Dave Wheeler.

David Wheeler joined Ryde Rowing Club in the mid 1950's after he left the Royal Navy when he was initially looking for a place to store his sailing dingy. Little did he know that nearly seventy years later he would still be connected with the club as a Hon. Life Member.

Over the years David served in a number of roles including; Committeeman, Club Secretary and later as Captain but he was best remembered for his boatbuilding skills. In the early 1960s, he used his skills, which had been honed in the navy, to work with a group of club members to build three new boats for the club.

David was also instrumental in finding a new home for the club at Appley Park when it was forced to vacate its premises on Ryde Pier in 1970. After a few years operating out of 'the old stoneboat house', a new clubhouse was build in 1974 and the opening ceremony was performed by Lord Louis Mountbatten with David acting as the host to his fellow ex-navy man.

Having secured a new home for the club David started working on another boat building project at the end of the 1970s. The pair of boats he helped to build was crucial to the most successful period in the club's history with a string of victories, including a hat-trick of South Coast Championship wins in the mid-1980s.

Work took David away from the Island for ten years but, he returned to Ryde in 1992 to retire and to resume his association with the club. In later life, as his legs began to fail him David used a mobility scooter to 'get down the club' and had his own key for the stair-lift in the club. David never missed a club regatta and enjoyed catching up with old friends from the Ryde and the visiting mainland clubs and of course, sampling the splendid food that was always available on regatta days.

Sadly on 1 April 2021, just a few weeks short of his 96th Birthday, David passed away leaving all those that knew him and have been associated with the Ryde Rowing Club with the opportunity to reflect on his legacy and to thank him for his near seventy years of service and support.

Paul Wheeler.

Cancellation of Ryde Rowing Clubs Annual Regatta. Scheduled for Saturday, 15th May, 2021.

It has become apparent that due to the on-going Government Covid-19 restrictions and guidance from our governing body - British Rowing - it will not be possible to go ahead with Ryde Rowing Clubs Annual Hants & Dorset ARA Championship Regatta on the planned date of Saturday, 15th May - a problem that has been further compounded by the on-going activities of Southern Water investigating and seeking to repair the sink hole that appeared near the Clubhouse and has caused much disruption in the area around the Clubhouse and along the seafront where the regatta takes place.

Therefore I must advise you that the Ryde R. C. Regatta will not now take place on Saturday, 15th May as scheduled.

The Club is actively pursuing alternative dates later in the summer when the Government Covid-19 regulation may be relaxed and British Rowing gives approval for the resumption of competitions. However the other Hants & Dorset ARA fixtures, the summer season and the on-going activities of Southern Water round the Clubhouse, and along the seafront may well make this impossible forcing us to cancel the Regatta for the 2nd year running following the cancellation of last years event due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

One possible alternative date we are considering is Saturday, 7th August.

Steve Bull.

Regatta Secretary.

Ryde Rowing Club Annual Subscriptions are due on the 1st January 2021.

Ryde Rowing Club Annual Subscriptions are due on

the 1st January 2021 - and a reminder - for all

Members including Associate - the DISCOUNTED

RATE ENDS 1st FEBRUARY, 2021.

 Can we thank all the Club Members who have renewed their Annual Subscriptions to date - your early payment helps the Club and saves you money – and saves us having to chase-you up!

 Please help the Club and yourself and pay promptly.

 It should be noted that, on average, if paid at the reduced rate – our rates of subscription remain the same or less than any other Island Rowing Club – and membership fees – at all levels – at mainland clubs are significantly higher. The Associate membership – at just £20 – where the only restrictions are on the use of the Clubs boats and training equipment are an ideal level of membership for parents wanting to support their sons and daughters who row.

 The rates of subscription for 2021 are as follows –

 Membership type.                          Payable before 1st February 2021/Payable after 1st February 2021.

Rowing                                             £120/£180

Social Rowing                                 £72/£108

Non-IW Rowers                               £60/£90

Full Time Education                       £42/£63

Associate                                         £20/£30.

For Associate members - please note the early payment deadline - Applied to Associate membership for the first time last year.

