SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY
Thu, Apr 1st 2021 at 1:06 pm- Mon, Jan 31st 2022 - 3:06 pm
Our fundraising efforts being channelled towards local charities and community events.
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Welcome donation to Kirklees women’s refuge
Thirty new mattresses and sets of bedding have been donated to a woman’s refuge in Kirklees, thanks to firms Jay-Be Ltd and John Cotton Ltd, and the Rotary Club of Mirfield.
In a charity donation worth more than £7,000, the bedding is a welcome boost for the refuge, which offers vital accommodation and support for women, and their children, fleeing a violent or abusive home.
The refuge, which includes ten self-contained apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms, plus two further outreach properties, is owned and managed by Connect Housing.
“We cannot thank everyone enough,” said Nicola Harrison, Domestic Abuse Housing Support Coordinator with Connect.
“It is such a generous donation. Something as simple as new bedding can be a real boost to the women and families who are living with us right now. Often they come with very little and so to know the community is behind them is brilliant.”
Jay-Be Ltd is a corporate member of the Rotary Club of Mirfield and Chairman Stephen Durrans was happy to help when the club chose the refuge to support.
He said: “We wanted to help straight away. The refuge is providing a vital lifeline to women who need support. As part of this community, we are happy knowing that we are able to help such a worthwhile cause.”
Working closely with Jay-Be, John Cotton, the Mirfield bedding manufacturer, was also keen to help.
Mark Cotton, Chairman, said: “When we heard of this local worthwhile project, we were more than happy to join with Jay-be and Mirfield Rotary and contribute our support”
The Rotary Club of Mirfield was moved to help the refuge after hearing a presentation from Connect’s Domestic Abuse Housing Support Coordinator Shaffia Khatun.
Anyone experiencing domestic abuse can ask for help by contacting:
Connect Housing on 01924 465238
Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership www.pdap.co.uk (Kirklees)
Domestic abuse helpline run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247
Anyone interested in learning more about Rotary, or becoming a member of Rotary through Individual membership or Corporate membership, please contact Paul Cusworth:
Paul Cusworth
President
Mirfield Rotary wins My Mirfield Award
Mirfield Rotary has won a 2020 MyMirfield Award of special recognition of 80 years of service.
President Paul Cusworth said:
"It was great news for the Rotary Club of Mirfield this last week as we received a 2020 My Mirfield Award 0f Special Recognition for 80 years of service to the Community. I appreciate the special words that were said about the Club and felt proud to be the 81st President with our long history of "Service Above Self".
The Jo Cox Way 2021
"Early start and great fun supporting The Jo Cox Way. Smiley faced volunteers provided by Rotary and Corporate member Jay-Be employees.”
Consider joining Rotary
Mirfield wins Rotary Citation
Give a Few Words
Is a project to write letters to those who would appreciate some contact and a few kind words.
The project leader writes - we did window displays at the Forget-Me-Not charity shop (in picture) and Mirfield Library as well as the Coop. It was very successful and we got a lot of engagement from the public about spreading cheer by writing positive messages for the lonely and isolated. There will be a cardboard red letter box in COOP for the next few weeks and any postcards or generic letters can be posted back to 'Give a few words' there and they will distributed to those who would benefit from them.
Four members of Mirfield Rotary were recently given certificates for 25 years of membership and service to the local community.
Many congratulations and thanks to them!
Give A Few Words
Mirfield Rotary is involved with a project called Give a Few Words, in which letters and and cards are written to people who may appreciate a bit of contact and some friendly words
Paul Harris Fellowship
Our Rotarian Sue Charlesworth was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship at the recent Charter Lunch.
Sue is very dedicated to Rotary service, in particular our projects for Shoe-Boxes, Tree Planting and Give a Few Words.
All of the club members congratulate Sue on her award.
Community activities at Christmas
Thanks to all who supported the Mirfield Rotary Club in our community work this Christmas. Our members have done carol singing at the Co-op and in residential care homes, donated over 150 new toys to two charities, distributed gifts to people with dementia, taken carers out for a lunch, written numerous cards and letters to support the Give a few words charity and had a decorated tree at the Christmas Tree Festival. Happy Christmas from all our members!
