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About us
Pages last updated:
2nd July 2024
THE ROTARY CLUB OF LEEDS ELMETE
We now meet in person at the Bingley Arms, Bardsey, Leeds LS17 9DR every Thursday at 12.30pm
for a snack lunch.
BUT from June 2024, we will also meet on the 1st Tuesday of each month by ZOOM at 7.00pm for a business session and possible speaker presentation.
Please email for details of the next meeting venue/time/day etc. if required:email: leedselmeterotary@btinternet.com
Website address: www.leeds-elmete.rotary1040.org
Registered Charity Number 1033420
OUR CLUB
We are a very small Club of 10 Members (2 Honorary - but active Rotarians!). Like many Rotary Clubs we are growing old together (our average age is about 80!). We are not in a position to do what we have done in the past, and unlikely to attract new members. Our resolve is to continue for as long as we can, enjoying fellowship and helping others where and when we can in the true spirit of Rotary:
“Service above Self”.
CLUB PRESIDENT 2024-25
Our President for 2024-225 is Rotarian Martyn Phillips, PHF.
Martyn is recently retired solicitor, having practiced for most of his career in the Cross Gates and Kippax areas of Leeds. He joined the Rotary Club of Cross Gates in 1994, (President in 2002-3). He transferred to the Leeds Elmete Club in July 2010 - when the Cross Gates Club was disbanded. He is a stalwart member of our Club, and is currently responsible for our largest Charitable income stream, since he runs the Club's very successful '100 Club'. He can always be relied upon for an 'expert, considered opinion', and is a thoroughly nice bloke! He was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship by the Club in 2021.
This will be his third term as our Club President, and we wish him every success for the coming year.
Support for needy people locally with Food donations
How it all started, June 2020:
We, sadly, live in an era in which Food Banks are needed, and poverty and need in our communities is only too real, worsened by the effects of Covid-19 and more recently with financial uncertainties, many people now find themselves in real difficulty. Since June 2020, we have continued to support (with monetary and food donations) the Parish Larder at St Richards Church Seacroft, Leeds, where clients of the Leeds East (Trussell Trust) Food Bank receive their food donations. We also provide gifts for children at Christmas and Easter. One of our Rotarians volunters to help at the Tuesday food distribution each week, and other Rotarians when they can etc..
St Richard's Church is in the Parish of Seacroft in Leeds
UPDATES 2022-24
Support continues - June 2024The Club has continued to support the Food Bank - Now called the Parish Larder - despite the withdrawl of input from the Trussell Trust. One of our mrmbers attends every Tuesday to help with the distribution of food etc. We gave Easter Eggs for the Children again this year and sweets at Christmas. We give donations of milk, food, and monetarey support when needed, but our input has not been needed so much of late. We did receive a shipment of 'fruit biscuits' from "Giving World" in the spring, and these were gladly received by the Parish Larder clientele.
We plan to continue this support in the new Rorary Year.
December 2023
The demand for help from the food bank has slackened slightly in recent weeks, but many people still use this facility, which for them is vital. Our Club's involvement has been able to be less intensive of late. We have however kept up the tradition of providing a treat for the children at Christmas time - this year in the form of chocolate 'Selection Boxes'.
24th August 2003
Tuesday morning food distribution as busy or busier than ever. The Club has given a grant of £300 toward the cost of installing a large fridge to store fresh food. HT milk donations from the Club continue and are well received.
Here are the completed figures of numbers of people given food for Jan to Aug 2023. They vary depending on the number of Tuesdays in the month and closures in Easter Week. (Food for one family counted as 1): Jan 978 Feb 920 Mar 899 Apr 756 May 942 Jun 797 July 853 Aug 1008. They are more than grateful for the support we give, Neale.
Neale reports thing are busy again with the numbers of people needing help are rising again, with many new faces attending, including a greater number from the Trussel Trust than before. Otherwise the running of the Larder is going smoothly. Donations of UHT milk from the Club are well received.
9th May 2023.
Food Bank report: Tues 2nd May very quiet, thought to be due to £300 Goverment payments going out. Neale did not attend on 9th, but his wife took food down (see Big Help Out. We have supplied a 2nd Tablet (iPad) to help with booking people in. Lis B. has now left.
Call from Carole at Trussell Trust - they wish us to take part in a trial collaboration with Mind to have 2 caseworkers in the Food Bank helping clients with issues.
Big Help Out: Mike Crawford brought all the surplus food from his development's street party for use by the Food Bank. Well done Mike.
20th April 2023.
Demand on the Parish Larder/Food Bank continues to increase, with an average of about 240 people per week seeking help. (Total number fed in February = 935). Members of the Club continue to suppliment the UHT Milk reqirement each week, and Treasurer Neale helps out every Tuesday.
The Club provided Chocolate Easter Eggs for the children at Easter.
The Trussell Trust and Rountree Foundation are pressing Government to increase help since more and more people are experiencing food poverty.
Lis Bowes, larder manager, will next week leave to move 'up north' to be closer to her family. She goes with our Best Wishes for the future and the grateful thanks of the hundreds, and hundreds, of people she has helped in the Seacroft Area. Good Luck Lis. xx
CLICK HERE to go further into the story so far.
AQUABOX
(Click on the Aquabox logo to go to their website.) Our members used to try to fill three Aquaboxes each year and deliver them to the Aquabox Depot in Derbyshire. However, because of Corona Virus, we were unable to do this in 2020 - 22. Now, Aquabox prefers to receive monetary donations, and to fill the boxes themselves with goods they have sourced (for completeness and quality of the items in the box).WE DID FILL ONE BOX AND DELIVERED IT TO AQUABOX IN 2024
Here 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(e) my babe. We don't afford food most times so monies for clothes 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! Our Webpages
Our Club is one of very many clubs in Great Britain and Ireland currently using the RIBI website template, each club being required to make an ANNUAL payment of £50. This is raising over £70,000 for The Rotary Foundation each year!
Meetings & Venue
Where and when:
We meet on Thursdays at 12.30pm
(No meeting on two Thursdays around Christmas. We meet in person at the Bingley Arms, Bardsey, Leeds LS17 9DR every Thursday at 12.30pm for a snack lunch (and also on the 1st Tuesday of the month by ZOOM at 7.00pm for business and a possible speaker). ) Bingley Arms37 Church Lane
Bardsey
Leeds
LS17 9DR 01937 572462
W3W: ///pose.nightlife.grins
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