Bulletin for April 2025

                                               Rotary Club of Cheltenham North

                                                           April 2025 Bulletin

School in a Bag Rosanne Cole

It was with much pleasure that we welcomed Luke Simon, C.E.O. of School in a

Bag, to be our speaker on Monday 17th March. Luke is an honorary member of

the Rotary Club of Yeovil. We invited to join us Nick and Lyn Bowkett from Harper

Field Auctioneers as they have been instrumental in our fundraising by waiving

their vendors commission on our Lots. Nick is a former member of the Rotary

Club of Severn Vale. You could say we were keeping it in the family!

Luke explained how his family came to form the charity School in a Bag. Sadly

Piers, Luke’s brother, died in the Boxing Day Tsunami that hit Thailand in 2004.

The Simon family formed the charity in memory of Piers. The charity is based at Chilthorne Dormer on the family farm. All expenses of the charity are met from the funds raised at the Home Farm Music Festival which is held on the farm each June. The festival this year is from 6th – 8th June. Luke runs the charity with a staff of two, he is also involved in the family farm.

Luke showed us slides of children with their bags, including the children at Shree

Kalinka Higher Secondary School in Tenkampur. Each year we donate bags for every new pupil entering this school. All the photographs shown were of children holding

‘our’ bags. One of the slides was quite surprising as it showed how many bags we

have donated from 2015 to date, a total of 794. Our bags have also been given to children in an orphanage in Parbhat and to the children of Shree Terse Secondary School following major flooding that destroyed their school. Luke had us on our

feet and wiggling our bottoms – what a speaker! Our raffle on the evening raised £156.

It only goes to show that a little can raise a LOT!

Some District News Richard Purdon

!st quarter 2025

I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO REPORT ON A FEW ITEMS.

· FIRSTLY, I CAN GIVE THE FEEDBACK ON “LOVE OUR TURF” HAVING FINISHED IT’S 3RD YEAR AT THE WORLD CLASS FESTIVAL AT THE CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE.

I MANAGED TO ASSEMBLE MORE VOLUNTEERS TO DO THEIR SHIFTS OVER THE 4 DAYS. THIS YEAR WE HAD 29 PEOPLE WHO PUT IN THE HARD YARDS!! I HAD TO GO TO 7 CLUBS TO FIND THESE FIT AND WILLING FOLK.

THE DAYS RACING THIS YEAR WERE FAB-U-LOUS. AND THE JOCKEY CLUB HAD ADDED FURTHER ATTRACTIONS – ESPECIALLY DOWN THE EVESHAM ROAD- TO ENTERTAIN THE CROWD AS THEY MARCHED TO AND FRO TOWARDS PRESTBURY PARK.

CROWD NUMBERS WERE DOWN ON LAST YEAR FOR THE SECOND YEAR RUNNING.BUT THE OPINION WAS THE ATMOSPHERE WAS GREATLY IMPROVED ON LAST YEAR.

I OWE A BIG VOTE OF THANKS TO 4 SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE CLUB WHO JOINED IN THE FUN.

DGE ANNE LED US OFF ON THE TUESDAY. PAST PRESIDENT JANET, WITH PRESIDENT NIGEL, ATTENDED ON WEDNESDAY. AND DUNCAN SAW US HOME ON THURSDAY!!

AS A FOOTNOTE, I WAS INTRIGED TO RECEIVE AND E-MAIL 3DAYS AFTER THE FINAL RACE. “EARLY BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE AT 25% OFF FOR 2026!!??

· SECONDLY, I SHOULD REPORT THA\T I WAS ASKED TO BE A TRUSTEE FOR A FASCINATING ROTARY CHARITY, WHICH WAS SET UP INITIALLY IN 1923.

INITIALLY IT WAS CALLED ROTARY BOY’S HOME.A HOUSE HAD BEEN ACQUIRED BY THE WESTON SUPER MARE CLUB TO PROVIDE A HOLIDAY HOME FOR “POOR AND AILING BOYS.THIS HOUSE WAS THE FIRST OF A KIND THAT ROTARY BECAME INVOLVED IN.

IN TIME 5 DISTRICTS IN THE SOUTH WEST AND MIDLANDS SUPPORTED THE UPKEEP AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEIR LOCAL CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THEIR 1 AND ONLY TRIP AWAY IN A YEAR.

