just “speaking by reading words off paper”. It’s only when I delved into the world of improvisation that I played my best.

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Go the wrong route, Meet your God on the Bathroom Floor Hilariously, for some, it seems to be that going the wrong direction in life is what turns you around. You become addicted to whatever your weakness is, you make choices that only put your own ego or hedonistic desires first, you then bomb and collapse. Once your face hits your bathroom floor and you discover your revelation, you turn it around. This is exactly what happened to “Mama Jan”, vocal coach to Justin Bieber, Drake and many other huge names.

Do we need to cruise for a bruise

to make us realise the graft that we need, the centred soul and the future journey? https://www.vox.com/thehighlight/2019/9/13/20864342/drakejus t in - bieber- usher- rob - t homas young-jeezy-mama-jan https:// jansmith.com/mama-jan/

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spate of phony Oasis ‘reunion’ tracks and rap hits by a ‘fake Drake’, AI has tended to be treated more as a one-off novelty without any genuine mass appeal or influence than any real threat to creative talent.

In film and TV, meanwhile, AI tends to be employed as part of a scene that either features no humans (whose jobs might have otherwise been called on), used out of curiosity/novelty, or to extol its virtues for human good, like in a recent Asics advert where AI is used to promote fitness habits.

So, while it’s true that AI has been looming large over society, its job-culling, humanity-melting effects are being studiously avoided.

Quite the opposite in fact: the above examples are decidedly prohuman.

THE AI CREATIVE JOB CULL IS NOTABLY ABSENT TOM HALL EXAMINES THE CREATIVE LANDSCAPE FOR CLUES Despite a range of AI tools allowing for human-free video, music and creative work, AI is yet to follow through on its job-culling threat. Is this about to change?

Doom-mongers, Hollywood scriptwriters and, well, journos like me, have long cast a squinted eye at AI, in the same way that fish were a bit cynical about nets when they were first introduced in 8300BC.

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But, while our cold-blooded, slippery chums might have had a point, the threat of AI on us human creatives still feels a bit like the Millennium Bug, or Dr Dre’s Detox album: it could drop any minute, but somehow it doesn’t.

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AI has indeed been a constant theme of late in adverts, films, TV and music videos. However, any wholesale replacement of the human has been notably absent, and many brands are hardly embracing it: Dove did quite the opposite, in fact, and actively took a bold stand against it in a recent campaign pledging to avoid it in creative works. Charity the Red Cross, meanwhile, ran a campaign stressing that AI is not needed, as real life images can be horrific enough in getting their anti-war messaging across.

And, while the tools have been used to create a recent

Meanwhile, a backlash (subconscious or otherwise) is emerging against the AI movement, as things turn a bit ‘luddite’. A return to the simple life has taken the creative world by force of late. Need proof? Check out KLM’s advert extolling the slower pace and carbonsaving benefits of train travel, or the Heineken advert compelling us to get rid of our smartphones. There’s even a Sharpie campaign encouraging us to get away from our screens and embrace a bit of good old-fashioned creativity.

To caveat all this: I have no doubt that we will soon see creative works complete with no human actors or even back-end creatives taking part. And, certainly a lot of job roles will have to adapt. Ultimately though, there will be no freeing up of our working lives. For better or for worse, work has always expanded to fill the time technology has saved: see the seed drill, the printing press, the internet, etc, for further proof.

I’m also not so sure that the reason AI isn’t more in our faces is purely out of a mission to not hurt our collective feelings. No matter how hard AI tries, the human element is, by definition, what’s always missing, and this is no small hurdle. Indeed, the redundant simile of a hurdle is significant here: because the point of a hurdle is that there’s a sense of jeopardy, and a chance that, heaven forbid, a human vulnerability might be exposed.

I was talking recently to an ad executive who was bemoaning the ‘copy and paste’ creative that is so prevalent today, and I pointed out that AI is basically just that, for now: a simulacrum of the entirety of human expression but ultimately lacking in originality. Or, as Henry Ford once said: “if you asked the people what they wanted, they’d say ‘faster horses’”.

