The 2012 JCI World President Bertolt Daems is visiting Sheffield to hear about JCI Sheffield and our impact in the community! Come along and hear about his plans for the year and get involved in the start of one of our community projects to reclaim the union flag . . .

So the plan for the evening is . . .

18.30 - Blankets and Pillows - No it is not time for a nap after the very busy day! This is when you are all welcome to join us for an evening based around the great work carried out by The Archer Project. The Holiday Inn Royal Victoria have very kindly donated pillows and blankets for the homeless but it is our task to take them up to The Archer Project, the night does not stop when we get there though!

It would be great if everyone could meet us here to help carry the pillows and blankets but if not then be sure to meet us at The Archer Project and wear your best woolly hat!

19.00 - Pie, Peas and Woolly Hats! - Most importantly February the 10th is Woolly Hat day at The Archer Project. Dig out your best hat and wear it with pride, there are no prizes for the biggest pom pom but as always we will have fun taking part.

By this point you will probably be hungry and there will be a buffet for those empty bellies. Don't eat too much though as you will be invited to take part in a spot of Extempore afterwards! This is a really fun way to experience public speaking. The speaker is given a random object - they then have 15 seconds to prepare for speaking for 2 minutes, the funnier the better. It's a great way to practice your public speaking skills in front of a super friendly and supportive JCI Sheffield community!

The cost for the evening is £10 for members and £15 for non-members; this includes dinner and a donation to The Archer Project!

Earlier in the day these are the sights of Sheffield we will be showing Bertolt . . .

14.00 - Arrive at Sheffield Train Station

14.30 - Launch of the Flag Project at Fir Vale School - JCI Sheffield will be supporting the students at Fir Vale on an on-going basis in the form of mentoring programs, business placements and business liaison opportunities. Fir vale is a specialist secondary school in Business and Enterprise and is located in one of the most deprived areas of Sheffield. Due to the constant commitment of teachers and school governors, the school provides an outstanding learning environment to a wide mixed community background. This year we are working with the school as part of our ‘Flag Project' to try to regain a sense of pride in the Union Jack and to dismiss any negative connotations associated with the flag. It is all about celebrating diversity and being proud of where we are from!

15.30 - Lord Mayors Reception in her parlour - Impact of One. This is our motto for 2012 and will be what we are talking about with the Lord Mayor and Bertolt. One person can make a huge difference with in their own community, a little bit of passion goes a long way. This will be our chance to showcase our plan for 2012 led by Sandra Pilarczyk (JCI Sheffield President), Dan Senter (JCI Sheffield Deputy President) and the rest of the fantastic 2012 Council Team.

The evening events from 18.30 are open to everyone! New members, old members, people who are curious about JCI and anyone else who fancies what we have got planned for the night. If you are interested in being involved in the daytime activities then please email us on info@jcisheffield.org.uk.

If you fancy a bit more time with the president then why not join us for a run (or walk) on Saturday 11th February. Meeting at 07.00 we will be having an informal networking session as we train for the Edinburgh Marathon on 27th May 2011 in aid of Nothing but Nets.

Curious to know more about the man we are all so excited to meet? Want to book?
Well not only is he head of the JCI network of more than 200,000 young active citizens; he also holds a master's degree in building construction and works as the CEO of RnR group, a management consultancy company.

Since joining JCI in 2003 Bertolt has had a very active career! He was a founder member of his local chamber, has held many European and international titles, been honoured as JCI Senator No.68118 and is now World President for 2012! As well as this he is also fluent in English, German and Dutch.

He firmly believes that in a world facing so many challenges it is the young active citizens like us that will provide the solutions. It is all about putting your passion into action - which is his motto for 2012!