LIFTING THE SOCIAL MEDIA VEIL: Tabler Exclusive: How influencer Jonathan Niziol bounced back from death, drugs and despair BRAVE CANADA: Singer/songwriter Ann Vriend attempts to find hope in her hometown of Alberta
Winter 2023
BRET EASTON ELLIS’S LITERARY COMEBACK: The American Psycho author turns inward
BLER www.roundtable.co.uk
Tablers,
EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR & NATIONAL COMMS OFFICER
Adam Baggs (Cirencester 286) media@roundtable.org.uk
DEPUTY EDITOR
Tom Hall (www.newwordorder.org.uk)
DESIGNER
Clare Ferris (clar3ferris@gmail.com)
Welcome to the latest issue of Tabler magazine, which includes a huge variety of stories from your fellow members as well as inspiring individuals from around the world.
Contents From the President...................................... 4 From the Vice President.............................. 6
INSPIRING STORIES
Jonathan Niziol............................................ 8 Don't Camo Yourself................................. 14 Anne Vriend.............................................. 16 Round Table Children's Wish................... 20
TABLE NEWS
Remembrance Service............................... 24 Community Update.................................. 25 EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS................... 26 Why Programme = Membership............... 27 What a Year we've had so far..................... 28 Hidden Ciren............................................. 29
2023/2024 is turning out to be another fantastic year for Round Table, with success stories on a local, regional and national level.
AT YOUR LEISURE
As ever, enjoy the read and let me know if you have anything for future issues.
New Goals.................................................. 36 Taking it back to the beginning................ 37 So, Honestly... where do I start?............... 38
Baggsie
Gadget Season........................................... 31 ChatGPT................................................... 32 Book Review.............................................. 34
INTERNATIONAL TABLING
ROUND TABLE FAMILY
Obituary: Roderick Stevens...................... 41 Carfest........................................................ 42 XRT Clubs - FAQ's.................................... 44 TABLER MAGAZINE * winter 2023
From the editor
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National President weighs in Be The Best: A Journey with Round Table GB&I - from Chris Bush reach new heights in everything we do. Over the past year, we've taken this mantra to heart, striving for excellence in every endeavour.
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Raising Funds for Air Ambulance UK
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As the National President of Round Table Great Britain and Ireland, it has been a privilege to lead this year and witness its remarkable journey. In every corner of our beautiful isles, from the bustling streets of London to the serene landscapes of the Highlands, Round Table continues to flourish as a beacon of friendship, community service, and personal growth. #BeTheBest: It's not just a motto; it's a call to action. It's a commitment to being the best version of ourselves, to continuously improve and
So far, the challenge of raising one day's operational costs for Air Ambulances around the UK is going well. A massive thank you to all of the Tables and Tablers who have pledged, donated, or supported this ambition so far. Without your help, this would never get off the ground. I personally embarked on a remarkable journey, wing walking, to raise funds for Air Ambulance UK. The sky was the limit, hopefully showing everyone what it means to be the best, not just at ground level, but even above the clouds.
International Connections
Representing the UK and Ireland at the Round Table International World Meeting in Cape Town was an experience that showcased our global power. 46 countries were in attendance and the city was ablaze with Tablers of all walks of life, making old friends for the first time. If you have never been, I truly recommend you add attending a World Meeting to your bucket list as you will never see RTBI in the same way again. With over 20 members and partners, we demonstrated that being the best extends beyond borders.
Modernisation of Marchesi House
We are embracing the digital age by modernising Marchesi House, enhancing the internet and media facilities, and ensuring connectivity. In a world
that evolves every day, we're committed to staying at the forefront and now our HQ can too. If you have never visited Marchesi House please drop by at one of the upcoming council meetings where you will be welcomed and have the opportunity to see what the council members get up to. [Since writing, the National Board has also started to investigate letting part of Marchesi House to provide additional funds and ensure the building is utalised to its best potential]
Celebrating Success
As any previous National President will tell you, one of the main functions that you adopt when you take over the role is visiting regional Tables. It has been such a joy to get out and around, meeting so many of you in your hometowns and celebrating with you all. Whether it's a 45th, 50th, or even a remarkable 90th charter night, each celebration is a testament to the enduring spirit of Round Table. It's a reminder that we are the best when we come together to mark our accomplishments.
#BeTheBest: It's not just a motto; it's a call to action. Membership Drive
The development of our membership drive shows that we continue to attract the best individuals, dedicated to our cause. We eagerly anticipate
Presidential Ball
In March, we'll all come together in Portsmouth for my presidential ball. It's a moment of reflection and celebration, where we showcase the strength of our unity, underlining that we are the best when we stand together. There will be two nights of wicked fun in some rather spectacular locations (if I do say so myself) where we can unwind and celebrate all of our hard work over this Table year and stand proudly among friends. I look forward to seeing you there.
members volunteered, with others from the RT Family, for Children in Need, raising over £40,000, proving that the best in us shines when we reach out to those in need. Our Skinflint Rally teams were another testament to our excellence, raising over £50,000, so a massive well done to everyone who took part in that event too. As we conclude the season of fireworks and Santa sleighs, we reaffirm our position as the best in charitable giving.
The Journey Ahead
As we move forward, we envision a future where Round Table GB&I continues to be a force for positive change in our communities, where we consistently rise to new challenges, and where we stand as a shining example of friendship and service.
Our commitment to being the best extends to our charitable work. At CarFest, some of our
I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our members and supporters. You are the driving force behind Round Table's journey, and your dedication to being the best in all that you do
Delivering a Three Year Plan - RTBI National President and Vice President are committed to delivering a consistent strategy for membership growth.
Strategic plans have been developed in the past, and many are still relevant, but they are complex and need to be simple in order to have any chance of being successful.
Children in Need and Fundraising
One of the key targets for the National Board of RTBI this year was to work with the National Council to devise an overarching strategy for the association. There is no denying the fact that despite the hard work of successive National Boards we have continued to shrink as an organisation, and put simply we need this to stop. This is why we are aiming to deliver a simply three year, rolling plan that will help avoid the ‘one-yearisms’ that are endemic in the governance structure of RTBI.
By 2027, Round Table Great Britain and Ireland will be a relevant, young man’s organisation for 3,000 diverse members.
our legacy of friendship and community service shines brighter with each passing day. is what makes this organisation extraordinary. As we look ahead, let us continue to embrace our motto of “Adopt, Adapt and Improve”, striving for excellence, for it is in our collective pursuit of being the best that we find our greatest achievements and create the most memorable moments. Together, we will continue to build a future where Round Table Great Britain and Ireland remains the best at what we do, and where our legacy of friendship and community service shines brighter with each passing day. Thank you for your unwavering support and for being the best in every sense of the word.
At the beginning of the year we worked with the National Council to agree an overarching strategic objective of: Subsequent workshops then focused on the core targets of how to get there. The intention of this plan is not to stifle the ability of future national board and national councils from Adopting, Adapting and Improving the approach, it simply gives some context to future boards to review progress and change focus as required to ensure RTBI is positioned for future success and membership growth. Chris Bush – National President Steve Eccles – National Vice President
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the end-of-year results, knowing that our collective effort will make us the best we can be. A massive well done to Stef and his membership committee. All of you are truly demonstrating your dedication to being the best for RTBI.
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Transform traditions and empower change Some might say it is a slogan that is well aligned to ‘Adopt, Adapt, Improve says National Vice President, Steve Eccles Do we have an identity problem, an issue with our brand, or an issue with our culture? I have my views, but I’m just one guy with my own experiences and so don’t have all the answers. But the numbers don’t lie, we continue to see falling membership, in the last ten years we have seen a membership decline of around 1,500! So we need to get back to basics, and think about how we can modernise this amazing club to be relevant in modern society.
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For those that know me, they will know that my main reason for standing to be the next person to lead Round Table was driven out of a desire to ensure that RTBI remains relevant to future generations. My concern is that we have a bit of a brand and identity problem.
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For those that are in Table, we all know how it enriches our lives, through a combination of having an organised social life, making new life-long friends, to really making a difference. But do the general public, our potential members, see the same version of RTBI that we do?
What I do know is that amongst our 3,000 (ish) members, we can come up with a plan, based on our collective views of the good (and the bad) about RTBI. So, we need a change of narrative, we need to work together to understand how we need to adopt, adapt and improve our brand, culture and identity to ensure that the next generation of members can have their life enriched in the same way RTBI has mine. Over the past few months I have been using my social media channels to start to ask the questions that I believe are relevant in terms of coming up for a plan to modernise our association. We’ve covered a range of topics including; • the role of the aims and objects, • the time and place for regalia, • reasons to grow, • the age rule • the value of capitation, • our target demographic, • how to entice new members, • governance • whether we should rebrand • culture
Whilst my social media posts are intended to create debate, what we really need is a clear mandate for change, and the next task will be to undertake a membership survey to try to get some clear data on the current views, of the current members. The content of the survey is something that I’ve been working on with the National Board and National Council, and am now working on the content of the survey to launch to all members, this is in the hope that we can create a really clear mandate for change. My plea is that as many members as possible fill in the survey so that collectively we can create a Round Table for Today.
Inspiring stories
LIFTING THE SOCIAL MEDIA VEIL: JONATHAN NIZIOL’S STORY The sudden death of a parent, the loss of two close friends and a sexual assault were among the catalysts of Jonathan Niziol’s 15-year spiral into alcohol, drugs, exercise addiction, anxiety and depression. His story, however, was kept hidden behind a carefully-constructed social media exterior, until now.
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To the tens of thousands of followers Jonathan Niziol has accrued on social media, his life seems idyllic: he’s a real estate investor, male model and certified personal trainer with a wall full of trophies gained from his professional lacrosse career. The reality, however, was starkly different, and he’s now ready to share the ordeal behind this public facade in the hope that others can draw strength from his eventual recovery.