Note: For new members, who have joined since November, 2020 the membership already paid covers the new subscription year. Your next subscription will be due, subject to approval at the 2021 AGM on 1st January, 2022.

Subscriptions should be paid as soon as possible – over the bar at the Clubhouse or sent to the Membership Secretary, Steph Hickman at 145, Great Preston Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight. PO33 1AZ. Telephone number 01983 613077.

E Mail: steph.hickman1944@gmail.com

Cheques should be made payable to "Ryde Rowing Club".

You can also pay by electronic bank transfer -

Please transfer the appropriate subscription to Account Number - 03707210. Sort Code: 20-60-55 and put RRC Membership in the reference field - and it would also be helpful if you could E Mail Steph Hickman if you choose to pay this way - advising her that you have done so. Standing order forms are also available on request and are available at the Clubhouse - and the opportunity to set-up a monthly payment (over six months) can be set-up by special arrangement.

In January the opportunity to pay be credit card will be available at certain times - normally Fridays at the clubhouse - to be confirmed.

Sent on behalf of Dave Redstone. RRC Treasurer by -

 Steve Bull. For RRC Main committee.

 RYDE ROWING CLUB.

www.ryderowingclub.co.uk

stephencbull@googlemail.com

RYDE ROWING CLUB Fish & Chip Suppers and Talks. Thursday, 26th November - CANCELLED.

RYDE ROWING CLUB Fish & Chip Suppers and Talks. Thursday, 26th November - CANCELLED.

I am sure that it will come as no surprise to you all that unfortunately, in the current circumstances, the Club has decided that it has no choice but to cancel the 150 Club Talk and Fish & Chips event planned for Thursday, 26th November. This talk was scheduled to be by - Mark Earp and was about

Ryde 200 years - ‘From smugglers haunt to largest town’.

So that is the last "Fish & Chip" Supper we had planned for this year - all but one was eventually cancelled!

However I thought I would just share with you all our current plans regarding resuming the talks/fish & Chip Supper's once the restrictions end and we have been working on the Talks and Fish & Chip for next year - when we assume the current restrictions will have been lifted.

Our current plans are -

List of speakers for 2021 - all subject to change.

Thursday 25th February – Phillip Norman – The Skaters’ Waltz and
Babycham Night – Phillip is also the biographer of the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and a new biography of Jimi Hendrix to come out in

Thursday 25th March – Adrian Searle – Churchill’s last wartime secret

Thursday 29th April – Marc Earp – Ryde 200 years, ‘From smugglers haunt to largest town.’  TBC.

Thursday 27th May – Kevin Shaw – The Charge of the Light Brigade, Tennyson’s Poem and the Crimean War.

Thursday 24th June – Stuart Bennett – Chile to Bolivia – 
overland trip up into the high Andes. 

Thursday 29th July – Barry Groves – ‘Joe’ Carstairs – the fastest woman on water and Queen of Whale Cay.

Thursday 19th August (week earlier do to Ryde Carnival) – Martin Woodward -The tragic sinking of the SS ‘Mendi’ off the Isle of Wight in 1917

Thursday 30th September – Mark McNeill – Classic Boat Museum

Thursday 28th October – Tracey Dove – The Wildheart Trust – 
Home of the IW Zoo. TBC.

RRC Bar Opening Suspended.

Members will be aware that we have been opening the Club Bar on most Friday evenings since the first lockdown ended - while complying with all Government Covid-19 Guidelines regarding numbers in the Clubhouse, social distansing, rule of six, hand sanitising and cleaning etc…

However with a new national lockdown starting on the 5th November the Opeing of the Club Bar is now suspended util further notice - hopefully some time in December, 2020.

RYDE ROWING CLUB Fish & Chip Suppers and Talks. Thursday, 29th October - CANCELLED.

I am sure that it will come as no surprise to you all that unfortunately, in the current circumstances, the Club has decided that it has no choice but to cancel the 150 Club Talk and Fish & Chips event planned for Thursday, 29th October. This talk was scheduled to be by  Stuart Bennett – Chile to Bolivia – overland trip up into the high Andes   

It is also very likely that November's 150 Club Fish & Chip Suppers and talks will also be cancelled although no final decision has yet been taken.

