Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger

If you would like more information on any of the following projects please contact Rotarian John Chapman on 01302 370628 or by email at: john.chapman@rotarystleger.org.uk

Kids Out June 2011

For almost 20 years the KidsOut charity has been working in partnership with Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland to take thousands of children out for a magical day on the second Wednesday of every June. 440 Rotary clubs throughout the country took more than 25,000 disadvantaged children to enjoy a fun day out at the seaside, theme parks, adventure parks, museums and zoos across the UK and Ireland this year.

The Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation’s Stroke Outreach Team in partnership with Doncaster Rotary Clubs (Doncaster, Doncaster St George’s, St Leger, and Thorne) provided some 500 blood pressure checks to the public at the Frenchgate Shopping Centre  over Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 7 – 9^th  April 2011 as part of the national Know Your Blood Pressure event.

 The Rotary Know Your Blood Pressure event is held nationwide every year to help people better understand the relation between high blood pressure (hypertension) and stroke.   It is estimated that 40% of the 150,000 strokes suffered by people in the UK each year could be prevented.   This condition can be easily controlled.

Rotary recognises that one of the biggest challenges is to help people understand that strokes don't just happen to other people. They can happen to anyone, at any age and the biggest single risk is high blood pressure. Rotarian volunteers play an invaluable role in reaching out to people, encouraging them to have regular checks and take action when needed.

Local school in Fund Raiser for Thanks for Life Campaign

In October of last year, hundreds of people planted reminders for Thanks for Life in the form of purple crocus bulbs in parks and green areas. The purple colour is symbolic of the dye used to mark a child’s little finger to show they have been immunised against polio. These flowers will bloom this month and remind everyone to take part in Thanks for Life.   

Several Doncaster schools co-operated with the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger in planting some 14,000 bulbs and raising funds.   On Friday, 4^th February, a cheque was presented to the Rotary Club President Elect, Jack Sheppard at a whole school assembly, by the staff and children of  Tickhill St Mary’s CE Primary & Nursery School who had planted crocuses and raised money for the campaign.  The school had chosen to raise the money in a different way by collecting donations and producing  a ‘Memory’ book with purple crocuses on the cover and pictures of flowers and the names of people who had been loved and who had died on its pages.

Rotarians link up with local schools to recognise World Polio Day and plant for the future

In recognition of World Polio Day on the 24th of October, Rotary clubs in Great Britain & Ireland and the rest of the world are participating in a global push to raise the funds and awareness needed to vanquish this crippling disease, now on the verge of eradication.

Rotary Club members have been working with local communities to raise funds and plant purple crocuses which are expected to bloom in February 2011 coinciding with ‘Thanks for Life’ events which include school activities and fundraisers. The purple colour of the blooms signifies the colour of dye used to mark a child’s little finger when they receive the vaccination.  Participating Doncaster schools are – Heatherwood, Toll Bar, Hill House, Tickhill St Mary’s, Tickhill Estfeld, Don Valley and Sir Thomas Wharton  Colleges -  and around 15,000 bulbs have been planted.  Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger have been addressing school assemblies on the programme.   Picture shows Anne Newton and children in Toll Bar School’s Rotary Garden planting crocuses – they have also raised money for the ‘End Polio campaign,

“We have come a long way,” said Malcolm Boddington, chair of The Rotary Foundation Committee in RIBI. “We have reduced the number of polio cases by over 99 percent but we can’t let up now. Polio is only a plane journey away. The remaining one percent is proving to be the most challenging, since the poliovirus persists in the most intractable parts of the world. We have the tools to eradicate this devastating disease. It’s up to us to make sure we have the resources needed to reach every child.

“Everyone in Great Britain and Ireland can make a difference in this drive to End Polio Now by donating or joining our clubs and helping with the campaign. I would urge people to get in touch with their local club and find out how they can play a vital role in eradicating this disease.” 

This year, significant progress has been made against polio in India with an 80-percent reduction in polio cases since last year. In addition to India, the disease remains endemic in Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Until endemic polio transmission is stopped, other countries remain at risk for imported cases. For example, Tajikistan is suffering a serious polio outbreak traced back to India.

Eradicating polio worldwide has been Rotary’s top philanthropic goal since 1985 with millions of dollars raised and countless volunteer hours freely given to protect more than two billion children in 122 countries. Next month, over 40 volunteers from Rotary clubs here in Great Britain and Ireland are heading to India to help with a National Immunisation Day.

Local Rotarian presented with Rotary 'High Achievers' award

A local Rotarian has been awarded the highest individual award for achievement in Rotary.   John Chapman of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger was awarded the Rotary International ‘Service Above Self Award’ by the Rotary International Director-Elect, Allan Jagger, on 24^th September 2010.

It is an internationally competitive award granted annually to a maximum of 150 Rotarians out of 1.2 million members worldwide – meant to recognise “those outstanding few who have indeed made service a way of life”.

The candidate must have demonstrated exemplary humanitarian service with an emphasis on personal volunteer efforts and active involvement in helping others through Rotary.   John, a Rotarian for 30 years, accepted the award on behalf of his club saying that “Rotary is a team sport – no individual can achieve anything without the support of…his or her club”.