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Jonathan’s early life was one of relative calm and tranquility. “Growing up on a farm East of Toronto taught me a lot about the importance of a good work ethic and the circle of life,” he recalls. “The animals on our farm were treated more like pets. We’d keep chickens, and take our cows to national shows. It was a wonderful way to grow up, free from the pressures of social media in an era we certainly took for granted.” This lifestyle was afforded by having two hard-working parents – an architectural
designer father and Vice President mother – who grounded him with the tools for running a business and the importance of hard work, sustainability and harmony. “I was a good kid for the most part, and I’d roam the land with my dogs for hours at a time, and only occasionally play up. I had a personality that led me to pursue hobbies to an extreme though, which meant I was a high achiever in lacrosse, hockey and skateboarding. But looking back, it was a proper childhood.”
“It was Spring 2003, the day before my 21st birthday. I got a call telling me my mother had died suddenly by choking. I had moved out only 11 days earlier, and was preparing for a raft of new challenges I’d set for myself, when suddenly, I had the rug pulled from under me. I was in a state of complete shock, followed by denial, and unresolved questions I carry to this day. “It was a time when I was learning a lot from my mum about adulthood. A time when I was appreciating the sacrifices she’d made for me more than ever. I was starting to be genuinely curious about her life journey: relating more to your parents on an adult-to-adult level as people tend to do as they grow older. But sadly this was cut short.”
Jonathan had been diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, being told by doctors that his body was in the state of someone who's seventy-five and has been drinking excessively their entire life. “Just one more drink could easily kill me,” he recalls being told.
“For about a year afterwards, I coasted through life with a support structure around me. But that would abruptly fall apart, and it became clear that I was being increasingly plagued by anxiety and depression. Panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, and an inescapable dread, would characterise my daily life, and I begun seeking escapism through drink.” A typical day would see Jonathan get through ten or fifteen drinks: usually Guinness and beer, and by age 25, he was a fully-fledged alcoholic, in a cycle of depression and self harm with no end in sight. Fate, however, would soon intervene. While at home, drinking alone with just his Australian shepherd dog Sydney for company, Jonathan began to experience a pain in his stomach that would get increasingly excruciating as the night went on, persisting until morning.
After three days, and against the doctor's wishes, Jonathan checked himself out of the hospital and turned again to his usual vices. “I had full fridge of beers at home and I cracked one open, took a sip and I immediately felt severe pain. I was stuck at home for three days. I couldn't sit, couldn't stand up, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep.” Thankfully, Jonathan’s father stopped by to check on him after work and found him on the ground by the front door, delirious. What followed was three weeks in a Toronto medical facility where Jonathan received five blood transfusions and almost died twice.
“It was Spring 2003, the day before my 21st birthday. I got a call telling me my mother had died suddenly by choking.
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At age 16, however, the way of life Jonathan was used to ended abruptly following his parents’ divorce. The ripples from this period were still being felt when Jonathan left home to undertake a senior year at boarding school to pursue lacrosse in Philadelphia. Upon returning to the farm aged 20 to support his mum, Joanthan barely had time to take stock of his new career plans when his life was struck by tragedy.
“I remember it was the day before Canadian Thanksgiving. I went to a pharmacy to get some gas pills and then, within a couple hours, I was laying on the floor of the Emergency Room, having unbearable spasms that I’d never experienced before or since.”
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your spirituality is, but I believe that I was supposed to get this sick because it was the only way I could stop. I would always do things to the nth degree, and drinking was no different. “My pancreas was so inflamed that it was shutting down my other organs. My stomach was distended because it had shut down my intestinal tract, so nothing was going through me; my eyes were yellow because my liver was jaundiced. I was a mess. But at 25, I was finally scared straight from this alcohol addiction.” The road to recovery, however, is rarely a straight line. Jonathan’s newfound interest in fitness, prompted as an attempt to find meaning in his new alcohol-free life, would soon turn into an unhealthy obsession. Looking back, Jonathan says he was still plastering the gap in his life that the death of his mother had opened. “I had taken up lacrosse again, and was playing professionally, but I soon tore my knee and had a career ending injury. I was twenty-six at the time.”
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Still in good physical shape, Jonathan pivoted to begin a career modeling. “My mom was a model, which had led me to pursue that path, and it was one I strategise with my usual obsession. I was used to lifting like an athlete and just having that mentality.
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“I lost forty pounds in the first two weeks, and about sixty pounds in total. Yet, this time, when I got home I poured out the remainder of the alcohol in my fridge, and pledged never to touch it again. My friends had come back from a lacrosse game, and 15 of them came over to give
me a signed ball as a memento. It was a special moment, and it really touched me that they took the time to do that. It was a turning point that helped give me the motivation to stop.” Jonathan says the severity of the diagnosis is what saved his life. “I don't know what
“I've seen it in modeling, people who are willing to do things in order to get jobs – as in any industry – and i've had those opportunities and been approached for those things and I always stuck to my morals because I knew that if I were to do something like that I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror. I wouldn't be able to look at that billboard, but I
“I got pretty caught up in the whole fitness scene. I was comparing myself to these guys in Men's Health, and thinking that I needed to keep my body mass up to compete. Soon, however – after seeing some of these models in the flesh – I started to take the opposite route, deciding to shred weight.” Another traumatic incident happened two days into a stint living in Florida, which caused a psychological cascade that would tip his focus into a life threatening obsession. “I was sexually assaulted a few days into my stint in Florida. It’s an incident I’ve really never discussed with anyone outside of therapy, and one I’m dealing with through professionals. It really messed with me because, you know, I was constantly asking myself ‘what did I do wrong?’ and wanted to pretend it didn't happen. I considered whether being sexually assaulted by a man meant I'm gay now? “The guy who did it was someone who
would introduce himself only briefly. I was leaving the bathroom, headed into the changing room with him, and it took me a second to realise what was happening. It didn’t necessarily seem out of place that he was asking me about my underwear. But, before I knew it, he had pulled my pants down. I pushed away and pulled them back up and told him ‘do not touch me’, I was frozen in shock, but he ignored me, and grabbed and fondled my genitals. “ It was a very weird situation, but yeah that definitely started a compounding effect. As much as I like to think that I'm good at compartmentalising things, I realised the impact it had once I started to go to therapy later on in life.” “I was just storing these things away in psychological boxes and they were piling up and I was using whatever distraction was around me in order to push these memories down back into storage, if you know what I’m saying?” Jonathan’s focus on working out would intensify after this, and repressing his
trauma would soon evolve into an eating disorder. Before he knew it, Jonathan was a functional bulimic. “I needed that dopamine hit or that release, so I would get a bunch of crappy food and then eat my way through it, and then regret it and get rid of it… and that became like a habit.” Now living in London, Jonathan was struggling with the inconsistent nature of his workload, which would confound his psychological problems. “When the phone was ringing it was great. There would be a shoot, then a long period where, you know, work just slowed down. I was struggling financially, and would just go to the gym at Fulham Broadway, then hit the Tesco's or Marks and Spencer, eat a bunch of food and then just purge it because I had nothing to look forward to. “It was fall in London and everything was grey. I didn't know too many people, but I would try and just pull myself out of the flat to see the sites.” A fellow Canadian model friend soon persuaded Jonathan to join him on a trip to Amsterdam, which would prompt a new addiction. “I didn’t drink that trip. But I remember getting back and reflecting on the good times, thinking ‘I could really go for some weed right now’. Joanthan would spend the next seven years habitually smoking marijuana. “Looking back to this point now, I now know that I cannot dabble in anything. As soon as my brain gets a release, I know that I’m going to want to do that again. Sadly it took such a long time for me to put two and two together.” His refuge into smoking cannabis was also worsened by a series of traumatic incidents. Jonathan has suffered the loss of two best friends, one from suicide, one from car
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understand the pressures of being in that industry.
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I was abusing Adderall and using nitrous oxide as well as some muscle relaxing pills called Robax (methacarbonol), which were available over the counter, but I had begun to take these in extreme amounts around 100 pills per day, every day!” Indeed, at this time, Jonathan was ingesting around 50,000mg of methocarbamol and ibuprofen daily. This amounted to 100 pills per day. “Every single day I would go and buy the same generic brand of 100 pills for $37 and some change. And I would take every single one of those pills. accident.
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Jonathan had at this point spent twoand-a-half years traveling between cities, and wanted some semblance of stability for himself, and to be back around his father in Toronto, and to get a new dog, his little best friend, Bayly. “I wanted to start a fitness business so I did private personal training in Toronto, and that was going pretty okay, but I still had this addictive mentality. The weed smoking was going through the roof, but much of my addictions were kept private.
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“Looking back, there were some turning points in my career where I could have you know gone and hung out at after parties and done cocaine and it would have skyrocketed my career, but left me with a more serious addiction I might have never returned from.” Jonathan’s life in Toronto (where he was now located) was typified by weed smoking, hiding away from the world, and the depression and self hatred that inevitably followed. New drugs would soon enter his life: “I would get home and just close the blinds, shut my phone off and just didn't want to feel my thoughts.
“Weed was also changing my personality and my drive and my motivation was declining. Having started a business I would come home from training or having a shoot and going to the gym and doing all that stuff sober, but then as soon as I got home I had to get under the influence to not be alone with my thoughts.” Jonathan’s state was so bad that at this time that he remembers duct taping his balcony door to prevent him potentially taking his own life. As the days went by, however, he took the decision to approach a therapist, and developed a determination to hold onto and amplify any fleeting moments of calm and perspective he would experience. “I was so lucky to find a therapist who really understood my mindset. I truly believe she was put on this earth to do the job she was doing. I have to stress that, if you are having problems, go see a professional. What people forget is that stopping alcohol can be the hardest step, as beginning a life without it throws up huge challenges and some heavy mental lifting to tackle the reasons you were drinking in the first place.”
