Visit to Rotary Sodertalje - Sept 2016

The recent visit to Sodertalje by nine members and their wives led by President Charles went very well. We were most warmly treated and the visit included a highly informative private tour of the Parliament buildings conducted by the local MP.

Another highlight was the evening we split into smaller groups, each taken and entertained in a Rotarian’s home.We would like to reciprocate this act of friendship on the next visit by Sodertalje to Beckenham. 

Last year the club decided to work with its new Swedish contact club, Sodertalje, to r raise money for “Let Africa Live” (LAV).  A few years earlier Torgny Carlsson of Sodertalje Rotary Club visited Bukavu in the  DDemocratic Republic of the Congo. The aim of LAV is to enable the young people to earn their own money and become respected in the community. 

We first raised £500 though an opera evening organised by David Hynes in a local restaurant, followed by £1,000 through a quiz evening provided by Bill Bowman.  In the meanwhile there has been a successful application by Sodertalje for the project to attract Rotary district and global grants. The result is matching of the initial funds and the Beckenham contribution is now worth £3,000.

The intention, with the help of the local Bukavu Rotary Club, is to install good quality wood working plant in the school so students can make saleable furniture and the organisation can progress towards being self-sustaining. 

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