8PP_Newsletter_2020

The Centennial February 2020 | Special Issue Rotary Club of Nottingham Newsletter Centenary display an Iron Lung created by Roger Frank from the Charter Rotary Club of Eden Valley to provide an insight as to the distressing nature of this condition which thankfully is no 250 Rotarians and their guests are celebrating the longer prevalent in this country and, thanks to the efforts centenary of the granting of the Charter to the Rotary of Rotary, all but eliminated worldwide. Club of Nottingham in 1918. We are the first club in District 1220 to reach this target and are delighted that All our daughter clubs are represented here, together the President of Rotary International (RI) Ian Riseley, with most of our granddaughter clubs and about half of Director Brian Stoyel, RIBI President Denis Spiller and our great granddaughter clubs. our District Governor Michael Longdon are joining us along with the Lord Mayor and Sheriff representing the We want this to be a celebration to remember. City of Nottingham. We look forward to a great evening together. RI President RI Director RIBI President Ian Riseley Brian Stoyel Denis Spiller Our focus is on Polio Plus - we hope you have noticed the display of purple crocuses as you arrived and the purple crocus brooch for each guest. We even have on Children of Courage The Children of Courage awards were introduced some 8 the awards are then handed out by the Lord Mayor of years ago, following the success of the Mansfield club, in Nottingham who, this year, is Councillor Rosemary Healy. order to recognise local children from 3 years to 19 years of Each award winner can bring along guests who may be age who have shown determination to overcome great family, friends or carers. odds. These may take the form of courageous acts, selfless acts of kindness, children facing traumatic experiences, or Our next award day is to be held at the Council House on even having to face extreme health problems and difficulties. 26th March 2020 where the Lord Mayor will give out 16 awards. We are indebted to our main support & sponsor of The winners/nominations are invited to a special awards the event which will be John E Wright & Co Ltd to whom we ceremony at the Council House. Their stories are told and are very grateful. 1

Rotary is proud to support the following International Projects Aquabox Shelter box Vision Aid Mary’s Meals Nottingham Rotarians have just completed the collection, packing and despatch of over ten thousand pairs of used spectacles to be \"recycled\" by the Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) charity. The glasses have been collected from opticians, Funeral Directors, friends and families. VAO check and calibrate each pair before despatching to developing countries in Africa where one in ten people cannot see properly to be able to learn and in turn earn simply because they need glasses. This is an ongoing Club project. Brass Band For the past five years the club have arranged a Concert brass band concert at Lutterell Hall, West Bridgford. This year’s concert was held on the 27th September and surpassed the previous concerts. Just under 100 people attended and more than £4,000 has been raised over the years for local charities including the homeless, children’s literacy and Studio House (addict rehabilitation). This year’s concert will be on Friday 16th October at Lutterell Hall, West Bridgford and we are indebted to the County Council for providing the hall which has amazing acoustics as well as providing all the usual amenities. Refreshments will be provided as part of the entrance fee and we look forward to another great event this coming October. 2

Rotaract Club of Eco Nottingham Greenhouse Inaugural Charter On a wet rainy day In October 2019 we visited the On Friday November 22nd, The Rotaract Club of Ecogreenhouse on Scotholme Primary School’s site Nottingham was officially formed at their Charter in the Whitesmoor Allotments. The Rotary Club of Ceremony with Martin Simeonov as its first President. Nottingham has been supporting the development of The event was attended by District Governor David ecogreenhouses at the school made from recycled Hood and a number of Rotarians including President plastic bottles. This is a great way of turning waste Richard. DG David made a motivational speech into something really useful and aims to educate welcoming all the newcomers to our movement and children about recycling and knowing where food President Martin responded with an excellent speech comes from, food cycles and the environment. We outlining the hopes and goals for the collection of fine were delighted to receive bags of apples and young people who seemed to originate from all four tomatoes which they had grown. corners of the world. President Martin’s goals for the new movement are familiar to Rotarians: Poppy Appeal Fellowship, support for those less fortunate in our In October the Club were delighted to be invited again to society and a growing awareness of the environment. assist the Royal British Legion with their annual Poppy Day In particular Martin expressed a wish to support any Appeal collection. Some 20 members of the club together projects involving tree planting. He also added that with their wives and friends, wearing Rotary tabards, there might an opportunity to form a second club manned the RBL stand in the Victoria Centre on three within a year based at Nottingham Trent University. days in the lead up to Remembrance Sunday. Most the present members are students at Nottingham University. The British Legion is well respected and held in high regard by the public for the welfare services and benefits The Rotary Club of Nottingham is united in its support that it provides for ex-servicemen and its dependants. So for the new Rotaract Club and wish it well for the selling poppies and collecting funds for the RBL gives a future. We are sure we can find some trees to plant in wonderful sense of pride, satisfaction and pleasure to the Nottingham community this coming spring! those Rotarians participating. The impressively designed new Rotaract roll-up banners were supplied by kind courtesy of local printer John E Wright & Co Ltd. 3

