On Monday I attended a Rotary luncheon at the Arts Club. The guest speaker was Brig. Tim Waugh (retired) on the subject of Afghanistan. Brig. Waugh spoke about the tribal complexity in Afghanistan and his observations of the challenges of delivering 'on the ground' security as well as delivering 'hearts and minds'.

On Thursday it was my pleasure to attend a short ceremony at Guildhall at which Ron Hughes received the Freedom of London. One of the oldest surviving traditional ceremonies still in existence today is the granting of the Freedom of the City of London. It is believed that the first Freedom was presented in 1237.

Steve Nimmons with Ron Hughes and Family, Guildhall London

Yesterday, Saturday 20th June I attended the Rose Show at Hatfield House, which was a fundraiser event for the Order of St. Lazarus. I toured the magnificent grounds at Hatfield House, enjoyed a Pimms picnic and then toured the breathtaking interior of this wonderful stately home. Hatfield House was built by Robert Cecil, Ist Earl of Salisbury and Chief Minister to King James I from 1607 to 1611 and is the current home of the 7th Marquess of Salisbury, who I met briefly at a lecture he chaired at the Foreign Office last November.

Steve Nimmons in the grounds of Hatfield House.

Some of the roses in the gardens at Hatfield House

Roses at Hatfield House

Tomorrow lunchtime I hope to be at the Arts Club. Speaker, H.E. Dr Carl Roberts, High Commissioner for Antigua and Barbuda will address the Rotary Club of London on "Communication in the Caribbean Then and Now."

        

Today Dartford Shrine Club welcomed Shriners Imperial Potentate Doug Maxwell, Imperial Marshal Chris Smith, Aahmes Potentate Terry Moody, First Lady Patricia Maxwell and First Lady of Aahmes Vesta Moody to a special Ceremonial meeting and luncheon at Dartford Masonic Centre near London.

Three candidates were admitted into the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine 'in fine style', a big treat for the new members with the meeting being overseen by the world-wide head of the Shriners, Doug Maxwell.

Doug and Terry also brought news of their recent visits across Europe and latest details of the great (and pressing) work that Shriners International are doing for kids throughout North America, Mexico and Canada.

I was very pleased to attend and support the event. I am in the process (as publicity officer for Dartford Shrine) of developing a new website, and I will add the photographs and more detailed information to that site in due course.

In the meantime, some pictures of the event below...

Steve Nimmons with Imperial Potentate Doug Maxwell and Aahmes Potentate Terry Moody

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

        

I was at the East India Club last night for a funding raising dinner for Hazel Grove Conservatives, and the campaign of Annesley Abercorn - the very man to bring back this seat to the Conservative Party! Come on Gordon, call an election!!!

Other guests included Nirj Deva MEP recently re-elected to the European Parliament, representatives of the Hazel Grove Constituency Association, The Bow Group and principle speaker former Prime Minister, Sir John Major.

Sir John gave us a wonderful insight into his views on current economic woes as well as some unique historical narrative on 'European engagement' under Margaret Thatcher.

I look forward to next year (pray sooner) for the 'victory dinner' with Annesley as Hazel Grove's MP.

Steve Nimmons with former Prime Minister, Sir John Major.

        

I was very pleased late last week to receive news that I had been Commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel by the great Commonwealth of Kentucky.

This is the highest honour awarded by the Commonwealth, bestowed by the serving governor (currently Gov. Steven Beshear) on individuals “in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding community service.”

I look forward to working with the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels and supporting their exceptional charitable and social activities.

        

I attended the annual Russian Summer Ball last night at London's historical and exclusive venue the Banqueting House, Whitehall Palace. 

Many of Russia's hottest VIPs attend this glamorous occasion, including the guests of honour, Their Highnesses Prince and Princess Dimitri of Russia, Her Highness Princess Olga of Russia and His Excellency the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Mr Yuri Fedotov.

Dancing was to the excellent music of the Band of the Coldstream Guards.

I bumped into Charles Tannock MEP, an excellent representative in the European Parliament - I will be cheering his re-election this evening I'm sure.