A large part then, of the appeal of a genuinely novel product such as Ford’s Model-T is, well, its ‘novelty’. And the appeal of a real-life actor, singer, director, or dare I say, writer, is the story behind their success, and the very human experiences that underlie their art’s role in theirs, and indeed ‘our’ collective life story. But then again, maybe I’m just fishing for compliments.

AT YOUR LEISURE

and their algorithms search in different routines so you may find better results with the same prompts on alternative platforms.

Try these helpful tips the next time you reach for help from AI and see how you can leverage them to make life easier!

IMAGE 1: AI PLATFORM

1. Break up prompts. Want a result with lots of information? Try asking for it in stages. Ask for an imaginative or catchy title.

Then ask to expand from there.

2. Save prompts that worked the first time you asked. Use them for new assignments in the future.

3. Be polite! When the AI overlords eventually take over you want them to know you were one of the good ones! But in all seriousness, ask questions as if you are talking to a human and you will more likely get human sounding results.

EXA MPLE OF SYNTHESIA

AI WORKS FOR YOU NOW TABLERS NEEDN’T PANIC ABOUT EMBRACING AI THANKS TO OUR HANDY GUIDE The likes of ChatPGT and Gemini are fast becoming everyday tools for content creators and marketing professionals. No doubt many Tablers will have already had a tinker and perhaps had some help with their own linkedin or facebook post.

The real question is, are you using the correctly? Do you know you can train your chosen platform?

There are a host of settings you must tailor to receive the results you want. In fact the more you use AI platforms the more they get to know you. See Image 1 above.

Felt frustrated that you can’t get the right sounding results from ChatGPT? Try using another platform.

Every AI model has been built from different datasets

Again like all AI generators you need to find the right prompts to produce the content that’s close to what you want to represent. It appears computers have still got a bit of work to do when trying to recreate human hands and feet which can make Santa a bit off putting, and often text is eligible. You can certainly have some fun with it though. And, what’s more, it can certainly fill a gap when you are looking for a generic nondescript background for a poster….

How about an artificial voice over artist? Synthesia can create voice overs in a host of accents and styles. Upload the audio file you have recorded and IMAGE GENERATION it will detect and change. Or you can input text and it will create it from written prompts. You can even create your own talking head. And have more than one speaker!

Generative AI tools are changing the game for content creators and marketers in our Round Table community. We’ve talked about the importance of tweaking settings and asking the right questions to get the best results. Remember, it’s a good idea to use separate accounts for Round Table projects to avoid any mix-ups.

Plus, we’ve shared some handy tips for making the most of these tools, like breaking up your prompts and being polite when interacting with AI. And let’s not forget the cool stuff AI can do, like generating images and even voiceovers! Sure, there are still some kinks to iron out, but with a bit of tinkering, AI can really make your Round Table posts and promotions shine!

YiT Rob Menown

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Once you have your settings adjusted you need to train yourself to ask for the right prompts. Learning how to poise your questions or prompts can have a big impact on whether the results hit the mark or miss completely. It’s also very worthwhile registering a new account exclusively for use on your Round Table projects. Gemini and ChatGPT learn from you, so if you are already using these for your own work or business there’s a risk you are going to confuse and change the context of your results because of earlier conversations and sessions.

AI tools aren’t just writing our content now. They are even illustrating it! Free to use software like Leonardo.ai and Co-Pilot from Microsoft have image creator tools that can be a great help for filling the gap when you want to make an event poster or post but can’t find the right image.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

HEALTH & WELLBEING

CLIMBING AGAINST ADVERSITY JAMES BOUCHER, BEESTON ROUND TABLE 573, IS TAKING ON A STEEP CHALLENGE AFTER SUCCESS IN HIS FIGHT AGAINST ARTHRITIS I’m the new chairman for Beeston 573, and I’m starting to launch some of my plans for the year.

The main one is a year-long fundraiser for a charity that’s very dear to me personally.