Help for Ukraine
Mirfield Rotary and Corporate member Jay-Be join forces with John Cotton, Mirfield in Bloom & Mirfield Team Parish in supporting the Yorkshire Aid to Ukraine charity on their next convoy
Mirfield Rotary club awards a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow to Sharron Wilkinson of Give A Few Words.
Left to right - Rtn Sue Charlesworth , Rtn Gill Hawksworth, PHF award winner Sharron Wilkinson, President Stephen Durrans
The Give a Few Words scheme was set up in 2020 after there was a request to Sharron Wilkinson from a local care home as to how they could alleviate isolation and loneliness. The idea of a positive, uplifting letter writing project was initiated. This became a community interest company in 2021 with the aim of providing the gift of positive letters which are all hand delivered.
Today there are over 500 volunteers largely from the Kirklees area but they come from all over the country and even the world including Paris, Mexico, Hawaii and Australia! They are people of all ages from schools, universities and business and community organisations. The letter/card writing is therapeutic for the writer and also for the recipient. Excellent workshops are held locally to craft gifts, write letters etc. which are helpful in themselves giving participants the opportunity to talk and share experiences. In terms of governance there are also volunteers to do some letter checking.
Give a Few Words first developed links with Mirfield Rotary Club through the Jo Cox Foundation initially through one member volunteering to write cards and letters which then encouraged other members to also contribute their skills. Rotary friends and family members also knit crafts such as yellow hearts to go in the packs which individual people receive who have been identified as needing special support. Sharron even hand delivered a much needed pack on Christmas eve afternoon which really made someone’s Christmas special. Her proven record of service to the community has had an immeasurable positive effect on a great many lonely people both at home or in care homes over the last few years through them reading the wonderful uplifting messages from the volunteers.
Mirfield Rotary members also help out at “pop up” publicity events in Mirfield and Kirklees. The scheme also assists the Club’s dementia project when special packs are made up for named individuals to receive at Christmas . These are then hand delivered by Club members to people in our local dementia carers support group along with a Rotary gift.
The well-deserved Rotary Paul Harris award recognises Sharron’s incredible hard work and vision in setting up Give a Few Words which “demonstrates the tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world”. This is the wording on her certificate.
Gill Hawksworth
Mirfield Rotary
Christmas Tree Competition - 2023
At the Trinity Methodist Church in Mirfield.
The tree festival is open:
Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd December from 10am to 4pm
Sunday 3rd December from 12 noon until 3pmPlease go along and vote for your favourite tree, we hope it is ours
Carol Singing - Hopton Care Cottages - 2023
Photos show carol singing by Mirfield Rotarians at Hopton Care Cottages in December 2023
Happy Memories Dementia Group - Lunch in Uppermill
Mirfield Rotary arranged a lunch out in Uppermill for dementia sufferers from Cath Knowles' group.
Christmas presents were given to the participants.
Many thanks to those Rotarians who drove people to the event.
Christmas Toy Donations
Mirfield Rotary collected 159 toys for donanting to families with children in need.
Mant thanks to Rotarian Paul Cusworth for organising the toys and distributing them to the Salvation Army and the Vincent de Paul Society
Contact Gill Poole about this page:
SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY sub-pages:
Members serving on District Committees or with a specific District function
more District 1040 serves Yorkshire, Humberside and North Lincolnshire and is made up of members from the clubs within.
Mirfield Agricultural Show
more Mirfield Rotary acting to reduce the risk of strokes and heart disease
ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
more WE CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
DEMENTIA FRIENDLY CLUB
more MIRFIELD ROTARY IS THE FIRST IN YORKSHIRE TO BECOME DEMENTIA FRIENDLY
Our commitment to Youth
more Mirfield Rotary Club is committed to support local young people through the following projects, Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA), Youth Sail, Kid's Out. Rotary Young Chef and the Technology Tournament