Rotary South East Magazine - Issue 65 June 2014

Rotary RotaryIssue Sixty Five

June, 2014Issue Sixty Five

June, 2014

VisioningBegins

Foundation helps everywhere

VisioningBegins

Foundation helps everywhere

South EastSouth EastSouth East

KKEENNTT,, EEAASSTT SSUUSSSSEEXX AANNDD SSOOUUTTHH LLOONNDDOONN

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to the District in March. Thank you to theclubs who hosted lunches and dinner andalso for the visit to Sittingbourne InvictasCaterham Car project. On Nans last day,we were looked after by Hastings RotaryClub who provided the platform forneighbouring Clubs to present a variety ofprojects. As she left the District, Nanthanked us for everything Clubs areachieving. One Member from East Sussexdescribed our National President as adown to earth and homespun PresidentThose who met President Nan will almostcertainly agree.

The RIBI Conference held in themagnificent Birmingham ICC was fantastic.A great line up of speakers including LordDigby Jones who gave a session on therole of business all done in a relaxed andhumorous manner.

Saturday morning saw the presentationof Young Citizen Awards to a line-up ofyoung people who have achieved much sometimes overcoming adversity in theirshort lives. This was broadcast live on theBBC News channel. Great publicity forRotary and all free!

Sarah Brown who is a UN Ambassadorfor Education (and married to GordonBrown) spoke with conviction about theimportance for education for all and toldus that the UN has agreed to get allchildren not currently at school into fulltime education by the end of 2015.

Ovation

Following a video of that brave youngwoman Malala who has defied the Talibanby rightly claiming her right to education,Malala was introduced to us live on stage.The standing ovation showing our respectand admiration was prolonged.

Finally, this is the last RSE before I handover to DGE Martin at the end of June. Iwill be saying a few words at handover butfor those of you not able to make it, Id liketo say a big thank you for the honour ofserving as District Governor for the lasttwelve months and for the two year leadup. Gloria and I have enjoyed many happyvisits to Clubs and events where we havebeen made to feel welcome and enjoyedgenerous hospitality. Weve met manyinteresting and dedicated Rotariansthroughout East Sussex, Kent and southLondon and will treasure many happymemories. We wish Martin and Wendy allthe best as they embark on a year of newexperiences and wider Rotary horizons.We enjoyed the ride and I know you willwelcome them as you have us.

Best wishes,Chris

y life has taken a shift fromClub visits, all of which havebeen enjoyable, to socialevents with Clubs as theycelebrate their Charters or

simply enjoy each others company atPresident's nights.

Why not? As a service organisation weexpend a lot of energy on projects aimedat giving people a leg up but there isnothing in our constitution which says weshould not have fun in the process!

All of this interspersed with joiningYouth Competitions and RYLA andcontinuing to be amazed at the talentteenagers display in their chosen activities.

Gloria and I have been entranced andentertained at District and Regional YoungMusician finals. Youth Speaks revealedspeaking talents as well as thoughtfulangles from young people on a variety ofsubjects delivered with confidence beyondteenage years. It was a privilege to hostthe RIBI finals of Youth Speaks in Maywhich went well thanks to team Vizzardand Elms who have received manydeserved positive comments and thanksfrom all over Britain and Ireland.

Personal skills

We spent five hours one springSaturday at the Shaftesbury AdventureCentre with 24 RYLA participants agedfrom 13 to 18 who spent the weekendparticipating in physical and mentalchallenges as well as developing interpersonal skills. They met Friday afternoon,were deliberately mixed up and by Sundayafternoon went home exhausted but withleadership and other skills enhanced.Thanks to Carol Vizzard and the DistrictYouth Committee for organising the twiceyearly event. Sponsorship for each of thestudents comes from Clubs and for justunder 200 is a bargain. Thank you to theClubs who sponsored the latest weekend.Carol will be delighted to hear from Clubswho would like details about future events.

Gloria and I were pleased to attend theCharter evening at the end of May of theMedway Towns Rotaract Club. Formalitieswere kept to a minimum and we enjoyed aGatsby themed party with sophisticatedcocktails, period music and the chance tohave an innocent flutter at the roulettewheel and Black Jack Table.

The evening gave these splendid twentysomething men and women a good sendoff and hope that they will be bitten withthe Rotary bug. I hope that like manyformer Rotaractors they will still be aroundin years to come as Rotarians and leadersof Rotary. I know the Medway clubs who

have nurtured them to the point of Chartercan be relied on to encourage and fosterthese new Members of the Rotary family.

Rotarys profile was enhanced by theDragon Boat racing held in Chatham andorganised by the Medway Sunlight Clubover the late May Bank Holiday weekendas part of the Chatham Maritime Food andDrink Festival. The Club was helped byneighbouring Clubs as well as the newlyformed Medway Towns Rotaract Club. Iwas allowed to join the RotarArk team andhad great fun if a little soggy!

Elsewhere in these pages you will see apiece about Foundation giving. In March,our District ranked eighth out of the twentynine Districts in RIBI for the amount wedonate to Foundation. We are brilliant atraising money for great charities andcauses but all too often neglectFoundation.

Funding

The new Foundation Grants system is awhole lot less complicated than itspredecessor but does depend on regularincome. What we donate this year comesback in full in three years time. ForFoundation to continue funding fantasticprogrammes we need to continue andenhance our giving. My plea is to giveserious thought to this when consideringthe forthcoming Rotary years fundraisingand spending priorities.

Denis Spiller, District FoundationChairman, gives a very clear presentationon Foundation and is more than happy tocome to one of your club meetings.

We feature in this edition some picturesfrom RIBI President Nan McCredies visit

Rotary is about havingfun while helping othersM

ROTARY DISTRICT 1120 www.rotary1120.org

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ROTARY SOUTH EASTis published by District 1120

EDITOR:Brian Portway

Tel: 01634 891708E-mail: [email protected]

Distribution: Wally FieldE-mail: [email protected]

Design and Production:Pinegen Publishing Ltd.

Tel: 020 8335 1109Printed by:

Mason GRP Ltd

Articles and letters published in this magazine donot necessarily reflect the views of

District or the Editor.

Providing the wheels Page 5

Welcome

District Diary:201418 September District Council Maidstone24 26 October District Conference Eastbourne

Bexhill Ian Edwards,Ben Tomasetti

Folkestone Channel Dr Lawrence Po-Ba,Lt Col Marcus Reedman,

Gordon Robinson, Michael Simmons

Gillingham Sue Thistlethwaite

Gravesend Olufunmilola Nurudeen

Heathfield and Waldron Roger Clark

Langley Park Colin Read

Medway Sunlight Linda Crawford

Orpington Crofton Frances McGarry

Rochester Michael Clark

Sevenoaks Charles Tennant

Sittingbourne Invicta Geoff Gear

Southborough & PemburyGeorgina Simpson-Smith

Rotary South East 3

CondolencesWe are sad to report the deaths of Chris Wraight, PastPresident of Gravesend Club; David Oliver, PastPresident of Chatham Club; Colin Bothwell ofSouthborough and Pembury Club.

of directly and the other half has gone intothe world-wide fund that we can (and do)make use of for the larger grant projectsdevised and delivered by Clubs in ourdistrict.

Here are the District Grants given toClubs who have proposed, devised andintend to deliver on the varied range ofschemes both here and World-wide.

Where does the money go?sk the question how is the moneythat District 1120 raises for TheRotary Foundation actually used

and you will find the answer below.The funds collected three years ago have

been away earning the interest that coversthe Foundation running costs and also addsto the money available for grants. Now halfhas come back to the District to make use

A

Syd by now should be in Australia completing his travels.