For the last six years I’ve struggled with Psoriatic Arthritis, a condition that affects my skin and many of my joints - fingers, wrists, elbows, spine, knees, hips, toes - until recently they have ached constantly, been swollen and sore and stiff for most of the day, and held me back from so many things I’ve wanted to do.

In the middle of the year I’m off to climb Snowdon with a backpack full of painted rocks, and I’m leaning on Round Table, friends, family and strangers for support and to spread the word. All of the money raised will go to Versus Arthritis, a

From their site: Millions of people wake up with arthritis every morning and face the day in pain, without the support and recognition they deserve. The condition slowly intrudes on everyday life – affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and to live independently. Yet arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of aging or shrugged off as ‘just a bit of arthritis’. That’s not OK. I’m lucky - I’m young, I have a fantastic family and support network, I’m able to work at a job I love, and now I’m able to do something to give back.

Look at https://www.justgiving.com/page/james-rocks-snowdon for all the details and to donate.

I’m also selling a limited amount of Versus Arthritis pin badges as well as my own chairman badges as a pair (on a nice card) for £10 - look at http://badges.jamesrockssnowdon.co.uk Last thing - if anyone wants to send me a painted rock to carry, I’ll lug it up there and take a picture at the top to prove it...then lug it down again.

Yours in Table James Boucher Beeston Round Table 573

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This year though, after a few false starts, I’m finally on some excellent medication (thanks, NHS!) and feeling amazing. I can run again, I can twist and stretch and jump, and I can probably climb a mountain again. So I’m going to.

fantastic charity that’s been a huge support to me over these last few years. They do incredible work for the 10 million people in the UK - one in six - living with arthritis, they’ve funded critical research for decades (including into medication that’s sorting me out now) and they provide vast amounts of help and information for free.

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BELGIUM’S TINTIN-INSPIRED KIT IS THE LATEST IN A PROUD HISTORY OF NOVELTY DESIGNS

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BELGIUM’S FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION HAS UNVEILED A NEW TINTIN-INSPIRED KIT FOR THIS SUMMER’S EUROS, PROMPTING TABLER’S TOM HALL TO DEEP DIVE INTO THE RICH LINEAGE OF ‘FUN’ SOCCER STRIP DESIGNS

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When you think of Belgium, you probably conjure up images of Poirot, chocolate boxes and, well, TinTin. It’s fitting then that country’s away kit pays tribute to Belgian cartoonist Hergé’s iconic character, replicating his signature outfit of a collared blue shirt, brown trousers, and white socks.

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, the Chelsea striker currently on loan at Roma, will be among those wearing the adidas kit

this summer at the European Championship in Germany.

Indeed, the men’s team will debut the new away kit in a friendly against England on 26 March.

But does it beat some of the world’s quirkiest kits?

We shamelessly loved the kitsch-but-cute TinTin design, but where does it rank among the various questionable exercises in off-kilter kit design?

Cultural Leonesa’s Tuxedo Kit (2014/15) This Spanish lower league club’s kit featured a tuxedo design, more fitting for a formal event rather than a football match.

While we admire the tasteful use of Hummel’s insignia and the brass balls commitment to the concept, we imagine the players weren’t best pleased with looking like a colony of penguins enroute to the Oscars.

CD Palencia’s Muscle Kit (2016/17) Apropos of nothing, this Spanish club’s kit depicted the human muscular system, referencing anatomy and fitness in a striking and somewhat humorous manner. If Kappa’s intention was to distract the opposition then perhaps that goal was achieved, but if they sought to intimidate… well.

FOOTIE

Deportivo Lugo’s Beer and Octopus Kits (2014/15) Spanish club Deportivo Lugo created kits featuring a beer design (sponsored by a local brewery) and another with an octopus, celebrating the local cuisine. We’d rather they didn’t.

Xolos’s Star Wars Kit, by Charlie Futbol (2015) In collaboration with Star Wars, adidas released a limited edition Xolos kit featuring Star Wars designs and branding. It’s subtle enough to have the reference

West Ham United’s Iron Maiden Kit (2019) West Ham collaborated with the iconic heavy metal band Iron Maiden, featuring a design inspired by the band’s logo and imagery.