Jonathan’s life in Toronto (where he was now located) was typified by weed smoking, hiding away from the world, and the depression and self hatred that inevitably followed. The therapy Jonathan undertook at the age of 35 was a gruelling process that, looking back, he realises was about facing the reality of his situation and taking control. “I would kid myself I had a plan, but now I was understanding that I had to do something different. She gave me the tools to look at life from other people’s perspectives, and navigating what to do
perspective, or I’m wrong, and learnt something new.”
“I’d only ever lived addiction. I had routines that I used to do even the smallest tasks, like going to get a smoothie. I would realise that it’s ok to have a routine, but that I must know the difference between routine and addiction.”
“The idea of forgiving yourself is important. The things that happened to me, I wasn’t able to accept and genuinely forgive. I discovered that you don’t have to carry around embarrassment and shame. I now accept that I didn’t bring these things upon me, and it’s ok that it worked out how it did. It was a tough process, but it’s helped make me who I am.”
Jonathan stresses that he doesn’t have all the answers, but he now uses his social media to share learnings about what helped him, in the hope that others can relate, or that it will destroy the stigma surrounding his struggles – or at least take it as a cautionary tale. “If you or a friend are going down this path, it’s not too late for action. Whereas I was stubborn and in denial, I felt it was a breakthrough to change my mentality and to be like a sponge. I learned to enjoy admitting when I was wrong, and embrace new life learnings. “While before I would be worried to lose an argument, now I had learnt to embrace it. Now I love it when I’m wrong, it means I’ve either seen it from somebody’s else’s
“The idea of forgiving yourself is important. The things that happened to me, I wasn’t able to accept and genuinely forgive
“Addicts are very hard on themselves. I would previously reflect on how I’ve spent hundreds and thousands of dollars, not to mention thousands of hours!, on distractions, and I wished I could have that money back. But it’s about perspective. A lot of people spend money on education, but in some strange way, I had that too, as long as I grew from it. I have managed to come to peace with that. I know I wasted money on getting wasted, but it was an education. Jonathan also says it’s important to believe that, not just you, but others can change. “There are hundreds of people who knew you for a brief segment when you were a different person and that’s ok. People come and go in life, and that’s how
they’ll know you. It’s only human to have regrets. “Despite everything that I went through, I have a sense that I wouldn’t change it. I’m now 15 years without alcohol and seven without relapse from everything else. My story is a heavy one, and thank you for reading. My life mission is now to help others who are feeling alone. It feels great to finally say: ‘I stand proud’.” Follow Jonathan’s journey: Instagram: @jonathanniziol
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when I felt anxious. She wasn’t there to rescue me, but to give me the tools to navigate it myself.
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“DON'T CAMO YOURSELF” In 2018 Dan White found himself facing a series of life events, loss of a relationship and home. He tells us how Table helped him turn his life around.
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I woke up one morning to bailiffs clamping my vehicle , which I had been sleeping in, forcing myself onto the streets, and approx 3 weeks later I lost my job. Facing an ever growing uphill struggle I found myself homeless facing no access to my children and thinking there was no way out. Thinking that the whole world was against me, a failure to society, to my children and with no purpose I found myself on the wrong side of a railway bridge waiting for a train to die
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However, a random ex tabler passing by stopped, and took time to talk to me. Reminding me of life's ups and downs and that anything is able to be overcome with help. I was invited for food and drink and supported back onto my feet, I managed to get sheltered accommodation, and professional support through CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) they gave me help and advice and slowly I got back on my feet. I got another job, and eventually looking towards the light I found that Table was exactly what I needed. I became a a member of RT Barry 516. Soon devoting my evenings to Table and the Covid pandemic I was getting great pride out of helping others, delivering medical goods and foods to them free of
and took my first overseas visit to the Netherlands the camaraderie and instant friendships getting greater. Back home attending my second national event I met a Ladies Circle member. She took my eye and after the weekend I instantly knew she was the one. Another year of Tabling both myself and Harriet were very active with national and international activities and I found myself living with Harriet, I changed career, moved Table joining RT Lichfield 250 and am thoroughly thriving in everything I do. We made it to Cape Town. The stage set, I knew exactly what was coming, an amazing week with friends, and an extra special climb up Table Mountain
I soon found myself in an apartment just about surviving. Hardly any furniture, a mattress on the floor for myself, a blow up mattress for my daughter and only a settee and TV in the living room. Approaching Christmas, My Round Table was in full swing with our nightly Santa Sleigh collections with great joy on my face watching everyone enjoy our festive cheer.
Don't camo yourself. Be proud of who you are. Help is always available and table has always got your back. Charity starts at home. Look after those around you.
Round Table Santa Sleigh had meant my Christmas joy was short lived. For two months I barely got by. Moving into my apartment made me chose between Christmas items for others including my daughter or furniture for my place. Barry RT then went out of their way and delivered me a table and chairs to eat meals on, a bed and duvet for my daughter to sleep on, blinds and curtains for each window of my house, and most touching, the overwhelming abundance of Christmas presents for my daughter. This was so touching for myself. I had always given everything I had to others but never asked for help. Further help and counselling with CALM and I was proud of who I was. Who I was becoming, and who I wanted to be in the future. Nothing was gonna stop me enjoying life!! I attended several functions nationally
Don't camo yourself. Be proud of who you are. Help is always available and table has always got your back. Charity starts at home. Look after those around you. Daniel White Rt Lichfield 250 RTBI
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charge.
Harriet unaware, I proposed to the woman I love on (round) Table mountain. She said yes. My return to life has been a huge struggle, taking was a huge struggle. over 5 years. But here I am. Loving life. Living Round Table, still breathing and proud of who I was and who I have become. Round Table has become my life. Devoted to helping others around me.
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the tour got postponed three times, so I found myself living in a place that has a lot of foot traffic right past my front door. People of all walks of life, quite literally, pass by, and I just realised that I missed playing for people and realised that I could play for people, not in the traditional way at a proper venue, but just put my keyboard out on the front step with a microphone and play, so people would stop and listen I had invited a few people from the neighbourhood that I personally knew who came down because literally at that point in April 2020 nobody had anything to do, so there wasn't a lot of competition.
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People were happy to do anything that wasn't just watching Netflix. So, when the next week I decided to do it again with my friend who had sung back-up vocals for me in the year previously.
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ANNE VRIEND Tabler deeps dives into singersongwriter Anne Vriend’s life and inspirations
Introduce our audience to what you do, and how you made an impact during the pandemic? My name is AV (Anne Vriend). I’m a singer-songwriter from Edmonton Canada, living in the inner-city Macaulay neighbourhood. I write songs, I do a lot of touring in Europe, and I’m doing some recording at the moment, and I do backup singing for groups too. I had a very big tour ready to go in 2020, opening with Lisa Stanfield and then, of course, the pandemic changed that, and
So, she sang with me and that happened more and more and then, after a while, I started asking other artists if they wanted to come and do a little set, and by the summer we had basically a mini festival every summer with multiple artists. I got a sound guy set up on the other side of the porch by my rain barrel and it just became a thing. How busy were you? So all in all between 2020 and 2021 we did 60 concerts. It kept me busy, like it kept me from overthinking my existential existence as a musician and performer too much and you know the neighbourhood really appreciated it. A lot of people from all over the city came to our neighbourhood, and for a lot of people it's their first time ever being in the inner city and seeing the realities
Other people brought chairs out for people, so it became kind of like a neighbourhood presentation, during which I got to know a lot more locals. So the community obviously means a lot to you there? I've lived there about 16 years,, but up until the pandemic, I was increasingly doing so many tours overseas and long tours that when I was here, I was sort of in and out and I would come home and just lay low because I was so tired from the tours and the tours are really intense, including socially. So, I would come home and just be happy to be a bit reclusive. I’d lived here for so long but I really didn't know the neighbourhood super well, the pandemic forced me to stay put. What are some of the issue in your neighborhood?
I've been writing about and thinking about the issues that face my neighbourhood for quite a few album cycles now. It's not your average Canadian neighbourhood. The opioid crisis has just blown it apart, so there's a lot to think about because it's really in your face. It's a problem in a lot of places in Canada and it's been a crisis for really at least eight years now. The response to it has been agonising because the stigmatisation of the people who happen to have that particular health crisis are treated very differently than someone who, say, has
I had a very big tour ready to go in 2020, opening with Lisa Stanfield and then, of course, the pandemic changed that type 2 diabetes or lung cancer or a broken leg or something.
It's very marginalised and it's criminalised, so it gets extra dangerous and extra unsafe and very inhumane. Then it involves the black market and involves the human trafficking and prostitution and just makes it very hellish for people who are suffering from that, especially because a lot of them are suffering from it as a cause of prescription drugs that they were prescribed at first for pain The predatorial nature of some of the pharmaceutical companies plays into it too. There’s also a lot of naivety around it. For example in my neighbourhood of 5,000 people there's 48 pharmacies so you kind of wonder about the people giving the licenses. No neighbourhood needs that many pharmacies. It’s not hard to connect the dots as to why there's such rampant drug use. I could go on and on about just the logistics of trying to deal with that, and just the amount of trauma that there is because there's just such a high density of very, very ill people who can't really take care of themselves. There's handouts for them in different forms, like places where you can get food and second-hand clothing and there's shelters. But people don't want to go because they're not very
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of what it's like here. It became sort of the pride of our street. Some people participated musically and others by cleaning up the garbage. There's a lot of garbage and hazardous waste that kind of ends up on the boulevard and people really meticulously make sure everything is cleaned up for the concert.
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safe and they're not very dignified. So, we have streets and streets full of tents without sanitation.
Going back a couple of generations things were a bit different to your family weren't they?
Your most recent album explores a lot of the neighbourhood. Tell us about that?
In my neighbourhood is a lot of recent immigrants who came to Canada because of persecution and war in their home countries and my grandparents did the same after the Second World War.