Syd visited clubs within District 1120 andreceived a stamp in his passport. Then PDGJeremy Voizey was taking him to the RotaryInternational Convention in Sydney.

He started his journey in the careful hands

Canterbury Construction skill training for unemployed South Sudan $500 Margate Development of artistic skills for school children England $1000Gravesend & Meopham To provide desks, tables and chairs for community hall cum school Gambia $1000 Sittingbourne & Milton Rainwater storage, sanitation improvements and tree planting Kenya $521 Heathfield & Waldron Clothing, food and school books for homeless and disadvantaged children South Africa $934 Medway Support to terminally ill children and relatives England $1000 Beckenham Desks, chairs and teaching facilities for disadvantaged children Pakistan $1000 Westgate & Birchington Community hall improvements to access for elderly and infirm, and maintenance England $800 Southborough And Pembury Shelter, food and medical care for street children Uganda $1000 Bromley Improvements to sanitation facilities for school children Zimbabwe $1000 Erith Equipment to mill maize for local food and community benefits Malawi $1000 Bromley School teaching facilities showing risks to personal health from substance and drug use England $1000 Beachy Head Equipping sensory room for disabled persons and carers at day centre England $1000 Tenterden Supporting urban disabled persons and carers to attend education centre in country England $948 Uckfield Support of the elderly and infirm at community social event England $671 Sittingbourne Invicta Personal development of young and disabled children at youth club

through music and use of instruments England $514 Malling Improving and developing local outdoor facilities for community youth groups

and other organisations England $1000 Sidcup Refurbishment of sanitation and security of sea cadets hall England $1000 Orpington Crofton Teaching aids for adults and children with learning difficulties attending

local support group England $790 Edenbridge Electronic teaching facilities for local primary school to develop learning

opportunities for all pupils England $1000 Rochester Provision of educational toys in support of mothers and children made homeless England $961 Tunbridge Wells Water harvesting and storage materials for remote community Tanzania, $1000 Strood Youth club equipment for personal development of young people in national

award scheme England $1000 1120 Planning and preparations for Global Grant Vocational Training Team proposal

to reduce mother and child mortality India $2000 Herne Bay Follow up to Global Grant Vocational Training Team in April/May 2013 to check

progress and commitment South Africa $1000 Medway Sunlight Follow up to Global Grant Vocational Training Team in April/May 2013 to check

progress and commitment. 2nd of two applications for same project (Herne Bay refers) South Africa $1000 Dover Large music festival to build social inclusion and regeneration England $1000Hythe Small farm facilities for food and income generation Uganda $1000Eastbourne AM Community support over weekend for local young people with physical

and learning difficulties England $1000Rochester Improving access for residents to water from village well Romania $1000Orpington Crofton Improving educational facilities for pupils Nepal $1000

Wandering Syd now in Ozof the Rotary Club of Sittingbourne Invictaearlier this year.

Syd was really looking forward to as wellas meeting Rotarians within the District alsomeeting his cousins, the North Sydney Bearsrugby team and the Sydney bears ice hockeyteam.

Syd comes from a big family. Therewere 28 more Rotary End Polio NowBears all aiming to get to Sydney. Theaim is of course to raise awareness ofthe End Polio Now campaign andhopefully raise a little extra money forthe campaign too.

(Where did the name come from?Syd send your donation!)

Also see the End Polio Now bearson Twitter https://twitter.com/EpnBear or theEnd Polio Now bear Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RotaryEndPolio NowBearChallenge


Around the CLUBS

4 Rotary South East

Rotary encourages young talentoung people have featured more and more in the life of Rotary over recent yearsas the growth of the competitions has brought in more areas of the District,more clubs and extra people to recognise the role Rotary has in encouraging

talent.The District Youth Team has also gained a national reputation for organising competitions

having just completed three years of welcoming the national entrants and producing the rightconditions for top level competition.

Setting up, promoting and carrying through these competitions are no easy task and sohere are a few of them as recognition for all who have put Youth out in front.

Detail and advice on organising the competitions are available from the District Youth teambut particularly important is the calendar so you can make sure your winners can go to theDistrict and then on to the Regional and even National finals!

Five Young Chefs demonstrated theirskills at the Rotary Club of Senlacssecond Young Chef competition hostedby Bexhill High School Skills Centre.

The students worked to producenutritious three course meals, each studentin charge of one course. They had two hoursin which to prepare and present the mealsfor the judges and the delicious aromascoming from the kitchen had RotaryPresident Jimmy Carroll and Rotarian BobWren queuing up with their tasting spoons atthe ready!

The final winner was Amber Stubbs fromBexhill High who produced a stunning firstcourse of a trio of soups Watercress,Mushroom and Squash each withaccompanying complementary blini. Secondplace went to Amelia Deane, also fromBexhill High, for her delicious dessertchocolate basket with mango and lime fillingtopped with cream. Kieran Leonard from theHastings Academy was third with his maincourse of chicken curry with the tastiest ricethis Rotarian has ever eaten!

Judges Hazel Sheppard, Paul Webbe andChristine Folley commented on the highstandard of work noting that there was onlyone point separating the two dessertcourses.

All five Young Chefs returned to the SkillsCentre to cook the winning three coursemeal for the members of the Rotary Club ofSenlac at the prize presentation meeting.

The ninth Bexley Young Musician of theYear Awards was held to a full house atthe theatre of Townley Grammar School,Bexleyheath. The event was organisedby the Rotary Clubs of Bexley, Crayford,Erith and Sidcup.

Guests included the Mayor of Bexley,Sharon Massey, James Brokenshire MP andRotary District 1120 District Governor,Christopher Barnett.

Nine talented young musicians gavewonderful and varied performances. Whilstthe judges were deliberating the audiencewas entertained by the 2010 winner of theaward, violinist Eamonn Cox, accompaniedby another 2010 finalist Elaine Yau. Thenfollowed a performance by the ever popularLittle Big Band under the direction of DavidMcAllister.

On the behalf of the judges CharlesMacDougall said the winner pianist EmelyeMoulton showed tremendous artistry andexuded confidence in her own performance.

Our photograph shows, left to right,Sandra Groombridge (Sidcup President) ,Michael Regan (Crayford President) EmelyeMoulton Winner, Roger Hewitt (BexleyPresident), Mayor of Bexley Cllr SharonMassey, DG Chris Barnett. Photograph:Brian Aldrich

Tonbridge Rotary Club and West KentYoung Enterprise hosted the 2014 YoungSpeakers Competition at the Rose andCrown Hotel Tonbridge.

Now in its 29th year, the competition wasvery well attended by students and adultsalike.

Nine speakers aged 16 and 17 years oldfrom six senior schools in West Kentcompeted for the Rotary Shield, debatingarguments based on two pre-advisedcurrent political topics.

Judges David Wells, Sonia Williams and

Y

John PlaylefromTonbridgeRotary Clubhad thedifficult task ofdeciding thewinner andrunner up.

Following ahard foughteloquentcontest David Andrews from TunbridgeWells Grammar School came out the winnerwith Bethen Daniels of Walthamstow Hallrunner up.

The photograph shows Rotary VicePresident David Wells presenting the RotaryShield to the winner David Andrews.

Youth Speaks jointly organised by thethe Rotary clubs of Battle and Bexhillhad a special visitor.

There were five schools from the Bexhill,Battle and Robertsbridge areas participatingplus the De Laage Waard school. fromPapendrecht, in the Netherlands whereBattle have a contact club.

The De Laage Waard school took part butdid not compete with their piece: EarlyBirds and Night Owls, a member of theaudience commented: impeccable Englishand with a great touch of humour.