However I thought I would just share with you all our current plans regarding resuming the talks/fish & Chip Supper's once the restrictions end and we have been working on the Talks and Fish & Chip for next year - when we assume the current restrictions will have been lifted.

Our current plans are -

List of speakers for 2021 - all subject to change.

Thursday 25th February – Phillip Norman – The Skaters’ Waltz and

Babycham Night – Phillip is also the biographer of the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and a new biography of Jimi Hendrix to come out in

Thursday 25th March – Adrian Searle – Churchill’s last wartime secret

Thursday 29th April – Marc Earp – Ryde 200 years, ‘From smugglers haunt to largest town.’  TBC.

Thursday 27th May – Kevin Shaw – The Charge of the Light Brigade, Tennyson’s Poem and the Crimean War.

Thursday 24th June – Stuart Bennett – Chile to Bolivia – 
overland trip up into the high Andes. 

Thursday 29th July – Barry Groves – ‘Joe’ Carstairs – the fastest woman on water and Queen of Whale Cay.

Thursday 19th August (week earlier do to Ryde Carnival) – Martin Woodward -The tragic sinking of the SS ‘Mendi’ off the Isle of Wight in 1917

Thursday 30th September – Mark McNeill – Classic Boat Museum

Thursday 28th October – Tracey Dove – The Wildheart Trust – 
Home of the IW Zoo. TBC.

Isle of Wight Forum Autumn Time Trial Series

Isle of Wight Forum Autumn Time Trial Series

With the rowing season effectively cancelled this year and any mainland competition unlikely for the foreseeable future, rowers from across the Island took part in the first Autumn time trials series on the river Medina last Saturday.

A joint venture between Newport, Ryde and Shanklin rowing clubs, this Covid-friendly event saw twenty crews competing over two divisions over a 1000 metre course, racing a variety of river and coastal boats, in a range of combinations and age.

Fastest crews of the day were the Ryde J15 Coastal crew of  David Baer, Freddie Giezma-Pipe, Frankie Leftley, Dan Sanderson, with Caymen Adams Cox), closely followed by Shanklin’s Masters Double Scull (Gary Burch and Kev Faithfull) and Newport’s Novice Sculler (Matt Whishaw). For many crews, it was their first taste of competitive racing. However, with a range of boat types and classes, the main concept of the event is to provide all crews with benchmark times from which they can improve throughout the racing series.

Article in "Wight Memories" Section of IW County Press of Friday, 14th August, 2020.

Some of you will have seen the Article in "Wight Memories" Section of IW County Press of Friday, 14th August, 2020 which displayed some old photos of Clyb crews dating back to the 1950’s. Club member Steve Cokk has commented “With regard to the article and pictures of Ryde RC on page 43 of last weeks CP, I think I can shed some light on the crew members in the boat on the right hand side with Nigel up in the bow. Immediately in front of Nigel I think is Terry Rowe, and in the stroke seat Mike “Piggy” Peake. The coxswain with his head half turned around could well be Chris Hunter. I joined, aged 10, in 1962 so the feature was just before my time.”

150 Club Talk and Fish & Chips event planned for Thursday, 27th August - CANCELLED.

Unfortunately in the current circumstances the Club had decided that it has no choice but to cancel the 150 Club Talk and Fish & Chips event planned for Thursday, 27th August - which was going to be by  –  

Barry Groves – ‘Joe’ Carstairs – the fastest woman on water and Queen of Whale Cay.    

We would hope to reschedule this talk to later in the year or next year when the present crisis had died down. 

However I thought I would just share with you all our current plans regarding resuming the talks/fish & Chip Supper's once the restrictions end.

The Talks/Fish & Chip Suppers in September has not yet been cancelled - although we think it highly likely that it will be - we will confirm by EMail nearer the date.

The September Talk is scheduled to be - 

Thursday 24th September – Philip Norman – The Skaters’ Waltz and Babycham Night – Philip is also the biographer of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and a new biography of Jimi Hendrix to come out in September 2020. 

We have rescheduled the talks from October, in the hope that they will go ahead as follows - we will confirm by EMail nearer the date. 