AROUND 25 YEARS AFTER INCEPTION IT WAS DEEMED NECESSARY TO ACQUIRE A SECOND MORE SUITABLE PROPERTY.THIS LARGER HOUSE WAS CAPABLE OF TAKING MANY MORE BOYS FROM IT’S OPENING IN 1953.

BY 1976 IT WAS AGREED THAT TO CONTINUE THE BOYS HOME HAD BECOME TOO DIFFICULT FOR ROTARIANS TO MANAGE. SO, THE HOUSE WAS SOLD AND THE ROTARY CHILDREN’S HOLIDAY TRUST WAS FORM WITH EVENTUASLLY £100,00 OF ASSETS BY DECEMBER 1980.

AS AT THE END OFSEPTEMBER 2024, THESE ASSETS STAND AT OVER £ 326,000

SO TODAY, THE 5 TRUSTEES HAVE AROUND £2000 PER ANNUM TO OFFER TO CLUBS A GRANT TOWARDS THEIR CHILDRENS’ ACTIVITIES.

1 REQUIREMENT IS THAT THE MONEY IS NOT USED TO SUPPORT KIDS OUT.

AND FOR MANY YEARS IT IS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS. AND IT GOES NOT HAVE TO BE A HOLIDAY – INFACT THE MAJORITY I HAVE RESEARCHED SINCE 2019 FOR OUR DISTRICT ARE DAYS OUT.

IN THE RECENT PAST ONLY 7 CLUBS IN THE DISTRICT HAVE PARTICIPATED IS . AND 4 OF THOSE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN ALL OF THE PAST 4 ANNUAL APPLICATIONS.

SO, EXAMPLES HAVE BEEN TRAIN RIDES WITH REFRESHMENT; DAY CAMPS; BOATING EXPERIENCES; AND OTHER SIMILAT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.

I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT D1100 HAS BEEN AS ACTIVE AS ANY OF USING THE SHARE OF THE GRANT IN THE PAST 3 YEARS. WE SHOULD NOTE IT COULD NOT BE RUN IN 2020 OR 2021 DUE TO COVID.

SO, I AM HOPEFUL THAT I CAN ENCOURAGE OUR CLUB TO FIND A PLAN TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT IN 2025/26. ENTERTAINING THE GLOUCESTER YOUNG CARERS OR THE KIDS AT OUR CONTACT SCHOOLS SPRING TO MIND. OR GO BIOGGER AND DO AN EVENT WITH OTHER CLUBS IN OUR AREA?

· ATTENDANCE AT DISTRICTS EVENTS.

WITH ANNE AND NIGEL, I SAT IN ON THE ZOOM MEETING ON 4TH MARCH. THERE WAS A PLEA FOR MORE DONATIONS TO FOUNDATION AS GRANT RESERVES ARE DWINDLING FAST.

AND THERE WAS THE LAUNCH OF THE CHALLENGE FOR 1000 NEW CORORATE MEMBERS TO BE SIGNED UP, NATIONALLY, BY THE END OF THE ROTAY YEAR.

SHELTER BOX GAVE A PRESENTA\TION ON THE WORK THEY ARE DOING AROUND THE WORLD.

I FELT THE SAME AS I ALWAYS DO AT THESE ON- LINE DISTRICT FORUMS!! IMPORTANT MESSAGES ARE GIVEN OUT BUT BETWEEN 40 – 60 WERE THERE TO HEAR THEM. A TOUGH TASK TO MAKE MUCH HEADWAY IN ENSURING ALL THE DISTRICT ROTARIANS RECEIVE THE MESSAGES?

AND WE ALSO ATTENDED THE 1 DAY DISTRICT CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY 22ND MARCH AT HATHERLEY MANOR. RCCN HAD 4 MEMBERS WHO ENJOYED A VERY LIVELY MORNING SESSION.

THIS IMPLIES THAT THE AFTERNOON WAS MORE PEDESTRIAN – BUT 2 OF US HAD OTHER COMMITMENTS IN THE AFTERNOON!!

WE SHOULD NOTE THAT NEXT YEAR’S – FOR OUR VERY OWN ANNE BARTHOLOMEW IS NEAR WORCESTER BETWEEN FRIDAY APRIL 17TH AND SUNDAY 19TH.

A THREE LINE WHIP I WOULD SUGGEST?

RIP

Many of you will remember Tony Staite who ‘retired ‘ from our club when he was 80. He sadly passed away earlier in March. I don’t know his exact age but he must have been in his 90’s.

