Author: Dennis Fretwell

A group of 17 members of the Club visited the National Memorial Arboretum on Monday the 23rd September. We met at 10.45am and went to the Chapel where they have a short service of Remembrance and then an interesting talk on how the Memorial Arboretum was acquired, designed and built.

From there we took a ride on the Land Train with a running commentary which took us on a tour of the grounds and the symbolism behind the memorials. The tour lasted about 55 minutes.

After the tour we went to the Restaurant and had lunch. Lunch completed everyone went their own way to look at the exhibits and exhibitions that they were most interested in.

A most enjoyable day was had by all.

Report by Roger Stevenson

We are looking forward to the Charity Concert to be held at 7.30pm on Friday the 27th of September at The Post Mill, South Normanton, DE55 2EJ. Starring Andy Quinn and Hilary Leam.

Tickets for the concert at £10. each can be obtained, by email ron@ronaldyoung.plus.com, by calling Roger on 01773  833541 or from members of Alfreton Rotary Club.

Andy Quinn shot to stardom after appearing on the BBC as an “Unexpected Star” on Michael McIntyre’s Big Night Out, blowing the audience away with a breath-taking rendition 0f Bring Him Home from Les Misérables. He will be accompanied by the highly talented Hilary Leam, who is well known in the local area having played the lead role in a number 0f musicals, as well as performing as a lead singer with a soul band and in cabaret acts around Derbyshire and the East Midlands.

The concert is in aid 0f the Tree Tops Hospice Care Lime Tree campaign, which is aiming to build and run a vitally needed, new 12-bedroom In-Patient Unit at Risley, Derbyshire.

The Rotary Clubs in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, located in the catchment area of the hospice, are working together with the aim of raising enough money to pay for building, equipping and sponsoring of one of the bedrooms.

The members celebrated the clubs 81st Charter Anniversary accompanied by wives and partners together with guests from neighbouring rotary clubs at Santo’s Higham Farm Hotel on Monday the 2nd of September who enjoyed a meal, fellowship and entertainment by the ‘Gold Leaf Duo’.

We had a stand displaying details and selling tickets for the charity concert being held on the 27th September in aid of the new hospice being built at Risley. We also demonstrated the Rotary Aqua box Filter and a display explaining the work of Alfreton Rotary Club along with a game of skill aiming to knock over twelve tins with three bean bags. This was enjoyed by the children visiting the stand.

We were pleased to be joined on the stand by our friends 0from the Amber Valley Rotary Club.

District 1220 Governors Visit

On Tuesday evening the 6th of August the Rotary Clubs of Amber Valley, Clay Cross and Ripley joined us at Santo’s restaurant for a visit from David Hood this years District Governor.

It was an evening of excellent fellowship with an enjoyable and interesting address from David who based his talk on this years Rotary theme of “Rotary Connects the World”.

Saturday 3rd August 2019 – Alfreton Happy Fest

At todays meeting we invited guests from neighbouring Rotary Clubs to join us to hear our guest speaker Adela Appleby the Hospice Campaign Fund Raising Manager to tell us about the fund raising, building and the day to day running of the new hospice to be built at Risley, Derbyshire at a cost of £3 million together with a further £2 million running costs for the first year all of which will have to be raised by donations.

At present Tree Tops Hospice Care provides an Out-Patient and at home service for patients and their families for end of life care.  Currently, there are no independent hospice beds available in the South of Derbyshire or South Nottinghamshire

Tree Tops Hospice Care have been granted planning permission to build a 12 bedded In-Patient Unit on their Risley site which will cater for patients and their families from South Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. 

The care patients receive while at Tree Tops Hospice is provided completely free of charge.

The Rotary Clubs in South Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire have joined together and pledged to raise sufficient monies to pay for the building and sponsoring of one of the bedrooms.

Alfreton Rotary Club have organised a Charity Concert with the proceeds being donated towards Rotary District 1220 Tree Tops Hospice sponsorship fund.   

 

Wednesday the 17th July was prize giving evening at the David Nieper Academy and our club President Mandy was there to present the Matt Bingham Award for contribution to Academy Life. Mandy was accompanied by Rotarians Roger Stevenson and David Smith who were delighted to hear head teacher and Rotarian Dr. Hobbs recount the achievements, changes and successes of the last year.

Subject prizes and attitude to Learning Awards were presented by Mr. Richard Taylor, Managing Director of Owen Taylor and Sons Limited. Special Individual Awards were nominated and introduced by their staff sponsor who outlined the reasons for their success.

President Mandy presented the Trophy and £50. cash to Rachael Nash in recognition of her contribution to Academy Life. Rachael is certainly a charming young lady who was most grateful and appreciative of the Award, as was her proud family.

The evening ended with a ‘slide’ show of the years activities and it was certainly an action packed year. All school places are filled for next year and staff numbers increased; so we look forward to supporting the continued progress of the Academy.

  

In the presence of the club members and invited guests Mandy Oldknow was installed as Club President for the second successive year 

Together with Roger Holroyd as President Elect

Roger Stevenson as Second Vice President

John North as Secretary

Dennis Fretwell as Treasurer

At todays meeting we presented a cheque for £1000.00 to Prostate Cancer UK. Being the monies raised at the Charity Golf Day held on the 7th of June 2018 at Ormonde Fields Golf Course.

Thank you to our sponsors and all who took part on the day.

We look forward to seeing you at our next Charity Golf Day to be held on the 6th of September 2019 at Alfreton Golf Course.