Help in the Community from Willows Counselling Service

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Philippa pictured here with David Gray

We were delighted to welcome Philippa Dryland, a Willows counsellor, to our meeting this morning.  Introduced to us by Rotarian David Gray, who is a ‘Friend’ of Willows, it was fascinating to learn how the service has grown to meet the needs of our community.

Willows Counselling Service, based in Old Town Swindon, has been providing Counselling within our local community since 1995.  The shared goal at the heart of Willows is to be a resource to those people who find themselves at a very low point in their lives, working with them to find solutions and help develop positive changes to their quality of life.

Willows counsellors have so far worked with over 2000 people and are working with around 90 people at any point in time.  Whilst many people are able to make a donation towards the cost of their own personal counselling, there are others, much in need of support, who through low income or personal debt are unable to do so. Working in partnership with other local voluntary organisations such as the NSPCC, Barnardos and the Salvation Army  in Swindon, Willows is also able to provide ‘No Cost’ counselling for those most in need, recovering from neglect, trauma, abuse and domestic violence. Funding this valuable work comes from a number of sources, that includes donations from clients, gifts from individual supporters in ‘Friends of Willows’, local churches, legacies, grant applications and fundraising.  Read more about them here and how you may be able to help.

We are delighted to confirm our commitment to help Willows with their fundraising this year.

Matching grant awarded for our project in SA

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We are pleased to announce that the matching grant paperwork has been completed and passed by Foundation at Evanston, USA. We just have with our partners, to pay in the funds which contribute to full funding in excess of £18,000 to provide breakfast and library facilities at a deprived school on the West Cape of South Africa.
Aloe Secondary High School has been known to us since 2008 when it’s Headteacher Keith Damon and Noel Cleophatis travelled to the UK with a British Council Grant for an exchange visit to The Ridgeway School.
The facilities we provide will be important and have significant impact. Many students do not eat before coming to school and hungry children cannot learn. The breakfast equipment will help with this provision. Computer equipment, furniture and books for a library will establish a core resource centre to facilitate learning in the school.

Our partner Club Newlands in Cape Town has been a resilient partner, working on this project and we are particularly grateful to Mike Walwyn and their Club President Janey Ball.
The Clubs at Newlands and Kirstenbosch have also made large donations to project funds to help make the project possible.

Raising awareness for Shelterbox in Highworth

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18th–25th Feb 2012, the Market Place, Highworth, Wilts.
To raise money for ShelterBox Swindon North Rotarian Terry Williams is going to live in a ShelterBox Emergency Tent for 7 days and nights in Highworth town centre. ShelterBox is unaware of any fund-raiser ever having “camped” out for more than ONE night, and definitely never in the middle of winter!!

TERRY SAYS:

”Since being a member of Swindon North Rotary Club I’ve heard a lot about ShelterBox and the work it does around the world and with more frequent natural disasters I wanted to raise funds and awareness of the fantastic benefits ShelterBoxes bring to families affected by such tragic events. I am a little anxious about how well I will sleep during my time in the tent but I’m pleased to hear they are warm and cosy. I particularly want to experience first hand what living in a Shelterbox tent is like and it will provide an opportunity for local people to see what a the Shelterbox itself provides.”

ShelterBox www.shelterbox.org is an international charity providing shelter, warmth and dignity to thousands of people, all around the world, who have been made homeless by natural and man made disasters. The Rotary Club of Swindon North has supported ShelterBox for many years. A ShelterBox costs £590 and Terry wants to raise enough money for the Rotary Club to buy lots more.

Terry will welcome visitors to his emergency home between 18th and 25th February to see the valuable and worthwhile work undertaken by ShelterBox. Local school children are already planning to come and the Rotary Club will hold its regular weekly meeting alongside him on 20th February at 6.15pm in Highworth Market Place. Further details: Terry Williams’ Fund Raising Page on the Rotary Club website: www.rotaryswindonnorth.org.uk

FURTHER INFORMATION:
Ken Winslow, Tel: 07710 228 697
Email: kenpriscilla@btinternet.com
www.rotaryswindonnorth.org.uk

Coral the puppy our speaker

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George McAffrey came to speak to us today bringing his lovely puppy Coral.     George explained how he, along with many others, look after Guide Dog puppies for the first 10 months of their lives.  His task to socialise the puppy by bringing the it up in a normal family home with lots of walks and fun times.  Coming as they do at at six weeks they need lots of life experience before they are ready to be trained.   Coral got bored during the talk and barked for attention which is one of the things George is trying to control.  She cannot grow up to be a good worker if she constantly barks for attention.