[John, centre right, is shown receiving the award from Rotary International Director Elect, centre left

Rotary Charter Dinner supports ShelterBox project

Special guest at the annual Charter and Fundraising Dinner of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger was David Hatcher, former presenter on BBC CRIMEWATCH and a SHELTERBOX  Response Team Member.   Shelterbox is an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster world-wide. David, pictured with the President of St Leger (Bob Crossland), International Chairman (Maurice Fuller) and Fellowship Officer (Peter Harbon) spoke movingly of his experience with Shelterbox in Haiti and received cheques from the St Leger and St George’s Rotary Clubs as well the the St Leger Inner Wheel Club sufficient to purchase 3 emergency boxes. 

David served in the Kent Constabulary for over 30 years including a secondment to the Metropolitan Police, before being appointed to the role of Area Commander for the South East of England with British Transport Police and then Director of People Development for the Force. He also specialised in police media relations and for 15 years he was the regular police presenter on BBC Crimewatch UK and has appeared in well over 300 television programmes representing the British Police Service.

He is an accomplished after dinner speaker and is now a management consultant specialising in people development and media matters. Equally as important, indeed many say even more importantly, he acts voluntarily as a ShelterBox Response Team Member, a Rotary charity of which he is very passionate about. He has recently returned from the disaster struck Haiti and spoke about his experiences in the disaster zone and the wide range of emotions he experienced in his time out there, with humour as well as grief, and admits that despite nearly four decades of frontline policing, nothing prepared him for the experience he went through on his first deployment as a SRT member with the global Rotary project.

 “I thought I had seen tragedy at its worst – the sadness of cot death, the suffering of those in road accidents, the grief spawned by the delivery of death messages, involve-ment in the strife of the 1984 miners dispute, the consequences of the enormous loss of life in the Zee-brugge Ferry Disaster, to the repeated involvement in rail crashes at Paddington and Potters Bar.

However, after 37 years of policing at the sharp end, and in the senior ranks, nothing prepared me for the experience of the dilemmas that Haiti is still going through, 3 months after that awful afternoon when the earth moved”

Rotary support National Arrhythmia Awareness Week

The Rotary Clubs of Doncaster, Doncaster St Leger, Doncaster St George’s and Thorne joined forces to support national Arrhythmia Awareness Week for 3 days during the week beginning 7^th June.

The campaign focused on the message ‘Know Your Pulse’ and has arisen from the fact that many people are unaware that pulse checks are an effective method of detecting heart problems early, and in turn improve the chances of swift diagnosis and treatment.  The aims of the week include the promotion of the importance of pulse checks when a patient visits their GP surgery, the encouragement and provision of information to  the public on checking their pulse as part of their regular health regime, and the raising of  public and medical awareness and education of the pulse as a means of identifying potential cardiac arrhythmias.

The event was held in the Doncaster Interchange and involved teams of Rotarians recruiting and documenting members of the public for pulse checks undertaken by the Arrhythmia Nurse Specialist and her team.   A very successful 3 days resulted in some 1200 pulses being checked and much advice and literature being dispensed.

Rotary 'KidsOut' Day

Thousands of children with special needs enjoyed a memorable day out at the annual Rotary KidsOut Day throughout the UK on 9^th June.

More than 28,000 children and carers were taken on trips to the seaside, zoos, safari parks, museums, theme parks and farms across the UK, organized and supervised by members from hundreds of Rotary clubs from Great Britain and Ireland. 

Members of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger together with staff and carers from the Heatherwood Special School visited the Yorkshire Wildlife Park and a great time was had by all

KidsOut Day gives children the opportunity to experience and discover new things.   Rotarian volunteers love taking part in the KidsOut Day – it is a day filled with laughter and fun. 

Rotary KidsOut Day is organised by Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland.   Since the first Rotary KidsOut Day in 1990, more than 350,000 children have benefited from a fun-packed day out.

Rotary Stroke and Health Awareness Event

The NHS Doncaster Stroke Outreach Team in partnership with Doncaster Rotary Clubs (Doncaster, Doncaster St Leger, and Thorne) provided over 400 blood pressure checks to the public at the Lakeside Village Outlet over Friday and Saturday, 16/17^th April as part of the national Know Your Blood Pressure event. 

Rotary Know Your Blood Pressure event is held nationwide every year to help people better understand the relation between high blood pressure (hypertension) and stroke.   It is estimated that 40% of the 150,000 strokes suffered by people in the UK each year could be prevented.   This condition can be easily controlled.

Rotary recognises that one of the biggest challenges is to help people understand that strokes don't just happen to other people. They can happen to anyone, at any age and the biggest single risk is high blood pressure. Rotarian volunteers play an invaluable role in reaching out to people, encouraging them to have regular checks and take action when needed.

Rotary Club wins award for THIRD time

The Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger in partnership with the Heatherwood Special School has been awarded the Duke of York’s Community Initiative Award for the third consecutive time for its work in creating, improving and developing the Sensory Garden at the School.