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For the porch concerts that we put on, I was really adamant to not have any rules or signs up, or to be very firm about what time it would start and end. I just wanted music for people and all we would say was that everyone's welcome and it was amazing because there were some pretty ragged people with some pretty obvious problems, but they were sitting right next to somebody who pulled up in a hundred thousand dollar sports car.
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It was a sort of equalizer because everybody was there for music and everybody's there because it was a pandemic. Everybody got addressed by name and not their struggle. We all want to be valued whatever our struggles might be, it's universal. . The album is really about their realities; the harsh realities but it's also not a depressing album. It’s about the resilience and the hope of people who have obstacles.
My grandmother came here reluctantly. There wasn't Skype and FaceTime and there wasn't even international phone calls and flights that you can just hop on so honestly when she came she never she thought she would see her family again. It was a really big deal to come on a boat for three weeks across the Atlantic to a new place. She was a very tough lady, and very good at business: though her husband had been the business owner because he was the man. I didn't get to know her very much, she basically ran the business while running a household with seven kids. What’s the dollar and suitcase story that one of your songs is based on? My grandmother and my grandparents arrived on Pier 21, the famous immigration pier in Halifax on the east
coast of Canada, with two suitcases and one dollar and then built a life in Canada. They grew up in a barn that they eventually renovated into a house. My grandmother didn't want to come to Canada, but got married and they had kids. It was a tough life here economically and she was missing her family back home. They were from the Netherlands, in the Rotterdam area, and my mom was born a year and a half after the family immigrated. As second youngest of seven my mom is a very tough lady but she's very emotional and is someone who cries easily and about things that are sad, happy and things that are funny. We have this theory that she has an extra tear duct. So, when my mom left home for the first time to go to university my grandmother said to my mom “if you don't cry when you leave, I'll give you a dollar”. So, my mom tried really hard not to cry and didn't when they actually hugged. But as her brothers were driving her away, she reached into her pocket to get a tissue, and found a dollar bill from my grandmother , which is when the tears started.It became a tradition between my
mom every time she went back home to visit. How did you get into singing? There was a project in our high school to do whatever you wanted to do as long as it took at least 40 hours of work. I decided to make a small album: a home recording of eight songs, and I got it approved by the teacher and it ended up taking way more hours than 40 hours, but whatever, I learnt a lot. And then that was that… or so I thought. In the spring when I was in my last year of school there was a talent show but not enough people had signed up, so the principal decided that part of my project would be performing three of my songs. I remember the feeling of just being hit by a bowling ball in the stomach with nerves: I think it was three weeks before the event that he just informed me of it. It didn't occur to me to say no.
In my neighbourhood is a lot of recent immigrants who came to Canada because of persecution and war in their home countries so you know and my and my grandparents did the same on both sides of my family after the Second World War.
didn't bomb and there were actually some people who had already graduated whose siblings were there for some reason and they asked me to form a band with them. We were awful, but it was my first band. Eventually I did take it seriously and go formally to study music, and that's really when the performance anxiety hit, to the point where I was just getting worse and worse and I was going to drop out after the first semester just because I could barely get notes out of my face anymore. How did you overcome it? I just changed my reason for doing it. I’d try to remember that everybody's on the same side. They want this to be a good concert and I want this to be a good concert so we want the same thing. Also it’s about really believing that it's not really about me, I'm just here to channel it.
But, I did it and it apparently went okay. I
Round Table Rocks is coming! A brand new showcase of the talents of the Round Table Family. Based at Stoke Prior in the West Midlands we will have live bands, a craft shopping village and many more fun activities. It is an event not to be missed. The best thing? All participants are members of Round Table and the 4 Club Family. Tickets are on sale now and include a free pin badge and t-shirt. So come along and support Round Table's newest event. We look forward to seeing you there.
Book now via
https://tickets.roundtable.co.uk/events/round-table-rocks/
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Round Table Rocks
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IT MAY HAVE BEEN A WET SUMMER BUT THE WISHES HAVE BEEN POURING IN AT RTCW With the generous donations we have received, RTCW has brought joy and happiness in the time when a family need it most. it has a devasting impact on the entire family. We would love to be able to offer a healthy distraction and reach as many sick children as possible.
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Round Table Children's Wish charity is only one of two charities to proudly carry the Round Table name and is dedicated to granting the wishes of children and young people with life-threatening illnesses, and we rely on the support of generous donors like yourselves to make these wishes come true.
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We are writing to members of the Round Table family to appeal to your generosity and ask if you would consider donating to our charity. Your contribution would help us to continue our vital work, bringing joy and happiness to children and their families during what can be a very difficult time. We want to provide our wish children with a chance to have a moment of relief and respite away from their illness, or to just enjoy a special treat or experience. When families are told their child has a life-threatening or terminal illness,
With your support, we can grant wishes such as meeting their favourite celebrity, going on a holiday, experiencing a once-ina-lifetime adventure, or simply receiving a mac or laptop to help keep up with their education and having some fun at the same time.. We believe that every child deserves the chance to experience joy and happiness, and with your help, we can make that a reality. We understand that you may already have many important causes that you support, but we hope that you will consider Round Table Children's Wish charity as a worthy recipient of your generosity. Mac Wish We have recently had the pleasure of presenting a wish to a young lady called Jasmeet, aged 13. Jasmeet, lives in Birmingham with her family. She suffers from a serious heart condition and has such a tough time with her illness and many stays in hospital. She remains positive and enjoys school and being with her friends. Jasmeet was delighted that
we could grant her wish of an Apple Mac Book Air and is getting lots of use from it already. We also gave Jasmeet an iTunes gift card so that she can treat herself from the Apple Store. RTCW are thrilled that Jasmeet is so happy with her wish. Blackpool Wish A little girl, age 6, from Birmingham spent a few days in Blackpool. The family all had a great time together and were thrilled to be so near the beach. The family stayed at a seafront hotel so were in a great location. Although the weather was a bit hit and miss they managed to spend some time on the beach. They took the trams and enjoyed the many attractions, along with lots
Center Parcs Our wish child, age 7, suffers from a complex lung condition. He was so excited to be able to visit Center Parcs. His best friend had been there and told him just how brilliant it was. The highlight for him was the pool complex. He was in total awe of everything that was going on. The family typically spent 5 hours a day there as he enjoyed it so much. Every time they tried to get out the pool he would just drag them back! It was his absolute favourite place to be. Mum said that it was wonderful to see him grow in confidence when in the water and he was in absolute heaven when splashing and spinning around. The family did manage to squeeze in some other activities including boat rides, wall climbing and mini aerial climbing. But the pool was always the place to be! They were able to enjoy some BBQs in the sunny weather and some great family meals. There was so much to see and do
and they made the most of every minute. “Hi Cathy! Just to say thank you so, so much for allowing us to take our little boy to Center Parcs, he had the absolute time of his life and was so happy! We truly had such a lovely holiday, and we are so grateful to the RTCW charity. Thank you from the bottom of my heart xx”. Legoland Daisy, aged 10, is from Chester. She has Cystic Fibrosis and has spent a long weekend in Legoland Windsor with her parents and little brother Adam. “We enjoyed some lovely food, loved the pool and the evening entertainment, our bedroom was amazing, and the children thought the bunk beds were the best! Even on arrival in our room there was a puzzle to solve, and the answers opened a secret safe which had special gifts for the children. We also enjoyed the sweet treats family gift box, and we are still munching our way through the goodies at home! Daisy really enjoyed all the rides, and her favourite was the Pirate falls ride, and we went on more than once, even though we got soaking wet! Adam was in his element building Lego cars and racing them on a virtual screen.
We still didn’t manage to do everything but what we did do was brilliant. We came back with lots of Legos, an umbrella, the cool mini figurines, a few plush Lego toys, two set of swords and shield, some fridge magnets, and a Lego flag. We had a great time, even though Daisy was poorly on Sunday we still managed to do few things later that day. We all had an amazing time and would like to thank You and RT Children’s Wish for the opportunity to make some special memories. We wouldn't be able to manage such a trip at the level we got gifted through the hard work of you guys, and through the generosity of people donating and fundraising.
We all had an amazing time and would like to thank You and RT Children’s Wish for the opportunity to make some special memories.
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of shopping. They also made a visit to Blackpool Zoo, the local gardens and model village. Our wish child’s favourite place was the beach, they even spent some evenings there too. The family all loved the resort and everything Blackpool has to offer and hope to visit again one day.
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Daisy’s wish helped us to “recharge” as a family. We are very close and this has helped us to keep supporting and carrying each other through the highs and lows of our lives. So, thank you, thank you, thank you.” We had a great time and made some longlasting memories. Krystyna Lake District Our wish child Kyna, 10 , is in remission following treatment for Medulloblastoma. She has just spent an incredible few days in the Lake District.