Left to right, Wouter Sterrenberg, Mireillevan der Stoep, Suzanne Heij. Their stay washosted by Battle club and they spent thefollowing morning with Battle Abbey School.

The Rotary Clubs of Folkestone,Channel, Romney Marsh and Hythecombined to present a Youth SpeaksCompetition at the Tower Theatreinvolving teams from three localschools.

The aim of the competition was toencourage and develop the important life-skills of speaking confidently to anaudience, organising ideas, and expressingthem effectively; ambitions that werebrilliantlyachieved bytheperformancesof all theteamsparticipating.

The list of

themes presented was varied andchallenging:

The NSA surveillance scandal. An assessment of Winston Churchill's

actions before he became prime minister. The importance of donating to charity. Why we should never forget the

Holocaust. A Critique of the project to save the

environment.

A justification of some acts of terrorism.Winning teams were: Intermediate (Under14): Brockhill Performing Arts College

Senior (Under 18): Folkestone School forGirls with Harvey Grammar School the thirdparticipants.

The judges, Damian Collins M.P, KennethColley, actor and director, and SusannaHoward, Director of Living Words, wereunanimous in their praise for the speakersand in addition to cash prizes the winningteams are being invited to the Houses ofParliament by their MP.

Young chefs produce three courses


Rotary South East 5

Around the CLUBS

New Interact Club

tour of Canterbury Food Banks(CFB) new premises, arranged byChestfield Rotarian Hilary Brian for

the Canterbury cluster of clubs lastsummer, prompted the question of whatCFB needed next. Having spent severalmonths making the premises suitable, nexton the list was a van large enough tohelp expand their services in theCanterbury, Herne Bay & Whitstable areas.

Jarle Tatt, (RC Canterbury Sunrise),persuaded Paul Barrett of Barretts Citroen, tosell one of his parts vans for an advantageousprice, whilst agreeing to service the van free ofcharge for the foreseeable future. The clubthen agreed to publicise its support for theFood Bank with its December Santa StreetCollection by hand delivering over 6000Christmas cards in Canterbury outlining whenSanta would visit and to ask for money andtins of food. A 20% uplift in donations resultedas well as over 1200 tins of food donated.

Over 5000 was raised and a similar

donation given by Canterbury Cathedralensured the van was purchased in January. Adonation of 1000 from the Rotary Club ofCanterbury facilitated insurance for the van andthe end of April finally saw the van received itsfresh new livery. As a result, the Rotary logo willbe seen driving around the Canterbury,Whitstable and Herne Bay areas most days great publicity for a very topical cause.

Canterbury Food Bank Director ChrissieBarr says: We are extremely grateful to theselocal organisations for their support andgenerous financial contributions. The van isnow in regular use, providing emergencysupplies for local people in crisis who canexchange food vouchers for food parcels viaour distribution cafes in Canterbury, Whitstableand Herne Bay.

Richard Davis, President of RC CanterburySunrise, is shown here handing over the keysto Canterbury Food Bank Director ChrissieBarr, alongside John Meardon, ReceiverGeneral of Canterbury Cathedral.

The Mayor of Maidstone, CouncillorClive English, joined the celebration atthe Charter evening for the newlyformed Interact Club at MaidstoneInvicta Grammar School.

Interact Clubs are for young people aged12- 18 years who want to join together totackle the issues in their community thatthey care about the most.

Councillor English expressed hisadmiration for the work of Rotary andInteract and cited the example of TrinityFoyer, a local group that supports youngpeople in need of help.

Guests were greeted by the SchoolsHeadteacher, Julie Derrick who viewed theformation of the Interact Club as anexcellent means to provide additionalsupport from the school to the communityand other charities.

Alice Musgrove, the Interact founderPresident, assisted by her team ofInteractors, gave an overview of the eventsand projects the new club had beeninvolved in over their first year.

District Governor, Chris Barnettwelcomed the club as the newest additionto the Rotary movement. Presentation ofthe Chain of Office was made by MikeSpringett, President of Maidstone RiversideRotary Club, jointly to Alice Musgrove andto Sophie Aujard, the incoming InteractPresident.

President Mike said We are delightedwith the advent of this new club and whatthey have achieved so far. It is a credit toall those involved in the clubs creation andin particular the spirit and enterprisedisplayed by these young people.

President Margaret Abram welcomed RIBIPresident Nan McCreadie, together withDG Chris Barnett, to the Swale SkillsCentre in Sittingbourne as part of Nanstour of Rotary District 1120.

Nan came to see the Invicta Caterham CarsSchool Project; now in its third year. TwoCaterham Seven kit cars have already beenconstructed at the centre in Sittingbourne,and a new group of young people from theSittingbourne Community College beganbuilding a third car last September.

Rotarian Dudley Cramp, a Caterham Sevenowner and founder of the project, showedNan around the centre and explained how theproject worked. Nan chatted with the youngpeople who were fitting lights to the car.

Nan said she thought the project wasfantastic as it provided a number of youngpeople with engineering skills. The RotaryClub of Sittingbourne Invicta is proud to bethe first Rotary club within Great Britain andIreland to partner with Caterham Cars and

A

local schools in this way.On her tour of the District President Nan

met the Clubs of the northern area at Stroodand on the Sussex coast visited a showcase ofthe activities there.

Medway Towns RotaractMedway Towns Rotaract (MTRC) are a newclub, which meets twice a month at TheStar Pub in Gillingham, and work around arelaxed agenda where all members canhave their say, contribute, and bring newideas to the table.

The group have been working towardsattracting new members, and are steadilygrowing to form a well-knit group. Their handson approach ties in nicely with building good relationships with their sponsoring Rotary clubs,and they are helping out when help is needed. The Rotary clubs have been extremelysupportive, attending meetings, and inviting Rotaractors to theirs so they get to know theRotary family.

MTRC have helped Strood Rotary at the Dickens Festival in Rochester. They have joinedChatham Rotary in their Santa Float, shaking buckets at Asda. More recently some membersof MTRC visited the Open House Project in Rochester, to see it in action and attend theirannual meeting at Quaker House.

Members also had the privilege of meeting RIBI President Nan McCreadie and have broughtfresh legs to the RYLA weekend with Medway Sunlight's President Sonia Allen. The latter hasin fact inspired one member to follow her dream of working with children. This shows that notonly are they able to help others, but also gain valuable experiences that can help in furtheringcareers and bettering lives.

MTRC's first event was an Afternoon Tea Party. Their Charter Night in May with its GatsbyCocktail Party theme, complete with casino games, was a big success.

Rotary and Rotaract are a rewarding organisation, and the dedication that is put into everymeeting and every event is inspirational. Its fantastic to see everyone wanting to help othersin their spare time and contribute to their local community.

Partnership brings food uplift


Around the CLUBS

6 Rotary South East

Rotary club punchesabove its weight

Maidstone Riverside Rotarys 100 Voices Choir Concert lastOctober proved to be a great success and as a result the club hasbeen able to donate funds to the Demelza Hospice, one of themain charities benefitting from the concert proceeds.

A group of club members visited the hospice in Sittingbourne, led byHead of Community Fund Raising, Terrie Kennor and colleague HannahShotton, which enabled them to see for themselves the amazing workundertaken by the hospice staff to provide help and support to over 800families and give respite care to those children with life threateningillnesses.

Club President Mike Springett said I had no idea of the scope of thesupport that Demelza Hospice provides not only to those children whoare ill, but also to their siblings and family. The visit was a real eye-opener for us all and we are delighted to be able to help provide funds toenable the hospice to continue the amazing work they do.

Club President Mike presented a cheque for 2,100 to HannahShotton.

n ever popular Boxing Gala heldat the Winter Gardens in Margateorganised by the Rotary Club of

Thanet in association with RamsgateBoxing Club raised on the night over32,500.