Rotary in South Africa John Phillip

We thought that you would be amused to see the fruits of Rotary generosity in the main street of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

Ladies who lunch Rosanne Cole

A lunch was held on Wednesday 26th March for Shelterbox. Twenty ladies attended for a soup, cake and coffee lunch. It was lovely to see old friends again and to reminisce

about times past and present. A cheque for £220 is on its way to Shelterbox raised by

donations from the ladies. A big thank you must go to Jane Stevens, Jane Setton, Jill Fox

and Gwynne Tucker Brown our delicious soup and cake makers, and to everyone who

donated so generously. A particularly large thank you goes to Gwynne who acted as

waitress and my right hand on the day.

Wine Festival

A reminder to everyone to check what duty you are on for the wine festival on Saturday. The event is our main fund raiser and it would be appreciated if everyone who signed up to help does turn up. We are smaller in numbers these days and we need as much help as possible. Thank you.

Garden Party Gill Rouse

On Sunday 3rd August the concert committee are organising a summer garden party from 12.30 – 4pm. Vivien has vey kindly agreed that we may use her garden and our own Duncan Ivory will entertain us with his band of 18 strings. Lunch will be provided and tickets will be on sale shortly. Friends and family welcome but numbers will be limited.

The aim is to raise a minimum of £500 which is the amount usually given as a small grant to local charities.

Future Programme Clive O’Gorman

Fri, Apr 4th 2025 at 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Club Council Meeting

NOTE CHANGE OF DATE A Club Council Meeting to be held at the Cheltenham Bowling Club Whaddon Road.

Sat, Apr 5th 2025 at 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Cheltenham Wine Festival

The Cheltenham Wine Festival will take place at the Ladies College Health and Fitness Centre Malvern Road. GL502NX. on 5th April 2025 See website for more information and the purchase of tickets that are now on sale.

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Mon, Apr 7th 2025 at 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Club Meeting with Speaker on 7th April at the Queens Hotel

A Club Meeting with a Guest Speaker. The Speaker Sarah Avery Down will speak on "The history and work of the School House Cafe in St. Paul's Cheltenham. See website for Menu Host Linda Pawley

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Mon, Apr 21st 2025 at 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Club Meeting CANCELLED SEE 28/4/2024

The Club Meeting is cancelled as it is a Bank Holiday.

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Thu, Apr 24th 2025 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

District Council Meeting via Zoom

An opportunity via Zoom to find out more about projects in our district, celebrate good practice and vote on the district's budget for 2025/6. Registration details to follow.

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Mon, Apr 28th 2025 at 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Club Meeting with Speaker.

A Club Meeting with a Guest Speaker. NOTE THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL MEETING DUE TO THE BANK HOLIDAYS. The Speaker is our very own Michael Jones who will talk on "Gloucester Livery and Apprentices" See website for Menu. Host Beth Phillip

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Mon, May 5th 2025 at 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Club Meeting CANCELLED due to it being a Bank Holiday

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Mon, May 19th 2025 at 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Club Meeting with Speaker.

A Club Meeting with a Guest Speaker. The Speaker is Joanna of "Marys Meals which provides life changing meals to poor families across the Globe. See website for Menu. Host Richard Purdon

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Mon, Jun 2nd 2025 at 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Club Meeting with Partners and Guests plus Speaker.

A Club Meeting with Partners and Guests plus Guest Speaker NOTE LUNCHTIME MEETING AT COTSWOLD HILLS GOLF CLUB NOTE 12:30 for 1PM. Speaker Paul Barnett on "Journey of A H Hook from Gloucestershire to Rorkes Drift." Host John Phillip

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Sat, Jun 7th 2025 at 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

District Assembly and Handover

The District Assembly and Handover will be held at the Holiday Inn Gloucester. Note Timings to be finalised.

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Mon, Jun 16th 2025 at 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Club Meeting AGM/Assembly and Handover.

A Club Meeting AGM/Assembly and Handover to New President David Hearle. The District Representative Assistant Governor Steve Spencer will be attending. See website for Menu. Host Nigel Gilhead

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Mon, Jul 7th 2025 at 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Club Meeting with Speaker.

A Club Meeting with Speaker. Speaker is Nigel Thompson who will give a talk on "Gloucestershire Blue Plaque Holders" Host David Rees