July
Gold Hill Fair – July 3rd
Gold Hill Fair took place on Sunday 3rd July with glorious summer weather to greet the large crowd. This year saw a welcome addition with Shaftesbury Fringe offering a 3 day programme of music, poetry, singing, and comedy. Rotary cooperated in producing a bumper 48 page joint programme which was distributed free of charge.
The traditional Parade of voluntary groups, led by the town’s Silver band, the Mayor Cllr Richard Tippins, and Rotary President Bernard Skam, proceeded up the High Street to the Abbey grounds. Five £100 prizes, donated by Shaftesbury Task Force and Rotary, were awarded in a draw to the Silver Band, Shaftesbury Snowdrops, the Guides, Shaftesbury Town Twinning Association, and to newcomers the Tibetan Monks, whose colourful costumes and strange musical instruments fascinated onlookers.
The upper High Street and Park Walk were a mass of trade, food and charities’ stalls, with a full French Market present this year. Camelot Craft Market were in the Town Hall. The abbey grounds offered music from noon to 4pm. Folk Dancing took place in front of the Town Hall. Young children could enjoy face painting, donkey rides, and fairground rides. This year the Scouts had a special Golden Cobble event on Gold Hill, raising funds for renovations at their Trinity Centre headquarters. Local business Stalbridge Linen, ( one of Rotary’s Business Partners) again organised a successful Van Pull in the High Street.
Rotary’s Tea Tent in the Rose Garden was always busy. Our partners are friends donated cakes and scones. Many visitors welcomed the opportunity to sit down for a rest with a cup of tea or coffee. Our ”Wine or Water” bottle stall was another key attraction. Rotarians in bright Hawaiian shirts persuaded visitors to chance their luck, and over 160 bottles of wine were won on the day.
President Bernard Skam said “Having just taken over as Club President, this was my first public appearance leading the Parade. No time for nervousness! Good weather, a large crowd, and plenty of attractions all combined to make a great Gold Hill Fair. This is our major fund-raising event, with the surplus donated to local charitable causes, many in and around Shaftesbury, and to other Rotary projects further afield and overseas. Rotary thanks our advertisers, stallholders, business partners and the many helpers who contributed to this successful event. Berenice Deakin and her small organising committee did a great job. I do especially want to thank all our Rotarians and their partners, who put in many hours before, during, and after the Fair preparing the site and erecting marquees and stalls, and packing everything away afterwards. Hard work, but very satisfying.
Make sure you check out our Gallery page for all the pictures!
Monday, July 4th
No meeting
RNIB – July 11th
John Hawley from the RNIB was introduced to the club by Win Harvey to give a talk on the work the RNIB do helping people who are blind and partially sighted in particular the ‘Talking Books’. These books can be a lifeline and end the sense of isolation and loneliness, also it helps them for learning and to stay informed about what’s going on in the world. We heard about their weekly audio magazine. Did you know it costs £2,500 to produce an audiobook? Please visit their website for more information.
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Business Meeting – July 18th
We had our regular business meeting, the first to be chaired by Bernard our incoming president. Plans were laid for the rest of the year.
Trekkers Disabled Camp for Adults – July 25th
Tonight our speakers were Lynne and Glenn Cooper. They were invited to speak about one of their passions, Trekkers Disabled Camp for adults.
Lynne first started going to a camp for the disabled when a police cadet and was so taken that she has been going ever since. About 12 years ago she persuaded her husband Glenn to join her but although reluctant at first this soon changed and they now run a camp each year.
This is specifically for adults with physical disabilities who spend a mundane life with carers in residential homes but Lynne and Glenn provide activities they would not necessarily be able to enjoy. These include flights on helicopters or light aircraft, water skiing, paint balling, bouncy castles and much more.
Helpers come each year, some to provide personal care, and others to do the cooking and laundry. All campers are divided into 4 groups who are then allotted tasks each day, e.g. preparing vegetable for meals, washing up, cleaning toilet blocks or keeping the campsite clean and tidy.
Cooking is carried out on a log burning stove with an oven attached but the food is on a par with any restaurant. Cooked breakfasts, two course lunches and dinners. A packed lunch is also provided for those great days out that they all enjoy.
As a great many of the campers are in wheel chairs for a day out specially adapted mini buses are hired which can cost £650 per day but it’s really worth it when you see the faces of these campers who would not normally be able to enjoy such a holiday.
Lynne and Glenn try and keep costs to a minimum and they manage to provide a weeks holiday, with 3 meals a day, all activities and helpers for as little as £125 per person per week, everyone pays the same. Fund raising is always in their minds and hopefully we will be able to help in some small way this year. For more information, you can visit their website here or read more by viewing this article.
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