Dolly Parton Mention ‘Dolly Parton’ and people smile. Talk about Imagination Library and people agree it’s a wonderful idea. The Dollywood Foundation's Imagination Library is an Early Intervention project designed to raise levels of child literacy. It works by sending a free age related book through the post, every month to children until their fifth birthday. Child literacy levels in Nottingham were low. So the Rotary Club started a Dolly Parton Imagination Library in 2011. There are about 20,000 children under the age of 5 in the City Council area. The Rotary Club and City Council agreed the way forward by starting in deprived areas. Castle Cavendish, an inner-city regeneration charity agreed support. Lottery support has come from the City Care Small Steps Big Changes programme. We are grateful to all contributors and donors who have given over £240,000 to date. The Nottingham project now has over 4,000 registered children and more than 100,000 books have been delivered. Santa’s Grotto For the last 4 years, the Rotary Club of Nottingham has had a books, chocolate and Christmas cheer to the local children. portable Santa’s Grotto designed, built and donated by local printer John E Wright & Co Ltd. The grotto can be installed The last event was the Bilborough Christmas Street Festival in any large room, gym or community centre and is used to where both the grotto and the Rotary sleigh were in action. bring some much needed Christmas cheer to those areas of Four Rotarians spent most the afternoon and evening helping our community where children are not so lucky. It has a to support the event and Chris was a great Santa as usual! warm log fire feel inside and together with the 8 metre snowy The grotto was very popular on a wet winter’s day with over forest banner, has a very cold feel outside. 125 children seen in 3 hours. A total of £450 was raised for Rotary causes, £300 from donations from appreciative Santa, aka Past President Chris Spencer, arrives and leaves parents and £150 from the local council for our efforts. in the Rotary sleigh to great local appreciation and then spends an exhausting 3 hours inside the grotto distributing 4