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Mumsaid “it was the most beautiful place, and we absolutely loved it. The scenery was absolutely stunning”. The weather was very kind to them, and they spent every day exploring the area. They visited Ullswater, Kirkstone Pass, Keswick, Grasmere, Blockhole, The Pencil Museum, a short visit to Blackpool and many, many more places. The children burnt off some energy at the high rope climbing at Go Ape and they all enjoyed a leisurely boat trip on Lake Windermere. They sought out some lovely places to eat and plenty of ice cream was consumed! The family were so busy each day it was a joy for them to come back to their accommodation for a meal, to wind down
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and relax in the hot tub.Jasmeet said this was “the best family holiday they have ever had”. Trampoline Imogen, “Immy” is 10 years old. She lives with her parents Clodagh and Matt in Norfolk. She has 2 siblings, Max,12, and Iris, 8. Immy has Cystic Fibrosis. The physio to keep her lungs clear is intense but exercise really helps with this. She enjoys cheerleading and has also taken up cross country running, and parks runs and enjoys the challenge of her sporting activities. They help to take the focus off her treatment and physio. Cystic Fibrosis can make Immy feel isolated as she needs to be careful which children she mixes with. Immy is a young lady of many talents and dreams of owning her own bakery one day. Immy is a very nurturing and supportive child in school and was chosen as a young interpreter at school. She supports children that may struggle with English as their first language or to communicate due to SEND and wears her special badge with pride. The family must prioritise Immy and everything they do has to revolve around her health. Immy’s wish was to have her own trampoline. Not only would this help with
her fitness/physio for her lungs it will help with practicing her back flips, kickovers etc for her cheerleading training and advancements, and no doubt be great fun with her siblings. It was with huge pleasure that we were able to make this happen for Immy. The family had prepared the area so upon delivery our very kind supporter, Norwich Castle Knights 41 Club member, Karl Sandall, his sons, and friend, along with Dad, Matt, set to work. This was a big build and took several hours but with all hands-on deck everything was ready for Immy. We would like to express a huge thank you to Karl, his sons, Jack, James, and friend, John Chambers, for all their hard work and supporting RTCW in making this wonderful wish come true. “It was hard work but very much appreciated by the family, they are a lovely family and so pleased with this help, medically as well as the pleasure it will give. A very rewarding afternoon and evening” - Karl – Also thank you to Matt, Clodagh, Immy, Max and Iris for being so hands on with the wish. We know the children, and of course Mum and Dad, will have hours of fun.
table news
Remembrance Sunday
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President Chris Bush reflects on his trip to remember the fallen.
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Attending Remembrance Parade as National President on behalf of RTBI, alongside other Tablers and members of the National Council, will undoubtedly be a memory that I shall cherish forever. A profound experience, steeped in solemnity and gratitude. The air carried a sense of reverence as we gathered to honour those who sacrificed for our freedom. The parade's precision, from the rhythmic footsteps to the poignant music, amplified the
gravity of the occasion. The wreaths laid in tribute served as poignant reminders of the lives given in service by servicemen and women, and Tablers past. Surrounded by veterans and fellow attendees, a shared sense of appreciation transcended words.
This solemn ceremony, organised by the Royal British Legion, underscored the importance of remembering and paying homage to the sacrifices that have shaped our nation, and continue to remind us of why war should always be the last resort. We will remember them.
Community Update: embracing the season of giving
Dear Tablers, that wonderful time of g the festivities that lie ahead! It's atin icip ant erly eag es selv our find wed by the we As the year draws to a close, Children in Need just behind us, follo h Wit . nce ere diff a ke ma to er eth comes tog le is a vital part of the year again when our community ing sight of Santa's Sleigh, Round Tab arm rtw hea the and ks, wor fire l sfu dazzling display of so many succes times, this season of joy and generosity. our organisation. In these challenging of it spir le edib incr the t ligh high ly ve efforts tru s in our communities. During this special time, our collecti some of the most vulnerable individual to t por sup l ntia esse vide pro will e the funds we rais causes. It is our d banks and various other essential foo to de ma g bein are ns utio trib con to engage with parents, Thanks to your generosity, significant k we do. Let's seize this opportunity wor ful act imp the ut abo d wor eavours. the shared responsibility to spread inspiring stories of our year-round end the re sha and , igh Sle ta's San at waving a especially those with children eagerly g out to each of you to participate in chin rea be will I as e ienc pat r you t ask for Looking ahead to the new year, I mus iendly Tabler World form. r-fr Community Impact Survey via a use valuable our impact on society. Armed with this ting tra illus in role l vita a s play vey group of The data gathered through this sur merely a social club; we are a diverse not are We . nce ifica sign s ion' sat our organi our communities. information, we can eloquently convey t to both enjoy life and give back to men mit com our in ted uni ds, oun kgr bac genuine difference. like-minded individuals from various of our data, enabling us to make a cy ura acc the s ure ens s vey sur se Your active participation in the cherish with our season and take precious moments to gh slei the of it spir the in es selv our happiness In the meantime, let's immerse mth and a New Year brimming with war h wit d fille as istm Chr rry Me a of you families. Wishing each and every one and prosperity. Warmest regards, Sheraz Shahid AKA Ra z Community People’s Champion
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Sheraz Shahid AKA Raz, Community People’s Champion, urges Tablers to use the Christmas season wisely.
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Events Events Events Ray Carr, National Events Officer, count down to a new chapter in Tabler events National Events Officer inviting another unique event for 2024, it was decided to bring in a new idea to promote some events from local clubs in a national events calendar for 2024.
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During 2023 we had a unique event on the RTBI events calendar, the very first Woodland Games, it was a great success and everyone who attended really enjoyed it.
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As with 2023, we did not receive any 2024 NSW bids within the stated deadlines so 2024 was going to look very light on national events with a rebranded “Big Weekend” conference in Bournemouth in May. We need to start increasing the awareness and attendance of national events in the future to get Tablers used to attending events outside of their own Table So, instead of the
These are local table events which national are promoting. The idea here being that local Tablers/Tables can pick one (or more) of these events in 2024 to attend alongside their normal local table events programme. By Tablers visiting other events outside their local table they will get to know other Tablers and hopefully want to attend more events (including national ones) in the future. If this idea works in 2024, my
successor can invite bids for the national events calendar for 2025. You will see that the first event is the Monopoly event which was planned as the second unique event in 2023. This was moved and then cancelled by Birmingham City Council. It seemed like the most appropriate event to start with in 2024, please look at your local Table events programme for February 2024 and see if you can attend this one. Here is our events calendar for 2024:
EVE NTS 2024 CALENDAR • 22 February Monopoly Take 2
Join the Area35 guys to see what the original Monopoly mania was all about
• March Presidential Ball, Portsmouth • April AGM Season • May Big weekend in Bournemouth • 8 June Round Table Rocks A showcase of Tabler talent, £45
Events at a glance (Some dates TBC)
• July Neath Festival
Let’s head over to our Welsh friend s to see how things are done
• 16-18 August US Sporting Weekend 2024, Norwich
Friday night: party boat; Saturday: frat house & beer pong, £200 all in or £20 per month
• September RTI World Meeting 2024: Netherlands • October Dublin 75th Charter
Why programme = membership The programme is the heart of every Round Table... but is it always the top of the agenda? By Membership Officer, Stefan Alexander
How important is this? So far, the membership drive has seem some impressive results. 22 clubs on dedicated growth schemes focused around this issue.... Collectively, these clubs have gone from 107 members 18 months ago, to 285 members today. Over 30 other clubs have done their own version of the growth plans, and achieved their own great results - so it works! But why? There are a number of key aspects to helping a club thrive... It is all about setting up clubs so they are “ready to join”. Joining Round Table involves giving up something else. Time at the gym, time
with friends, time for hobbies, family nights, date nights... so the offering to new members has to make it attractive to the young guys out there. The upside is that this also makes it attractive to existing members. So both recruitment and retention are solved as one. This is where being “ready to join” sets a club up for success. The marketing is the easy part and we have lots of material on helping clubs attract young, good calibre members who want to get stuck in. The main work is always around getting the club offering the right product - that is the pivotal. The product we offer is our programme, that’s what members get if they join Round Table. And when done right, the programme adds such a variety and depth to members’ lives that Round Table really has no competition. A strong programme is all about balance. No charity events and you have no culture. Too much charity and it becomes a part time job. No business meetings and you lose structure, but too many and you lose focus or become a social group/ committee. No weekend events and you lose the bonding time, but too many of them and you need a divorce. So how to get the balance right?! The missing ingredient is the midweek socials. These are the bread and butter of a club. They will not only be your best tool for attracting in the new guys, protecting them also protects your balance.
These events are always the first to go... so bringing them back puts pressure on the other areas to be “lean” and efficient. Clubs will very often end up with monthly business meetings talking about the nth degree of detail or getting drunk with friends. Neither represent a true business meeting and monthly business meetings is a fast-track way to form a clique, without knowing it. So protecting the right amount of social activities, midweek, is key. Keep 14-16 on the yearly programme at all times. That will act as a failsafe to help protect your balance elsewhere. Outside of that. Make sure you have at least 1 charity event. Ideally 2 a year, but no more than 2-3 max. Weekend events. Get a minimum of three. No more than five. And business meetings. Meet every two or three months. For 4-6 meetings a year including the AGM. Each club has their own quirks, character, trading and culture. As Table that is something we should always celebrate and champion, and we do. Underneath all that, the mechanics of each club are the same though. Keep that balance and the members will keep coming in. Each club should be aiming to get in two guys under 35 each year. Do that and you will thrive. If you aren’t achieving that, reach out for help and support. It is there waiting for you.
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Having worked with over 100 clubs now, the single most common reason for clubs struggling is their programme starting to fail.
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What a year we've Rocco, National Programme and Retention had so far Officer Chairmen have the opportunity to make sure their Table year is a success. One, for the current members and improve their experience, and two, develop their membership.
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Over the past few months Stef, the committee and I have been busy planning and organising workshops for the membership growth project. After investing a budget to drive support and the tools for Tables to drive their clubs forward, we launched the first of the Chairman and Vice Chairmans' weekends in September in Bradford.
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The core idea was to invest in the leaders of local Tables to enable them to plan, develop and structure a productive year using a tried and tested method. Combined with the idea of providing Tables and Tablers the platform to network and share good practice, Chairmen and Vice
Bradford was well received, which saw 26 chairs and vice chairs from across the region attend. Initial feedback from Tables that have adopted the strategies reporting positive enquiries from prospects. So, it does work! With a little planning and proactiveness, along with our support, Table has the potential to thrive for years to come. The second of the Chairman’s and Vice Chairman’s weekends was subsequently delivered in Basingstoke, with 45 Tablers in attendance. These weekends are organised by members for the members. We have three more of these weekends planned in the new year. Perth 20-21 January 2024 Mercure hotel Perth Swansea 3-4 February 2024 Mercure Hotel Swansea Cambridge 10 and 11 February 2024 (Venue TBC) Check out the details on Tabler World, and book in if you don’t want to miss out. We often hear
‘What benefits are there from capitation?’. This is one of them. Apart from beer and food, the rest of the weekend is covered.
