My “job” for the next twelve months is to lead my Rotary Club locally, and to invite you to learn more about what we are and what we do.

Rotary is a world-wide organisation whose members are drawn from all walks of life.

Ours aims include.

Helping local voluntary organisations, particularly younger folk and those who may be elderly or infirm.

Broadening our own understanding of local issues and “how things work”

Acting in liaison with a variety of community based groups to help improve the quality of life for those in Whickham and surrounding districts.

Lastly, but vitally, enjoying the company of old and new Club members as we do the things mentioned above!

Interested in finding out if this could be for you?

We meet at the Bay Horse upstairs lounge every Wednesday from 7pm. Please feel free to come along for a taste of what we can do for each other!

If you need any information please call me on 0191- 4204338

I do hope we can welcome you soon!

The final week in March 2010 was chosen by Rotary to promote the End Polio Now campaign which aims to raise US$200million to support the eradication of Polio throughout the world. As well as fundraising throughout the year, the Club raised awareness of the issue with a display in the window of a shop unit in Whickham. Grateful thanks go to Rotarian Alan Murray who provided the premises free of charge.

polio appeal

Membership Report 2008 - 2009
Membership Officer Alan Nicholson .

President Stuart at the beginning of your year I stood here as your Membership Officer and delivered a report that said I had high expectations of adding to the club's membership, I also stated in that report the target would be set to increase membership by at least 2, this may have sounded ambitious at the time especially as Rotary membership in general is showing signs of decline, but at the time I honestly felt that the target set was very achievable.
My beliefs for thinking that we could attract and increase the numbers was based on the continued success of the Rotary Club of Whickham Clavering, which in my opinion is still a shining light in district 1030.
As we all look back on this Rotary year I think everyone would agree it has been yet another great year for our club, and as you look back on your year President Stuart I'm sure you will recall many memorable moments such as those that have been highlighted by the various committee chairmen.
I would like to think that your membership committee have also played their part in making your year a memorable one, as we can look around the room this evening and see not 2 but 4 new members in our club, George, Alistair, Jon, and Duncan have joined us and have all proved to be valuable assets to our club, and its hoped that with the approval of the clubs bookmark a greater awareness of our club will be created enabling further additions to the numbers in the next Rotary year .
President Stuart on behalf of Graham Harris, Ronnie Hart, Roy Baber and myself thank you for the opportunity to have served as your Membership Committee I trust that the additional new members added during your year has proved to be an added bonus to what I believe has been another good, eventful, and successful year for the Rotary Club of Whickham Clavering, and one which I hope you will remember for many years to come

Report of Community & Vocational Services Committee Annual General Meeting — 13th May 2009
Members:
Kevin Bewsher — Chairman
Roy Baber
Saacha Bishop George Craig Ronnie Hart
Alan Nicholson
During the Rotary Year 2008-9, the following initiatives were undertaken and with some six weeks remaining, I have included the situation regarding "work in progress". As ever, the months fly by and sometimes it appears that not much has happened; this report serves to prove otherwise!
During the first quarter, the team decided to establish a schedule of whom we had helped in recent years and who, perhaps, we had neglected or not yet found. The outcome was intended to be multipurpose: -
- To ascertain which organisations were worthy of financial support

To increase the bank of suitable speakers
To encourage visitors to the Club who could be potential members

The research was not as straightforward as we had imagined, as there is clearly an incomplete database of charitable and voluntary organisations within our Club footprint. Tapping into those people we already know has helped and generally raising Rotary's profile through the likes of The Whickham Advertiser / Xmas Collections / Xmas Window Competition / May Fayre all play a vital role. These projects are a mainstay of our work and are what I regard as "standing orders".
Beyond that, there have been very encouraging responses from our local secondary schools and youth organisations; some specifics are quoted below. Maintaining momentum on these will be essential as I am utterly convinced that we have yet to extract the full potential of these opportunities. Looking forward, it has been deliberate policy by incoming President, Derrick, to retain continuity within Comm. & Voc with Ronnie heading up the new team which includes existing members Roy & George. I wish them well!!

