Internet Classroom project for South Africa 2021/22

- with our ‘twin’ club, the Rotary Club of Klerksdorp.

In 2020 we learned of an exciting project being undertaken by the Rotary Club of Klerksdorp in South Africa.

We have had a connection with the Rotary Club of Klerksdorp for many years following a visit to them by a member of our club. This was formalised by a twinning agreement about eleven years ago and we have kept in touch since that time.

In and around Klerksdorp, which is about 100 miles west of Johannesburg, there are many poor townships where poverty is rife. In 2019 their club purchased a shipping container and converted it into a classroom. The container was moved to one of the townships, fitted with computers, printers, desks and chairs together with Wi-Fi and electricity. This allowed the local children, who only received school tuition in the mornings, to continue with their homework and education when they got home from school.

This internet classroom container proved to be a huge success and the monitoring of its use by the Rotary Club of Klerksdorp enables the facility to continue as a vital asset in the township today.

Our club felt that this was a great project and we wanted to provide another township with such an internet classroom.

In 2021 we raised sufficient funds, together with a district grant, and asked our colleagues in Klerksdorp to oversee the acquisition, equipping and installation of another container.

This work went ahead and was successfully completed in June 2022. Mildmay has now helped provide two of the four internet classroom containers in the Klerksdorp area.

This joint project certainly lives up to the Rotary 'Serve to Change Lives' theme for 2021-22 and Klerksdorp and Mildmay look forward to working together again.

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The latest edition of Mildmay Matters features Walk a Mile for Polio, Home-Start Essex, Mildmay Charity Quiz, World Polio Day, Beaulieu Christmas Hamper Project and much more. You will find past issues here too.

Santa Sleigh is heading to North Springfield, Beaulieu and Channels, Boreham, Ford End, Little Waltham and Great Waltham before Christmas. Details, dates and destinations are here.

- with our ‘twin’ club, the Rotary Club of Klerksdorp.

Rotary in Chelmsford has its own programme on CCR every third Sunday of the month: click on the Rotary Roundup logo below for recent broadcasts. You can also view photographs which give an idea of the range of interviews.

Fundraising and charities supported

Raising funds for local, national and international causes is key to what we do.

Club donations 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21, 2019/20 and 2018/19

Rotary's own charity

On 24 October 2019, Chelmsford Mildmay and Chelmsford Rivermead Rotary Clubs observed World Polio Day with the planting of 12,000 purple crocus corms. World Polio Day is celebrated globally to generate awareness about the eradication of polio.

Purple Crocus Planting in Central Park, World Polio Day, 24 October 2019

Supporting the environment - Rotary Area of Focus 7

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak Rotary clubs were unable to meet physically but we continued in other ways including video conferencing and a weekly online bulletin. Stories about members’ interests and activities continue to be posted here.

Rotary competitions and some Rotary winners

Theme - Shapes and Patterns: now closed for entries. Winners announced on 21 June. Sponsor: Blue Sky Printing, Chelmsford

For seven years Mildmay Rotarians collected unwanted but usable computer equipment, professionally cleared hard drives, packed, loaded and shipped to Tanzania schools.