George retired from 32 years in the navy and has now socialised four puppies over the past four years.  All of them went on to be effective guide dogs and all now working.   At the next stage in the dog’s life at 10 months they go to  big school where they learn to wear a harness and learn to walk taking in the owner’s size and height so they don’t drag people through dog sized spaces..  They learn regular routes but owner needs to have idea of where they are going.

Geoge also shared some lovely anecdotes. One an experience from lan Fletcher whose dog Joy liked stopping by wheelie bins and leaving Alan convinced he was next to a person but found he was having a conversation with an inanmate object.  He told us to of a mother who can now take children to school as the dog can bring her home again. George also told a wonderful story of when a dog saved the life of his owner by stopping  him getting off the  train  which had stopped outside the station.

There are currently 5,000 guide dogs working in the UK.    The organisation  pays vet bills and food and funds dog throughout its life.  It’s big commitment because the owners may need upto 10 dogs in their lifetime.  but it does ensure that everyone who needs one can have one whatever their financial situation.  It costs £45,000 for the full life of the dog.  Swindon Thamesdown chose the Guide Dogs as their main charity last year and have succeeded in sponsoring 3 puppies so far.

Interestingly a dog which doesn’t pass the stringent tests to become a guide can still help as they may enter a breeding programme to ensure a good supply of the right kind of dogs for the future.  George finished by saying he was not a dog person having never owned a dog before is now devoted to his puppy walking regime.  And all that walking keeps him fit too.  Coral barked a relived bark as he finished his talk and settled back down in his seat to give her his undivided attention!

 

If you want more information please click here   or follow them on Sponsor a Puppy on Facebook and like the page

 

 

 

New post of Almoner

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'Good news Brothers' David right pictured here with Reverend Mark Barratt

Rotary has always prided itself on looking after its members  which means in effect members looking after each other.  In a club which has a high number long term committed Rotarians inevitably there are those with health problems, those who are bereaved and those who may be having difficulties with familes or in business.

In order to ensure we can respond quickly and effectively to any of these issues our Council voted unanimously to support a proposal from the Membership Committee for a club almoner.

We are all delighted that Reverend David Gray the Methodist Minister in Swindon and a stalwart member of Swindon Old Town has agreed to take up the post from immediate effect.  Please contact him in the first instance if you have concerns for yourself or for other members in the club.

As you can see from his picture he is a friendly, non stuffy guy with a great sense of humour

Our First Six Months of 2011 -2012 – Successes

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Report from our President given at the club meeting this morning.  He started by looking back over the last six month’s activities.

First the Summer Barbecue. Great afternoon out.

Alice and Becks attended RYLA.  Eddie and David Pratt went to the Pig Roast and met their parents. It was great to welcome them to the club when the girls gave their presentations.

Peter, Melodie and David Pratt went to Dogs for Disabled open day in Banbury  and met up with our dog Skittles. A really good investment made by the club.

Successful Quiz Night Thanks to Melodie, Ray, Mike and International.  Bought a Cow Store for Eleanor at action for Children in Conflict.  Well done and a good night.

Show in a Day for Matching Grant.  Tim Whiting put in a tremendous amount of work.  Eddie has put in work on a Matching Grant, which is now coming to fruition.

RIBI Lunch at WB club. Supported by several club members. Very good and satisfying.

Peter, Safi and Melodie ‘Met the Mayor’

Race Night put on by Sports and Social. Thanks to Stewart and Gary. £3 Cheap night out. Good location, good parking.  Made small amount of money for ABC

LNOTP – A combined  Swindon Rotary Clubs function put on by Peter and his team. This was a major fundraising event and a great evening.

David Pratt represented club at ABC Carol Service

Finished up the half year at the Christmas Party. Really good bash.

