The club presented a cheque for £750.00 to Past District Governor Peter Swinscoe a representative of the Rotary Jaipur Limb Project being the proceeds from the Charity Evening of Folk and Sea Shanty Songs recently held at Riddings Community Centre.
Peter thanked us for the donation and gave an update of the charities work.
President Mandy’s charity for this year is Reuben’s Retreat it was set up on the 23rd of August 2012 in memory of Reuben who died just two days previous in his mummy’s arms on the 21st of August aged 23 months.
At our club meeting on the 20th May we were given a presentation by Reuben’s mother and two fellow workers.
Reuben had been enjoying a family holiday in Devon when a routine trip to A & E resulted in the worst nightmare imaginable.
Nobody could ever have known what was about to unfold for Reuben and his family, and what followed turned out to be the worst 7 days of their lives, Reuben was diagnosed to have a cancerous brain tumour.
The care that the family received, the families they met on the way and support they encountered inspired them to launch a charity in Reuben’s memory.
In April 2014, the charity had raised sufficient funds to purchase the retreat, a Victorian building set in parkland at Glossop, Derbyshire.
The retreat will be a place for children with life-limiting illnesses or disabilities and their families to relax, recharge and create memories.
Although it requires a great deal more money to be raised for the Victorian building to be adapted and completed to enable it to be used to its full potential it already serves as a bereavement counselling and support centre for parents and siblings who have suffered the loss of a child. The retreat welcomes families who live in the UK.
The club was pleased to present a cheque for £350 towards the cost of the building work and on the 6th of September are holding a Charity Golf Event at Alfreton Golf Course in aid of Reuben’s Retreat.
We held a successful Charity Race Night on Friday the 17th of May raising £480 in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.
On the 30th April four club members attended an assembly at David Nieper Academy and gave a presentation together with an offer to sponsor and form an Interact Club at the Academy. There are 12,300 Interact Clubs in 133 Countries
Interact is a fun lively organisation offering young people aged 12 to 18 years amazing opportunities to broaden their horizons, make new friends and help the lives of others. This is no ordinary club, Interact is an exciting place where members decide how they would like to help communities at home and abroad.
Clubs carry out two service projects a year, one which benefits the local community and one which is international and can make a difference to people right across the world
Clubs are run by the members, so they get to take part in exciting, hands on projects around the topics and causes that matter to them. These projects helps them to connect with other young leaders both locally and abroad.
Service projects are a great way for members to build skills such as communication and leadership, make new friends and develop an understanding for the world we all share.
Interact is a great way to enhance CV’s which is helpful when looking for jobs or making college and university applications.
Alfreton Rotary Club, will be there every step of the way to provide help and guidance to make the Interact experience enjoyable and as memorable as possible.
In July last year Kian Pearson a local boy from Alfreton and a student at David Nieper Academy, then aged 12 years of age, cycled from John O’Groats to Lands End setting a record being the youngest person to complete the journey in 14 days at the same time raising in the region of £8000. by way of sponsorship for the Charity Dementia UK.
The club considered that Kian’s effort and commitment should be recognised and nominated him for the RIBI National Rotary Young Citizen of the year Award.
On the 30th April the President and 3 club members attended an assembly at David Nieper Academy and presented Kian with a framed nomination certificate awarded to him by RIBI together with a trophy from the members of Alfreton Rotary Club.
We presented a cheque for £200. to Richard Street the local representative of the Chernobyl Children’s Life Line Charity.
The Charity is again this year hosting a group of children from Belarus who are suffering from the after affects of the nuclear fallout from the Chernobyl disaster.
During their stay in East Derbyshire not only will the children be given a holiday to remember but receive a medical assessment and where necessary treatment, all in an effort to rebuild their much needed depleted immune systems and give them hope and the opportunity of improved health.
On the 18th March 8 club members and guests visited The National Holocaust Centre and Museum at Laxton, near Newark. It is a very peaceful and well tended area of gardens, (the roses will be magnificent in a few weeks time) with water features and areas set aside for meditation.
The idea of visiting this place is to some, one with which they will not countenance, but the fact is that it is beautiful place which portrays the horrors of this period in a factual, but not sensational, manner and leaves you thoughtful rather than horrified.
After an introductory film and a visit to some of the exhibitions we entered the theatre and, along with a room of full of children, heard of the experiences of a Dutch Jew who grew up in the war years (he was only 6 by the end of the war). After this we had little time to wander round the exhibits, which are very interactive and cleverly laid out.
It was agreed by all a very interesting day and, certainly some will return as there was not enough time to see everything and maybe the roses will be in bloom.
Report by David Smith
A capacity audience at Riddings Community Centre on the 15th of March were entertained by the Stormy Weather Boys and raised £744.00 in aid of the Rotary Charity The Jaipur Limb Project.
Thank you to all who supported us on the evening.
Colin Fox received a great surprise after giving a talk on the problems of Alzheimers to West Ashfield Rotary Club last week.
For his services to the District on the ‘membership committee’ Colin received a sapphire pin in recognition of all of his hard work.
Colin on the right, received his ‘pin’ from Michael Longdon, President of West Ashfield and Past District Governor.
Members of the Rotary Club of Alfreton, Staff of Woodbridge School and members of the Parent Teachers Association line up in front of the completed Eco Greenhouse that has been donated by the Rotary Club and built with help from the schools PTA.
Some of the team assembling the bottles that form the roof and walls.
Alright who knows which bit goes where!
Grub up. The team share a meal with pupils.
