October

Dec 6, 2018 by Shaftesbury RC

1st – No meeting.

8th – Global Sight Savers

The speaker for tonight’s meeting was Jon Mills from Global Sight Savers. GSS is an avoidable blindness programme which serves those in India, Africa, and soon elsewhere, who are too poor to access their own medical care. The charity provides assessment camps, surgical equipment and surgeon training such that free eye operations and treatment are available. There are 50 million avoidably blind worldwide, of which 18 million are in India, 4+ million being in the Kolkata area.

It is a charity inspired, founded and administered entirely by Rotarians, as Rotarian’s are all volunteers no administrative costs are incurred. The charity develops partnership links with Rotary Clubs in the areas of need who are required to provide the premises, while each partner contributes 50% of the funds required. The aim is for all facilities to become self- financing. Currently 51 Rotary eye hospitals have been established.

The facilities as of June 2017 have provided >1,000,000 free eye examinations, and 100,000 free cataract operations per year.
2011 target: 50 further hospitals by 2020.
2011 target: 100,000 cataract operations. This was first achieved in 2015.
With the astute use of Rotary Foundation’s Grant scheme, the £15 cost of a cataract operation can be funded with a donation of just £5 in the UK.

Pictured: John Mills and Guy Lowton

15th – Business Meeting

Committee chairs gave an update on the following:
Cycle speedway track delayed until the spring due to delays at the Charity commission.
New booking software for the North Dorset cycle ride under review.
Mock interviews organised for Friday the 30th November.
Report given on golf charity match.
Full details can be found on the Members page of the Rotary website.

22nd – Fathers House Shaftesbury.

Helen Beecham who is the administrator at Fathers House gave a warm and heart felt update on their activities. She explained how the House helped local families and single people that are having a difficult and stressful time in their life by giving support and advise on housing benefit and budgeting. Open House is on a Tuesday morning, they have dealt with over 350 cases and have been open for 3years.

Pictured: Bernard, Helen and Guy presenting cheque

29th – Partners Evening

Shaftesbury Rotary Club took the opportunity at one of their few Partners Evenings to invite two local charities to receive donations, raised through two of the Club’s main events.
Prostate Cancer had been nominated as the main beneficiary of the North Dorset Cycle Ride. So the Club were delighted to be joined by David Whetton of Prostate Cancer to receive a cheque for £3500

Later in the year came yet another successful Golf Day at Rushmore Golf Club, organized by Richard Shean of Shaftesbury Rotary Club. The club’s choice of charity was CLIC Sargent. CLIC Sargent fights tirelessly to stop cancer destroying young lives, providing grants and free accommodation close to hospital to help with spiraling costs. Nicki Judd from CLIC Sargent attended the evening to receive a cheque for £1500.

Help us to raise more money next year and join us on the next North Dorset Cycle Ride on Sunday 19th May 2019