Steve Nimmons with Charles Tannock MEP

        

A definite treat this lunchtime was the visit of Dr. Vince Cable MP for Twickenham and Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer to Rotary. In Vince's excellent book "The Storm" he provides detailed analysis of the circumstances that led to the world-wide credit crisis, how various governments attempted to implement 'counter measures' and forecasts of the long term effects that the credit crisis will have on world markets, politics and society in general.

He kindly signed a personal copy of "The Storm", a book I highly recommend.

Steve Nimmons with Dr Vince Cable MP

I was back at Westminster this evening for a discussion on healthy food and governmental policy. The guest speaker was celebrity chef Anthony Worrall Thompson. Anthony provided a very in-depth, intellectual and eclectic analysis of the rights and wrongs of Britain's 'eating culture'. Consensus was reached that in many cases the 'lazy cooking culture' was lamentable and indeed injurious to the health of the nation and in particular 'our' children.

Steve Nimmons with celebrity chef Anthony Worrall Thompson

        

        

I was absolutely delighted to attend the launch of the Great British Business Alliance at the start of May. As you can see below I bumped into former Home Secretary David Blunkett MP, who very kindly dropped in to express support for the new venture. The chap on the right, looking rightly happy is the Chairman of the British Business Alliance (BBA), Roger Ellis.

I'm sure Roger is going to make a huge success of the BBA and if you are in the London area check out details of forthcoming events on the website.

Steve Nimmons with former Home Secretary David Blunkett MP.

        

Slide show of pictures from the annual Investiture of Knights and Dames into the Order of St. George. Held at Rochester Cathedral, Saturday 23rd May 2009.



Created with flickr slideshow.

        

I attended a fascinating breakfast this morning hosted by the Council of Christians and Jews. The event featured two very notable speakers, Lord Brennan QC and Rabbi David Rosen. The topic of discussion was the recent Papal visit to the Middle East.

I am currently researching an article on this topic, so I wont say too much more except that the insight from these two experts was first class.

I hope to assemble my own thinking and put pen to paper over the next week. Assuming time is favourable I will also record a podcast.

In the meantime, some pictures to whet appetites...

Steve Nimmons with Lord Brennan QC

Steve Nimmons with Rabbi David Rosen

 

        

I've been fabulously busy in the offline world recently and haven't had much time to post on this blog.

Ulster Unionist Party AGM

After my visit to Rochester Cathedral to join St. George's Day prayers I whisked myself across to Belfast for the Ulster Unionist Party Annual General meeting on Saturday. The main business of the event was the re-election (unopposed) of party leader Sir Reg Empey and the launch of the European election campaign of MEP Jim Nicholson. As David Cameron was otherwise occupied at the Conservative Spring Conference in Cheltenham he addressed the meeting by pre-recorded message. You can read more about that here. Sir Reg's keynote address was very enjoyable and I very much agree and support his vision of political 'normalisation' in Northern Ireland. I am hoping for a large turnout and resounding endorsement of this strategy on June 4th. You can watch Jim's address to the AGM here.

UUP / Conservative Party Election Broadcast 

 

Shadow Cabinet Breakfast

Wednesday 6th May I attended a Shadow Cabinet Breakfast hosted by Conservative Way Forward, with guest speaker Nick Herbert MP. Nick has been the MP for Arundel & South Downs since May 2005. In December 2005 David Cameron appointed Nick as the Shadow Minister for Police Reform. In July 2007 he was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, and in January 2009 he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Discussions were mostly focused on the forthcoming local and European elections (and naturally the political outlook for next year), but we did also touch on a number of important issues on food labelling, fishery and agricultural policy. 

British Business Alliance Launch

I was very pleased to receive an invite to the launch of the Great British Business Alliance (evening of May 6). The GBBA is focusing on networking and connecting like-minded, vibrant and I would also say entrepreneurial types for business development. The surprise guest was former Home Secretary David Blunkett who I had a brief chat with (attending Conservative breakfasts in the morning and being photographed with senior Labour members in the evening might start rumours!). The event was very enjoyable with flowing wine, doyennes of the IT industry, a member of the House of Lords and even a gentleman named Rothschild in attendance! I look forward to seeing the GBBA develop and I'm sure flourish.