Ryde Rowing Club ‘150 Club’ Talks & Fish & Chip Suppers 2020

Here’s our rescheduled list due to Covid-19 and hoping we can continue our talks from October.

Thursday 29th October – Stuart Bennett – Chile to Bolivia – overland trip up into the high Andes

Thursday 26th November – Marc Earp – Ryde 200 years, ‘From smugglers haunt to largest town’.

We have also been working on the Talks and Fish & Chip for next year - when we assume the current restrictions will have been lifted.

Our current plans are -

List of speakers for 2021 - all subject to change.

Thursday 25th February – Phillip Norman – The Skaters’ Waltz and Babycham Night – Phillip is also the biographer of the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and a new biography of Jimi Hendrix to come out in September 2020

Thursday 25th March – Adrian Searle – Churchill’s last wartime secret

Thursday 29th April – TBA.

Thursday 27th May – Kevin Shaw – The Charge of the Light Brigade, Tennyson’s Poem and the Crimean War

Thursday 24th June – Stuart Bennett – Chile to Bolivia – overland trip up into the high Andes

Thursday 29th July – Barry Groves – ‘Joe’ Carstairs – the fastest woman on water and Queen of Whale Cay

Thursday 19th August (week earlier do to Ryde Carnival) – Martin Woodward -The tragic sinking of the SS Mendi’ off the Isle of Wight in 1917

Thursday 30th September – Mark McNeill – Classic Boat Museum

Thursday 28th October – Tracey Dove – The Wildheart Trust – Home of the IW Zoo. TBC.

Thursday 25th November -  Marc Earp – Ryde 200 years, ‘From smugglers haunt to largest town.’        

Opening of the Club Bar on a Friday evening - with strict Covid-19 restrictions in place - to selected members.

During July the Club tentatively trialled the opening of the Club Bar on a Friday evening - with strict Covid-19 restrictions in place - to selected members.

This has proved to be successful and we are now in a position where we can expand this facility to other members - subject to them meeting the strict Covid-19 restrictions.

We will impose the following conditions - which any member wanting to come to the Club MUST adhere to

1) Only fully paid up members should apply - no guests.

2) Those attending MUST book in advance - by Email - by reply to this Email or Email - stephencbull@gmail.com - or Text - 07786034941 - so we can list those in attendance and comply with "Track & Trace" procedures.

3) Maximum of 15 members present including Bar Staff.

4) The Bar will be open from 8.00pm to 10.00pm.

5) You can only use the upstairs disabled toilet.

6) Where possible Social distancing - 1m+ - to be maintained in the Clubhouse including the lounge.

7) Table service only.

8) Hand sanitisers to be used on entry to the lounge.

9) Preferably payment by Credit card or smart phone only. 

10) Alcohol only to be served in bottles or cans - and a glass/no draft beer.

11) Attending members can wear masks if they want and the Bar Staff will have masks available which they may choose to wear.

No one who feels ill or has Covid-19 symptoms should attempt to enter the Clubhouse and notices to this effect have been put up. We have also put up notices to reference regular washing of hands.

We will wipe down/spray - with a suitable disinfectant - the bar area, disabled toilet & Lounge furniture before and after the session and occasionally during the session.

The Bar stools have been removed and put in the back bar - which will be out of bounds.

The tables in the main lounge - have been spread out a little more - but their spacing was not really an issue as they are reasonably well spread out anyway.

All this assumes there are no further changes to government guidance.

If you wish to visit the Club you MUST book in advance and entry will be limited to the first 15 Members - including Bar Staff - that apply - and you can only attend if you have received a positive response to your request. If you have not received a positive response to your request you will be refused entry into the Bar.

Regards.

Steve Bull.

RRC Committee/Bar Committee.

New section on Web Site - Policies & Procedures.

A new section has been added to the Ryde Rowing Club web site at- www.ryderowingclub.co.uk

The section is entitled Policies & Procedures and sits under the ROWING tab - and consists of Ryde Rowing Clubs rowing related policies and procedure, down loadable in pdf format.

The policies included so far are -

Code of conduct for club officials and volunteers.

Code of Conduct for Parents/Carers.

RYDE ROWING CLUB CHILD AND VULNERABLE ADULT PROTECTION POLICY.