Some highlights
Christmas Collections - The Club's major fund-raiser and very much a whole club effort. As always, a lot of fun within the graft and the total collected for 2008 was £ 3,677.98
This has financed awards to: -
Whickham Library Garden — Funds pledged last year were paid over in two tranches totalling £300 enabling the purchase of a bench seat and more landscaping.
Durham Agency against Crime - £100 paid to support their EDDY project to encourage young disadvantaged folk away from a life of crime and anti-social behaviour.

In 2007/8 we donated to Bangladesh Cyclone/ Appeal Bubble Foundation UK/ "Send a Cow" project /St Marys Toddlers Group/ Whickham Fellside Youth FC/ Sunniside Community Association/ Swalwell Juniors FC/ Whickham Scouts/ Children's Diabetic Trust /Mission Aviation Fellowship/ Emmanuel College/ Award Children North East /Vision Aid Overseas/ Whickham School Prize /Rotary Foundation /Help For Heroes/ Whickham Hermitage Garden/ Shelter Box (Burma Disaster)/ Palestinian Boys Education/ Whickham Scouts May Fayre/ Christmas Window Competition(Whickham)Rainbow Trust — this organisation has supported in excess of 300 northern families in the last year alone by providing respite facilities either at their residential centre near Hexham or in the client's own home. Our £100 donation will help but worth noting is the reality that Rainbow Trust can only help one in ten of those in need.
Local Schools — Ongoing awards of £100 to Emmanuel College, as a memorial to our Past President, Jeff Rouse, recognising their student's achievement within AVCE Engineering and to Whickham School, £100, to award the best "Working in the Community" project. Going forward, we have suggested the schools and Rotary obtain better profile for these and further detail will be given shortly. Kingsmeadow School have been offered financial support to recognise the achievement for their Best House Charitable Fundraising. Again, more to follow.
Woodside Centre, Dunston Hill Hospital - £250 awarded for the provision of a Wii games console (to assist mobility and mental acuity in the elderly) and support for the Men's Social Group.
Boy's Brigade - We were delighted to present the brigade with an air hockey table at a cost of £100. President Stuart and I attended the start of their meeting for the official handover.
1st Whickham (St Mary's) Scout Group - a significant award of £500 towards the cost of a new alarm system in their meeting "hut". We applied for a Foundation District Simplified Grant and hope to top this award up to £1000 by matching overall contributions for eligible projects this Rotary Year
12th Gateshead Scout Group — the scouts have done well this year with this group awarded £345 towards the purchase of climbing ropes.
P.S. We are actively looking to assist suitable projects with the Girl Guides And finally
Give Tilly a Hand — a tragic case where this 3 year old from Tow Law had both hands and toes amputated following meningitis when she was only 17 months old. Our award, though modest at £100, will assist in the purchase of myo-electric prosthetic hands which are replaced at least annually as she grows into maturity.
There were a number of requests received that did not obtain immediate backing. Some were unsuitable but others will benefit from greater detail following a visit to the Club by one of their representatives. These will form part of the programme for 2009-10.

Work in Progress
Whickham May Fayre — due on the 16th May, we have significantly increased the size of the bottle draw following last year's early sell-out. Hopefully, good weather will add to another success.
Whickham Fellside Youth Football Club — Contact with Bill Baty was followed by his visit to the Club to discuss our sponsorship of a new junior team. We have already voted £500 to finance team strips. The opportunity to attend matches to watch "our" team play will be aided by the display of our newly purchased banners and the intended presentation of a "man of the match" prize. There is a lot to be gained from this initiative across Community, Membership and Club Service.
Whickham School — we are invited to "Return to School" on the 24th June to receive a lesson followed by a school dinner! All this in the evening!! The school Business Manager & Joint Head Teacher are delighted to improve rapport with this club. Work of this nature is entirely congruent with the ethos of Rotary and the direction provided at the recent District Assembly.
"Proms in the Park" Methold Houses Beamish — our three secondary schools have agreed to submit an entry for a music event to take place on the lawn at Methold Houses. Initially, this had been planned for the evening of15th May but risk assessment indicated that our resources would be too stretched on that occasion so we are seeking a re-schedule. The intention is for the school bands to entertain a party totalling around 150, including family and friends plus our own members and guests, with a prize for the winning musicians. Considerable work has already been done to organise the event that we hope now to put on in September.