 The award was presented by HRH Duke of York, Prince Andrew,  to John Chapman,  representing the Rotary Club at a ceremony held at Huddersfield University on the 9^th April.   The award which is held for 3 years was first received in 2003.   The award reflects a continuing relationship with the school which in addition to the maintenance of the garden includes participation by the Club in a variety of events and activities in the school.

 The HRH the Duke of York’s Community Initiative recognizes excellence in community activities and projects which demonstrate benefits to the local community and encourage and enhance community spirit and bring people together within their communities.

Rotary focus on the Eradication of Polio

During the last week of February Rotary Clubs all over Great Britain focussed on raising money to bring about the final eradication of polio from the entire world.  It has taken 25 years and Rotary has been in the forefront from the start - local Doncaster Clubs have raised many thousands of pounds during that time.   Hopefully this final push will consign polio to history along with small pox.

A collection day was held in Doncaster on 27 February and the Doncaster Rotary clubs raised collectively £1400.

Rotary SelterBoxes get to Haiti

700 Rotary ShelterBoxes have been dispatched to the disaster zone, providing tents, clothing, blankets and cooking utensils to the victims – including boxes provided by local Doncaster Rotary Clubs from funds raised at a charity concert at the end of 2009. 

Local clubs are making further efforts to raise funds and supply more ShelterBoxes, and Rotary members worldwide are mobilising to raise funds, making donations and giving help in any way they can.   Rotary members from the six Rotary clubs in Haiti are working together and, in some cases, providing shelter for others in their damaged homes.

Rotary and Santa help local Children's Charities

Father Christmas did his bit for three children’s charities by taking gift requests from Doncaster children.

In a joint project Doncaster St Leger Rotary Club and Doncaster Rotary Club set up a grotto at Sainsbury’s supermarket in Edenthorpe, Doncaster for youngsters to meet the man in red and tell him what they wanted under their trees.

While Santa listened and told them about his own Christmas plans members of the two clubs collected cash which has been presented to Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice in North Anston, the NSPCC and Barnados.

In all the event raised £3200 over four days.

John Chapman, the secretary of Doncaster St Leger Rotary Club, said they were very pleased with the reaction from shoppers. He said “There were always four or five Rotarians collecting along with Santa, who is an honorary member of the clubs. People were very generous with their donations, especially considering the times we are living in at the moment”

The photographs show 'Santa in action' and President John Newborn presenting the cheques to representatives of the three charities outside the J Sainsbury store.

Rotary Youth Speaks Competition

Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland regard encouraging and developing speaking and presentation skills in young people as highly important and we, at the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger are pleased to know that our schools seem to agree. Hence the Rotary Youth Speaks competition moves forward from strength to strength each year producing some superb quality speakers in our young people from 11 to 18.

Hall Cross School were the senior team winners of the local  heats of this national competition held at Hill House School on 18^th November and the team of Ryan Boothroyd,  Max Gregory, and William Bond (pictured) will go on to compete in the District finals.   Danum School Technology College – Isobel Tyrer, Jack Barlow, and Andrew Mee – winners of the intermediate competition will also go on to the District finals.  Chief Judge, Mark Eales, and his colleagues had a difficult task as the standard of all the schools taking part was very high indeed.

In May 2010 the final of the Rotary Speaks competition will be held in Stratford-upon-Avon at which 8 senior and 8 intermediate teams will present to a large audience and some very particular judges to choose the Great Britain and Ireland overall winners and runners up. This will have been preceded by 8 regional competitions each again of an equal number of entries. If we roll this back through the 29 district competitions and further back to the club or area events, then soon it can be calculated that the competition could well have involved some 2000 entries.

A Young Citizen Award was also presented during the evening by the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger for an individual’s selfless contribution to the community either in or out of school.   This term the award went  to Lewis Carvell,  a Sixth Form pupil at Danum School  Technology College.   Mr David Irons, Head of Sixth Form at the school explained that Lewis is positive and ambitious.   He embraces his disability, competing locally and nationally in student disabled games, and is an inspiration to others.   Lewis is pictured here with his mother receiving the award from Club President, John Newborn.

Rotary Young Chef Competition

The local  Finals of the national Rotary Young Chef competition took take place at Hill House School on Saturday, 7^th November 2009

The entrants were:-
Julie Laguio, Trinity Academy, Thorne (Stuffed guinea fowl with seasonal vegetables and mixed fruit cinnamon charlotte)
 
Adrian MacPherson, Balby Carr School  (Tandoori chicken, Basmati rice and lemon cheesecake)
 
Thomas Kewley, Campsmount Technology College  (Cod Mediterranean style and strawberry snow)
 
Alex Sutherland, Rossington All Saints  (Spicy chicken kebabs with water salad and strawberry cheesecake).
 
The judges were Jane Fishwick and Michelle Jackson from the HUB and David Gould from the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger and the winning contestant was Julie Laguio 

This popular and exciting Rotary competition sees young people putting their culinary and creative skills to the test.   In April 2010 the final of the competition will be held in Chichester where young cooks who have fought their way through regional and local competitions will prepare and present a 3 course meal to some highly qualified judges with the winners receiving some excellent prizes and trophies and the grand winner will enjoy a trip to Italy for the live harvesting and cookery experience courtesy of the generous sponsors Felippo Berio.