A capacity crowd was entertained byboxers of all ages and sexes representingClubs from around Kent.

EntertainingLady boxers Jade Sayaoco (Canterbury

University) and Amy Nicholson (All StarsBoxing Club) shown in photo, provided aparticularly entertaining bout and showingthe noble sport is not just the domain ofthe gents!

Gala Guest, Laura Sandys M.P.presented an award to the youngest boxerHayden Saunders (Strood Boxing Club) anddonated a bottle of Champagne signed byPrime Minister David Cameron, which wasduly auctioned later that evening.

The monies raised will go to localcharities around Thanet which includeOasis, the local Hospice and the ThanetScout Group.

President Neal Elliott thanked theorganising team and main sponsors BlazeNeon and Heineken.

We have now raised 275,000 since westarted the event nine years ago and hopeto raise an even bigger sum at our tenthanniversary next year, said Neal.

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Choir concert gets cash for charities


Rotary South East 7

Around the CLUBS

astings Rotary club teamed up with scouts from 24th Hastings, William Parkerand 11th Hastings troops to an evening showing and demonstrating Shelterbox and a talk about disaster relief.

Over 50 scouts along with Andy Pope,Scout Assistant District Commissioner,took part in activities which includedputting up the tent , assembling the stoveand water filters from the Shelter box andwatching the interactive DVD .

ShelterBox has a strong history ofworking with Scouts in disaster zones.

Since the first disaster response in 2001,there have been occasions when Scoutshave assisted ShelterBox Response Teamsto distribute aid to families affected bydisaster. The fundraising efforts byRotarians make up a significant proportionof donations received by ShelterBox.Alongside this, Rotary Clubs provideinvaluable logistical support to their fieldoperations.

Rotarians who join together can makea bigger impact. Presidents fromRochester, Strood, Medway, MedwaySunlight, and Chatham clubs allstepped up to the mark with MedwayMayor Councillor Josie Iles and herconsort, Steve, to present a worthwhilecheque of 1,675 to the local group ofFirst Responders.

RespondThese are volunteers, both men and

women, aged over 18, who respond toambulance calls as community volunteers.They must be prepared to get to the scenecomplete with life-saving equipment shouldthe call arise.

The donation is part of a Medway-wideproject to fund three new units of theresponders to fill gaps in the emergencycover in Medway over the next three years.

You have to be fit, and over 18, and to bereliable and trustworthy, good underpressure, able to remain calm inemergencies, and to be caring whendealing with patients. Think that sounds likeyou? You can apply to:[email protected]

Actually I dont think you eat acalabash, you use it as a drinkingvessel.

These two students at St. Marys School,Bexhill-on-Sea, are members of the InteractClub and were present at an interactive talkgiven by D 1120 International Chairman,Les Hoskins,

Rotary and Water AidLes talked about Rotary and Water Aid

one of the International NGOs that Rotaryworks with to try to give developing nationswater security.

Senlac Rotary Club is St. Marys Interactsponsoring club.

For over 10 yearsSt. RichardsCatholic Collegehas asked BexhillRotary Club toprovide a host ofinterviewers fortheir 14 and 15year old year 10students tosupport theirbusinesspreparation day.

Under theleadership ofGraham Forster,some 50interviewers arrivedto interview over 200 students to prepare them for real interviews with prospectiveemployers when they leave the college.

Doreen Cronin, Principal of St. Richards welcomed all the volunteers who had come fromBexhill Rotary Club, other local Rotary Clubs, organisations and business people in the areaand she thanked them for their time and support.

Event organiser Caroline Adams made it abundantly clear that the interviewers were tobe very honest with the students and tell them if anything was wrong, as well as right.

As one Bexhill Rotarian said, echoing the feeling throughout, Although the studentswere understandably somewhat nervous initially, they soon got into their stride with manyimpressing the interviewers.

First Responders get three year support

Developing water security

Showing off Shelterbox

Business preparation day

HKnole Academy Interact club has handedover the money they raised for theTyphoon Hiayan disaster relief to helpWorld Vision and Shelterbox.

The amount raised, just short of 7,000,impressed the Philippines Government whosent two of their diplomats from their Londonconsulate to thank them for their service.

The sponsoring club for Knole AcademyInteract is RC Sevenoaks Amherst and thePresident, Mel Ridout and other members ofthe club were there in support.

After a talk by the Consul General, thanksfrom Clare Alder of World Vision, and apresentation on Shelterbox there was afurther presentation by President Mel to MaryBoyle, Principal of Knole Academy, of aCommunity Service Award, with a chequefrom the club for a charity of her choosing.


Visioning

8 Rotary South East

Strood see a Vision of the Futurehere is nothing new about a clubplanning for the future and paperbased health checks for clubs

have been encouraged for years But a facilitated look into the club of

the future is new to 1120 and offers astructured and I have to say fun way ofseeing what could be the future modelfor your club.

Well attended

In January we ran a facilitator trainingday which was very well attended andhas generated a team of more than 10volunteers to help clubs through theprocess. The Rotary Club of Stroodvolunteered to be the first to have a goand a team of four facilitators helped a90% attended meeting to look at how theclub just might be looking and operatingin February, 2017.

The key to success is to take the clubto a time in the future and allowmembers to imagine just what they haveachieved at that date.

A three year time scale seems to beabout right, but 5 years would also work.Looking at membership, projects andactivities in the community,internationally, vocational and youth aswell as public image and presence, the

ideas are gathered and sheet after sheetof flip chart paper re-decorates the room.Through a two stage voting process,members select the most likely activitiesand ideas that they will have achieved inthe three years.

Strood now have a refined set of ideasthat were generated by and selected bythe members and now a small team arebuilding the plan to achieve short,medium and long term goals.

There is no obligation to partake invisioning and it is entirely up to the clubto act or not, on the outcome. But atStrood we felt that this was a veryworthwhile three hour investment to helpus focus on the development of the club.

Club support

New ideas and direction were revealedwith club support that may otherwisehave remained in the back of Rotariansminds as something that just wasntworth trying. Well, they are in the plannow, and we shall do our best to makethem the reality of 2017.

There are already other clubs in thequeue, so to join them contact ourdistrict Visioning Champion, Zena Belton.

Denis SpillerRotary Club of Strood

T


Rotary South East 9

Rotary FOUNDATION

e are now completing the Rotary year and it is time to take stock of where we areas a District in our contributions to The Rotary Foundation.

Total contributions to April, 2014, were 86,108.31. This was overall 11 per cent up onthe same time the previous year.

Contributions to the Annual Fund were47,122, slightly down on the previous year,and to End Polio Now 38,350.

May figures were better than average andmessages out to all Clubs to encourage themto get Foundation payments in before the endof the financial year give the prospect of a totalto match and even slightly exceed the134,000 of the previous year.

Every Rotarian joins Rotary for his or herown reasons. Often, the reason someonedecides to join is not the reason they decide tostay. When I was asked to join Rotary, Iaccepted because I thought it would be agood way to put something back into mycommunity. In the end what really excited meabout Rotary service was something I knew

nothing about when I joined Rotary TheRotary Foundation.

I knew that my Rotary club did much goodwork in Beckenham but through our Foundationthe amount of funding available for programmesand projects could be enhanced by Foundationgrants. Once I realised that there was no turningback! Under the Future Vision initiative my Clubwas awarded a local grant to support a projectworking with the homeless in Bromley over theChristmas period in 2010. We are currentlyawaiting the outcome of grant decisions for aneducation project in Pakistan.

