The Rotary Club of Rochdale
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The Rotary Club of Rochdale is a member of Rotary International,
founded in 1926.
90th President for 2016/17 is John Holder
There are 33 Members from all walks of life,5 Hon Members and 20 Friends who help at fundraising events.Being a service organisation much of the activity is helping local Charities such as Rochdale Children's Moorland Home ,Petrus homeless Charity,Rochdale Borough Users Forum and Rochdale Connections Trust. Rochdale Hospice, Samaritans, Mesothelioma research, Migraine Action,Christies hospital, Sand Dams (A Dam recently finished with funds from the club),Medic Malawi, NSPCC Childline,Birch Hospital Radio have also recently been supported. There is also a strong social programme with day trips,ten pin and crown green bowling,a book group and restaurant and musical events.There are links with local schools and a seniors afternoon out. A particular interest is in an UrbanFarm concept allowing growth of plants in small growbags allowing water conservation - a worldwide project is underway. A regular Cricket dinner has funded extra cricket coaching for amateur youth cricketers in the area.
Worldwide there are 1.2 Million Rotarians in more than 33000 Rotary Clubs in 200 countries and geographical regions. Nearby clubs include Rochdale East, Heywood, Middleton, Bury and Oldham has 2 clubs. United by the District 1280 organisation multiclub events are held to raise funds for Polio eradication and socially there is a multiclub quiz competition won recently by Rochdale East.
The first Rotary Meeting was held in February 1905 in Chicago, USA. The Rotary Club of Rochdale was formed in 1926. We are a group of friends, business and professional people who enjoy fellowship and volunteer our time and talents to serve our community at home and overseas.
The overseeing body in the UK is RIBI www.ribi.org/
Our local district infomation is here www.rotary-ribi.org/districts/homepage.php
The President this Rotary year 2016/17 is John Holder
John can be contacted by e.mail at: johnholder.umpire@hotmail.co.uk
His chosen charities are medic malawi and a prostate cancer charity tba
Secretary is Keith Banks email keith.banks4@btinternet.com
The Immediate Past President is Irene Davidson davidson967@btinternet.com
Fellowship is an integral part of Rotary- a recent social event was a trip to the BBC in Media City, Salford, where 40 members enjoyed seeing where & how many BBC programmes are recorded and also transmitted live, including their flagship morning programme, 'Breakfast'.
The Club's book group meets monthly and there are regular games evenings and restaurant visits.
Service to the community and fundraising for charities is another major activity -The Rochdale Rotary Club has Community, Vocational and International activities;
Rochdale Community Projects
UrbanFarm Project.
This unique vertical growing system has been developed by one of our members and has been recognised nationally and internationally as an ultra-low cost method for producing vegetables and fruit. It requires no arable land and is particularly suitable when used in arid climates. We have carried out trials in Britain, Kenya and Bangladesh with very positive results and its development marks a new phase in Rotary's progressive ideas for the modern world.
Rochdale Rotary Club was given the 2010 National Rotary (RIBI) Rodney Huggins Environment award for innovative projects. Additionally UrbanFarm has been awarded the 2013 Colombo Plate Environmental Award.
For more information please visit our project website www.accessible-edibles.org
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Kids Out-members take out children with disabilities to a fun park where they enjoy a day out with other similar children from the North West.
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Disabled Sports day-Rotary sponsors this St Helens event and people of all ages talke part in sporting activities such as archery, bowls, weightlifting, pool.
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Christmas Parcels -around 50 hampers are delivered by hand to disadvantaged young and old of Rochdale -arthritis sufferers, mentally ill, the frail and elderly.
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The Petrus Community is supported with collection of towels, clothes, bedding etc. and by many members and friends helping at their Community store.
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Stroke awareness day in Wheatsheaf Centre includes blood pressure testing and information from a volunteer medical team organised by medical Rotary members.
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'Friends Together' is a befriending scheme, supporting members of the Rochdale Community who have mental health problems, and is training up befrienders to help this group. Awarded Keith Hoskinson District 1280 Community Trophy for best Community project in 2009/10.