Local Rotary Clubs support ShelterBox Charity

Rotary Clubs from Doncaster, Mexborough, Thorne and Rotherham organised an  Olde Tyme Music Hall and Variety concert in Hill House School’s Little Theatre on Halloween evening to raise funds for the Rotary ShelterBox charity which provides boxes of essential survival materials to disasters world-wide and is presently working in Samoa, Sumatra and the Philippines.  The concert starring Mike Farrell, Jeanius and Whitt, Barbara Ray and Lori Le-Verne, was a sell-out and raised £2500

ShelterBox instantly responds to earthquake, volcano, hurricane, cyclone, tsunami or conflict by delivering boxes of aid.   Each box supplies an extended family of up to 10 people with a tent and lifesaving equipment to use while displaced or homeless,  Since its inception in 2000, ShelterBox has firmly placed itself in the forefront of international disaster relief following 80 disasters in more than 50 countries,

Doncaster St Leger Rotary Club wins Environmental Award

The Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger has been awarded the Machin Trophy which is for an individual Rotarian’s contribution to the environment in District 1270 – Lincolnshire, Humberside, and South Yorks.   The award is for the Club’s involvement in a number of environmental projects following the floods of June 2007 and including the environmental garden built at the Toll Bar School.   The trophy is entirely made of recycled and environmentally friendly materials and was provided by sculptor, Harold Gosney, of York and Grimsby.  

The trophy is being admired by Jill Northwood (Head), Anne Newton (Officer Manager) and children of Toll Bar School and it will be on display at the school for the next 12 months.

Rotary makes donation to NSPCC

John Newborn, the President of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger presented a cheque towards the work of the NSPCC project in Doncaster during a visit on 24^th September.

John is pictured presenting the cheque to Claire Reading (Community Co-ordinator)  and in the Sensory room at the project with Tom Clift (Children’s Services Manager) and friends.

Rotary Support 'Help for Heroes'

The principal speaker at the annual charter dinner of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger on 9^th September was Captain Allie Stocker from ‘Help for Heroes’.   Help4Heroes provides direct, practical help for our wounded. 

Commissioned into the Army Air Corps, Allie re-badged into the Intelligence Corps and spent the rest of her 7 year army career as an imagery analyst, working in terrorism and drugs flight.  She left the army as Head of terrorism and narcotics in the Joint Air Reconnaissance and Intelligence Centre to become a Defence Intelligence Civil Servant in charge of a new Afghanistan drugs project.   Having completed her PhD she rejoined the army on a one year commitment working as the Rear Party Adjutant for 2 PARA who very sadly lost 15 soldiers from their Battle Group.   Her job was to visit the injured soldiers in Selly Oak Hospital and ensure the welfare needs of both soldiers and their families.  She was so inspired by the courage, enthusiasm and dedication of the injured soldiers that she joined Help for Heroes and became the Yorkshire County Co-ordinator.   Allie spoke movingly about the wounded servicemen and women and the ways in which H4H support them from rehabilitation facilities to adaptive training. 

At the end of the evening President John Newborn presented a cheque to Allie for £600 towards the work of H4H.

 Pictured left to right Major Ben Bennington, President John Newborn, Captain Allie Stocker

Australian Bush Fire Support

The Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger has developed a working relationship with the Australian Rotary Club of Doncaster in Victoria – the country’s most urbanised state where the Bush Fires of February 2009 devastated entire townships and left many thousands of families homeless, claiming the lives of 178 people.

More than £34,000 was raised by Rotary Clubs across Britain and thanks to the unique set up of Rotary, clubs were able to link up with fellow members in Australia to establish what aid was needed and ensure funds raised were received on the ground and distributed where needed at the time of immediate need.

 Additionally, local Rotary Clubs have continued to work together to provide new community centres for the families and the Doncaster St Leger Rotary Club has recently made a donation towards the cost of a new playground for the children in one of the rebuilt townships.

A 'Sensory Evening'

Members and partners of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger joined over 20 staff at the Heatherwood School for a ‘Sensory Evening’ on 17^th June. 

The evening consisted of a programme of ‘activities’ designed to share the experience of physical disability.   The activities ranged from massage and physiotherapy, through use of a 3D visualiser, simulated visual impairment, and sound beam techniques, to moving and handling experience - and much more. 

Pictured is John Hills, a member of the Club being manoeuvred over the swimming pool and displaying just a little apprehension. 

The evening finished with refreshments and discussion. 

The club has had an ongoing relationship with the school since constructing a Sensory Garden there in 2001.

Dictionary4life Project

A new Rotary initiative is making copies of the Usborne Illustrated Dictionary available to schools throughout the country .   The dictionary is printed in full colour with 1,000 illustrations, 10,000 entries and 20,000 definitions.

It has received praise from both teachers and children alike and is aimed principally at year 6 primary school leavers.

