Community Service

New Malden Rotary engages with the local community by monitoring and participating in development initiatives in our town.  We are currently acting as the fund-holder for five successful bids by local groups for High Street regeneration grants for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK).  This mirrors fundraising and installation management we carry out each year for High Street hanging basket displays in the summer and Christmas High Street lights at year end.

Current Activity – 2021-22
The pattern of our recent charitable giving has been shaped by the Covid pandemic with increased funding for the Kingston Hospital Charity and local food banks.  Currently we are planning donations for Christmas lunches through church and other charity organisations and to a charity supporting vulnerable adults in our area.

Our Community Service Team is actively represented in Refugee Action Kingston, helping with the provision of urgently needed toiletries and personal hygiene supplies and other needs for newly arrived refugees; further requests for help are anticipated during the coming months.  

Plans are ongoing for linking more closely with the sizeable Korean community in our midst including the formation and promotion of a satellite Rotary club for Korean speakers who will work with us on our projects as well as their own.  Support has been given to the successful Korean Festival for the Kingston area, which was held in New Malden in September, and the Kim Chi festival, which is planned for November.

Our major fundraising project for the year is our Christmas Appeal during December.  Plans are in hand for the return of Rudolph with his sleigh and Father Christmas with their tour of the streets of New Malden after their enforced absence last year.  Updates are published on our Facebook page and other local social media sites.