CFI Drinks Reception

Tuesday 12th I popped along to a drinks reception hosted by Conservative Friends of Israel and the Israel Business Club. The guest speakers were H.E. Ron Prosor (Israeli Ambassador), Right Honourable Kenneth Clarke MP and Right Honourable Richard Spring MP. Ron Prosor was scintillating as ever (I think he must be everyone's favourite diplomat), and it was a treat to hear Ken Clarke talk about the economic challenges we currently face. I should add (so as not to disappoint), Ken was indeed wearing his trademark brown suede hush puppies.

This week

I'm currently researching an article on the Pope's visit to Israel, what this achieved and how it was generally perceived. I will be attending a breakfast hosted by the Council of Christians and Jews with guest speakers Rabbi David Rosen (Israel) and Lord Brennan QC discussing that very topic.

At the back end of the week I will be attending a dinner in the House of Commons hosted by Damian Green MP, and then rounding off proceedings at the annual investiture of the Knightly Order of St. George at Rochester Cathedral.

        

Anglicans have reacted with anger over a recent Anglican Consultative Committee (ACC) resolution on the Middle East, described by pro-Israeli lobby Anglican Friends of Israel as a "ghastly pronouncement, which threatens to completely sabotage Anglican-Jewish relations".

The full statement from Anglican Friends of Israel goes on to resolutely challenge the Anglican Consultative Committee's position highlighting their lack of criticism of an education system in which Palestinian children are taught to"hate Jews and give their lives in cause of Israel's destruction".

The story has reached the attention of the national press, with articles by Ruth Gledhill at the Times and Melanie Phillips at the Spectator. The Jewish Chronicle notes that action inside the Anglican Church has already commenced (Archbishop restrains anti-Israel Anglicans) and an article in The Church Times further relays concerns over long term Israeli relations and interfaith dialogue.

This is not the first time ACC resolutions have caused consternation. In 2005, statements interpreted as call for 'disinvestment in Israel' were labelled as "sanctimonious claptrap" by the Daily Telegraph.

        

Press release from Anglican Friends of Israel


PRESS RELEASE-IMMEDIATE

http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2009/5/9/ACNS4619

Anglican Friends of Israel is dismayed at the Resolution on the Middle East passed by the Anglican Consultative Committee in the name of all Anglicans on 9 May 2009.
 
Once again, Anglican representatives have singled out Israel for criticism without placing her actions in context or directly addressing the Palestinian contribution to the conflict. Thus the Resolution calls on Israel to lay down all measures which protect her citizens from Arab terrorism whilst failing to demand that Palestinian leaders meet any of the obligations placed on them by UN resolutions, such as the requirement to dismantle their terrorist networks.  Israel is falsely accused of imposing an 'apartheid' system on Palestinians whilst the education of Palestinian children to hate Jews and give their lives in cause of Israel's destruction is ignored.
 
Neither Palestinian nor Israeli interests are served by resolutions such as this, which misrepresent the actions of one party whilst overlooking the agency of the other.  The people of the Holy Land - and the Anglican Communion - deserve better.
 
The Church must act quickly to counter this ghastly pronouncement, which threatens
to completely sabotage Anglican-Jewish relations.
 
Archbishop Rowan must know that there are members of his flock who are extremely concerned and not prepared to stay silent.

        

The Rt Rev Dr Michael Nazir-Ali extended a most gracious invitation to attend special prayers today in honour of England's Patron Saint and Martyr, St. George. A contingent of Knights and Dames from the Order Valiant of St. George attended Rochester Cathedral, and immensely enjoyed the spiritual refreshment that this occasion afforded.

Prayers included the concerns:

• The people of God, that they may proclaim the risen Lord and live courageously
• God's creation, that the peoples of the earth may meet their responsibility to care and show chivalry in public life and service
• Those in despair and darkness, that they may find the hope and light of Christ
• Those in fear and death, that they may find faith through the resurrection
• Prisoners, captives and all who suffer for Christ in conscience
• The people of England, our national life and the values and practices of society and government.

Knights and Dames of the Order Valiant of St. George with the Bishop of Rochester.

Steve Nimmons with The Rt Rev Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, Bishop of Rochester at Rochester Cathedral.

        

I spent a splendid afternoon today at Cressing Temple in Essex. It was my second visit to the site, which is an important Templar site - being the first grant of land to the Knights Templar in England in the 12th century. Photographs from my previous visits can be viewed in this photo set.