President Jack Cusworth of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger presented copies of the dictionary to Toll Bar School on Thursday, 11^th June at the Willow Class assembly.  Jack is pictured with some of the pupils admiring the book.

Rotary sponsors young rugby players

An under–14s squad from Toll Bar Amateur Rugby League Football Club has just returned from a successful short tour in the Toulouse area of France.   Toulouse is an area of rugby excellence and provided, as expected, a real challenge for the youngsters.  The tour started with a game against a select school side with a majority of that side experienced in rugby union.   Despite temperatures soaring to 24 degrees the Toll Bar team put in a very spirited performance going down 26-20 -with the weather playing a major part.  On Day 2 despite knowing that Toulouse under 14s were potentially the stronger team a committed display gave Toll Bar a winning margin of 20-16.   The hospitality by the French was described by Jason Cross who trained the team as “fantastic and something to remember”. 

Rotary provided funds for the recovery of pitches and the surrounds at Toll Bar in the aftermath of the devastating flooding in 2007 and are continuing the association with the funding of the kit on this occasion.  

Rotary sponsors young rugby players

An under–14s squad from Toll Bar Amateur Rugby League Football Club will be touring in the Toulouse area of France in April of this year and their kit will be sponsored by the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger.   The team leave on the 4^th April and play a select school side on the Monday followed by Toulouse under 14s team on the Tuesday followed by a reception with their first team.   Toulouse is an area of rugby excellence and will provide a real challenge for the youngsters. 

Rotary provided funds for the recovery of pitches and the surrounds at Toll Bar in the aftermath of the devastating flooding in 2007 and the St Leger Club is continuing the association with the funding of the kit on this occasion.   President Jack Cusworth handed over the kit to the players at the club on Friday, 27^th March 2009.

Rotary ‘Young Chef’ Competition – in association with Filippo Berio Olive Oil 

The Regional finals of the Rotary Young Chef competition took place at Hill House School, Auckley (nr. Robin Hood Airport) on Saturday, 7^th March 2009.   The Chief Judge was David Holland, principal of Hill House School. 

There were 8 contestants from counties in the North and East of England.  The winner of the competition was Jason Curia who received a £30 book voucher, and Trophy, and will be entered into the National Final at North Herts College at Hitchin on the 2^nd of May. 

The winner of the national Rotary final will receive £250, a cup, a day at Fifteen Restaurant in London [founded by Jamie Oliver] and a trip to the Olive Harvest in Tuscany with Filippo Berio.

Unsung Hero talks to Rotary

Jason Cross of the Toll Bar Amateur Rugby League Club spoke to members of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger on the evening of 4^th February about the resurgence of the club which had been affected by serious flooding in June of 2007.   He recalled TV pictures showing water lapping over the crossbars of the rugby posts, the army recorded a depth of 15’ at the height of the floods and the club house was flooded to a depth of 6’ for 3 weeks.  The building was devastated and club memorabilia was lost.   The building was covered by insurance but not the pitches which required chemical treatment, rotavation, and new soil, and re-seeding. 

The club showed massive determination to keep stay  alive and running and received support from rugby union partners, the RFL, the Head Groundsman from Twickenham and the community.   The Doncaster Rotary Clubs made an application to the Rotary Flood Relief Fund and received £20,000 towards the recovery of the pitches – the cheque was presented by RIBI President Alan Jagger at the formal re-opening of the club in May 2008. 

The Club is now flourishing once more and making a major impact on the rugby league scene in the Doncaster area running teams from 8 to 18 years involving some 300 young people including girls who play up to under 12.   Jason paid heartfelt tribute to the Rotary contribution which he felt was critical to the club’s survival and progress.  Jason feels that Rotary’s support was also key to his becoming BBC Yorkshire’s Unsung Hero for 2008.   He was also named as the South Yorkshire Rugby League Service Area Volunteer of the year. 

A team of young players from Toll Bar will be touring in the Toulouse area in April and the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger are sponsoring their kit – Jason is seen with President Jack Cusworth receiving a cheque for this purpose.

Visit by Rotary National President to Toll Bar Environmental Garden

Following the disastrous floods of 2007, the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger secured an initial  £7,500 to create a new play area at the flood damaged Toll Bar Primary School and then a further £25,000 from Flood Relief funds to replace the ruined ‘green greenhouse’, allotment and other growing areas with  an environmental garden.  The project, reflecting the wishes of the children and staff, will provide a substantial area at the school with green spaces, including plots for cultivation, wildlife bog area, ‘stone circle’, living willow arbour, a stage and seating area, a story time corner, bamboo walk etc.

The construction work is almost complete and planting will start in February.   The President of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, Ian Thomson, together with the District Governor, Mohammad Ali came to view progress on 14^th January and were shown around by the children accompanied by the Head, Jill Northwood, Chair of Governors, John Robinson,  and Deputy, Sue Clarke.

The visiting VIPs even found time to join in a 'healthy exercise session’.

Rotarians Flood Relief Activities

Rotarians have contributed a further grant from funds raised by the Rotary Club of Thorne and the Rotary District 1270 Flood Relief fund to help another of the buildings that suffered damage during last year’s floods.   In this case the Bentley Central Methodist Church has received £7,000 towards a replacement boiler – the existing one having been badly damaged (£6,000 from the District Flood Relief fund and £1,000 from the Rotary Club of Thorne.