If you want to find out more get in touch. programme@roundtable. org.uk For now, much love and peace
Hidden ciren Finding Gold for Charity in your town... A challenge to identify 100 photographs of ‘Hidden Cirencester’…
Hidden Cirencester
August 2022 - It had been a difficult business meeting: we had lost our fireworks venue due to the council taking the opportunity to designate it as a Nature Reserve without consulting us during the one year off that we took during COVID; annoyingly they weren't prepared for us to blow it up or set fire to it anymore, and our consultations with them about alternative sites had revealed that we had been 'somewhat' over the maximum capacity for any of their sites for some years. Our 'grandfather rights' had well and truly run out... I drove home wracking my brains for something we could do to replace the lost revenue. About a mile from home, a thought struck me: "what about adopting, adapting
and (maybe!) improving that book we had had when I was a kid....?".In 2000, in my hometown, a local photographer had produced a book of 'Secret Corners': photographs of interesting and unusual features and views within the town, with a challenge to win a prize pot by identifying all 100 locations correctly. I got home and hit eBay, securing a copy of the original book for £25 (quite some inflation from the original £6.99 price tag in 2000!). Being a photobook, there wasn't a huge amount to text to 'borrow' and rework, so I set about taking the required 100 photographs to make the competition work.
members' businesses resulted in offers of sponsorship from a further 5 backers meaning that, aside from the prize fund, the cost of production was effectively covered. After a bit of back and forth with the publisher, sorting out wording and proofs, an order for 350 copies was placed, with a prize fund of £500 put up from Table funds. With a copy of the original Y2K book in hand it was easier to convince other local businesses to stock it, and soon we had a number of outlets. A Social Media launch and push got us underway. Initially sales were slow, but with more socials exposure and the Christmas rush, we soon had books flying off the shelves, with orders as far afield as Australia! All 350 books sold before Christmas, netting the Table a profit of around £4,000 (we debated buying more, but the minimum order quantity was too high, so we decided to 'leave them wanting more'). In the end we had 90 entries from the 350 sales, and one winner was drawn from the hat of completely correct answers.
Whilst taking a photo of an unusual streetlight at the rear of the town's independent department store, I was accosted with a 'Can I help you....?'. This turned out to be the owner of the store, who was sufficiently intrigued by the project that he offered to both sponsor and sell the end product. I took a copy of the original Y2K book to the next business meeting along with the offer of sponsorship and stockist: Luckily, everyone was happy with the concept, and our incumbent president lived next door to a publisher, with whom he put us in touch; we were well on our way! A round robin email to the local Chamber of Commerce and some targeted pressure on our
Leaving them wanting more was the right thing to do: Version 2 of the book is selling fast, in fact we already had a waiting list for some of the 500 copies we have ordered this time around. Fingers crossed we sell them all... Richard Dell, Chairman, Cirencester 286
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Hidden Cirencester
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At your leisure
PUTTING THE ‘I’ IN ITERATION
BUDDING COMPETITOR
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are the latest upgraded iPhone models. This time, they include a customisable Action button, a new titanium case, a USB-C charging port, Apple's new A17 Pro chip and an upgraded camera system. The Pro Max also has a 5x telephoto lens. Is it worth the upgrade? Probably not… but that won’t stop Apple geeks. £999+ (PRO); £1,199+ (PRO MAX)
INTO THE FOLD
The 1More Penta P50 are the company's newest wire earbuds. Expect hi-fi sound at a relatively inexpensive price. Each earbud packs five drivers and the cables are detachable, similar to what you'd find in higher-end IEMs. 1MORE
£170
FLIPPING OUT The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the fifth-generation foldable smartphone in Samsung's "Flip" series. The biggest physical change is that the small cover screen on the front of the smartphone is 3.78-times bigger than the one on last year's Flip 4. Available for preorder now. £1,000
“CINCHED HOURGLASS”
Similar to last year's Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, the HP Spectre Fold is a 3-in-1 foldable PC — it can function as a 13-inch laptop, a 17-inch tablet or 17-inch desktop (thanks to its attachable keyboard. The main difference is that Spectre Fold promises to be a more refined, more premium and significantly more expensive device. HP
£5,000
Sonos’ Era 300 is referred to as a “cinched hourglass”, and appears to be a reaction to Apple’s somewhat successful HomePod. The black colourway gives it an ominous vibe, but the sound will take your home set-up to a different level. It boasts groundbreaking spacial audio capabilities, and the incredible acoustics are all down to six specially positioned drivers within the body that immerse you in crisp Dolby Atmos sound wherever you are in the room. SONOS
£449
TABLER MAGAZINE * winter 2023
GADGET SEASON
The winter weather means a little more home time for the public and Tabler alike. It might be worth investing in a gadget or two.
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ChatGPT: can you even write, bro? For the first time since his cousin flexed his new iPhone in 2007, the advent of ChatGPT earlier this year signalled a tech revolution, rather than evolution, says Tabler’s Tom Hall “That’s… a real pickle,” was my reaction when I first used the AI chat bot produced by OpenAI, and, months on, we’re all still in this disassociated head space: a tilting smorgasbord of fear, excitement, hope, and intrigue. Of course, given that writing is simultaneously the job this thing is designed for, and a large part of my career, the proverbial Mexican standoff I was in wasn’t lost on me.
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Upfront though, I’ll say that I’m genuinely embracing ChatGPT because
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it’s incredibly useful. But I’m also acknowledging: there is no choice. AI helpers are here to stay, and while we’re only seeing centrally-controlled iterations, rest assured, ‘unbiased’ decentralised versions will emerge no matter how loud you, or Microsoft, shout at the wind. The result? All future Twitter Wars will devolve into appeals to authority regarding whose AI ‘authority’ is truly ‘authoritative’. But, while that’s a future essay in itself, what’s relevant for today’s purposes is how well this thing writes. So, let’s list the
ways, starting off, aptly, with ‘lists’. Boy, can this thing write a list! Part of my recent work involved drafting a rundown of hundreds of media publications, with hyperlinks and a short description of their specialisms. What would a week before have taken a week, now took mere minutes. And, like a work-from-home Santa, I checked the list twice, and deemed it to be ‘nice’… in this case at least. All swell so far then… but how about copywriting?
Broadly, the copy ChatGPT produces is generic, over written, reads like it’s explaining something to a toddler, lacks colour, and — crucially — it’s factually wrong an alarming per cent of the time. For example: I asked it to produce five celebrity bios. Three of these were not even talking about the right person (fair enough they were slightly C-list influencers), and those remaining failed to include the pertinent facts that really capture their respective cultural relevance.
editing”, so in a sense it is at least a head start, and one that’s useful for stimulating your thoughts, or providing a framework. But you didn’t hire a writer to generate the gist of an idea. A writer at the bare minimum should make the copy stand out, not blend in. They’re there to tease out unique ‘hooks’ that are unlikely to be ‘guessed’ by a bot. And, in nearly every copywriting project, you’re a cog in a bigger wheel, which means you’re constantly listening to suggestions from various stakeholders, and reassessing the copy accordingly. Then, there’s all the fact checking and administrative fiddly bits that you have responsibility for (ie. an event’s date changes, a speaker drops out and you have to amend all the previous copy, or some information in the copy requires elucidation).
It turns out that this is the general gist of a lot of ChatGPT’s copywriting issues. It’s just about ok in a discipline where copy has to exceed expectations. Add to this the aforementioned editing problems, and a seemingly ‘simple’ task is actually quicker and better the old fashioned way.
ChatGPT-like tech will become a lot more useful once it’s integrated into software and able to make smart suggestions to tackle some of these issues. But, in most cases, I suspect you’ll still have to ‘come up’ with the idea for what needs changing in the first place.
(Yes, a few months ago is officially ‘old fashioned’ now.)
Few workflows are totally ‘cookie cutter’, and ideas — and the general direction of the copy –will evolve during the writing process.
Of course, the writing style and important information about an organisation or person can theoretically be approximated by scanning past copy — but there’s a third person in this equation: the writer. A good wordsmith will also bring their own discernment to a piece. At best, when you simulate copy, you have an editing job on your hands. But, as the (unaccredited) dictum goes: “all writing is
My final experiment with ChatGPT was to use it to research the music industry for a book I’m writing. Without giving away my angle, I can report that it was next to useless at this task. To really make the book ‘pop’, it became clear that it’ll require my own analysis of a lot of existing research. ChatGPT will surely be useful in gathering this, but right now it
lacks access to a lot of what I need (even fairly basic studies), and can’t at this stage make the relevant interpretations the book requires to justify its existence. There’s caveats to all these downsides, of course, and things will only improve. But, given that the main premise of ChatGPT is that the user must explain ‘how’ they want the future copy to be produced, you can’t get around the fact that – with any task worth paying for — there’s an overwhelming amount of explaining needed. A good writer will already have intuited much of a given brief, or know specifically what you require from past experience (providing you have worked with them before). So you’re not going to ‘learn to code, bro’? I actually tried to use ChatGPT for this purpose too, and so far I’m either too dumb to make it work properly, or my expectations were too high. However, yes, I did manage to produce a rudimentary app, and it was simple enough for me to declare that this will surely be the real revolution of ChatGPT.
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My initial “I’m doomed I tells ya” mantra now seems a little petulant. And if I could uneat those Xanaxs I would. On the surface though, the theory that ChatGPT can replace a writer seems sound. But, “like Communism” to once again quote Homer Simpson, in practice it fails.