Katie’s Toys 49th Annual Katie’s Toys was named in honour of my daughter Katie Carol Spencer. Now in its 8th year from its original inception in Concert 2010, this has very much become Katie’s legacy since her passing in 2013. The 49th Annual Carol Concert packed the William Booth Memorial Hall as usual on the first Sunday of We collect new and used toys, books, bikes and games December. The event is hugely popular and, as well etc. from family, friends and club members. This year some as the main Salvation Army Band, included the donations have also come from people who saw our Band Junior Timbrels, the Songsters, the Facebook posts. Nottingham Girls High School Choir and the St John the Baptist Primary School Choir. The The toys are sorted, then cleaned if required, repaired if compare was the BBC’s Frances Finn and among possible and batteries replaced if applicable. We put some the 350 attendees was the Lord Mayor of of them, especially the soft toys, into clear plastic bags. A Nottingham, Coucillor Rosemary Healy. The event sealing machine was kindly donated to us last year, so now raised £1,000 for the Salvation Army who always they look even more presentable, and only go out when put the money to good use for the local poor and looking as good as new. homeless at Christmas time. Some of the toys and books that are not like new go to local schools for jumble sales or to toy libraries. Not many are wasted, with only 3% being no longer suitable. During our first year we gave out 65 toys to the local under privileged children in Broxtowe, Strelley and Aspley. We now have 3 schools involved in giving out the toys to the under privileged children. In 2017 Faith in Families (adoption society) came on board to receive toys for their vast amount of foster children. To date, we have given out a staggering total of 9,104 toys. 2017 saw us give out an amazing 1,252 toys. In 2018 we are hoping to hand out 2,000 toys. & the Rotary Club of Nottingham tTnhheeewCBWlruoobhrxPAeutornonsfe(weysKNAdeeaSdotn,totyotiotSteppspLiytnteraSlsceiegCmsoataoFhlotnnolsienarfYleebSytgmoeNas,oieFcavcm,AEcooortedaisWnrCPerFrnfpgclNthoatoeTSadaalUoyraomCpehroBJncinOs)slmhisbyplogueeCtrieiibysldexyosleWrdNahaiuceeaUserisBdwiaordttrstdntoesLpeitiSwiOBoPsemoyinaiaofatnnioEust:nnofybuueskonsdmazMfDIza.oerrmrtcabctdlae&lyoemaThnrDu2aemcStTeusGbsheltn0.patneRtseaO5eaewdpt,hea1maodabr9ytScnrYne8oiepreittnedeoecroneFSyaseroodTebs,falaaermnlnnaSieitrAlafykttersaeoomrneheyorrRt6edofCeb,etasntrem(G:nsmd6rcsltn0euoot-:at0,eLEsu80gteysbfr1otnisToseypyevto1,w1ceyo1odedmbbi5aa7asuifoeud8r4lali-Rdsoln2fN7u2a)sgakmtbosdd06nxcn1soheeea,00eth2easdatWtod6rb0ttoeydgo-7it8,loodnDeipiatb1osS:r,looeg0lredtesntloihrdyoer0ucovor&icensa.etfbpirlml.rlbtmmee1umlrFDerabgoa2toabiyenebakro5oi,eeitdirdsn2nlyhnNereeg,ba.tcpG2i,i0cnhnytor07o8tiieauot5l1Fldcshl62ta8enter,eN6m&cesn5tBRntci0ilnslo,ie2E,egait0vnsan7e.r6ryy 5

Scotholme Every year the pupils are each given a copy of Dictionaries Dictionaries 4life, a duty which our incoming Presidents have always enjoyed, this year there were For over 20 years now, the Club has formed a strong 60 hands to shake. relationship with Scotholme primary/junior school in an inner city deprived area, Hyson Green. Over 95% of the children come from families where English is not the first language. Indeed there have been times when 30 or more countries were represented. Each week two members go to the school to help on a one-to-one basis those children who are falling behind with their reading and comprehension. Our efforts are welcomed by the staff. Santa’s Swimathon Sleigh Each year the Nottingham Rotary Club swim team support Our newly revamped traditional sleigh which now has LED the Sherwood Sunrisers Rotary Club who organise the lights, steps, novelty light projector and two reindeer. swimathon to raise funds for local charities. Last year club charities supported the Nottingham University student Each year we have a position outside Marks and Spencer, Souprunners project, who give out food to the homeless in usually for a 3 day period. Nottingham & the framework bike workshop in Nottingham, who help the teenagers of the underprivileged estates, The Christmas collection in 2017 brought us an average of repair and maintain their bikes free of charge. £400 for the 1st two days. Last year the team raised £470 for our supported charities. A team is already in place for this year’s event on Saturday The 3rd day we had a new initiative: Our Past President 10th March 2018 dressed as Santa, sat on board with our president Paul Jones dressed up as an Elf, to assist the children/adults up £470 in 2017 the steps and on board the sleigh to have their photos for our charities taken. A successful event, raising over £600 for the day. Lets raise even The sleigh also attends Bilborough Street Festival where more in 2020! £39.89 was raised, which is tremendous amount when we consider the underprivileged people attending the event. Saturday 10th March 2018 They are still prepared to give. A total of £1537.89 was raised by the sleigh in 2017 which goes to pay our clubs annual charity donations. 6