We are all familiar with the work that Rotaryhas done in cooperation with the UN, WHOand The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation intrying to eliminate polio worldwide. Our

Rotarys Future Vision Plan gave Rotariansthe ability to give hands on efforts,professional expertise and advocacyefforts as well as funding to participate inlarge scale programmes not thoughtpossible previously. These largeprogrammes have made Rotary morevisible in the world stage.

One such programme is CALMED(Collaborative Action Reducing MaternityEncountered Deaths) this has beenintroduced in India under a Rotary FoundationGlobal Grant Vocational Training Team (VTT) in2013 between our District and District 3240 inSikkim and many more partners. The aim ofthe programme is to reduce maternal andchild mortality .

CALMED consists of a. Hands on Training of health professionals

(Doctors, Senior Nurses and Midwives) the curriculum is based on WHOprogramme on Emergency Obstetric andNew born care (BEmONC), and is a trainingthe trainer model with a cascading effectincreasing the number trained inemergency care of mothers and babies atchildbirth.

b. Establishing Village Womens groups, whoare taught by health activists ASHAs, inraising awareness of womens health,pregnancy and childcare and details offamily planning initiatives.

c. Rotarians advocacy roles in collaboratingwith Government, professional leaders andcommunity groups in ensuring the supply oflife saving equipment, medicines, transportand infrastructure.

d. Monitoring and evaluation of theprogramme.

Progress of CALMED Programme in Sikkim

Following two exploratory visits ,theprogramme was introduced in Sikkim in April,2013. Five volunteer Obstetricians, and I alongwith a Rotarian Leader (Denise Collins fromRC Ashford Earlybird), went as a VocationalTraining Team. We trained 13 localProfessionals who became Master Trainers.

Together they trained 19 Medical Officers and39 other Professionals.

We left behind all the training materials these enabled the Master Trainers to train 15others and the cascading effect is ongoing,with support from Government.

More and more Womens groups are beingestablished, thanks to collaborative effortswith Inner Wheel. The District 3240 RotaryProject Committee is holding regular meetingswith the Government of Sikkim to monitorprogress.

CALMED has been recognised as atemplate for future action and support fromprofessional bodies. This is ordinary Rotariansdoing extraordinary things.

VTT, Trainers and Trainees inSikkim last year

Rotary international Director Mike Webbmade a presentation on CALMED, on behalf ofDistrict 1120, at the Rotary InternationalAssembly for District Governor Elects trainingin San Diego, USA.

It is a huge programme, made possible byour partnership with a number of Internationaland Global organisations FIGO (World

Federation of Obstetricians &Gynaecologists), GLOWM (Global Library ofWomens Medicine), MAF (Medical Aid Films),Indian Government National Rural HealthMission as well as the partnership betweentwo Rotary Districts (1120 and 3240) and InnerWheel.

A further programme is being arrangedwith RI District 3051, India if you are a healthprofessional with appropriate experience andwish to participate, please contact PDG Dr. H.Basu for further details. Email:[email protected]

If you want to know more about CALMEDprogramme look at the You Tube videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drtd1vwgid4

Watch the videoshttps://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/81190138/india%20shortened%20documentary%20%282%29.mp4 orhttps://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/81190138/India%20doccumentary%20rotary.mp4

Rotarian Doctors web site(www.rotariandoctors.org)

or invite a speaker for a Club talk.

Your Foundationneeds YOU!

W

Foundation has recently accepted a newchallenge from the Foundation which hascommitted to match, two for one, everyRotarian dollar contributed to polio eradicationfor the next five years up to US$35m per year.

Our Foundations goal always has beenDoing Good in the World. The new grant modeloffers us the opportunity to do the most goodwe can in the most durable ways available.

None of this will be possible without thesupport and contributions from individualRotarians and Rotary Clubs. So now thoughtsmust go to the new Rotary year ahead. As anindividual, why not sign up to become aSustaining Member dedicating 60 per annumto The Rotary Foundation? As a Club, why notrun an event with the proceeds going to TheRotary Foundation or commit to giving aproportion of your Club subscription directly toThe Rotary Foundation?

It is important to remember that what wecontribute to The Rotary Foundation this yearwill be available to us to use for projects locallyand/or internationally in three years time.Making that pledge to do more means morepeople will be helped in many different ways.

[My thanks to Rotarian David Gates for thefinancial data included in this report]

David RycroftDistrict Foundation Team


Around the CLUBS

10 Rotary South East

he Rotary Club of Tenterden challenged local swimmers to swim as many lengths ofthe 25m Leisure Centre pool as possible in half an hour in teams of four or sixswimmers in relay.

Ten teams of swimmers took part, a total of 53 people who together swam a total of 567lengths or over 14 kilometres in the first Tenterden Swimarathon. This tied in with the countrywideand worldwide Rotary International Global Swimarathon to raise money for the END POLIO NOWCampaign.

The event looks to have raised about 3,000 to be split between Rotarys End Polio Nowcampaign and each teams own designated charities.

The 10 teams were: Woodchurch scouts, Tenterden scouts, Tenterden town hall, theMadames, TDCC (Tenterden and DistrictChamber of Commerce), Phils follies,Woodchurch Wheelers, Canterbury Oast Trust,Graceful swimmers and St Mildreds church.

The cup for the Junior Team who swam themost lengths went to Tenterden Scouts for 63lengths and the Shield for the overall Championsof the night goes to the Tenterden and DistrictChamber of Commerce who powered through72 lengths.

Tenterden Rotary Club would like to thankTenterden Leisure Centre for use of their pool,Del Athwal from Shop around the Clock whodonated bottles of water and breakfast bars,Lewis Brockway (photographer), all the teamswho took part and their sponsors. This was amemorable evening and a big boost to polioeradication. We hope to repeat the event nextyear, attract more teams and break morerecords.

TTeenntteerrddeenn SSwwiimmaarraatthhoonn

The people of Bexhill and beyondsupported Ale & Arty in amazingnumbers,

Bexhill Rotary Clubs beer and musicfestival at the De La Warr Pavilion offered28 real ales and five real ciders plus lots ofgood music and the Royal SovereignMorris Dancers.

Over 800 people attended over the twodays and each received a commemorativeglass. The raffle alone raised over athousand pounds, encouraged by a 42 inchplasma television donated by Adams andJarrett as the first prize!

This was the Clubs second festival andit looks like becoming a fixture on theBexhill scene. Franklins Brewery was themain sponsor and local businessessponsored barrels of ale and cider andadvertised in the programme.

SupportBringing Ale and Arty to town was a

major task combining drawing in the localsupport with bringing the event togetherfor the weekend and then keepingeveryone happy with the brew and thebands.

Festival Organiser Colin Stutely praisedthe sponsorship and support receivedwhich included promotion from the BexhillObserver and other publicity contacts. Plusthe hard work put in by Rotarians and theirfamily and friends supported by the De LaWarr team.

The likely final figure for the festival isexpected to be over 3,000 to be donatedto various causes including St. MichaelsHospice, Juvenile Diabetes ResearchFoundation and Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.

I want to thank everyone who helped uswith Ale & Arty this year and made it evenbetter, said Colin.

Bexhill President John Cooper added,Well done to everybody and roll on nextyear when we can do it all again to help ourcommunity whilst having a good time.

Bexhill beer goes down well!

Mayor Robin Wade in Edwardian bathing suit and straw hat, fresh from the bathing machine

TDCC team: Richard Watkins, Tom Dwyer, Alex Nelson, Malcolm Pryor, Jonathan Meads

Photo

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rock

way

President Peter Blundell of the RotaryClub of Sittingbourne and Miltonpresented Rotarian Allan Payne with aLong Service Award to celebrate his 40years of Rotary Service.