Thanks to my whole team with recognition for: -
Roy                     who (again) organised the Xmas window competition
Saacha                  for work researching the previous charitable donees
George               for sterling work as a new boy with great success with the Youth Football
Ronnie                risk assessing the forthcoming Beamish Event and his work on the May
Fayre
Alan                     liaison with charities and (defeated) attempt to get us a Rotary Way
Them all             for allowing me to stumble thorough chairmanship unhindered by dissent!
I also recognise, with gratitude, that some of the above work could not have been accomplished without the help and support of other (sometimes all!) club members. What a team!!
Kevin Bewsher
12th May 2009

Rotary Foundation 2008/9

Graham Harris Chairman.

The following funds were raised for the Rotary Foundation during the year:

£220 – voluntary annual contributions by members
£53 – Bowls Evening
£60 – donation received at Club 21st Birthday Function
£10 – anonymous donation (found in the street!)
£700 – fundraising by the Club, specifically for the Polio Eradication Fund

TOTAL: £1043

The donation of £700 to the Polio Eradication Fund meets the requirement of Rotary International for each Rotary Club to provide $1000 over and above the Club’s normal donations to the Rotary Foundation.

The remainder of the funds were passed to the Rotary Foundation Charity which aims to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

I addition to the above, the Club Foundation Committee facilitated the award of a District Simplified Grant of £500 towards the support of local Youth Organisations undertaken by the Club Community and Vocational Services Committee.

Christmas Window Competition - despite the economic gloom, the annual event was well supported and the winners, The Village Sweet Shop, attended our meeting to receive their prize from The Deputy Mayor of Gateshead who spoke well of the club and clearly enjoyed our fellowship.

"In December the Rotary Club of Whickham Clavering was pleased to welcome a speaker, Catrina Flynn, from Children North East, the Region's oldest childrens' charity. Catrina provided a most interesting talk regarding both the work of the organisation and the long history of the charity. One of the projects of Children North East is the "Giving Tree" by which gifts are distributed to deserving children at Christmas. The timing of the talk was an opportunity too good to miss, so the members of Whickham Clavering wanted to make their contribution. The photograph shows Club President, Mike Roe, handing over £100 worth of childrens toys to the "Giving Tree" appeal, and the charity has confirmed that our donation has helped to make Christmas a much happier time for many children and young people. If anyone is interested in the work of Children North East, further information is available at www.children-ne.org ."

children

"For the second year in a row, the Rotary Club of Whickham Clavering provided almost £200 worth of toys and equipment to the St Mary's Toddler Group in Whickham, just in time for Christmas! The Group of Mums, Dads and other volunteers run regular, twice a week sessions for about 30 toddlers as well as organising one-off events such as parties and visits to other facilities. The photograph shows Rotarian Roy Baber (standing in for Santa who was busy elsewhere!) with some of the children who will benefit from Rotary's support."

st mary

The Rotarians raise money every Christmas with collections at local supermarkets, and street collections with the Club's popular Christmas "sleigh". The majority of the money raised is earmarked for local causes, and what better way to support the community than to donate to the upkeep of the Whickham Girlguiding (and Brownie!) headquarters premises.

A donation of £400 was made and the photograph shows Club President, Alan Nicholson, with a group of Brownies and their leaders who will see that the money is used wisely.

