On the 23rd we will complete the first year of ‘Service Above Self’since we celebrated our Centennial.
The 23rd February is also World Understanding and Peace Day, do not allow the day to pass unrecognised by all club Rotarians.
The second week of February is also Family Week, when we should make a special effort to involve the whole family of Rotary in a club activity.
The RC Cardiff Breakfast is still seeking participants to take part in the above fund-raising event. Every District in RIBI is invited to enter a team and the RC Cardiff Breakfast has volunteered to coordinate an entry from D1150 so please support them. Participants should be experienced hill walkers but not Mountaineers.
Margaret has asked me to update you on her 5K Mercy Ships Challenge which took place in August. I am delighted to be able to inform you that the total sponsorship from Rotarians in D1150 was just over £2000. Margaret asks me to thank everyone for their generous support for this most worthwhile Charity.
On the broader RIBI appeal for Mercy Ships the amount raised todate is over £100.000. Well on target to complete the Opthalmic Theatre on the new Mercy Ship, Africa Mercy. Many thanks to all the clubs who have or plan to support this appeal.
On the 24th January the RC Cardiff Bay successfully launched a MIAB scheme for south Cardiff. The event took place at the Future Inns Hotel Cardiff and was attended by The Lord Mayor and representatives of all the emergency services and voluntary organisations. A first class power- point presentation was made and copies of this presentation are available to other clubs about to launch a scheme or considering doing so. The person to contact is PN David Reeves on 02920 618778.
The Rotary response from clubs in RIBI to the appeal to support the ‘box’ schemes as the best way to support the victims of the Kashmir Disaster has been a great success. By the end of January over 2000 Shelter Boxes,
1365 Aquaboxes and 254 Aqua 30 Boxes plus some 10.000 tents had been sent. This is a tremendous effort considering, when the disaster occurred on the 9th October, the stocks of all the ‘boxes’ had been exhausted by the Tsunami and other less well recorded requests for emergency aid.
By now clubs will have been contacted by Rtn. PP Rob Morrison RC Crickhowell, Foundation Fund-Raising Officer, seeking support for the Charity Auction, being held jointly with Inner Wheel, on the 10th March at the High Tide , Porthcawl. This event is different and should be a very enjoyable evening of fun and fundraising for our Rotary Foundation. We need donations of promises and goods to be auctioned. This could be anything from a business service ( Writing of a Will) or a meal for two in a local restaurant to an electrical item or decorative ornament. Tickets to attend are only £5.50 including a bar meal and are available from Rob.
Please support this joint effort with our Inner Wheel partners.
We really do need to firm up on this District Preferred Project
Some clubs have made donations and to them my grateful thanks. Other clubs have indicated an intention to support the project and I would ask them to contact International Chairman DGN Roy Blacker as soon as possible to confirm their involvement.
The enjoyable round of official visits is coming to an end. To say that Margaret and I have been well hosted does not do justice to the welcome and fellowship we have enjoyed. To all the clubs we have visited or will have visited before the next newsletter is written my sincere thanks and best wishes.
Time and space have run out and in keeping with my promise I will not go into a second page.
Sincerely in Rotary Fellowship,
David Wiltshire
District 1150 Governor