While it might have a few haters ‘Running for the Hills’, we’re unapologetic fans of this design. Having a band sponsor a club isn’t breaking any rules, and it even nods playfully to both organisation’s faux-villainous appeal.

Getafe’s Burger King kit, 2009, by Joma These infamous kits featured the fast food chain’s mascot printed inside the shirt so that players could

overlooked, and the colour scheme is on point. The force is strong in this one.

pull it up over their faces and celebrate ‘like a King’ when they scored.

While inventive, it’s also a King-sized

Zamora CF’s lightning kit, by Kappa (2018) Spanish outfit Zamora CF’s third kit in 2018 is imprinted with a ‘real circulatory system’, with the team’s logo used in place of the human heart. There’s even a thematically linked slogan on the back, reading: “The blood, that reddish fluid that transports life through our body, which is born and flows from the heart to nourish our emotions and feelings.”

It also makes the team look like stick men.

example of ‘brand stretch’.

Pescara’s dolphin kit, 2020, by Errea Admittedly a sign of the times in 2020, Italian side Pescara’s image of a dolphin rising above a rainbow was designed by a six-year old fan as a message of hope for a world in lockdown. A cute idea, and a heartwarming design that actually sold surprisingly well, sure... but if the players didn’t have a bemused ‘Samuel L TABLER MAGAZINE * SUMMER 2024

Jackon and John Travolta Pulp Fiction moment’ when they first put it on, we’d be surprised.

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by creating a new Honorary Role – the Honorary National Welfare Officer, who happens to be automatically elected each year as the IPP of RTBI and by creating a charity that sits within our control, to gift to our membership. One that the members of RTBI contribute towards, paying forward that fellowship and support to our fellow members who are down on their luck.

“The Round Table Great Britain and Ireland Benevolent Fund” The aim of the charity will be simple, to support the members of Round Table Great Britain and Ireland and their families directly and indirectly.

1. Financial Assistance: Offering monetary aid to individuals or families facing financial hardships due to illness, unemployment, natural disasters, or other unexpected challenges.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT’S ROLE.

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In my time on the National Board, I have witnessed a multitude of situations where; through no fault of their own, members of Round Table have needed support or help just to get by with the day-to-day struggles of modern life. We have done so much over the last few years to showcase and signpost the immense support that mental health charities can do for people who identify within our main demographic, males aged between 18-45.

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2. Education: Educational support to help individuals pursue their studies and improve their prospects should hardships prevent routine or regular attendance (note this will be reviewed case by case and will not initially cover scholarships or educational grants).

3. Medical Aid: Assisting with medical expenses, including the cost of treatments, medications, and hospital stays for those who cannot afford them.

4. Emergency Relief: Delivering prompt aid during emergencies, such as natural disasters, accidents, or other crises, to help affected individuals recover and rebuild their lives.

5. Support for Widows and Orphans of Round Table members: Offering special assistance to widows, orphans, and other vulnerable groups to ensure their well-being and security.

But what can we do? As it stands, we have the hardship fund, a small notional benefit that Tablers can call upon should they fall on hard times, to allow them to have a free membership for the year.

6. Community Welfare: Funding community projects and

The reality is that the membership costs of our wonderful organisation are only the starting figure, with most events requiring significant supplementary costs. So sadly, when life hands out lemons, the first thing that they look to remove from their lives are superfluous activities and expense. Whilst there is a benevolent account line within our treasurer’s discretion, this line is not sizable and does not get renewed until the start of each budget.

but the ambition of the fund would be that by paying into the

initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life within a specific community or group directed by an existing member of RTBI. The terms and conditions are currently being written and reviewed fund you would be able to support your fellow members of RTBI should their luck let them down. Donations would be collected via standing order and distributed to beneficiaries on successful applications to the Trustees, headed up by the IPP, who would report case information (retracted for sensitivity) to the National Council per quarter.