The church performs a valuable social function beyond that of its main role as a place for worship which is the reason for the grant from Rotary as it houses a number of community organisations and services to local people.

A celebratory concert – an ‘Evening of Song’ featuring the Doncaster Ladies’ Choir took place on Saturday, 8^th November to raise further funds towards the £9,000 required to replace the boiler during which a formal cheque presentation took place.

Play area opens at Toll Bar School

The first phase of exterior improvements following the devastating floods of 2007 was opened by the President of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger, Jack Cusworth, on 30^th September at Toll Bar Primary School.

A new play area was officially opened whilst work is ongoing to create an environmental garden due for completion towards the end of October.

Both projects have been funded via the Rotary Flood Relief Fund and the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger.

The school is involved in the Healthy Schools project and strongly believes in the new philosophy of learning through play and active learning. The Head, JiII Northwood, believes that the new play area will benefit the school, children and the local community and provide a further 'lift' in the aftermath of last year's flooding.

'A Night of Piano Magic'

Joint fund raising concert by local Rotary clubs

Doncaster Rotary Clubs organized ‘A Night of Piano Magic’ at the Community Church, Lakeside on 9^th August in aid of the ‘Shelterbox’ charity. Rotary ShelterBox Trust is a registered charity that provides emergency aid for victims of natural and other disasters anywhere in the world and was one of the first aid agencies in Burma and China following the recent disasters. The ShelterBox is a tough, green plastic box containing a 10 person tent and ancillary equipment designed to enable a family of up to 10 people to survive for at least 6 months.

 The pianists on the night were MARIA KING, a concert soloist with a vast repertoire from Brubeck and Gershwin to Liszt, Rachmaninov,  and Chopin – and Doncaster’s COLIN ‘FINGERS’ HENRY – who has more than 40 years experience in most facets of show business, including TV, radio, theatre, after dinner speaking, panto, TV drama and international cabaret.   An enthusiastic audience of over 200 enabled sufficient money to be raised to purchase 5 ShelterBoxes to be contributed to emergency aid.

Rotary 'KidsOut' 2008

Thousands of children take part in the UK's largest 'Day Out'

More than 28,000 children and their carers were taken on trips to the seaside, zoos, safari parks, museums, theme parks, and farms across the UK, organised by members from hundreds of Rotary Clubs from Great Britain and Ireland on KidsOut days during June.

In Doncaster members of the St Leger Rotary Club, staff and carers took children from Heatherwood School in Leger Way to ‘The Deep’ in Hull which tells the story of the world’s oceans and gives the children a chance to see a variety of fish from rays to sharks - and a great time was had by all.

Rotary Flood Relief

Re-opening of the Toll Bar Amateur Rugby League Football Clubhouse and Pitches 

Sporting legend and former GB Rugby League captain and coach, Ellery Hanley, and RIBI President, Allan Jagger, were guests of honour at the re-opening of the flood devastated clubhouse and ground at the Toll Bar Amateur Rugby League Football Club on 29^th April 2008.

Toll Bar ARLFC is a community amateur sports club running teams from under 8 to under 18 and involving some 250 young people including girls who play at the club up to under 12.   There is also an adult side.  The club had just got back on its feet in terms of financial restraints when the flooding which engulfed Toll Bar in Summer 2007 struck the pitches and clubhouse.  The clubhouse was flooded to a depth of 7 feet and the pitch to such a depth that only the tops of the goal posts were visible; the facilities were under water for some 3 weeks.  All the club memorabilia was lost.  Toll Bar was one of the hardest hit communities in South Yorkshire – already in the lowest 10% of multiple deprivation in the country.   The club is central to this small community with a dedicated group of coaches who have gained RFL qualifications in their own time and expense and volunteer administrators working hard to maintain and run the club.   There was a massive determination to keep the club alive and running and training took place at a local school with kit and equipment donated by the local rugby community.

Rotary Clubs in Doncaster successfully bid into the Rotary Flood Relief Fund for some £20,000 to fund reclamation of the pitches and surrounds which had been devastated – the grass having died and a thick crust of detritus being left by the flood waters.  The club was advised on restitution by the Head Groundsman from Twickenham.

Ellery Hanley officially opened the rebuilt clubhouse and Allan Jagger presented the £20,000 for pitch restitution.  The clubhouse was packed to overflowing and Rotary was presented with a plaque in recognition of its contribution to the resurgence of this key community facility. 

'Know your Blood Pressure' Campaign 2008

April 24/25 saw the ‘Know Your Blood Pressure' campaign for 2008 take place for the seventh year running.  Some 450 Rotary Clubs throughout the UK were out in shopping centres, supermarkets and other venues working with local health professionals to provide free blood pressure checks for the public.  In Doncaster the Rotary Clubs of Doncaster and Doncaster St Leger worked with health professionals from the Doncaster Primary Care Trust - on this occasion at 4 locations:- The Frenchgate Centre, Sainsbury’s Edenthorpe, Tesco Extra Balby, and Asda Carcroft. 

