November
4th November – Shoe Boxes
We again involved 5 local schools, with further boxes donated by the Trefoil Guild, Trinity Day Centre, Shaftesbury Evening Women’s Institute and Rotarians. We dispatched 224 boxes, compared with 258 last year, and 319 in 2013.
Best results were from Abbey Primary where Paul and Bernard again performed their double act. Fontmell Magna and Ludwell did better than last year. The Hobbs family (Bargain Stores) donated a large amount of useful items which were used to top up sparsely filled boxes. Stalbridge Linen donated face cloths, and Trinity Day Centre donated beautifully knitted gloves and hats. Working parties checked every box at Peter Brown’s home on 11th and 13th November.
My thanks to: checkers Berenice Deakin, Trish Lever, Gill Farrow, Sheena and Bernard Skam, Elaine and David Wynn-McKenzie, to Paul Whiteside who collected empty boxes from Street and elsewhere, to Bernard who drove the van loaded with 23 cases of shoeboxes to the Andover warehouse, and to Richard for providing a van on three days. Full report is on our members page.
9th November – Meeting
Martin introduced Helen Croud and Colin Smith from Open House told us about their Community drop-in service for those in need of help such as Emergency food aid or advice regarding benefits or handling debt. We had given some money to support their work and were impressed by their description of a combination of practical support in the short term coupled with education and help in avoiding similar problems in the future.
16th November – Business Meeting
We discussed Christmas fund raising activities and of course our Christmas party (full details on member’s page).
23rd November – Meeting
Paul Whiteman introduced Mike Wood from Sturminster Newton Rotary and Janet Swiss told us about the White Hart Link – a plan for a pathway for walkers linking Shaftesbury, Blandford, Sturminster, Stalbridge and Gillingham. The plan is to build locality teams working with the community to create, develop and maintain the route.
29th November – Big Breakfast
We met for breakfast at a greasy spoon on the A1 – well actually Bernard Skam’s house – for a fry up. A strange group of people seemed to be in the cafe on that Sunday morning, ranging from a city gent who looked very much out a place, to a bedraggled girl whose boyfriend had dumped her with no money. We also had Father Christmas turned up with Rudolph; they had crashed their sleigh on the way to the North Pole and wanted a cup of tea1! Of course we had bikers, a couple of scruffy painters and a few folks on their way home from a party. Much to Bernard’s surprise nobody did a runner and left without paying for their breakfast!
30th November
An excellent double event brought November activities to a fitting conclusion.
Corporate Membership
We welcomed Steven Crossley (left in photo) into the club as a new corporate member taking over the representation from Mark Blackman, Headmaster/CEO of Shaftesbury School/Academy who now becomes an Honorary Member. Steven is head of boarding here in Shaftesbury and is married to Erika who accompanied him on the night, he is ideally located to be involved and liaise between the school and the club.
Air Ambulance
The main beneficiary of the Rotary Golf competition 2014 is the wonderful Air Ambulance service. So it was a delight to welcome Hannah Nobbs who gave an excellent slideshow complete with the history of the service and the money needed and raised. Richard presented Hannah with a cheque for £1000.