Gentlemen, I hope you think this incentive is something that we

So with all of that being said, when we want to stand side by side with our fellow members and say we tried our best to help our friends out of their darkest times, that being a member of RTBI has alleviated the shortterm pain that we can all sometimes feel, and that we didn’t just do enough, we did more! I feel it is only right that the National Association of Round Tables, Great Britain, and Ireland, through its members be able to offer the hand of friendship and support our members in a more defined and supported function.

should be able to offer to our members. I truly believe this could be

I therefore wish to cultivate the IPP role on the National Board to offer value to the members of RTBI

RTBI 2024 – 2025

powerful and life changing for some within our fold. When the time comes this will need your support, generosity, and authenticity to make it worthwhile but when the choices in front of us are to do little and continue as we are, I think we all know that deep down we can #DoMore especially for each other.

Much love, Bushy, Immediate Past President (Honorary, National Welfare Officer, proposed)

INTERNATIONAL TABLING

NAMASTE ROUND TABLE! A DREAM TRIP TO NEPAL OPENED UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADAM FITT, THE NOW PAST RTBI INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OFFICER 2022-24

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Nepal has always been a bucket list country for me to visit so to get to go with Round Table while serving as RTBI International Relations Officer was a perfect way to do it. The country has always fascinated me; the culture and the food, the amazing temples and of course the breathtaking views at the top of the world in the Himalaya Mountains.

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Kathmandu is an amazing city. The small bustling streets with small cars and motorbikes everywhere in some crazy organised chaotic fashion that somehow works, the beautiful temples and Durba Squares nestled in amongst the tight streets, it really feels like a totally unique place.

While I did not get to visit Mount Everest or the Annapurna circuit I did get away from the hustle and bustle before the main event kicked off and spent a night in Nagakot (two hours outside Kathmandu) and enjoyed a sunrise hike which yielded the best sunrise I have ever witnessed. The sun peaking above the astonishingly huge mountains in the distance and flooding the peaks and valleys with a bright yellow

hue was a sight to remember forever. Luckily I took some photos as well.

What makes Nepal even more amazing is the people. Everyone is so friendly but the fellowship from our fellow Tablers each night prior to the meeting was excellent. Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights all included fellowship events hosted by a different club from Kathmandu and included a variety of traditional foods, drinks and entertainment. Luckily the video of me partaking in a traditional dance has not surfaced!

A Sunday day tour around Kathmandu and a Monday visiting two charity projects run by Round Table Nepal was also very special.

It is incredible to see the work carried out by this association and the passion with which they carry out their work was humbling.

Furthermore, the beneficiaries of the projects are so grateful to Round Table and it is clear that without Round Table, a lot of this work would simply not happen.

The main event was a brilliant affair. As International Relations Officer my role is to represent RTBI on the floor at the meetings.

Further to this I co-presented the outcome of a working group focusing on the current RTI Structure and how the system works.

This was a very rewarding experience.

Alongside the meetings are the various parties and the infamous Nations Night where you can explore a whole heap

TRAVEL

of worldwide delicacies courtesy of each association in attendance.

Saturday afternoon included a crossregion Futsal Tournament which was absolutely fantastic.

I played and despite being horrifically unfit I made it through and even scored a few goals. My team included Tablers from Germany, Romania and on occasion Estonia (as a sub).

The weekend was topped off with a traditional celebration dinner at a temple on the outskirts of Kathmandu with attendees encouraged to wear a form of traditional Nepalese dress. I decided to have a jacket custom-made

in a traditional Nepalese garment, it’s pretty colourful!

So my take from this, if you get the chance to visit Nepal, do it. You will not regret it. And if you do it with Round Table, even better. As our new President Steve says, “DO MORE!” Adam Fitt The now past RTBI International Relations Officer 2022-24

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TRAVEL

SOUTH AFRICA ROCKS! AFTER SPOTTING THE “DON’T CAMO YOURSELF” MENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN KARLOS O’NEILL, HEADS TO SOUTH AFRICA Initially, I just wanted to support them by buying some shirts, but my conversation with Tom from Alex Kenton turned into an unexpected invitation.

He asked me to join their AGM celebration, and to help with my travel costs, Round Table gave me a small grant. Tom was kind enough to host me for 9 nights in South Africa, making the trip possible.