There was a jousting display, part of a special event celebrating England's Patron - St. George.

A few pictures below and a short video of the event.

        

I was delighted and honored to be initiated into the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (the Shriners) earlier today. In 2008, Shriners Hospitals had a total budget of $826 million and in 2007 they approved 39,454 new patient applications, attended to the needs of 125,125 patients. The Shrine's charitable arm is the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of twenty-two hospitals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

I am very pleased to be able to offer my services to such important philanthropic work, and I look forward to a life long relationship with this truly splendid organisation.

Steve Nimmons, Aahmes Shrine Meeting (18/04/2009)

Shriners - A Group of Extraordinary Men (Part One)

Shriners - A Group of Extraordinary Men (Part Two)

        

The theme of this documentary is very dear to me, as a passionate Rotarian I hope that you will watch this film and consider joining the Rotary movement and helping the work to eradicate Polio from the world, or perhaps (even better do both!) making a donation to your local Rotary Club and giving your financial support.

Nearly 50 years after a vaccine for polio was developed in the United States, the polio virus still finds refuge in some of the world's most vulnerable places. This documentary short, nominated for a 2008 Academy Award®, examines how a group of dedicated workers are going door-to-door and slum-to-slum to reach unprotected children in poor enclaves in India. For more information on HBO Documentary Films, log onto HBO.com.

        

Former Arsenal goalkeeper and sports commentator Bob Wilson was our guest at the Rotary Club of London today. I thought Bob was one of the best speakers we have had this year, I was particularly pleased to hear of his great admiration for former Northern Ireland international, (the great) Pat Jennings as well as the legendary Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann (who played on despite a broken neck!).

Bob also spoke passionately about his charity, The Willow Foundation, a national charity established in 1999 by Bob and his wife Megs in memory of their daughter. I'm home 'armed' with a signed copy of the book "Bob Wilson:Life in the Beautiful Game", proceeds of which go to the Willow Foundation charity.

Bob is a really charming man and the work he and his wife are doing is immensely important. I would be really grateful if all readers would take the time to visit the Willow Foundation website and also consider making a donation and perhaps also buying a copy of the book.

Steve Nimmons with former Arsenal goalkeeper, Bob Wilson.

        

I put in a long overdue visit to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford yesterday. It really was a tremendous visit and I thoroughly recommend taking the time if you are (at all) interested in aviation and particularly British and American aviation history. The displays are breathtaking and so numerous I could not adequately describe them in a simple blog post.

I added over 120 pictures to this set on flickr. The pictures are mostly aircraft, but there are also one or two land vehicles.

Some of my favourites are the Vulcan bomber and the SR-71 Blackbird, which is still a magnificent aircraft to 'admire in the flesh'.

The 'awesome' SR-71 Blackbird.

        

It was another frantic week. On Monday evening I was at a Rotary dinner in honour of our immediate Past President at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in London. That was an excellent event, and the venue was filled to capacity. There was some truly amazing violin and harp playing, courtesy of one of our new members - an exceptionally talented musician.

Wednesday morning I attended a Conservative Way Forward Shadow Cabinet Breakfast. The guest speaker was Andrew Mitchell MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Development and member of Parliament for Sutton Coldfield. I was very interested to hear Andrew's views on International Aid, and details about ongoing projects in Rwanda.

On Friday evening I was delighted to accept an invitation from the India Welfare Society to attend an event in honour of their late Patron, Jim Callaghan. Guests of honour included Callaghan's daughter (Baroness Jay of Paddington), Callaghan's son Michael, the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Wally Daly - District Governor of Rotary (London).

Steve Nimmons with Baroness Jay of Paddington

Steve Nimmons with Baroness Jay, Michael Callaghan, The Mayor of Kensingon and Chelsea and officers of the India Welfare Society.

On Saturday morning I attended a tour of the National Army Museum in Chelsea hosted by the Knightly Order of St. George. We were joined and very kindly supported by members of the Order of St. Lazarus. I'm delighted to say 26 joined the luncheon party and a very reasonable sum was raised for the Chelsea Pensioners (our nominated charity for this event).