About us

Rotary Club of Fishponds & Downend, Bristol home page

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

  

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Hello and welcome to Fishponds & Downend Rotary Club Website

Fishponds & Downend (F&D) Rotary Club is a small, active, friendly, and very sociable Club.  

We would love to encourage new members to join our club and see that the above is really true. If you are unable to join as a member but can offer some support at our fundraising events, then perhaps being a ‘Friend’ of Rotary would suit you? Please do get in touch and we will respond to you with details. If you are unsure whether Rotary is for you, you are more than welcome to join our meetings (via Zoom or in person) to see what we are about.

The Rotary Club of Fishponds & Downend Charity Fund 

In 1994 the then Officers of the Rotary Club of Fishponds and Downend executed a Declaration of Trust which established a Charitable Trust known as the Rotary Club of Fishponds and Downend Charity Fund. 
The Charity Fund has been registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under registered charity number 1034555 and full details of the trust including trustees and charitable objects can be found by using this link 
https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/1034555/contact-information
The Charity Fund is a completely separate legal entity from the Rotary Club and is very often responsible for fund raising events for either named charities or unnamed charities supported by Rotary.

Fundraising

During the last Rotary year (this runs from July of one to June of the next so July 2021 to June 2022) with Covid restrictions being relaxed we were able to resume some of our fund-raising activities. In particluar our Christmas Collection at Morrisons raised £807.84 and our Easter Chocolate Bunny Draw raised £1,121.15 both were donated to Childrens Hospice South West. 

Club members also donated to Lendwithcareare, End Polio Now, Rotary Foundation UK Annual Fund and the Shoeboxes initiative. Other donations were made to Foundation Ukraine, Transplant Soprts and Little Hearts Matter. A matching Grant was successfully applied for from Rotary District to pay for work to be carried out at the Kumi Project in Africa. Our Club also made a significant payment to Lendwithcare. This charity spcialises in making small loans to small entrepreneurs in developing countries to work their way out of poverty. Typically the businesses are are involved in farming, retail-grocery, cafe/restaurant, transport and green/recycling. As loans are repaid we reinvest the money in new entrepeneurs businesses.

We are dedicated to raising money for charities and good causes which we achieve by fundraising at our events: some of which are facilitated by having a presence at public events like fetes and shows.  We also organise street and supermarket collections, mostly at Christmas-time, but also some in response to major disasters. On the weekend of 18-19 February 2023 we were in Sainsburys supermarket at Emersons Green Bristol collecting for the Turkey/Syria earthquake. The collection Raised a net figure of £1,806.96 which is being used to fund the purchase of ShelterBox  emergency relief equipment (Rotary International is an official project partner of Shelterbox). Special thanks to Sainsburys for allowing us to collect in their premises and an especially big thank to Sainsburys customers who gave so generously.

Community Service

If you are involved in any local organisation involved in events that serve the community, e.g. litter picking, planting community gardens, food-banks etc. please get in touch and we will endeavour to provide support. Currently members provide food for the Resound FoodBank based in Mangotsfield Bristol. 

In February 2023 the Club were given a presentation by a representative from the PROPs charity based in The Vassall Centre Fishponds Bristol. 


F&D and Our Local Communities

F&D Rotary Club is a local community-driven organisation running events in our local communities, supporting charities and good causes in our local communities, providing service in our local communities, supported by people in our local communities, based in the centre of our local communities, and drawing our membership from our local communities.


Social events

We always enjoy great social connections with fellow Rotarians, not only in our own Club but also with other Rotary Clubs, especially those geographically close to us.  We enjoy, for example, dressing up in finery to attend our own and other Clubs President’s Nights. We have parties and dinners and arrange visits to pubs, restaurants, and places of interest. 

Internationally we enjoy fellowship and social interaction with our twin Rotary Club in South West France Melle and Pays Mellois. In May 2022 we visited the Melle Club to clebrate with them their 50th Charter Night and then spent a couple of very enjoyable days in th company of our French hosts visiting the Marais Poitevein and Cognac.

In December 2022 we held our Christmas meal at the Barn at the White Horse Hambrook. This was a very festive night enjoyed by all who attended especially the Left to Right game.

In February 2023 we held our Pasty Night at which pasties from Cornwall and cream teas were consumed. The net profits for the event going to Little Hearts Matter.

There will be other events so please keep checking this website for updates.

Thank you.

  



 The Rotary Club of Fishponds & Downend Charity Fund is Registered in England No. 1034555
Any trademarks, text, sound-bites & Images (copyrighted or registered) used in this non-commercial website are acknowledged

Meetings & Venue

Where and when:

We meet on Thursdays at 19:00

(First Thursday fellowship meeting at Mezze at the Green Dragon Downend BS16 6BS, second Thursday Business meeting via Zoom. No meeting on fourth Thursday in the month.) Guest Ave.
Emerson Green
Bristol
 0117 957 0671

Rotary News

Be part of a global network of volunteers, trying to make the world a better place. Please also see the 'links & news' page for information from the local district and live feeds from Rotary International and Rotary International in GB&I.

Rotary serving communities through supporting foodbanks

Diversity is part of Rotary’s core values