Speaker meeting 8-Mar-2012 Rtn Christine Smith “My Life My Job”
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that at an early Age her father owned a furniture store and also specialised in renovations to perambulators, whilst her mother was a florist, Christine went to college and when she left got involved in many industries starting with being a short- hand typist to building & designing a home. As the years went by her brother finished his college and both got involved in the family business, which then quickly expanded to more shops, whilst this was going on Christine met her first husband who had a fantastic opportunity for both of them to move to Turkey, with all the wealth trappings and life style to go with it, which was an hard decision to make for Christine leaving the family business, however, after much persuasion and looking for adventure decide in favour and moved to Istanbul, whilst their she got a bit bored with not having much to do so got involved in using her skills in making what I think she said was Pies, with fruit, but unfortunately soon learnt that in Turkey the fruit was not regularly washed and got lots of maggots so that put paid to that venture, however, soon got involved in other enterprising ideas, whilst also becoming involved and associated with the British Consulate and all the fun & politics that go with it!
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fter a few years in Turkey Christine got bored and decided to leave and return
hristine started her
story by waving a Golden Axe and a Golden Hammer at us, which started her story with much fun and laughter shared by all,
hristine explained
home to the family business, which her husband did not agree with, and Christine returned alone. The business then had around 30 staff and six shops, she soon found out that it was left to her to manage all six shops, Christine knew it was to much for her alone so she sold of most of the shops and reduced the staff level to four with just one shop in Hornchurch, this gave her more time to concentrate on running the business in a profitable successful way, evidenced by later obtaining an award of retailer of the year, and this was whilst heavily involved in charities such as Age Concern, etc., Then along come Christine's 2nd husband.
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n 2010 Christine launched a ship in Japan with the Golden Axe & Hammer that she
had been holding all the time and waving at us, she explained the procedure that the ship was launched which appears to be a very involved procedure, that ship was destined for China were it is working today, a detailed launching document was handed to Rotarians to read along with the very heavy Golden Axe & Golden Hammer.
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n 2011 recognition was given to Christine for all her work in
charity by a certificated award that was passed around for all to read and received a clapping applause from all.
hristine currently shows the same energy and exuberance today in her
“Molly’s Florist” business by getting up 3 or 4 mornings a week at 3:30 am to go to market to buy her flowers, it was explained that to buy quality you have to go and view the flowers before purchase and not like off the big lorries that do deliveries in smaller quantities to some local shops, she normally gets back at 6:30 am and immediately starts networking until 8:30 am, and all before a full days work starts!
VP Gerry thanked our speaker and all Rotarians gave a thunderous applause
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