The local food was a highlight, offering tastes that were new and exciting. The diving adventures were among my favourite experiences, allowing me to swim alongside beautiful fish and explore underwater worlds. Seeing wild monkeys, giraffes, and elephants in their natural habitat was like stepping into a documentary – it was surreal.

This trip was more than just a holiday; it was a journey filled with learning, adventure, and meaningful connections. The generosity of Tom and the Round Table community, the breathtaking adventures in South Africa, and the inspiring work of the Alex Kenton Table made this experience one for the books. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been part of something so impactful and to have witnessed the beauty of South Africa and its people.

It’s an experience that has left a lasting impression on me, reminding me of the power of community and the importance of supporting each other.

YiT, Karlos O’Neill Wrexham Round Table

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I’m incredibly thankful for the experience; it was unforgettable. South Africa was full of surprises, and every day was a different adventure. From speed boat rides on some of the country’s biggest rivers to spearfishing in the sea, the activities were thrilling. Diving and picking up fresh oysters added to the unique experiences, making each moment special.

Besides the adventures, I was deeply moved by the work of the Alex Kenton Table. Their dedication to mental health awareness and community support was evident in everything they do. Being part of their AGM and seeing their projects first hand showed me the impact of their efforts. It was inspiring to see a group so committed to making a difference.

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• • • •

International club numbers meetings/events (excluding those hosted in RTBI) International AGM’s Travel Bingo All grants and the amount of funding granted are at the discretion of the IRO. This is usually between £100-150.

New Generation Travel Fund The New Generation Travel Fund is currently set at £1000 per Table annum.

Any active Tabler under the age of 30 can request funding however there is a ‘1 person, 1 application’ limit.

• This grant cannot be used in conjunction with any other travel grant provided by RTBI or RTI.

ROUND TABLE TRAVEL FUNDING WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FUNDING YOUR INTERNATIONAL TABLING? For Tablers the call of adventure can be strong. No one understands that more than IRO James Edwards.

In this article, he outlines the funding available for Tablers to experience cultural immersion and unlock personal growth. Explore how Round Table Travel funds can transform your travel plans into experiences that will stay with you for life.

The John Watts Travel Fund This fund is maintained yearly by an injection from the annual budget. Any active Tabler can request funding however there is a ‘1 person, 1 application’ limit.

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There are a few stipulations: • This grant cannot be used in conjunction with any other travel grant provided by RTBI or RTI.

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The meetings eligible for funding are • The 7 RTI Meetings: • RTI World Meeting • RTI Half-Year Meeting • CEE Region Meeting • NEA Region Meeting • SEM Region Meeting • AMI Region Meeting • ASPA Region Meeting

The meetings eligible for funding are • The 7 RTI Meetings: • RTI World Meeting • RTI Half-Year Meeting • CEE Region Meeting • NEA Region Meeting • SEM Region Meeting • AMI Region Meeting ASPA Region Meeting • International club numbers meetings/events (excluding those hosted in RTBI) • International AGM’s • Travel Bingo • All grants and the amount of funding granted is at the discretion of the IRO. This is usually between £100-150.

Other Initiatives There are various other travel initiatives available to Tablers via Round Table International • RTI Travel Initiatives - From time to time RTI offers initiatives for Tablers to utilise. There is no set format for these initiatives, so it is up to the incumbent IRO to utilise them for our members if they are offered.

You must be an active fee-paying member of Round Table to apply for these funds. If you wish to apply or want to ask any questions you can contact me via international@roundtable.org. uk or via my Facebook page here: RTBI IRO Yours in International Tabling James Edwards Penistone RT 1094

ROUND TABLE FAMILY

STEPPING UP IN STYLE

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LADIES CIRCLE

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IN HER NEW ROLE, BECKY BAKER IS LOOKING FORWARD TO A BUSY SOCIAL CALENDAR, AND A BIT OF ADRENALINE I am absolutely thrilled to step into the role of National President of Ladies Circle. Firstly, let’s raise our tankards and give a thunderous cheer to the Bournemouth conference crew for pullin’ off a weekend that be as enchantin’ as a mermaid’s song!