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Book Review
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The Shards
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Bret Easton Ellis’s latest novel The Shards sees him return to the decade parodied in his career yardstick American Psycho but, despite sharing its dark underpinnings, the 1980s is more comfort blanket than bloodsoaked sheet. While The Shards revisits American Psycho’s themes of psychopathy, privilege and alienation, its style, structure and setting are more akin to Ellis’s 2005 novel Lunar Park, which was also written in a semiautobiographical manner. By casting himself as narrator once more, we’re invited to view The Shards through the lens of 2023 Ellis, where — via his interviews, podcasts and essays — we glimpse an apolitical movie
obsessive, now at ease with his sexuality and basking in his rejection by the literary elite. The author, however, still very much scans as a product of the decade that birthed his career, and — in an amusing case of life imitating art — the sprawling monologues that open The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast are delivered in the same austere tone adopted by American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman when sermonising about the career of Whitney Houston, or the latest Huey Lewis & The News CD. It’s a strangely meta situation. We cringed at Bateman’s pen-chewing hot takes on teenmarketed pop fodder yet, in 2023, Ellis is adopting the same self-serious tone when discussing Hollywood icons, or late-20th Century chart acts. The joke, however, is perhaps on us. Ellis’s anachronistic tone might sit awkwardly in an age of clickbait, 250 character Tweets and YouTube Shorts, but — given that the cultural output of Reagan’s America is still channelled everywhere from Netflix’s Stranger Things to the 808 synths that litter 2023’s pop landscape — perhaps no era’s mass culture was more important in cementing America’s hegemony. So maybe it really is Hip To Be Square again? In The Shards, the reverence Ellis bestows on 1980s America is omnipresent. It’s no surprise then that his immersion back into the world of his troubled teen self in this 600-page tome is completely believable. The novel is a sort of twisted coming-of-age saga: a partly-fictionalised study of a disturbing period in Ellis’s late teenage years, following ‘Bret’ as he becomes increasingly convinced that the new guy at his preppy private school is moonlighting as a serial killer, responsible for a series of high-profile murders in LA. Unlike Ellis’s first novel Less Than Zero (which the ‘Bret’ in The Shards is in the midst of writing) there’s a lot more colour, and even pathos, given to the tight-knit LA friendship
group, whose lives are tragically entangled. While as over-privileged, pretty and promiscuous as ever, the characters’ doubleedged freedoms are realised somewhat empathetically: their hideous levels of wealth negated by absent parents, narcotic dependences and the deflowering of the sexual revolution. The novel focuses heavily on the horny protagonist’s pragmatic measures to deal with his closeted same-sex attraction: wounded by unrequited love, while faking a romantic bond with his unsuspecting trophy High School girlfriend. The nostalgia that epitomises podcast-era Ellis helps offset this bleak characterisation. The beloved relics of Peak American Empire — from Blondie to The Shining — are ingrained in Bret’s psyche as he travails the glittering backdrops of LA. Unlike American Psycho— which saw Patrick Bateman joylessly catalogue its restaurants, clubs and cultural offerings to “fit in” — here the music, film and iconography are the narrator’s only solace in life, BluTacking a glossy poster over the psychological ‘shards’ left by his distant parents. While lesser writers of teen drama might belittle the preoccupations, paranoia and romantic whims of adolescence through irony and forced quirkiness, Ellis’s earnestness and lack of consideration for political correctness make The Shards a vivid, and sometimes painfully honest read. The novel is also driven on by an increasingly disturbing ‘whodunnit?’ plot, which plays out with impressive complexity. The Shards then, isn’t a parody or a cultural critique of the 1980s, but a thoughtful document of the teenage years of a certain demographic, told with a sincerity that we’re glad the author can — more than ever — muster.
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International tabling
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New goals Michael D’Aubrey outlines his mission Taking up this role, with some great predecessors in the previous years, is a responsibility I do not take lightly. The CEE Region is a large region with many different countries and different traditions, but, as Tablers we stand #UnitedinDiversity, which means we will always find common ground. As your CEE Chairman I wish to focus on four main goals:
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Dear fellow Tabler
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I am honoured to be your CEE Chairman for the year 2023-2024. As a single father and full-time judge at the commercial court of Limburg, and a part time college lecturer, the decision to run for an RTI board position was not an easy one. After five years in the Belgian national board, however, I remembered that working for Round Table has always given me energy, instead of costing me energy. Spending time with my brothers has added purpose to my life and offered me support when I needed it most. Therefore, I decided it was time to give back to the association that has given me so much.
• Offering support to smaller associations, especially RT Albania and RT Czech Republic, who have just been (re)chartered. We need to carry on the good work that has been done to charter their first tables and see if we can ride the wave further and expand into other major cities, keep the existing clubs healthy as they keep on growing. • Focus on e-club and improving its online visibility, its accessibility, and making sure all potential Tablers can join our association irrespective of where they live. • Convincing Tables and associations to keep Round Table inexpensive in order to allow every Tabler to be able to come to events, but also to attract younger potential members, who might be put off by the high cost of membership. This will allow us all to keep our association young and our events eventful.
• Making sure the key players (president, vice president and IRO) in the national boards of our region get better acquainted share best practices and open up channels of communication until we all have each other on speed dial. With the RTI board we have set ambitious goals for the upcoming year, and I hope to play my part in realising those goals by adding value to our Round Table movement. This effort is and would, of course, be futile without the help and collaboration of the councillors of the different associations within the region. We need each other to push and overcome those limits that we deemed insurmountable. I am looking forward to the journey ahead in the upcoming months in which we will undoubtedly learn a lot from each other, forge or strengthen our friendships and create lifelong memories. The future of Round Table starts today, and we are a part of that… Aren’t you excited? I know I am. Yours in table
Michael D’Aubrey
Taking it back to the beginning This summer Chelmsford 132 were tour guides for our Swedish Number club Västerås (Pronouced Westeros, yes like Game of Thones) steeped with Round Table history, and all were serving highly refreshing real ale. We made a booking with Cinema City, which is the original meeting place of Louis Marchesi’s home club ‘Norwood’. Back then it was known as Suckling House, and the meeting rooms in the upstairs of the venue are available to book. Somewhat modernised now, but decorated with Round Table and Rotary memorabilia.
Rob ‘Meow’ Menown had mapped out a route of pubs taking in some of the venues
At the base of the staircase a newly updated display case has been installed including a pin board which is quickly filling up with visiting Tabler’s pin badges. Chelmsford and Västerås took the opportunity to hold a business meeting ‘Swinglish’ style mixing the best bits of each clubs traditional B.M. agendas. With Aims and Objects from both associations accurately slurred by Tablers from both clubs. On our journey on foot around Norwich we managed to bump into a couple of home club Tablers. Including Toby from Norwich castle, He runs the Sir Toby’s real ale stall at Norwich market. Make sure his taps are on your itinerary if you plan to venture into Norwich. Needless to say. lots of fun and fellowship was share by all. Chelmsford 132 looks forward to catching up with our number club brothers at their annual Swedish ski weekend in January. If you want to plan your own tour of Table history make sure to book Cinema City in advance they were extremely accommodating.
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Chelmsford has in more recent times created a bit of a tradition of exploring London via it’s diverse and numerous drinking establishments, either by Monopoly Pub crawls, Circle Line pub crawls, landmark pub crawls etc. And we always invite our brothers from the 32 Clubs. This year we decided to head North and make use of the good train links between Chelmsford and Area 6, taking our Swedish brothers to the home of Round Table, Norwich!
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So, honestly ... Where do I start? Jamie Powis gives the lowdown on his South African adventure
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Back in May of this year I attended the National AGM in Blackpool, which was a fantastic opportunity to meet new people from other Tables not only from across our nation but also visiting Tablers from other nations.
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It was at this event I learned about RTIWM2023… and boy I am happy I did. The time finally came to fly out and after some delays and an overnight flight, I finally landed in Cape Town! Upon arriving, I was greeted by one of the RTSA team who shook my hand, cracked
open a cold beer and handed it to me… this was the very start of what was to be one of the best trips I have ever done. The warm welcome from the team and the initial introductions with other international arrivals also attending the World Meeting was such a great feeling of fellowship. After checking in I was greeted by some members of the convening team who handed me my custom lanyard with my name, association and the full agenda for the week to come, In addition to this we were handed our welcome package containing items used throughout the weeks planned events as well as a whole selection of additional gifts/goodies, which I was most definitely not expecting.
The opening night was hosted right next to the famous Green Point Stadium and this was the first time I truly got to experience how big of an event this really was. The evening was made up of some fantastic live music, traditional South African food, a brilliant welcoming night video and an atmosphere to never be forgotten. I was able to mingle and meet with people from all over the world all there for the same reason. The next day I went on a day tour to climb Table Mountain, I unfortunately did not make it to the top and opted for the “slightly” easier option of taking the cable car, afterwards we went to a local distillery and had a full afternoon of cocktail making and a tour around how their products are
The next day I woke up at 5am to catch a 5:30am minibus along with other tablers for a 2.5 hour trip outside of Cape Town to a place called Gansbaai, here I would tick off one of my bucket list items by doing a cage dive with Sharks! We were very lucky this day to be able to see 17 different sharks, a cape fur seal and a gigantic stingray! This was honestly a day to remember. This evening event was Nations Night, by far the most anticipated evening of the trip. The event was hosted at the oldest building in the whole of South Africa, named the Castle of Good Hope, here each nation had their own stand filled with national treats, goodies and alcohol, which we bought with us on the trip.
This evening's event was to experience how tabling is done differently in South Africa and the attendees were split into different groups to visit one of the many local clubhouses to watch South Africa play rugby, eat a traditional Braai and see the location in which the locals host their meetings. Myself and our UK group decided to jump on the bus to Malmesbury.
Upon entering the courtyard we were handed a blank passport to which we would get an individual stamp at each nation's table when we visited and tried some of their things.
I met the clubhouse owner and other members from this Table shared a drink and had some great conversations with them. This evening had a real sense of community and warmth which was great to experience.
I got to meet many fantastic people, exchange Table pins and listen to the stories behind each, whilst trying delicacies from all over the world.
The next day I decided to do the day tour to visit Robben Island, a maximum security prison famous for holding Nelson Mandela.
