Eight weeks in the Life of Rotary Satellite of Orpington

Eight weeks in the Life of Rotary Satellite of Orpington

As a small group of 16 working Rotarians (local MP is an honory member) we are very proud to say our feet rarely touch the ground and that we constantly strive to meet and uphold all Rotarian objectives!! Our volunteering and community support is extremely varied and reaches many levels! We volunteer together as well as individually – both being an aid to those in need as well as being tremendously rewarding! 

As a Satellite group we thought we would highlight what we cover in a few months and hope this will encourage others to continue to engage in the good works they are doing.

During the last eight weeks we have covered many events and have helped many in various ways – please see the following summary (in no particular order or level of profile) which captures most of our activity – at the end we have highlighted two in a little more depth as pictures tell a thousand stories:

Sourcing, collecting & delivering items for the set up of a local Men’s Shed & Ladies Lounge as well as hosting a fundraising dinner in a local restaurant for the same;

Supporting Orpington’s Literary Festival which included introducing writers & attendees, sharing program details, engaging writers with schools, hosting small events to encourage making book gift bags from recycled textiles, delivering ‘Watch Out’ Books to local schools,

organising a draw for donated Graham Norton books, setting up a local Library House (books in an old, refurbished cupboard) on local common land;

Orpington has been chosen this year to represent London in Britain in Bloom – we have initially engaged with local organisers to analyse how we can help - we have started by placing planted tubs in the area under our Rotary noticeboard;

Marshalling for the annual Blue Bell Walk – raising money for St Christophers Hospice, Orpington;

Attending an idea sharing Zoom call with Rotary colleagues from a Dutch Club;

Participation in the Rotary national resilience team supporting those impacted by the invasion of Ukraine. Also supporting local requirements ie gathering details of local translators, producing a local ‘help’ document for refugees coming to Bromley, attending Bromley welcome meetings;

Collecting & delivering items from locals to BR6 Ukraine groups for onward delivery to Ukraine;

We were represented on the Friends of the PRUH  (local hospital) Committee Meeting and delivered ICare (local stroke charity) leaflets to Stroke Unit;

Several continued to volunteer at Vaccination Centres;

Ran a stall selling lots of donated items at Safe Haven Animal Rescues annual dog show as well as delivered flyers prior to the event - over £1000 was raised on the day;

Delivered copies of the free ‘Life in Orpington’ & Petts Wood in Business Association magazines;

Volunteered at the Bromley Food Bank & Open Kitchen, Christ Church, Orpington;

Volunteered at local Barnardo’s charity shop;

One member specifically continued her role as a ‘One Bromley Community

Champion’ by attending on-line training re: role of social prescribers; 

Spotlight 1:

BR6 Life recently offered congratulations to Chelsfield Volunteers at The Chelsfield Community Cafe who received this month’s gorgeous bouquet as winners of BR6 Life’s Flower Friday campaign.

Chelsfield Volunteers were set up at the beginning of the COVID pandemic by Mags Potter (Rotary Satellite in Orpington), Pam Temple and others to provide support to those in need during a difficult time. The Community Café has been set up to continue their support to the local community.

The Chelsfield Community Cafe runs twice a month and is based in Chelsfield Village, village Hall (by the cricket club), based purely on local volunteers it brings the young and elderly together for a couple of hours to interact with each other, chat, & have fun, an idea bought to fruition when lockdown was eased to help those with loneliness and isolation. 

It has proven very popular with friendships blossoming, all kinds of entertainment now being added (i.e. songs & a sing a long by the Bromley Carers Choir) and of course let’s not forget the delicious homemade cakes that are donated.