December Newsletter

The Foundation team is here to assist clubs in making the most of the funds they have gathered.

The donations from individual members and clubs are returned to us, where they are used to support your communities and the projects you care about.

One of the easiest ways we do this is through District Grants.
Recently District 1175 has awarded over £9,400 in grants to twelve clubs.

• Sidmouth Rotary received a grant of £750 to assist their Watersports Hub with the construction of a disabled toilet within their newly refurbished hub.

• Tormohun Rotary asked for £750 towards the cost of installing a defibrillator in Costa Coffee at their local retail park in Torquay.

• Exmouth Rotary had two successful bids. They had requested £320 to help a daycare centre in Goa, India. The centre works to improve the health of disabled children from slum areas in Goa India, enabling them to access basic education more effectively. The grant will help to provide equipment for physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists. These are children who would otherwise receive no medical or educational help.

Exmouth Rotary are also sending young carers on a Santa Cruise up the Exe Estuary. These young people are carers for parents or siblings with chronic illnesses, or disabilities. Santa will provide the young carers with gifts, food, and entertainment. The club received a grant of £200.

• Redruth Rotary asked for £500 to buy seven classroom visualiser document cameras. These will improve learning by providing real time visuals.

• Dartmouth Rotary requested £1,000 to help their local swimming pool upgrade their filtration plant.

• Meanwhile Crediton Boniface Rotary received a grant of £900 towards an electronic starting system for their local swimming pool. This will bring the pool up to the same standard as other pools in Devon for running competitive events.

• Pete's Dragons is a charity based in Exmouth that supports families that are impacted by suicide. Exeter Southernhay and Topsham Rotary asked for £1,000 towards establishing a lovely mindfulness garden of scented flowers and herbs, where trained specialists can help those affected by drug related death and children who may be suffering bereavement.

• St Columb Rotary is working to build hope for children in Uganda by assisting with enlarging a school and providing computers and books. For this they have been given as District Grant of £1,500.

• Dawlish Water Rotary are helping to provide community transport for some of the economically disadvantaged residents in their area, for which they have been given a grant of £408.

• Newton Abbot Rotary asked for £850 towards funding Rotary Young Leader Award candidates.

• Okehampton Rotary is running a challenge day for Army and Air Cadets, for which they have asked for £500.

• Plympton Rotary received a grant of £750 to help them update the kitchen in their local Guide Centre, by buying new cookers.

These projects might not be huge, but the money clubs give, enhanced by the District’s match funds, really helps the organisations they support. For example, the projects in India and Uganda are so beneficial that they often exceed the value of the grants.

The district is also teaming up with clubs to help out with Global Grants.
These are BIG PROJECTS, over $30,000 USD, which is roughly £23,000. The financial rewards from Global Grants are excellent.
District 1175 usually matches every £1,000 that clubs raise, with the Rotary Foundation adding another £800. So, your club’s £1,000 can turn into at least £2,800!

There are currently 5 projects seeking Global Grants. 

• Bideford Bridge Rotary is promoting a microfinance project in Uganda. 

• Saltash Rotary is involved in a project to eliminate Malaria in Tanzania. 

• We are helping District 1150 in South Wales to fund a sensory garden and playground or children with severe and multiple learning needs in Carmarthen. 

• Several districts across the UK are helping to fund Rotary Family Health Days for underserved communities in South Africa. 

• Sidmouth Rotary has just submitted a Global Grant to fund inguinal hernia surgery in Uganda.

By funding these grants, District 1175 will have contributed nearly £50,000 to projects that will improve the lives of people around the world.

Rotary Foundation supports international students, and this year Falmouth Rotary is hosting a student from Korea, who is studying a MSc in Environment and Human Health at Exeter University, Truro Campus. Her course is being funded by her home District in South Korea and Rotary Foundation.

Foundation also support End Polio Now and since July clubs in District 1175 have donated £12,000 to the Polio Plus Fund.

At a time when the need for Rotary has never been greater, contributions to Foundation are unfortunately falling. It is only through your generous donations that Foundation is able to support so many projects like those described. Please support us either as individuals, or clubs, by making a donation to Foundation.

I know Rotarians and their club will be busy for the next few weeks supporting those in need in their communities and celebrating Christmas with their families and friends.
The Foundation team would therefore like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2026.

Yours in Rotary

Richard Morgan MPHF

District 1175 Rotary Foundation Chair