The Gala Dinner evening was fantastic with multiple courses. This was truly a great way to finalise the event. It's crazy to think that just over 5 months ago, I did not realise that these events existed, let alone be able to attend one… but here I am with one international event under my belt and the hopes of many more to come. RTBI even has a level of funding for eligible members to help with some of the costs to attend. Thank you RTI for an experience which will stay with me for a lifetime Yours in table
Jamie Powis RTBI Hartlepool 102
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made, this was a fantastic experience.
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Round Table Family
RIP Roderick (Roddy))Stevens March 4th 1933 to March 7th 2023 Dental Surgeon, Avid Yachtsman, Committed Round-Tabler
1958: Joined Shoreham and Southwick Round Table. Treasurer (1961) and then Chairman (1963) Stood for Area Office for Sussex. Area Chairman (1965) National Councillor (1966) and then elected to National Executive National Extension Convener (1967). Supervised the creation of additional areas in both Scotland and Ireland. It was in Ireland that Roddy went against conventional thinking and was instrumental in creating areas that straddled the border, combining the north and the south.
Roddy at National Conference 1971
National Honorary Secretary (1968). Heavily involved in Louis (Mark) Marchesi’s memorial service in Westminster Cathedral
As a result, the research was resumed and later published, showing the educational disadvantages suffered by African children. One small step in the effort to discredit Apartheid and eventually bring about a government that served the majority in South Africa.
Elected National Vice President (1969) to Paul Perry National President (1970). Memorable events as National President included a tour of Africa. Roddy, accompanied by his wife Sue, were visiting Uganda on the day that General Idi Amin seized power in an armed coup. Fearing trouble due to association with the previous regime, they were whisked out of the country by a couple of fellow Tablers in a private Cessna. Like a scene from a movie, the plane landed on a grass strip, they and their luggage were bundled aboard and then the plane took off, all without stopping. Safely out of Uganda they went on to meet with Ian Smith, prime minister of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and President Kaunda of Zambia to raise awareness of the charitable initiatives central to Round Table. Finally, as chair of the Round Table Trust (1973). Originally set up to fund race-relations research in Southern Africa, fund raising had ground to a halt because of opposition to Apartheid. Roddy, as chairman of the trustees, was able to persuade the movement to rewrite the deed of trust and revitalise the fund raising.
Roddy cherished his time in Round Table and the platform it provided to help others both within and outside Table. He truly embraced the organisation’s motto; Adopt, Adapt, Improve. Roddy was pre-deceased by his wife of 60 years, Sue Stevens (nee Hilborne). He is survived by his three sons; Michael, Russell and Christopher, and three grand-children, Mackenzie, Thomas and Emma.
Roddy and Sue Stevens
Roddy Stevens Nyopi
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Round Table: 1958 to 1973, A brief history.
Kathleen Sue Roddy Earnest at Nat Conference
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CarFest steps on the fundraising peddle This year the Round Table Family volunteers at CarFest 2023 raised £42,695. We are starting to think about next year and we need you! Laverstoke Park Farm, Overton, Hampshire Friday 23 – Sunday 25 August 2024 The perks:
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• Claimable mileage to and from the site paid for by BBC CiN (if you don't wish to claim we advise that you do and then gift-aid it back to BBC CiN)
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• Free basic camping pitch in the production area from Thursday evening to Monday morning, with nearby toilet and shower trailers. You need to bring your own tent etc. please note caravans/ campervans etc are not allowed. No electric hookups are available.
• Free access to the festival on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. • Three meals a day in the production crew catering tent. They have a limited offering for those with dietary needs. What is expected as a volunteer: • To be onsite by Friday 9am for initial briefing
and available to sell raffle tickets come rain or shine on Friday from 12 noon to approx. 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to approx. 5 pm and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm or for the period agreed with your volunteer coordinator. • Your duties include but are not limited to selling raffle tickets, customer service related to selling raffle tickets, taking card in cash
aggressively or deliberately seek to make potential donors feel guilty. Undue pressure is not acceptable.
• To work in a team of two people minimum (max. four). No volunteer should be left collecting alone. • To perform your volunteering role to the best of your ability and raise a minimum amount of £1,000 per person. • To comply with all guidance given in volunteer briefings both before and during the event, including but not limited to health and safety dealing with vulnerable persons and child welfare. No volunteers should have unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults. • To behave in an appropriate manner and to not do anything that could bring RTBI NALC or BBC children in need into disrepute. • To collect in an appropriate manner i.e. not to act manipulatively
If you are interested in registering to volunteer for next year's event, please email me: vicepresident@ladiescircle.co.uk with your name, club & club number. Thank you,
Becky x Becky Baker National Vice President Ladies Circle GB&I TABLER MAGAZINE * winter 2023
payments, and ensuring ticket stubs are correctly completed.
*Children (under 16+) are unable to attend unless they have purchased general admission including camping tickets if needed. With general admissions tickets they are unable to ‘access all areas’ so can not camp in the production area nor accompany volunteers to the food tent etc.
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XRT Clubs - FAQ's 1. What is an XRT Club? XRT Clubs provide a continuation of Tabling activities for those having to leave Round Table aged 45+ who either decide not to join their local 41 Club for whatever reason or are already members of an existing 41 Club but want to create an additional younger age profile Club with similar aged members.
2. Why do we need XRT Clubs when we have 41 Clubs? 41 Clubs are great but not all are attractive to those leaving Round Table and only 10% of Tablers join their 41 Clubs. The primary reason for this is that the majority of Tablers leaving at 45 want to continue doing active Tabling-type activities, and consequently do not consider joining a 41 Club which may have a much-older members.
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6. Are you encouraging Tablers not to join 41 Club when they leave Table? Not at all. If your Table has an active 41 Club and you plan to join them to continue your RT Family journey, that’s great – you’ll be warmly welcomed and have a great time.
7. I’m already in a 41 Club but want to do more activities than older, existing members want to do? Speak to your existing 41 Club members and share your thoughts. They’re likely to be supportive of you and you may influence them to do more additional activity meetings rather than just dinner meeting.
No – XRT Clubs operate within the same Purposes and Objects as 41 Club.
If you are a lot younger than other members, you could liaise with other ex-Tablers in your situation to see if they would be interested in forming a new XRT Club – you could even do this whilst staying as a member of your existing 41 Club if you wanted to.
4. Are XRT Clubs only for ex Tablers?
8. How do I get started?
Not necessarily, as with 41 Clubs, each XRT Club can decide whether to only have ex Tablers as members or whether to also invite like-minded men who would’ve made great Tablers but didn’t join up.
Out of courtesy, you should initially consider whether there is an existing local 41 Club that you might contact to see whether their Club programme and activities are attractive to you. If they are, then you could arrange to visit them to check them out. You can find out the location and contact details of your local 41 Club from Peter McBride, the 41 Club National Membership Officer at membership@41club.org.
3. Is XRT a separate Organisation from 41 Club?
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older than 45 staying on as regular members actively discourages any young, prospective members to join Round Table.
5. Why can’t I just stay in my Round Table? Well firstly, the rules of RTBI state that a full Table member must leave when he reaches 45. Secondly, having full Tablers
If you prefer to start your own XRT Club, you could start by speaking to those Tablers in your own Club who are approaching 45 and the end of their time in Round Table to see what they would like to do. Like 41 Clubs, XRT Clubs are not restricted to only having ex-Tablers, so if you know of friends of a similar age who were never in Table, you can invite them also.
9. What about other Tablers in my Area? You should also contact other Tables within your local Area to see if there are members within their Clubs who are in a similar situation – new XRT Clubs will often be formed from Tablers aged 45+ within their Area as sometimes, there won’t be enough from a single Table. Contact details of Round Tables within your local Round table Area can be provided by your Area or Regional representatives.
10. Once I have others interested, what should I do? Discuss with others! You might consider organising an informal meeting in a pub or restaurant to discuss your options and decide what you want to do. Topics could include what your XRT Club name will be, when your regular meeting night will be and who will be the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Annual capitation to join a XRT Club is currently £14.50 per member – this was going up to £16 from January 2024 but Clubs at the 41 Club AGM in Jersey in April
voted to increase capitation to £20 from January 2024 and for the increased funds to be allocated to increase membership. You should also contact Peter McBride to discuss your situation and next steps. He will send you an official XRT Affiliation form to complete and return – he will also advise the local 41 Club Regional Councillor who will also be able to support you. Once this has been received, it will be presented to the 41 Club National Council and your new XRT Club will become official – and you can begin planning your future programme of meetings and events!
11. Lastly, why is the XRT badge different to the 41 Club rondel? XRT Clubs are new type of Club denoting the continued journey within the RT Family. The new badge displays the Round Table rondel as a background to the 41 Club rondel in front, emphasising the transmission from one to the other. Contact Peter Mcbride, 41 Club National Membership Officer at membership@41club. org for more information.
You should also plan for an inaugural Charter meeting, at which the National President will attend if he is available.
Growing Together
I would be interested to hear your views and happy for you to get in touch if you want to take part. I can be contacted on President@ tangent-clubs.org Yours in Continued Friendship,
Shirley Chard
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It is lovely to have the opportunity to address you all, so thank you. Since becoming National President of Tangent, I have been promoting my motto ‘Growing Together’. I believe that the whole Round Table Family needs to promote itself to gain new members and new clubs. I want us to encourage clubs to work together on Membership drives, to promote every Association. This way we are not accused of being sexist or ageist as we have something for all adults. If we get to grips with finding where we are missing a club locally and look to engage members of the missing club that are near to us, we can have representation of the whole family at events to let the public know we want them! If nationally, we can provide enough training and tools on the various ways we can recruit members to the Round Table Family, then locally we can start growing. I am hoping there is interest in Round Table in taking part in this, so we can get things moving. I have been encouraged by some conversations I have had about this and I know our Membership Officers are all trying to recruit, so let’s get out there and do it!
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