Now, for those who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting me yet, I’m Becky, enthusiastic member of Winchester Ladies Circle. Originally hailing from the sunny shores of Weston-super-Mare, I found my way into this awesome circle of friends when I relocated to a new area and joined Circle. Let me tell you, before I found Ladies Circle, I was like a caterpillar in a world full of social butterflies—confidence as rare as a unicorn sighting in a supermarket, and my social circle smaller than a phone booth (remember those relics?).

But thanks to Ladies Circle, I’ve undergone a metamorphosis that even caterpillars would envy! From

a shy wallflower to a confident social butterfly, it’s been quite the journey. And I’m not alone—Ladies Circle has been making a difference left and right, just like Round Table does for its members. From boosting careers to giving back to communities, we all love to #TransformTogether And speaking of transforming, let’s talk charity – transforming the lives of others! This year, nationally, we are supporting Lupus UK, a cause near and dear to my heart since my sister’s diagnosis last year.

Lupus UK is the only national charity in the UK dedicated to supporting people affected by Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease.

Now, mark your calendars for my Presidential Ball on 28th September 2024, at The Science Centre in Winchester. It’s going to be out of this world—literally! Picture yourself sipping drinks under the stars, enjoying a mind-blowing planetarium show, and indulging in a delicious dinner. It’ll be a night to remember, and all for a great cause.

And let’s not forget about our Round Table family! I’m super excited to work with Steve, Emma, Jo, and Wynn to make magic happen this year. And speaking of magic, stay tuned for our adventure in Wales where we’ll tackle the Velocity Zipwire—brace yourselves for some serious adrenaline!

Yours in friendship, Becky Baker National President Ladies Circle GB&I 2024-25 president@ladiescircle.co.uk

41 CLUB

XRT & 41 CLUB. MEMBERSHIP MATTERS! Firstly, it’s awesome news that RTBI membership has grown to 3,000 members once again – congratulations to the Membership Team over the past year for all their efforts and commitment.

Just like RTBI, our membership has also had challenges in recent years but our membership enjoys healthy numbers currently just under 12,000 within 650 Clubs.

The really positive news is that over the past 12 months we have seen 15 new Clubs starting up – eight of which have been XRT Clubs – and there are many more in the pipeline!

We know that not enough Tablers leave to join their 41 club – and we’re doing something about it. The next 12 months will see a real change in how 41 Club approaches membership, as we launch our Regional Membership Roadshows across the country. These will provide member delegates with the tools and techniques to grow their Clubs, including growing their online presence, building an engaging programme, and attracting exTablers and invited members. Attendees will be expected to take these back to their own clubs to inspire real change.

If you are leaving your Table soon and already have an active 41 Club that you plan to join to continue your RT Family journey that’s great - we know you’ll be made very welcome and will have an awesome time continuing your RT Family journey!

However, whilst these changes from the Roadshows are being implemented, if you don’t have a local, attractive 41 Club to join yet, then consider joining or forming a club or an XRT Club.

XRT Clubs were launched in early 2023 and are a new type of active, younger Club for you to continue your RT friendships and activities within your Area to: EXtend your Round Table activities and eXpand your Round Table friendships XRT Clubs are part of the 41 Club Association and are already attracting Tablers who are leaving or have recently left RT but still want to continue their active experiences amongst like-minded men - including friends who were never in Round Table.

Interested? Scan the QR Code to find out more details and we’ll get back to you!

Peter McBride 41 Club National Membership & Round Table Liaison Officer membership@41club.org

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41 CLUB

I presented at many of the Chairmen & Vice Chairmen Workshops, interacting about talking about 41 Club and XRT Club and was proud that 41 Club funded two of the workshops. I was so inspired that we are organising a number of our own XRT & 41 Club membership Roadshows for 2024/25! Details will be announced soon and I hope many Tablers who are nearing the end of their time in Table will attend also.

41 Club Regional membership Roadshows

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