T

Royal Sovereign Morris dancers in action

Ladies having a good time!


Rotary South East 11

Around the CLUBS

Romania successhelps more children

Margate keep theireye on blood pressure

Fishy fund raising!

he Rotaract Club of Bromley recently held a successful Fish'n'Quiz fundraisingevening, at Bromley Parish Church, and raised 640 for Demelza Hospice Carefor Children.

Demelza, as many of you will know is a local charity with care centres in Eltham andSittingbourne, which aims to "add life to days when days cannot be added to life".

Enthusiastic and hungry guestsThe fish and chip supper was well attended, with 120 enthusiastic and hungry guests

eager to win the quiz and eat their way through a healthy portion from the local chippy. Bromley Rotaract thank the many Rotarians from District 1120 who attended for their

support and were delighted to welcome a team from Epsom Rotaract club. Bromley Rotaractors are looking forward to their next event (with a little apprehension!)

when they will be walking on hot coals to raise money for MS Society.

Following the Matching Grant thatprovided three Small Family Homes inBotosani Romania there was moneyleft over from the donations made by1120 Rotary Clubs which we puttowards the closing of the St AdreaiInstitution in Bucharest.

The following is an update and I thinkwe can justifiably say that we fitted outthis Small Family Home, says DGN RayDixon.

Family homesHHC Romania, in partnership with

Bucharest Sector 6 Child ProtectionDepartment, opened the first of two SmallFamily Homes needed to close the Sf.Andrei Institution for children with specialneeds. Twelve of the 22 children whoremained in the institution moved into thenew home.

It was a special and emotional time forthem, as they finally had the chance to seethe inside of the house their home theconstruction of which they have beeneagerly monitoring over the past fewmonths.

The children were very happy to seetheir rooms, beds and all the toys thatwere waiting for them when they arrived!

SurprisedThey chose their own beds and were so

surprised to see that each of them hadtheir own toothbrush, toothpaste and soapand they no longer had to share them.

While the older children were delightedto see that each had their own wardrobeand they told us how they wanted toarrange their clothes there, the youngerones happily jumped on their beds andthrew their toys into the air. We are outof the institution, this is our home now,they said over and over again.

As the opening ceremony got underway,the children did drawings, colouring andpuzzles and everyone marvelled at howwell behaved they were and how nicelythey were drawing.

FulfilledWords cannot express how pleased and

fulfilled we feel when the result of ourwork is how the childrens faces light upwhen they see their new home. We havebeen working for moments such as theseand we will continue to make every effortto ensure that the children in institutionsare provided with a better and happier life.

The Rotary Club of Margate againteamed up with Westwood Crossshopping centre to host the ThanetSchools Young Artists Competition &Exhibition.

The exhibition welcomed 26 schools andfor three days exhibited 500 individualpaintings created by Thanet pupils of allages.

ShowcasedTasked with this years theme of

People, the competition showcased anarray of vibrant and eye-catching artworkinspired by the young peoplesinterpretation.

The exhibition was opened by BBC warcorrespondent turned artist Triona Holden.Triona Holden has an art studio The FlyingPig in Whitstable.

The paintings were judged by localartists Phillip Lee, Barry Page, ElenaPreistley , Paul Moyse, Mike Samson aswell as Dawn Morgan from the ThanetDecorative Fine Arts Society. Rotarian and

Margate Rotary Club with the support ofBoots the Chemist at Westwood Crossand with six nurses on hand made itpossible for 157 people to have theirblood pressures checked.

High blood pressure is a known cause ofstrokes and following the tests eight peoplewere told to see their doctors within oneweek. Another 31 were told to seek anappointment with their doctors within onemonth.

President Keith Rumblo thanked all whohad made the day possible and 56.31 wascollected for the Stroke Association.

Artist Brian Homewood, who has workedwith the schools, was head judge.

Margate President Keith Rumblosaid:The standard of work gets higher andhigher each year. We would like to thankWestwood Cross for giving us theopportunity to allow the Rotary Club ofMargate to exhibit the artistic talents of theyoung people of Thanet and the schools forencouraging the students to take part.

Pictured are the judges viewing thehundreds of paintings.

T

Young art on display


Around the CLUBS


Bowling for Rotary!School benefits fromRotary cheques

Bexhill Rotary Club President JohnCooper has presented cheques to twovery worthy causes close to his heart.

Bernard Crosby, Treasurer of the Bexhill,Hastings & Rother Branch of ParkinsonsUK, was presented with a cheque for 500.

A cheque for 1,000 for St. MichaelsHospice, was received by Marcia Dart, afundraising team leader.

At the meeting held at BarnsgateManor, Helen Marshall, President ofThe Rotary Club of Crowborough,presented George Moss ofCrowborough First Responders withthe Rotary Community Service Awardfor the excellent work done by thatorganisation in the local area.

Crowborough First Responders aredespatched to the scene of an accident,heart attack or stroke in the event that anambulance is likely to be delayed for anyreason.

n annual Maidstone Riverside Rotary Club tradition was extended this yearwhen young people from the newly formed Invicta Grammar School InteractClub joined forces with the existing club from Maidstone Grammar School and

the Crossroads Young Carers for ten pin bowling and a meal at the Hollywood Bowl inMaidstone.

This occasion is a chance for members of Riverside Rotary to say thank you to thesecaring young people for their contribution towards helping others over the past year.

The highest bowling score of the evening was achieved by current President of the MGSInteract Club, John Haines. The lowest score went to a Riverside Rotarian who shall remainnameless to protect his shame.

Rotarian Geoff Wood who organised the evening and has been the mentor for the InteractClub in Maidstone for several years said This annual event is a great opportunity for ourRotary Club to say a practical thank you and well done to our young people for all of the workthey do for charity including the help they give us manning the gates at the County Show. It isalso in appreciation for the dedicated help the Young Carers give to their disabled familymembers on a regular basis. We applaud the work that all these young people do.

Edenbridge Rotary Club were pleasedto present cheques totalling 2,300 toEdenbridge Primary School at their lastmeeting.

A band concert in February raised 1,000and the rest came from a number ofsmaller fund raising events augmented by aDistrict Grant of 620.

Presenting the first cheque toEdenbridge Primarys Head Teacher DrRosemary Addison, Rotary President JohnMartin asked that it may be put towards theschools Music Department. John has agreat interest in music, having sung formany years with the City of London Choirand latterly with the Goldsmiths ChoralUnion; he has performed frequently at TheRoyal Albert Hall and other major Londonvenues.

The second cheque was to be used forthe benefit of the Schools I.T. department,to help with the purchase of tabletcomputers.

Thanking the Edenbridge Rotary Cluband Rotary International Dr Addison saidthat the music department would now beable to buy more violins. She explained thatall of the top two year groups at the schoolnow learn to play the violin, and as they aretaught in quite large groups a good supplyof instruments is required.

Dr Addison left the meeting havingimpressed her Rotarian audience with herbrief run-down on the primary schoolsprogress and achievements. PresidentJohn summed up by saying that it isgratifying to know that our childrenseducation is in such good hands.

What does a Rotary Club do? An answerto that question comes with news fromFolkestone Channel Rotary Club.

Under the leadership of PresidentRichard Daniels, the Club since June, 2013,has organised Folkestone's Annual SantaRun; a Wine and Wisdom evening; a GolfDay at Sene Valley, Hythe; a Boot Fair inFolkestone; with their major event beingthe Channel 50 Cycle Challenge on RomneyMarsh, sponsored by Spire St SavioursHospital.

