March
2nd – No meeting
9th – Horatio’s Garden
On the first speakers evening of March, Shaftesbury Rotary Club were pleased to welcome John Grinstead MBE, Director of Operations at Horatio’s Garden.
Horatio’s Garden is a national charity creating and nurturing beautiful gardens in NHS spinal injury centres to support everyone affected by spinal injury. They grow thriving communities to support patients, their families and friends facing long stays in NHS hospitals.
Leading landscape designers create these stunning sanctuaries, working in collaboration with prominent architects to design garden rooms ensuring the space can be used all year round. The gardens become an integral part of people’s lives throughout their time in hospital.
The charity is named after Horatio Chapple, a volunteer who had the original idea of creating a garden away from the wards for patients and their families.
Spinal cord injuries are traumatic, life-changing events. Patients often have little or no access to the outside world during their hospital stay. However, research shows that being in contact with a natural environment contributes to an improved sense of wellbeing, which can have a positive impact on patient rehabilitation.
In each project the charity funds a Head Gardener who leads a team of volunteers caring for the garden and offering creative and therapeutic activities. These include gardening, art, live music, seasonal events and artists’ residencies, as well as endless tea and homemade cake. All their volunteers share an enjoyment of being in the garden and contribute to the happy, uplifting atmosphere which permeates each Horatio’s Garden; some are former patients and some are young ‘Volunteers’ seeking life experiences.
To date they have opened four gardens in Salisbury, Glasgow, Stoke Mandeville and Oswestry. They are currently working on projects in London and Cardiff and our vision is to create a thriving Horatio’s Garden in every NHS spinal injury centre.
The charity is very poignant to the club with one of their most respected and liked members currently experiencing his 28th week in Salisbury Spinal Unit, where he has enjoyed the benefits of the beautiful gardens.
To keep the Salisbury Garden in colour and well maintained there is an ongoing financial implication. As there is no money available from the NHS, these costs are born purely through fundraising.
If you would like to donate then please go to www.horatiosgarden.org.uk and go to donate in the top right hand corner.
Pictured: Rotarian John Warner, President Win Harvey and John Grinstead MBE
12th – Shaftesbury School Mock Interviews
Dear Rotary,
Just a big thank you from us for giving up your time, last Thursday, to take part in our 6th form mock interview day. The students found it to be very beneficial and positive, with some really good feedback from them. I will be in touch about next year’s mock interview event!
Quotes from the day:
“It was a privilege taking part in the interviews. The future is in good hands”
“It was great to see such a high calibre of students”
“It was a pleasure to meet so many interesting and talented young people”
“Shaftesbury School continues to prepare students for life”
With thanks to the following employers: Deverill Valley Creations, Dextra Group, Flavourworks, The Grosvenor Arms, Riversmeet Leisure Centre, Connells Estate Agents, BAE Systems Engineering, John Peel Cafe, DSTL Porton Down, Cymmone Imms, The Shaftesbury Rotary Club, Wessex Group, Peter Harding Wealth Management.
With many thanks and kind regards
Karen Johnson
Work Experience & Careers Co ordinator
Shaftesbury School
16th – Business Meeting
We met for a Business Meeting, our last before the Covid lockdown. We decided that we would not be able to meet again for the foreseeable future and to cancel our May Cycle event. Gold Hill Fair was subsequently cancelled too. A week later of course this became a formal legal requirement, when all such contact ceased throughout the UK.
On a more positive note we agreed a donation towards the Westminster Memorial Hospital electric vehicle.
We reviewed our part in the Shaftesbury School mock interview process and have subsequently received a letter of thanks from the school.
As always, full details can be found on the members page.
Covid-19 cancels Gold Hill Fair
Further to the cancellation of the North Dorset Cycle Ride, Shaftesbury Rotary Club have decided it was prudent to cancel this year’s Gold Hill Fair.
It is after very careful consideration that we have reached this decision. It comes with a heavy heart but the stallholders and general public’s safety is paramount.
Those stallholders who have already paid, will receive a refund.
Thank you for all your support over the years and we hope that you all stay safe and support us next year.
23rd – Council Meeting
Subsequent to our last face to face meeting we held a virtual Club Council by Zoom and hope to start the month of April with our first full Rotary meeting by Zoom. We are looking at supporting Covid related needs and have made a donation to Open House to support their work. We are developing other ideas along similar lines and are looking at how best we can support any fellow members who have Covid needs of their own.
30th – No meeting: Postponed
Friends of Westminster Memorial Hospital Electric Vehicles Appeal
Dear Rotary club of Shaftesbury,
Thank you very much for your kind gift of £500 to the Friends of Westminster Memorial Hospital, Shaftesbury which will go towards our Hospital Electric Vehicles Appeal.
As you know, thanks to generous supporters like the Shaftesbury Rotary Club, we will be purchasing two electric vehicles for the Hospital’s lntegrated Community Rehabilitation Team. Your donation of the ‘Rear driver-side wheel & tyre’ is a great help towards reaching the appeal target, and I am very grateful.
This is an exciting step, as our hospital will be the first community hospital in the country to enjoy using fully electric, wheelchair-accessible vehicles. This will allow the Rehabilitation team to continue their wonderful work with patients, which enables people to return to the comfort of their own home, safely and with confidence, sooner than they otherwise would, and recover as quickly as possible.
The provision of these vehicles is beyond the financial scope of the NHS and is an example of how The Friends supports the hospital in delivering excellent standards of treatment and care. But we couldn’t do this without the help of our valued supporters and your generosity is very much appreciated.
lf the Rotary Club would like to know more about what we do, or would like to get involved in supporting us further, please get in touch at chair@friendsofwmh.org.uk or call 01747 300 123.
Again, thank you on behalf of The Friends for your gift.
Julian Prichard
Chair to The Friends of Westminster Memorial Hospital
Obituary
It is with great sadness to report on the passing of John Upshall at the end of March. We became friends with John and his family in the early 80’s and the consequence being that I introduced him into Rotary in 1983 and he became President in 1986/87. John was a big man with matching character who brought to the club a sense of fun. He engaged in all of the club’s activities even though his working day as a contracts manager took him all over the country. John was always the life and soul of the party and great company right up to the time he retired. The club’s condolences go out to his wife Merle and family.
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