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Seniors Out aims to give enjoyment to lonely elderly people linking with charities like MIND,Petrus, Age Concern, the Alzheimer's society and Parkinsons disease support group. Lancastrian Organ Heritage Centre Eccles was a fun Musical day out and over the last 3 years they had a summer afternoon at the welcoming Castleton Bowling club-a quiet idyllic green and pleasant land not far from busy Manchester Road. Our very own 'Blue Eyes' Jonathon Swift and musical duo 'Dolly Blue' are 2 acts who have entertained over 30 seniors together with a nice tea with sarnies and cream cake provided. Bowling on the green was also a new experience for many.
- Sponsored walks for our Charities in Nidderdale, on Brown Wardle and Yorkshire 3 Peaks by our keen club walkers have raised thousands of pounds over the years
Rochdale Vocational Projects
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Rotakids is a way to help children learn the value of fellowship and community understanding.Our club has founded a club at St James' RC School in Wardle with great enthusiasm from the Headteacher and all the pupils.
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Members have done a Storybook dads scheme at a local Prison where inmates can record a DVD of themselves reading a story to be sent to their children at home.-a nice way to maintain family contact.This scheme was given the Val Scerri Rotary community award.
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The club is helping to improve adult literacy with our 'Rotating Books' scheme by placing books in public places such as Rochdale infirmary for people to borrow and then pass on to a friend, or return to where they were found.
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Redwood School for learning disabilities is strongly supported and our club have donated 'Dictionaries for Life' to help with literacy and learning as well as sponsoring events,an annual day out and most improved student award.KIDS OUT is an annual visit to a local theme park members helping to give the kids a fun day out.
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Members are involved with a number of local secondary schools Oulder Hill, Falinge Park and Wardle enrolling pupils in 'Youth Speaks' speechmaking national contest, Trips to the Excitement of Science at Manchester university and The Royal Institution London. Most Improved student awards are presented each year at the schools' awards evenings.A YOUNG CHEF competition has recently been introduced.
- A recent new award was 'Best Apprentice of the Year' at Hopwood Hall college to encourage interest in a valuable vocational form of learning.
- Rochdale Youth Orchestra has been supported for many years and helps young musicians to do public concerts in Rochdale.
Rochdale International Projects
- Sand Dams The club has sponsored a sand dam built in an arid rural area of Kenya to give a constant water source throughout the year for the local community. http://www.excellent.org.uk/
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The Rotary Shelter Box Trust sends survival packs to disaster areas -boxes include a tent for 10 people with sleeping bags, food, torches, water tablets, ropes, shovels and other survival necessities at times of earthquakes, Tsunamis, natural disasters, e.g. in China and South East Asia 8 boxes costing £550 have been sent in last 3 years. http://www.shelterbox.org/
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Lifeboxes have been packed by members for individual families in disaster areas with mainly clothing to help families cope at a very difficult time during disasters when homes are destroyed.This is now part of 'Disaster Aid'. More information here:- www.disasteraiduk.org
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The Rotary Shoe Box Scheme,has a mission to send clothing and other family goods to poor families in Eastern Europe .Regular supplies of clothes are being sent to the base warehouse in Preston .Members help to sort these goods prior to them going by lorry to Europe.Petrus community store is a regular partner donor in this scheme. http://www.rotaryshoebox.org/
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Mary's Meals aims to provide chronically hungry children with one meal every school day, encouraging education that can lift them out of poverty in later life.Club has done regular fundraising for this very worthwhile Charity. https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/
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,An Eritrean orphanage, Life Education unit for young people, a Send A Cow scheme for African villages, Northern Cleft Foundation for surgery of severe childhood deformities are other Charities heavily sponsored by the club in the last few years.
Methods of fundraising
These have included an art exhibition in the Rochdale shopping centre with local artist Geoff Butterworth, Bag packing at supermarkets,Brass band and other music concerts ,Arts and Craft Fairs,sponsored walks,Raffles,Sportsman's and other charity dinners with special guests.In addition goods are given to the Petrus charity store and Rochdale food bank.