These fundraising efforts have realised inthe order of 20,000 which has, in turn,enabled them to donate to Kent AirAmbulance, Pilgrims Hospices, KentCancer Trust, The Gurkha Trust BenevolentFund, Folkestone Sea Cadets, Kent CoastFishermen's Mission and Dover LifeboatStation.As well as giving a lot of people funand fitness.

In addition they have donated adefibrillator to Folkestone Sports Centreand three Shelter Boxes to the PhilippineTyphoon Disaster.

Every year Glenleigh Park PrimaryAcademy in Gunters Lane arranges foraround 30 pupils aged 10 to 11 yearsto experience spending some timeaway at an activity centre to help withtheir confidence building and theirsocial skills.

Unfortunately, there are some parentswho are unable to provide full funding fortheir children to attend the five-day courseso the school appealed to Bexhill RotaryClub for help. Bexhill Rotarians Naz Manji,John Raeburn and Roger Batey went alongto Glenleigh Park to present a cheque for268 to Deputy Headteacher, DebbieRedman,

Bexhill Rotarys Community ServiceChairman, Naz Manji, said We at BexhillRotary Club strongly believe in givingyoungsters in our locality the best possibleopportunities and this in one way that wecan achieve this.

Crowborough First Responders

Worthy causes

A



You may be ware that as well as beingEditor I am also an Assistant DistrictGovernor and now is the time for visitingRotary Clubs and hearing their plans forthe new Rotary year.

The enthusiasm, organising skills and fun-making I hear about would make any charity orservice organisation more than proud. Alsomost of that action is directed to help andimprove towns, villages and neighbourhoods communities that the Clubs are devoted to.Plus there is the world-wide focus that wehave in Rotary.

I have tried to reflect that whole widespectrum of Rotary in action for this edition.But to be able to do that for the next one Ineed your news and pics by 1 September.

Firstly to the usual addresses but wemay soon be introducing newemail addresses for RSE and theDistrict Newsletter. Watch out forthem.

editorsnotes

Around the CLUBS

Every year for the last few years Bexhill Rotarians, their wives and friends go on awalking weekend to stretch their limbs, enjoy the countryside and to generally have agood time.

Canterbury was their venue this time and a first group departed to walk seven milesbefore lunch starting along by the River Stour for a while and then looping away through theKent countryside before aiming to be at the lunchtime stop at Chartham Hatch. Sadly, owingto a hiccup in directions they arrived an hour late!

The second group even had time to stop en route for a coffee at a local garden centre andcontinued on the riverside walk before arriving at Chartham Hatch.

The whole party returned to Canterbury on the North Downs Way through apple orchardsand woodland well satisfied with their days exertions.

Faversham Rotary Club invited the seniorcitizens of Faversham to be their guests ata Lunchtime Party to celebrate St George.

The event was held in the Alexander Center,with their support, and they even had to bringout some extra tables because more than 100people turned up on the day.

Age UK actively supported the event andhelped by providing transport for some seniors.

Drinks and a buffet lunch were provided byFaversham Rotary. The party enabled folk tocatch up with their friends who, because ofdeclining mobility these days, do not getaround as much as they used to.

Faversham Mayor Cllr David Simmons (alsoa Rotarian) attended and musicalentertainment was provided by FavershamRotary which culminated in a good oldfashioned sing-along.

Gravesend Rotary Clubregistered 400 riders in anhour for 'On Your Bike' theircharity sponsored cycle ride.

This was the 28th year they hadorganised the ride and the trendhas been for more and more ridersto arrive on the day althoughthere were 790 in all taking part.

'On Your Bike' attracts ridersfrom right across the region pluslocal families with its 15, 30 and45 mile routes. Forecast is close to20,000 from the day which willhelp the EllenorLions Hospicesand Rotary supported charities.

That means that 'On Your Bike'will have now raised close to500,000 since it began in 1986.

Members of the Rotary Club of Senlacwith partners and guests were treated toa Burns Night banquet at the CoodenBeach Golf club complete with haggis,neeps and tatties.

The haggis was piped in by Senlac piper inresidence Jon Bartholomew and carried byIain Robinson. Former President Bob Wrendelivered the address to the haggis.

John Relfe gave a well received speechand toast to the Immortal Memory. This wasfollowed by a special presentation to piperJon Bartholomew for his services to SenlacRotary Club. President Jimmy Carrollpresented a Senlac medal crafted byPresident Elect Christine Folley.

Roger Young proposed the toast to theLassies. Warning the gentlemen present thatwhat a woman says is not always what sheactually means. But, as he said, we cannalive with em and we canna live wout em !

Linda Fearn responded on behalf of thelassies with a poem she had writtenexpounding Rogers virtues! Also remarkinghow the Lady members of Senlac had beenmade welcome into the club.

During the evening the President called forThe Malts and guests enjoyed a tasting ofsingle malts including from Japan and Indiaorganised and served by Eddie Mcall and IainRobinson.

Haggis, neeps and tatties

Celebrate St George!

Having a good timein the country


Around the CLUBS


Battle Chamber of Commerce held theirannual Marbles Competition on BattleGreen, outside the Abbey Gates.

This year Battle Rotary Club fieldedboth a Mens and a Ladies Team. Theirfancy dress theme was Clerical andMonastic.

Unfortunately both teams exited in thefirst round, the Men to the eventual overallwinners Battle Cricket Club. So much forleading blameless lives!

At the end of the day President MikeBett awarded the medals and cups to thewinners and best costumes.

A large crowd included a number ofbemused Continental visitors, whopresumably went away understanding onlytoo well why the Anglo Saxons lost theBattle of Hastings.

With so much war and conflict aroundthe world, it makes a refreshing changeto hear of a success in a part of theworld perhaps better known for strife thanks to the Rotary Club of Canterbury

For over two years the Canterbury RotaryClub has been supporting the JubaDiocesan Model Secondary School(JDMSS), a co-ed secondary school in Juba,the capital of South Sudan.

The school has been in existence for 7years and grown from a small intake to thecurrent number on roll of 664 students agedbetween 14 25 with most being around the17 19 age group.

AmazingThe target ratio of boys to girls is 50:50

on entry and most years the numbersremain close to this figure, which is amazingsince the culture of the country stillencourages early marriage for girls from theage of ten onwards.

Education in Africa is not free, and whilemany parents can pay it is the Schoolspolicy that students that are clever butpoor should be financially supported bybursaries through their education. Each yearbenefactors from the UK support 100 needystudents and Canterbury Rotary Club hassponsored 7 girls for the last 2 years andare again doing so this new School Year.

ExaminationThe South Sudan School Certificate

requires students to choose either an Artsor Science course for examination and theyhave to pass in all the 8 subjects that theytake. For the past 3 years the School has

Just 18 months ago a new Interact Club was formed at Homewood School & SixthForm College, Tenterden.

Homewood is perhaps the largest community secondary school in Kent with about 2,500students. For their international project they have collected old school books, old uniforms,other childrens clothing & academic materials in order to ship them in a container for use bychildren in Zambia. So far they have sent three shipments.

They have been helping to improve the schools recycling performance and with Rotarianhelp they hope to convince the school management that their plans could truly work on theschool site.

The Interactors took on the task of running a cycle ride for families & friends raising fundsfor the Caldecott Foundation in Ashford. They raised about 400 last year. Determined toimprove they ran the ride again for 2014 and appear to have raised over 800 for Caldecottand the Canterbury Oast Trust.

It is likely by now that the total is over 1000 and they have been awarded a PresidentialCitation for their outstanding work. It promises to be a great send off to those who leaveschool this summer with the ever present hope that their understanding of Rotary will notdesert them when they embark on their future life.

The Falklands Veteran and Nationsfavourite Hero and also BBC viewerschoice as subject for the PeoplesPortrait, Simon Weston, was guestspeaker at a dinner arranged by theRotary Clubs of West Wickham andLangley Park.