Well over 900 blood pressure checks were carried out with some 20% of these resulting in GP referrals.  The aim was to ensure that as many people as possible were given the opportunity to have their blood pressure checked out and for them to consider whether they wish to seek further medical advice and make any necessary lifestyle changes. 

The Director of the Stroke Association has said that there is no doubt that blood pressure testing really can save lives.  Every 5 minutes someone in the UK has a stroke and over 40% can be prevented by control of high blood pressure.   The message is - take action, get tested and change your lifestyle – you may prevent a stroke. 

Rotary support Life Straw Project in Kenya

At any given moment, about half of the world’s poor are suffering from water-related diseases, of which over 6,000 – mainly children – die each day by consuming unsafe drinking water.    The Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger and Doncaster St Leger Inner Wheel Club have partnered the Rotary Club of Barton on Humber in purchasing a supply of Life Straws which are portable water purification tools that clean surface water no matter how polluted and makes it safe for human consumption.  Eleven thousand of these devices have been distributed to children in Kenya – see pictures opposite. 

A Life Straw can filter up to 700 litres of water and they are light, small in size and need no electrical power or spare parts and gets rid of common waterborne bacteria and virus.

Rotary Flood Disaster Project Announced

More funding from the national Rotary Flood Disaster Appeal has been announced. The Rotary Appeal raised over £300,000 and this has been augmented by a further £600,000 raised by Naomi Campbell’s Fashion for Relief fashion show.

The Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger has already secured £7,500 to restore the destroyed play area at Toll Bar Primary School from the Appeal Fund and has now been awarded a further £25,000 to replace the ‘green’ greenhouse, allotment and other growing areas destroyed by the floods with an environmental project which will extend the original concept to include a wetland area and other discrete spaces to develop the excitement of growing – areas being researched include poetry/sculpture garden areas with possible woodland elements and an evolutionary garden. This would bring a series of cross-curriculum endeavour together from science, design and technology through to geography and even citizenship.

Jill Northwood, Head of Toll Bar Primary School, believes that this is exactly what is needed to raise the spirits and lift the imagination of the children in reconstructing their lives and their education. A design for the project is to be commissioned and a steering group from the school and the Rotary club will be established to take things forward. It is also hoped for input from the community and local organisations and businesses.

Naomi Campbell said “I am thrilled with the results of this year’s Fashion for Relief, and thank all those who contributed in supporting these communities affected by the floods.”

The photograph opposite shows Rotary President Graham Bassinder, and the Civic Mayor of Doncaster with the school head teacher and pupils.

 

Rotary's Santa helps Children's Charities

Over the Christmas period, the Rotary Clubs of Doncaster and Doncaster St Leger made door-to-door collections with Santa’s Sleigh in the Bessacarr and Cantley area and at Santa’s grotto in Sainsbury’s Edenthorpe Store -all in aid of 3 children’s charities, Bluebell Wood, NSPCC, and Barnardo’s. Thanks to the generosity of the public £3,619 was raised and cheques were handed over to representatives of the charities on Monday, 4th February 2008.

The Rotary Clubs wish to thank everyone who made donations and thank also the staff of Sainsbury’s for their support, and members of the Moorlands Prison staff who constructed Santa’s Grotto.

 

Mercy Drive Succeeds!

Chrissy Moog, a member of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger, one of the drivers for a challenging and exciting aid project to Sierra Leone in West Africa arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone on Thursday after driving 4,500 miles across Europe and through Africa over the last 3 weeks – a highly challenging trip which took the team through desert and fields of land mines.

Five specially adapted 4 x 4 vehicles were purchased and equipped for the journey to Sierra Leone for work in areas of the country with no roads. They were specifically equipped to fit the needs of the aids agencies on the ground there who will use them for humanitarian aid including reuniting trafficked young people with their families. The vehicles were driven overland through Europe and North West Africa along a route that included locations relevant in the slave trade of the past and human trafficking of the present day. The vehicles left Hull in October and a television documentary has been filmed by Emmy award nominee, Claudio Von Planta – who filmed Ewan McGregor’s ‘Long Way Round’ TV series. The project marks celebrations of Wilberforce 2007 for Hull with what is a landmark philanthropic project which will keep William Wilberforce’s original vision alive. Chrissy arrives back in Doncaster by train(!) on Saturday, 17th November.
Chrissy works as Communications and Marketing Officer for Higher Rhythm – the award winning charitable organisation based in Doncaster providing training in one of the areas of creative industry (music and music technology) for disadvantaged sectors of the community.

Hull Freedom Trail

Five specially adapted 4 x 4 vehicles have been purchased and equipped for a journey to Sierra Leone for work in areas of the country with no roads. They will be specifically equipped to fit the needs of the aids agencies on the ground there who will use them for humanitarian aid including reuniting trafficked young people with their families. The vehicles will be driven overland through Europe and North West Africa along a route that will include locations relevant in the slave trade of the past and human trafficking of the present day.