Ryde Rowing Club Online Safety and Social Media Policy.  This policy provides guidance on how our Sports Club uses the internet and social media, and the procedures for doing so. It also outlines how we expect the adult volunteers and the young people who are members of out Sports Club to behave online.

Stay Safe & have fun in rowing. Information for young people.

H&D Executive Council Online Meeting. Tuesday 8th June 2020.

H&D Executive Council Online Meeting 

Tuesday 8th June 2020

Present: Peter Staddon, Jeff Watling, Sue Southcott, Steve Bull & Penny Budd

- Pete took part in the online British Rowing Seminar the previous day about getting rowing clubs back on the water. BR's main concern is the time that it will take for crew boats to be allowed back on the water due to the current social distancing restrictions, even if this is reduced to 1m, it will still prohibit crew boats unless other restrictions allowing people to be together are lifted for sport.

- Most of our region's clubs are taking to the water in small boats but not allowing juniors due to safety concerns. Look at the British Rowing website for latest safety guidelines and advice.

- The Executive Committee discussed the July and August regattas and with the current restrictions on i) no crew boats ii) social distancing and large gatherings of people, it is with sadness that we have taken the decision to cancel the remaining regattas with immediate effect. Therefore, there will be no Hants & Dorset Rowing Championships for 2020. We had decided to review the regattas on a month by month basis since the lockdown started with the hope that we may be able to hold some racing towards the end of summer. As we are now in June, this is now not going to be possible but we are still asking for clubs who wish to look at staging Head Races in the autumn - October / November to advise of any potential dates. Again, this will be subject to restrictions and government guidelines.

- We are planning to have the H&D AGM which should have been held in March at the end of October (when the usual delegates meeting would be held). Hopefully, we will be able to hold this face to face with clubs and officers, but if this is still not possible, we will organise an online meeting via Zoom conferencing. If this happens, we will reduce the agenda items and limit the number of participants to 2 per club. The two potential dates for this meeting will be either Sat 24th October or Sat 31st October. The delegates/AGM is usually held at BTC due to location for IOW clubs and being central but until fixtures for Southampton FC are available for October, we cannot confirm the date. 

- We are keen to continue to host a H&D Dinner (obviously without the championship presentation this year) but see it as a chance to get together and celebrate and look forward to the forthcoming season. Can clubs indicate whether they and their members would want to attend the dinner if there is no championship presentation? 

- The club membership forms have been sent out by Gary Joyce and some clubs have yet to submit them back. Please do so as this impacts on next year's affiliation fees. The H&D affiliation fee invoices have been sent out by Sue to all clubs, many thanks if you have provided payment.

- Following on from the meeting, this was communicated out to all clubs but in case you missed it: Some of the H&D Affiliated Clubs may have received a Statement of Accounts from British Rowing claiming that the club owes BR arrears of BR Affiliation fees sometimes amounting to thousands of pounds.

The BR statement of money owed relates to Hants & Dorset ARA Affiliation Fees that clubs have quite correctly deducted from their BR Affiliation fees in a long standing agreement with BR.

It was an error on BR's part to issue these statements and  Hants & Dorset ARA Affiliated Clubs should NOT pay the statement. BR is aware of this situation.  The BR Board had asked the accounts department to ensure that BR receives all the money it is due.  Their accounts do not show that the Hants & Dorset ARA Affiliation fees were legitimately deducted from the BR Affiliation fees and that is why some clubs have received the statements.

The next meeting will be held on July 14th. 

Steve Bull & Penny Budd. Joint Association Secretaries. 

for the H&D Executive Committee.

Club Member Mark Chatwin breaks british record.

Club Member Mark Chatwin has broken the British 500m ergo record for people 40-49 in the lightweight category. His time was 1.27m.

RYDE ROWING CLUB PLAN FOR SAFE ROWING AT THE FOLLY and LAND TRAINING AT RRC CLUBHOUSE DURING COVID 19.

In the safety section of the Ryde R. C Web Site at - www.ryderowingclub.co.uk - you will find three documents that detail the plans the Club has put in place to allow limited Rowing from the Folly boathouse and Land Training from our Appley Park Clubhouse during the Covid-19 Restrictions. These are in line with current Government restrictions and advice from British Rowing.

