Pages last updated on Monday 17th July 2017

THE ROTARY CLUB OF LEEDS ELMETE 

email: leedselmeterotary@btinternet.com    

Church Lane, Bardsey, Leeds.  LS17 9DR.

 7.00 pm. for 7.30 pm., every Thursday

(except two Thursdays around Christmas).

For directions and map,  CLICK HERE. 

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Our President for 2017-18 is Rotarian Peter Whelan. Peter is a retired Surgeon who worked at St James's University Hospital, Leeds (Jimmy's) as a Consultant Urologist until his recent retirement. This is Peter's second go at being President (previous term of office: 2002-03). Peter took over from the out-going President, Bill Jones, on Thursday 6th July when the Chain of Office was duly handed over.

President Peter and Members will be delighted to welcome visiting Rotarians and guests to our meetings. (Please advise by phoning 0113 267 2925).

 President Peter will write a summary of what has been happening in the Club from time to time in the next year, so watch this space for the first installment.

MOBILE FOLDING HOIST PURCHASED FOR IRELAND WOOD SCHOOL PHYSIOTHERAPY DEPARTMENT

Leeds Elmete has had a good working relationship with Ireland Wood School in North Leeds for many years. This school accomodates children with special educational needs and integrates them into mainsteam. We work particularly with the physiotherapy department. To fulfil a need to reduce strain on carers, and to aid the comfortable transfer of children/young adults unable to stand safely, we purchased of a 'Birdie' Folding Mobile Hoist as illustrated in the picture, in May 2017. We are delighted to provide the funding for this eqipment, knowing it will be put to good use for the benefit of the staff and students.

Here is President Bill presenting the cheque to Mr Blackburn the Headteacher:

PRESENTATION OF PHYSIO PRIZES AT                                         IRELAND WOOD SCHOOL,  12th July 2017

It was, yet again, a great pleasure for 4 of our Rotarians, along with President Peter, to attend the afternoon Assembley at Ireland Wood School on 12th July 2017. We were reminded that we have being going, on an annual basis, for many years now to present prizes to the students judged to have made outstanding progress with their physiotherapy to help their mobility, while also making progress with their studies. We were also able to perform the 'official handover' of the hoist we purchased a couple of months ago. It is always a delight to see the children, how well behaved they are, and to see the pleasure on the faces of the winners of the awards. 

The awards are named in memory of one of our past members, the late Jack Transport, who initiated the scheme.

Below is a photograph of 3 of the 4 successful students (the missing young lady was visiting the school she will be studing at next term on the day we attended), as well as a photo of Past President Bill and the hoist.

NEW PIGGY BANK FOR OUR MEETINGS

A teacher from Ireland Wood School attended one of our meetings recently to give us a talk about the School and how the children with Educational Special Needs are incorporated into the daily life of the school. A talk appreciated by all. 

During the meeting, we had to pass around an empty sugar bowl, since 'The Pig of Good Fortune' had gone AWOL. The pig - a large orange piggybank - has been passed around at our meetings weekly for some time now. If a member has some good news, information, joke etc. to impart, a coin or two is then put in the pig. This raises a suprisingly large sum that the President is able to send to one or more chosen charities at Christmastime. Last year, Rotary's Polio Plus and Brain Cancer Research benifitted from the proceeds of the 'Pig.'

When we went to Ireland Wood to present the Physio Prizes in July, knowing we were bereft of a collecting vessel, the Teacher who had talked to us presented us with a ceramic Owl to replace the missing animal. So from now on 'Olly' the Owl of Good Fortune will do the collecting. Thanks Jane.

'LEAKY TAPS AND JERRY CANS' - A SUCESSFUL MATCHING DISTRICT GRANT WITH 4 OTHER LOCAL ROTARY CLUBS, PROVIDING HAND WASHING FACILITIES IN A KENYAN SLUM.

Following a presentation to the Club in September last year by two medical students, we awarded £200 to the Carolina for Kibera NGO to buy taps to be attached to jerry cans to provide basic handwashing facilities for people in Kibera, the largest slum in Kenya (if not Africa). The students had undertaken a research project in Kibera and found that lack of hand washing contributed to higher rates of diarrhoeal illness, especially in children. We were so impressed by the students and their project, that President Bill presented the project at a meeting of the Leeds Rotary Club presidents in October, and by Christmas an aplication for a District Matching Grant of £1000 was submitted. Four of the Leeds Clubs matched our further donation of £200. The grant was approved and the money, now £2,000 has been despatched, meaning that in the near future nearly 10,000 people in the slum will be able to wash their hands before eating of preparing food.

 To go to the full story with more pictures:  CLICK HERE

PURPLE 4 POLIO - Our crocuses

Here is a picture of flowering crocus corms that were planted by members of Bardsey Parish Council, Students from Bardsey Primary School and ourselves in November. A grand show around the village and infront of the school, and of course in aid of Polio Plus. (Also see more pictures in 'Events 2016-17' in 'What We Do' or CLICK HERE) 

 

AQUABOX

    Click on the Aquabox logo to go to their website.

Our Club members filled three Aquaboxes in the last Rotary year (2015-16).   We have done the same number this year (2016-17), and they were delivered to the Aquabox Depot in Derbyshire on Friday 9th June 2017.

Below is an extract of an email received by Aquabox with a quote from one of the recipients in Somalia of the boxes we sent in 2012: "When I was pregnant, I had worries to cloth my babe. We dont afford food most times so monies for cloths is hard to get. I thought the box was just for water and was happy when I found the towels and the clothes. I cried and hided them for after the delivery. This is the first time I ever had something new to wrap my baby in. My oldest son Ahmed will not leave the shelter without his new books and bag. He is too proud when he carries them with the other boys. Even me, I can share the cooking utensils with my neighbors. It feels like being home again. Truely these are blessings for all of us!"

Makes you feel good that the efforts of a few people in Yorkshire can have such an impact on the lives of people in need so far away! 

Leeds Rotary Clubs Technology Tournament for Schools

The 2017 Technology Tournament for Schools was held on Tuesday 28th February 2107, at the John Charles Centre for Sport, Leeds, and our Club was represented by two members as part of the of the Judging Teams, as well as helping with the organisation of the day. A new record number of teams took part.

  The ten Rotary Clubs in Leeds Area join forces to put on the Tournament. 

Next Year's Event is scheduled for Tuesday 13th March 2018.