One of the vehicles is being sponsored by Rotary District 1270 ( Yorkshire and the Humber) and Chrissy Moog - a member of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger- is one of the drivers.

The vehicles will leave Hull on Thursday, 25th October 2007 and a television documentary will be made by Emmy award nominee, Claudio Von Planta, who filmed Ewan McGregor’s ‘Long Way Round’ TV series. The journey will be arduous and not without risk.

Toll Bar Primary School

Children from Year 5/6 at Toll Bar Primary School responded to an invitation from the St Leger Rotary Club to write a brief poem or piece of prose on their experience of the floods which engulfed their school this Summer. 

The writer and performer, Gervase Phinn, presented book tokens to the school and to three of the children who wrote about their experiences on Tuesday, 23rd October.

It was also announced that an application by the St Leger Club to the Rotary Flood Appeal had been successful and that a cheque for £7,500 was on its way as a major contribution to the replacement of the play area which was swept away in the floods.

Doncaster Rotarian Wins National Photographic Competition

John Chapman of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger has been awarded the 1st Prize in the National KidsOut Photographic Competition 2007.

The competition is part of the Rotary Annual KidsOut Day in June. Over 28,000 children and young people took part in the Day Out – a new record for the event. Some 750 clubs organise a day out for special needs and disadvantaged children throughout England, Scotland and Wales each year and the competition seeks to identify photographs which capture the joy that the Rotary KidsOut Day brings to the children.

“The competition this year attracted an enormous number of entries from all over the UK, all of which were of a very high standard and as usual the judges had a very difficult time making the final decision”.
 

Rotary KidsOut Day

June marked the 18^th anniversary of the Rotary KidsOut Day when some 750 Rotary Clubs organise a day out for some 30,000 special needs and disadvantaged children throughout England, Scotland and Wales.   During the day children are accompanied by teachers and carers who help to make up the remarkable figure of 17,000 volunteers who make sure that Rotary KidsOut Day is both safe and one to remember.

In Doncaster this year, members of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger contributed again by organising a visit to the Tropical Butterfly House and Wildlife and Falconry Centre in North Anston for children from the  Sandall Wood Special School in Leger Way.

Rotary Stroke and Health Awareness Day

The Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger again partnered the Doncaster Primary Care Trust and the Stroke Association in carrying out free blood pressure checks in prominent Doncaster locations – The Frenchgate Shopping Centre, Asda Carcroft,  Sainsbury’s Edenthorpe, and Tesco Extra, Balby on ‘Rotary Stroke and Health Awareness Day’ on 27/28 April. 

This national event is in its sixth year and was again highly successful locally with almost 650 checks taking place – with some urgent referrals being made as a consequence of the checks.  During the testing in Doncaster 128 people were referred to their GPs including 18 urgent referrals.

There is no doubt that blood pressure testing can save lives.   Every five minutes someone in the UK has a stroke and many thousands of people are completely unaware of their high blood pressure.  High blood pressure can be reduced through medication and controlled by changes in diet and lifestyle.

A spokesman for the St Leger Rotary Club commented that Rotarians believe that stroke is a major issue for our communities and costs too many people their lives, too many carers great suffering and hardship, and costs the national health service billions of pounds every year.  Awareness and prevention are vital and the club is delighted to be able to work with its partners in organising these checks each year.

Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger donates £5,000 to Doncaster Minster

The Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger celebrates 25 years since its formation this year and as one way of marking this milestone has decided to donate £5,000 to Doncaster Minster, which was built almost 150 years ago at a cost of nearly £50,000 following the destruction of the original medieval church by fire.   The club’s  donation will enable funds to be unlocked from major national funders for the protection of the Minster’s  classical Victorian glass windows including the glorious East window which depicts the life of Christ and fully merits its description of the ‘Poor Man’s Bible’.  

The Minster is not only one of Britain’s finest parish churches but it is a key landmark building in the town and already a superb public space for concerts, exhibitions and community events - a major cultural and heritage site for the community.  The support of Rotary and other organisations will enable the Minster authorities to develop this aspect of the building’s life in the years to come Already some £2m has been raised towards an eventual target of £6m for the complete restoration of one of the grandest and best examples of Victorian Gothic architecture in the country.   .

The main objective of the Rotary movement is service – in the community, the workplace and throughout the world.  A recent summer concert organised by the St Leger Club at the Minster raised money to fund Shelter Boxes which were sent to major earthquake disaster areas overseas.   The President of the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger, Roy Elms, says that it seems entirely appropriate that the club should also donate funds towards preserving the history and heritage of Doncaster.

Duke of York's Community Initiative Award for the second time.

The Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger recently received the Duke of York's Community Initiative Award for the second time.

The award is a formal recognition for organisations which demonstrate the best in community spirit and leadership throughout Yorkshire and the Humber, and was received for the Sensory Garden scheme with Sandall Wood Special School where the club has maintained, extended and developed the relationship with the school following the construction in 2002 of the Sensory Garden.

The picture shows Roy Elms, President of St Leger, John Chapman, Club PRO and Peter Brewitt, Immediate Past President after receiving the prestigious Duke of York's Community Initiative Award for the second time.