You will find them under the ROWING TAB - then got to SAFETY.

The three documents are -

1) Plan for Safe Rowing at Folly Boathouse.

2) Plan for Safe Land Training at RRC Clubhouse. 

3) Risk assessment document.

If you are an active member and would like to Row from the Folly or train at the Clubhouse please read these documents before booking an outing and email the Club Captain (grdre@tiscali.co.uk) to say you agree and will adhere to the conditions. You should be aware that by agreeing, you waive your right to liability cover you may expect from the club. You should also understand that this agreement can be revoked without notice and agree not to challenge the decision. 

These are live documents and open to changes as the restrictions from the Government are eased.

A HISTORY OF RYDE ROWING CLUB AT THE SOUTH COAST ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS

A booklet/pdf file on A HISTORY OF RYDE ROWING CLUB AT THE SOUTH COAST ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS - which was first produced in Celebration of the 50th South Coast Championship Regatta in 2006 - and has now been updated to include all Championships up to 2019 - can now be downloaded in pdf format from the web site - www.ryderowingclub.co.uk - go to ROWING Tab - then Club History - and the link to download the pdf file is at the bottom of the page.

RYDE ROWING CLUB Fish & Chip Suppers and Talks. Thursday, 25th June - CANCELLED.

Unfortunately in the current circumstances the Club had decided that it has no choice but to cancel the 150 Club Talk and Fish & Chips event planned for Thursday, 25th June - which was going to be by  – Stuart Bennett on – Chile to Bolivia – over land trip up into the high Andes.  
 

We would hope to re-schedule this talk to later in the year or next year when the present crisis had died down. 

However I thought I would just share with you all our current plans regarding resuming the talks/fish & Chip Supper's once the restrictions end.

The Talks/Fish & Chip Suppers in July has not yet been cancelled - although we think it highly likely that it will be - we will confirm by E Mail nearer the date.

The July Talk is scheduled to be -  

Thursday 30th July – Adrian Searle – Churchill’s last wartime secret   

We have re-scheduled the talks from August, in the hope that they will go ahead as follows - we will confirm by E Mail nearer the date. 

Ryde Rowing Club ‘150 Club’ Talks & Fish & Chip Suppers 2020

Here’s our rescheduled list due to what’s happening in the world and hoping we can continue our talks from July

Thursday 27th August – Barry Groves – ‘Joe’ Carstairs – the fastest woman on water and Queen of Whale Cay.

Thursday 24th September – Philip Norman – The Skaters’ Waltz and Babycham Night – Philip is also the biographer of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and a new biography of Jimi Hendrix to come out in September 2020

Thursday 29th October – Stuart Bennett – Chile to Bolivia – overland trip up into the high Andes

Thursday 26th November – Marc Earp – Ryde 200 years, ‘From smugglers haunt to largest town’.

Regards.

Steve Bull.

Committee Member & Trustee.
RYDE ROWING CLUB.

Press Release. Ryde Rowing Club. Lockdown Regatta. Saturday 23rd to Sunday 24th May, 2020.

Press Release. Ryde Rowing Club. Lockdown Regatta. Saturday 23rd to Sunday 24th May, 2020.

Ryde entered a “Women’s Four” in a national virtual “lockdown Regatta” over the weekend of Saturday 23rd to Sunday 24th May, 2020.

This virtual competition was organised by students from De Montfort University and Bath Spa University rowing clubs who wanted to help raise money for the NHS in these challenging times.

Because not everyone had access to an ergo people were asked to run 2km rather than row, but the format was that of national rowing events. The first round required all competitors to race a time trial (Saturday, 23rd May), which was used to seed 6-lane ABCD finals (Sunday, 24th May). Crews were allowed, with the times from each individual being averaged to determine the overall time. This Regatta had 21 unique events with 195 crews competing across 236 races. There were 58 visiting clubs/ schools with a total of 591 athletes competing.

The Ryde Crew of Niamh Murphy, Poppy Starkey, Freya Drage and Emily Davis finished 9th in their time trial on the Saturday and 2nd in their “B” Final – 9th overall in their Final on the Sunday.