Best Christmas Window" competition

Every year, the Rotary Club of Whickham Clavering invites the Mayor of Gateshead to judge its "Best Christmas Window" competition which encourages local businesses to suitably decorate their premises in the lead up to the festive season. Christmas 2006 was no exception but, on this occasion, the Mayor returned the compliment by inviting the Club to visit her in her Parlour. Members and their partners were treated to an informal buffet followed by a talk given by the Town's Mace Bearer about the Civic Traditions surrounding the office of Mayor. The history of the Mace was recounted, and the Mayor wore the Mayoral Robes and Chain of Office for the occasion and described their traditional origins. The photograph shows the Mayor of Gateshead, Councillor Maureen Goldsworthy and her Consort, husband Bob, together with Alan Nicholson, President of the Club, and the Mace Bearer, Nigel Hall.

Birthday

The Rotary Club of Whickham Clavering celebrated its birthday recently with a beautiful cake made and decorated by the wife of one of the members. Vicki, wife of Club Vice President Mike Roe, began making birthday cakes for her father and things escalated into what is now a rather time-consuming hobby. In addition to birthday cakes, Vicki now bakes and decorates cakes for all occasions including weddings and Christmas. One Christmas Vicki made over 30 Christmas cakes which had to be stored all around the house during the various stages of production. This experience convinced Vicki to confine her cake-making to family and friends!

The photograph shows Club President, Alan Nicholson, cutting the cake under the watchful eye of his wife Beryl, ensuring that she gets a big piece with plenty of icing!!

ROTARY FIRST RESPONDERS LINK

Provision of Defibrillators:

A presentation evening was held in August 2005 and the North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op provided the Club with a cheque for £8000 to be used for the purchase of defibrillators in the north east. In attendance were representatives of Co-op management and the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Guest of honour, accompanied by his wife was Vince Donnelly whose life had been saved using a defibrillator provided previously by the Club. This has been a major project for the Club and the funds have been distributed, so far, as follows:

- £701 to RC of Blyth towards the purchase of a defibrillator for their local St Johns Ambulance Group

- £1325 to RC of Morpeth to purchase a defibrillator which is now sited in their local Co-op store

- £1362 to RC of Berwick upon Tweed to purchase a defibrillator which is now sited in the Tweedmouth Co-op store

- £1325 has been used to purchase a defibrillator which will be sited in the Co-op store at Prudhoe

- we expect to fund a further two defibrillators, locations to be determined in conjunction with the Royal Life Saving Society

In addition to the above, a defibrillator purchased by the Club last year has been installed in the Co-op store in Whickham and all our members have been instructed in it's use.

Christmas Collections: As usual, fundraising took place on the two weekends immediately prior to Christmas at local supermarkets, and also during the evenings of the week in between in the streets of the local area with our Santa Sleigh. Once again these activities were met with great enthusiasm from the local community, and feedback from the residents continues to confirm the popularity of our efforts. This year the collections raised a record £3810.

Hearing Dogs for the Deaf: Following a talk by a speaker at the Club, we made a donation of £250.

Great North Air Ambulance: Our members are familiar with this service and we made a donation of £200.

Bubble Foundation: The foundation raises funds for a unit at Newcastle General Hospital for babies and children with Severe Combined Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Following a talk by a member of the Foundation, we made a donation of £425 to purchase a nebuliser, and a formal presentation to the unit is imminent.

Memorial to Past President Jeff Rouse: Sadly Jeff died in March 2005 and, for the next three years, the Club is to provide a £100 prize at Emmanuelle College in his memory.

Hermitage Garden: A donation of £300 is planned to help with the development of this local community garden.

Whickham May Fair: The Club had a stall at the Fair and raised the profile of the Club in the local community. In addition, £48 was raised.

Northumberland 100: A donation of £100 was made to support this long distance walking event.

Hedgehog Sanctuary: Following a talk by a speaker at the Club, we made a donation of £100.