Youth Club Nottingham Rotary Youth Club was formed in October club and are currently averaging 12 per week. Several of 2014, through continued interest from Rotary FC Team our members have also passed sports related training members Jake Spencer, Lee Elvidge Edwards and Josh courses too, which will be handy for future vocations. Martin. The main idea was to enable other teenage boys and girls to be able to get together and socialise in a safe One of our main aims this year though is to purchase a and friendly environment. mini bus so we can participate in more events, like the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, camping and day trips. Through this continued interest the Rotary Club became involved, managing to secure funding from Nottingham With this in mind, the Rotary members are undertaking City Council and through working with Street Games, a their own charity events to help raise some of the funds suitable location to base the club from was sourced. needed. Various fundraising events have been held by the club such as a volley ball day at the Riverside Festival, pool Weekly meets take place at Minver Crescent Sports Hall tournaments and a football skills competition at Ambleside in Aspley on Saturday nights where club members can School Féte to name a few. partake in various sports such as badminton, cricket, soft ball and basketball. A social area has also been provided The club has also formed links with Trent Bridge Cricket where members can just sit around and chat if they want, Trust, Notts County FITC and now in 2018 have links to whilst also benefiting from full internet access. the newly-formed Nottingham Forest community arm where we hope to get involved. There has been a staggering 72 members go through the supporting individual, from all over the UK, wanting to recover from drug and alcohol dependence and who may also be living with mental health issues. The project presents opportunities for people to make healthier choices and to develop personally and professionally in a supportive environment where relationships and wellbeing really matters. Studio The Rotary Club of Nottingham has raised approximately House £4,600, mainly though the fantastic efforts of Rotarian Diana Bosworth who raised £1,000 from her 1,000 mile sponsored In November 2019, the Director of Studio House, Jayne walk and a further £2,600 through her employer in London the Jackson and a resident, came to speak at our Rotary meeting. RGA. But the £1,000 raised from the Brass Band Concert was She gave an excellent talk on the aims, objectives and also hugely important and much appreciated by Jayne and all achievements of this successful rehabilitation centre which her colleagues. relies solely on private donations. Mention should also be made of Past President Roy Bradshaw, Studio House is a supportive living, abstinence-based project, who has worked tirelessly for many years to support Studio House. The weekly photography group facilitated by the professional photographer, Rimas Vainorius and Roy, has proved most successful over the years and we all enjoyed the Bromley House exhibition in 2018 which displayed their work. 7

Designed & Produced by www.rotaryclubofnottingham.org Charity Bike Ride It is our Centenary Year and to mark 100 years of service to project has a far reaching appeal beyond Nottingham. the local community of Nottingham and beyond we are fund The estimated cost of refurbishing one of these areas of raising for the Nottingham Hospital’s Charity and their ‘Big accommodation is £10,000. Appeal’ for the Nottingham Children’s Hospital. The ‘Big Appeal’ ends in 2018 which coincides with the Centenary We have spoken to the Nottingham Hospitals Charity and Year. The appeal is to raise £3,000,000 for the Nottingham agreed we can have a placard above the doorway Children’s Hospital at the QMC campus. acknowledging our contribution to mark 100 years of serving our local community. This sits nicely with the placard that is Part of this appeal is to refurbish and modernise living already at the QMC for the Rotary Club of Nottingham which accommodation, which parents can use when they have very recognises the bed our club provided to the old General poorly children in hospital. With families already facing huge Hospital in June 1918, which would have been one of the first financial burdens, this facility has been designed to enable project’s we undertook. them to be based on-site rather than having to make their own arrangements and at their own expense, often being some To raise funds, President Paul is embarking on a sponsored distance away from their child. Having this type of facility charity bike ride from John O’Groats to Lands End. The ride undoubtedly has a positive effect on the child’s short-term will be over 10 days at the end of May 2018 and Paul has a recovery because Mum and Dad are close by. team of 6-8 non-rotarians who are all keen cyclists and whom are eager to support this cause. Children and families from as far as South Yorkshire, Norwich and Northamptonshire use the facilities at the Children’s We will be contacting local rotary clubs along the route to get Hospital situated in the QMC campus and therefore the support and further publicity for the ride. Paul Jones is fundraising If you would like to help Paul reach his target please use the for Nottingham University ‘Just Giving’ address below; Hospitals Charity www.justgiving.com/nottingham-rc-100-jogle or Text: RCON66 £1, £2, £3, £5 or £10 to 70070 8