Steve Bull. Ryde R. C.

RYDE ROWING CLUB Fish & Chip Suppers and Talks. Thursday, 21st May. CANCELLED.

Unfortunately in the current circumstances the Club had decided that it has no choice but to cancel the 150 Club Talk and Fish & Chips event planned for Thursday, 21st May - which was going to be by Barry Groves – ‘Joe’ Carstairs – the fastest woman on water and Queen of Whale Cay.
We would hope to re-schedule this talk to later in the year when the present crisis had died down. 

However I thought I would just share with you all our current plans regarding resuming the talks/fish & Chip Supper's once the restrictions end.

The Talks/Fish & Chip Suppers in June has not yet been cancelled - although we think it highly likely that it will be - we will confirm by E Mail nearer the date.

The June Talk is scheduled to be - 

Thursday 25th June – Stuart Bennett – Chile to Bolivia – over land trip up into the high Andes.

We have re-scheduled the talks from July, in the hope that they will go ahead as follows - we will confirm by E Mail nearer the date. 

Ryde Rowing Club ‘150 Club’ Talks & Fish & Chip Suppers 2020

Here’s our rescheduled list due to what’s happening in the world and hoping we can continue our talks from July

Thursday 30th July – Adrian Searle – Churchill’s last wartime secret 

Thursday 27th August – Barry Groves – ‘Joe’ Carstairs – the fastest woman on water and Queen of Whale Cay.

Thursday 24th September – Philip Norman – The Skaters’ Waltz and Babycham Night – Philip is also the biographer of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and a new biography of Jimi Hendrix to come out in September 2020

Thursday 29th October – Stuart Bennett – Chile to Bolivia – overland trip up into the high Andes

Thursday 26th November – Marc Earp – Ryde 200 years, ‘From smugglers haunt to largest town’.

Ryde Rowing Club Regatta.

So today - Saturday, 9th May, 2020- but for Covid-19 - would have been Ryde Rowing Clubs Annual Regatta.

It was sunny, dry, warm and the conditions were almost perfect!

Oh well - roll on next year.

Make a Difference. The NHS COVID-19 app.

Please see the attached note from Gillian Burnett from the IW Sports Foundation and  ​Mrs Susie Sheldon JP, HM Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight and Trustee of the Isle of Wight Sports Foundation - regarding the NHS Covid-19 app.

A message below from ​​Mrs Susie Sheldon JP, HM Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight and Trustee of the Isle of Wight Sports Foundation

Can I urge you to circulate your members with the details of the new NHS Covid 19 App and urge them to download it.

 In this way we can all help save lives.
The Isle of Wight is the only place that is able to use this App at the moment and if we are all responsible about it we could significantly reduce infection rate. Tracking the spread of infection is the fastest way that we can get through this crisis and the success of the App depends on a substantial take up.

 The app  it takes no personal data from you (other than the first 4 digits of your post code), and it does not track you at all. If you develop symptoms of coronavirus you enter this information into the app and call a number to arrange for a swab test to be sent to you (or for an appointment at Medina Leisure Centre). At this stage anyone else who has the App who has been in contact with you will be contacted which will give them a chance to be tested and, for instance if they are a carer, might prevent them from visiting vulnerable people until they have had the all clear. 

I am pleased to be able to let you know that the NHS COVID-19 app is available to download today from the following website www.covid19.nhs.uk, where you will find links to the Apple and Android app stores.

Please note that initially 

you will need to access the app through this website from your smartphone; it will be available from the Apple and Android app stores when it goes live.

• Android phones will request “allow” locations – however the app does not use location tracking, but you still need to allow locations, as locations and Bluetooth are co-joined in the permissions settings within the android system.

• You will need to download the app to your own personal smartphone and please only use it on one phone.  This needs to be the phone you take with you and use most often. Were you to have it on two phones you carried around then they would constantly talk to each other and confirm that you had been in close contact with yourself

The Health Secretary said ‘Where the Isle of Wight leads Britain will follow’.  We have a great opportunity to play a significant role and make a difference.

Steve Bull.

RRC.