Festival Of Rotary – News from RC Vigornia

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Vigornia GPS Challenge
What a great way to use today’s technologies! The brainchild of Rtn Steve Hunt of Worcester Vigornia Rotary Club in District 1100, what started off as ‘let’s have a treasure hunt’ was soon ‘let’s do it differently’ and before we knew it the first Vigornia GPS Challenge was launched.
A team of six Vigornians had a great time hiding caches (boxes) in the wonderful Worcestershire countryside, noting GPS coordinates, checking and rechecking them. Logistics expert, Rtn Stephen Hodgson, created a matrix working out routes and mileage so that all was fair to the teams who would drive out to find the caches. Each cache concealed small items to swap and a logbook to be signed. On the day, 1 October 2011, with the aid of GPS devices, ie SatNavs or smart phones, coordinates were given and Rotarians, friends and families set off on a treasure hunt with a twist: caching.
Before the event a ten minute introduction to using GPS devices to find locations using coordinates, eg N52°10.110 W2°17.293, was followed by practical demonstrations in cars; health and safety was covered and Vigornia GPS Challenge handbooks given out. A stall selling small novel items for cache swaps added to the fun as did the list of natural items to find such as leaves, feathers, seeds and so on. Base for the day was the excellent Bear and Ragged Staff pub in rural Worcestershire; they offered bacon butties and other refreshments throughout the day and a comprehensive menu for those who stayed to dine.
We encouraged four or more to share a car so that those without their own GPS device could be with those who did. Once a cache was found, text messaging was used to advise the next cache coordinates, and off they set again!
Prizes were given for best mileage, best-dressed car, best examples from the natural finds list, most litter picked (rubbish bags and gloves were supplied in advance), and of course there was a booby prize.
Overall winners were the Swindon e’s who said ‘A fantastic day travelling the local roads surrounding Worcester … laughing when we were looking in the wrong places … excellent fellowship and fun’. Only one team had to be ‘rescued’ by Rtn Lucy Hodgson and they said how much easier caching was than they expected, but that ‘challenge’ was a good word!
Vigornia’s stand at ‘The Festival of Rotary’ will show how a GPS event works; there’s sure to be a whole lot of caching going on!
If you would like to set up a GPS event, let the Vigornia team know, they would be pleased to come along and show you the ropes for a donation to The Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign.

Vigornia’s next GPS Challenge is planned for Sunday 11 March 2012 – again, all welcome and all proceeds will go to the Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign.
Polly Robinson
President
The Rotary Club of Worcester Vigornia

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

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Our club will not be meeting this Wednesday but we will be back fighting fit in January ready to raise more funds for our President’s chosen Charities and have fun together.  2012 looks like it will be opening with two new members joining us.  Please contact  us if you would like to know more about becoming a Rotarian and join us at a breakfast meeting or two to see how you like it.

Of Interest to Club Rotarians

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Management organisational changes are being proposed for RIBI, as the organisation
adapts and prepares itself for the needs, demands and aspirations of the  second decade of the 21st century.These proposals, which have been carefully considered and agreed by your General Council, aim to streamline RIBI so that it can rise to the challenges ahead.
By-law changes will be considered and voted upon at the business meeting at
the 2012 Annual Conference in Bournemouth.

Your thoughts and views are requested in order to ensure that the proposed changes  really do help to guarantee a bright and prosperous future for RIBI, its  clubs and all its members.Please click herefor much more  information and the background to how these proposed changes have come about.

Read
more

SEQOL – A social enterprise for quality of living

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Our speaker this morning was Heather Mitchell the CEO of the Social Enterprise SEQOL an organisation which provides care and support to a range of people in Swindon. There are three main areas of operations Urgent Care helping those who need medical attention out of hours, Intermediate Care for those leaving hospital and needing support at home and Long Care support working with people with learning difficulties to help them cope in the community and find work and approriate accommodation.
The Social Enterprise delivers a contract of care on behalf of the NHS Trust and Swindon Borough Council. They employ approximately 750 employees including nurses, social workers, care assistants and other health workers who deliver the service across Swindon and areas covered by Great Western Hospital.

As a Social Enterprise (a Community Interest Company’) awarded the prestigious Social Enterprise Mark, any surplus is reinvested in improving outcomes for the communities.

Read more on their interim website  It is interesting approach for Care in the 21 century