Leading Rotarians attending were Ian Riseley, International President and member of the Sandringham Rotary Club, Australia, and the Rotary GB&I President, Dennis Spiller. One of Swindon North’s Rotary Club members was there and has provided this report.
END POLIO NOW HAS WORKED SO INCREDIBLY WELL
The Princess Royal was invited to speak about her experiences with the “Save the Children Fund” but she also mentioned the work done by a variety of voluntary organisations, including Rotary. She said: “The fact End Polio Now has worked so incredibly well is a huge credit to every individual member of Rotary. We don’t very often get an opportunity to say thank you to groups like Rotary – but thank you, and congratulations.”
ROTARY’S END POLIO NOW CAMPAIGN
There was quite an emphasis on Rotary’s “End Polio Now Campaign”. Only 22 cases of polio were reported in 2017 in just three countries – Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. Over 450 million children are immunised against polio each year with volunteer Rotarians playing a full part in the programme. Paul Harvey, a Rotary volunteer polio vaccinator in India, spoke about the challenges facing those trying to carry out the immunisations with little sanitation, open sewers and lack of access to some areas of the country.
AN EMOTIONAL STORY
An entertaining and humorous presentation was given by Chris Tarrant. Although he spoke mainly about his time on “Who wants to be a Millionaire?” he also had an emotional story about a school friend who had died after contracting polio before the full immunisation programme had been introduced in the UK.
A POLICE PRESENCE
Two senior detectives from the City of London Police addressed Conference on the subject of cyber crime and internet fraud. A very useful session and the subject was expanded on at a workshop. Earlier, the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall had given a speech in which he was clearly trying to encourage volunteers to come forward to support the Police.
SPORT AND YOUTH
There was an entertaining and humorous talk from Phil Bennett OBE who won a total of 29 Welsh rugby caps, and a very motivational one by Liz Johnson, a Paralympic swimmer. Rotaract and other Youth projects were showcased and the Rotary Young Musician of the Year, a harpist, provided a musical interlude.
AWARENESS OF DEMENTIA
“Dementia – a whole community response” was the title of a talk by Angela Rippon. In her capacity as an Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society she gave a lot of information about the steps being taken in communities across the country to increase awareness about Dementia and its effect on families. Angela Rippon’s late mother was a sufferer.
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Alex Leger was the Location Director, Producer and Cameraman for Britain’s best loved childrens’ programmes Blue Peter. Entertaining and amusing, he showed a number of clips from the programme, including the young elephant that misbehaved in the studio!
SONGS OF PRAISE
The last day of Conference, a Sunday, began with “Thought for the Day” from Pam Rhodes of BBC “Songs of Praise” fame. A return to the End Polio Now theme followed with a French Director of the World Health Organisation providing a great deal of information about the efforts to eliminate Polio.
ROTARY OVERSEAS PROJECTS
Presentations of two of Rotary’s overseas projects – Global Sight Solutions and Sand Dams – came next and the session concluded with a hilarious talk by Lydia Slack entitled “An awkward age”. She spoke about her years growing up on a farm in the Peak District and had many extremely funny tales to round the Conference off superbly.
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We have played a role in a significant global public health achievement as the World Health Organization’s Africa region has officially been certified wild polio-free.
moreRotary’s second major donation, of £208,000, was handed over on 7th July 2021 when local Rotarians visited the Great Western Hospital to view the build progress of the nearly completed radiotherapy unit.
moreSmallpox is the only human disease ever eradicated. Let’s make polio the second! Join the fight to end polio with Rotary on World Polio Day
moreBrighter Futures launched their Radiotherapy Appeal in 2015. Today, 7 years later, a ribbon cutting ceremony has taken place at the Great Western Hospital
moreHe's taking part in the Youth Adventure Trust's Virtual Resilience Challenge from 13th to 21st February 2021
more£1286 has been sent from our Emergency Disaster Fund to the Disasters Emergency Committee UKRAINE HUMANITARIAN APPEAL
more£1,250 has been sent to both Prospect Hospice and Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service to help bridge the funding gap both charities are currently experiencing.
more"In musical entertainment Swindon punches way above its weight. Some of the youngsters we've heard tonight will go on to make a name for themselves"
moreKathy Hobson, Highworth based accountant and long-time member of the Kentwood Choir, is our President for a second term
moreA new design for a new name
moreCongratulations to the teams from St Joseph’s Catholic College Swindon. The intermediate team (in the picture) was commended and placed joint second by the judges
moreWe went to the races in March. It was a meeting with 10 races, 8 riders in each. It wasn’t at Epsom, or Haydock Park, or just up the M4 at Newbury. It was, of all places, in Wanborough Village Hall.
moreThe winning team P.G.Events presented with the David Maggs Memorial Trophy to hold for one year by Swindon North Rotary President Mike Helyer
moreClub President Kathy Hobson presents a cheque for £750 to Richard Millard, Chairman of the Trustees
moreAttendees found plenty at the 2018 Rotary Convention to remind them of the fellowship that binds them and the diversity that Rotary embodies
moreTorquay’s Riviera Centre was the venue for the Rotary in Britain and Ireland (RIBI) Annual Conference on 6th April 2018
moreRotarian Terry Williams has been selling his locally grown Christmas trees again and all the proceeds are going to be divided between two charities
moreThe new Horizons College Minibus, donated collectively by all the Rotary Clubs of Swindon and District, has been branded with the Rotary logo and other graphics by the Wootton Bassett based company, PG Events, free of charge.
moreRotarian Terry's Christmas Trees enable the Rotary Club to present £1,225 to the Friends of Angel's Orphanage
moreThe Rotary Club of North Wiltshire (the name was changed to the Rotary Club of Swindon North in 2008) received its charter from Rotary International on 28th September 1966
moreThe Community & Vocational Service Committee is tasked with organising fund-raising events and functions.
moreRotarian Terry Williams' remarkable and unique fund raising effort, living in a ShelterBox emergency tent for a week in the Market Place, Highworth
moreThe Club Service Committee manages the administration of the Rotary Club.
moreInternational, Foundation & Youth Activities Service Committee
moreClub Council
moreExceeding expectations, President Lynn's challenge to 3 club members to Zumba in the Co-op Foodstore raised £700 for Swindon Young Carers.
moreThe Rotary Club of Swindon North charity concert featuring the Swindon Male Voice Choir in St Michael's Church, Highworth.
moreA Charity Dog Racing event with dinner held at Blunsdon Abbey Stadium on 14th March 2015 in aid of the NSPCC
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