There were 270 Rotarians and theirguests captivated for over an hour bySimons often humourous anecdotes abouthis life and Army experiences up to andincluding the Falklands War in 1982.

He clearly captured the hearts and mindsof the audience and his wonderfulperformance just underlined the highregard in which he is held. He was soapproachable before and during Dinner andmany took the opportunity to come andshake his hand and to talk to him. Hedidnt disappoint anyone. He reallyconnected and his humour and personalityshone through. It was an unforgettableexperience for everyone there.

Fundraising wasnt the prime objective,but the two Rotary Clubs also raised about3,500 for two worthy causes; MacmillanCancer Support and Rotarys End PolioNow fund.

Vote of thanks to Simon was given byDistrict 1120 District Governor Elect, MartinWilliams.

Recycling and cycling

South Sudan school success

achieved 100% pass rate enabling thesestudents to proceed to Higher Education. Ofthe 88 students who passed last Octoberalmost 50% were girls an extraordinaryachievement helped by the support ofCanterbury Rotary Club.

The Rotary Club of Canterbury is part ofa grouping of five Rotary Clubs, in fiveseparate European countries, called ThePentangular. It is the intention of thePentangular group to continue and extendthis support for JDMSS by pursuing aRotary International Global Grantapplication.

Battle of marbles!

Falklands hero



Around the CLUBS

Wit and humourfrom a Batchelor!

ec Cluskey of The Bachelors fame entertained Rotarians, their wives and guestsfrom the Rotary Club of Eastbourne at a special evening at La Locanda DelDuca restaurant.

Decs wit and humour enthralled guests with an off the cuff talk abouthis career with the Bachelors and his many encounters with stars andother famous singers.

Positive attitudeDuring his talk he spoke about his positive attitude and the effect this

had on his steps to fame and his flying experience as a pilot. In trueshowmanship fashion, at the end of his talk, Dec had his audience ofRotarians and guests singing along with him. As an active member of thecharity Grand Order of Water Rats, Dec accepted a cheque for 200 fromthe Rotary Club of Eastbourne.

Our picture shows Dec Cluskey and his wife with Rotary Club ofEastbourne President Joe Smedley.

Picture the scene sun shining on apeaceful Chatham Marina. The lovinglycared for Dunkirk Little Ships bobbinggently on the water. The exhibitors atthe Medway Maritime Food and DrinkFestival are opening for business and afew people are starting to wanderaround looking at the tasty goodies onoffer.

Fourteen teams with 16 or more peoplein a team plus their friends and familymeans the quayside becomes teemingwith happy smiling (some painted) facesand when the Dragon Boat racing getsunderway theyre all shouting for theirfavourite team to do their best.

Every team entered has three races. Forthe first race, theyre just finding out how itall works but then with the second andthird races they go all out to get their besttime and wow did some of them improve.The boats went faster and faster at leasttwo of them completing their races in lessthan a minute.

District Governor, Chris Barnett, tookpart too he paddled, together withAssistant Governor Brian Portway, on theboat called Rotar Ark, the Medway TownsRotaract Club boat.

Everyone in the boats, paddlers anddrummers, all came off the watermuttering about co-ordination and vowingto come back next year and do even better

they had such awonderful time.

The final racebetween the four fastestboats Windy Pandas,Long Arm of the Oar,Never Been In A Boatand Kent Property Club was fiercelycompetitive with just0.04 of a secondseparating the winners,Windy Pandas, from theLong Arm of the Oar.

Another winner wasthe boat sponsored by

Rotary Club of Northfleet with Ebbsfleet,called General Gordon as they wereawarded the boat with the best fancy dress all paddlers being beautifully dressed asPocahontas and family.

Medway Sunlight Rotary Club say thankyou to Chatham Maritime Trust andArethusa for use of the Basin and toDragon Boat Events who brought the boatsand made sure everyone stayed safe onthe water.

The event is forecast to raise throughthe dragon draw, the human fruit machine(pictured below) and generous donations -a magnificent 1,400. In additionsponsorship is still coming in and hasalready reached a further 2000!

Members of The RotaryClub of Senlac celebratedSt Georges Day in stylewith a Bards and Heroesnight.

The evening featuredmusic and singing bymembers of QueensConsort.

After traditional dinner,Mike Stewart took everyoneon a whirlwind tour throughmany of Shakespearesheroes such as Macbeth,Lear, Hamlet with slides offamous actors who playedthe parts, and who some ofus struggled to rememberand name. Likewise thequotations, half rememberedfrom our schooldays!

Dragon Boats invadeChatham Marina

A trip back in time for Senlac tocelebrate St Georges Day

D


HAVE YOU INTRODUCED ANYONE TO ROTAR

Y YET?

Were for communities

Send to: Rotary 1120 15 Johnson's Avenue, Badgers Mount, Sevenoaks, Kent. TN14 7AX

Children walk tocreate safe waterChestfield Rotary Club with the supportof over 1200 children from 10 localprimary schools from Faversham,Whitstable, Herne Bay and Canterburyareas organized a Walk 4 Water event

Over 7,700 was raised for a water andsanitation project in Mzuzu, Malawi. This isan ongoing project that was supported lastyear as well with the involvement of otherRotary Clubs in Holland organized byChestfields contact club Apeldoorn et Loo.

Thanks to contacts in Holland these fundswere Match Funded doubling the fantasticresult from all involved.

This was the fourth year the event hadbeen held and was the largest yet. The mainevent was held at Kent Sport at CanterburyUniversity, where staff provided a meetingplace and a warm up for the children beforethey set off on their walk through the woods.

Many of the schools organized their ownwalks at school. All the children walked sixkilometers carrying six litres of water in aback pack in recognition of what childrentheir age, and younger, do in developingcountries where water is not available in theirhome, or even their village. This meansillness is common and many children cannotgo to school as they are needed for this job,or to work on land to support their families.

The project in Mzuzu when completed willhave provided water and sanitation supplies

to over 40,000 people as well as educatingthem about the importance of hygiene tohelp stop infections spreading. The project istraining individuals to make the equipmentneeded locally and to install and maintain itso there is a sense of ownership and pride inthe finished projects. These should thenspread out to other areas making it a trulylong term and sustainable project.

The schools that took part were:Blean Primary School, Swalecliffe

Community Primary School, HamptonPrimary School, St Peters Methodist PrimarySchool, St Marys Catholic Primary School,Graveney Primary School, Herne Church ofEngland Junior School, Joy Lane PrimarySchool, Whitstable Primary School,Whitstable & Seasalter Endowed Church ofEngland Junior School.

Canterbury Business Equipment,McDonalds, Kent Sport and Canterbury CityCouncil also supported the event.

A few facts and figures for you aboutpolio Since 1998 2.5 Billion children immunised Endemic countries reduced from 125 to 3 In 25 years 350,000 new cases per year

reduced to less than 400 India has been polio free for 3 years World Health Organisation has announced

India Polio Free Southern Afghanistan free from new cases

for one year India employs 1,000,000 people to carry

out immunisations and will continueto do so

Sadly 22 Immunisation workers have beenkilled

We are so close to the end.At the Rotary International Institute Sir LiamDonaldson WHO Envoy said There are just10 named people in the world who areresponsible for preventing immunisationThe end is in sight. New cases in endemiccountries are almostdown to single figuresand are beingaddressed throughfresh immunizationprogrammes.Please keep up the EndPolio Nowdonationsand we shall see theend.

A Brief PolioEradication Update

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Rotary South East Magazine - Issue 65 June 2014

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Transcript of Rotary South East Magazine - Issue 65 June 2014