We reported previously that the main beneficiaries of our 2014 Grand Raffle would be those charities working in countries affected by Ebola. The Raffle is now over, with the prize winners announced at Billericay's Christmas market, and funds have been distributed to the charities selected, of which the principal recipient was Medecins Sans Frontieres.
We recently received a letter of thanks from Benjamin, a British obstetrician currently working in Gondama Referral Centre, in Sierra Leone.
"Thank you very much to the members of Rotary Club of Billericay for your donation to Medecins Sans Frontieres; we are incredibly grateful." He wrote. "Ebola is not just a disease, it is a way of living and a state of mind. The initial symptoms are general and difficult to differentiate from, say, the common cold or a bout of food poisoning. It is in the later stages that patients begin bleeding and, in most cases, dying. In maternity this poses extra challenges: Ebola can present with miscarriage, bleeding, fever, stillbirth ... basically most women attending the unit will have some symptom that could be a sign of infection."
He went on to talk about the fear around Ebola, and went on to describe a recent case in which he was involved which illustrated how valuable are donations to this cause. In summary, a desperate rush to save a life while at the same time ensuring that no other patients or medical staff were infected, or their care compromised. He ended by saying that the local midwife had thanked him for saving the patient's life, but " didn't save her life. The MSF ambulance that brought her; the access to a team with the resources and capability to put a plan into action; the operating theatre; the blood donation service; the generator which kept the lights on - all of this and more would not exist without the donations given by you. Saving lives does not depend on one person; it is the product of a large machine made of many different parts that rely on one another to function.
So thank you - for the fact that I didn't have to watch a mother needlessly die. And thank you from the quiet midwife and all the women of Sierra Leone."
His letter describes the situation so well. You can read it by clicking on the icon below.
more We celebrated a successful fundraiser with a club Paella Party
more Awe inspiring! District 1240 Foundation Chairman gives an overview of Foundation - it's all in the numbers.
more Rotary International has a Program to sponsor students from across the world to study in other countries in one of its seven Areas of Focus. This year we hosted two students from Japan and the USA and they visited us to talk about their experience.
more We planted 4,000 crocus corms around the Billericay sign on Stock Road which make a stunning display
more Our club received four "First" awards from Rotary International and Rotary GB&I for Rotary Year 2022-23.
more We sponsor two students through Senior School
more Our plantings from November 2022 bloom!
more 72 Hours...three days. For our small Rotary club a period that proved that, when called to action and adversity, we act fast and do not hold back
more The Rotary Clubs of Billericay, and Billericay Mayflower, got together to help deliver aid to Ukrainains in Moldova.
more Held on APril 1 - and it's NOT a joke!
more We continue to support Rotary’s efforts to rid the world of Polio.
more A project led by the Rotary Club of Alba which we are supporting through our twinning relationships with that Rotary Club.
more We donate one thousand pounds to support Smile Train's work to cure "Clefts" worldwide
more We reported in August and October on the aid provided to Ukrainians in Moldova, but the main purpose of the trip was to provide new washrooms and toilets for two junior schools in Moldova at Sloveanca and Mindresti Noi.
more We plant 4,000 purple crocus corms around the Billericay sign on Stock Road to publicize Rotary's Purple4Polio and And Polio Now campaigns.
more We receive recognition for all our members donating to The Rotary Foundation at least $100 every year
more We are one of only six percent of Rotary Clubs worldwide to donate over $100 to the Rotary Foundation each year.
more Member Margaret Fowler visits Embu County, Kenya to establish funding requirements to repair any faulty Borewells.
more Have Fun while supporting this great End Polio Now cause by entering our Christmas Fun Quiz. Donate £20 for each Quiz sheet you want. You CAN help rid the world of Polio.
more We planted 4,000 crocus corms around a "Billericay" sign as part of Rotary's Purple for Polio Campaign.
more Every Rotary Club of Billericay member donated over $100 to the Rotary Foundation in 2022
more Everything we do in Rotary has a good charity reason. None better than End Polio Now – a charity close to all Rotary hearts, So, members offered at least a £20 a head donation to our Fundraiser.
more District Foundation Chairman thanks our continual support of The Rotary Foundation
more The Rotary Foundation is Rotary’s own charity, always top of the charts for its governance and efficacy, and the source of funds for District and Global Grants, supports Rotary’s End Polio Now Campaign, and is home to the Disaster Response Fund
more Club Member Margaret Fowler (Associate Priest based at Christ Church, Billericay) organised a service to raise money for Ukraine at St Mary Magdalen, Billericay High Street.
more Club Member Rev. Margaret Fowler Reports on Her Recent Efforts in Support of the Fleeing Ukrainian Refugees
more We help fund the Rotary Club of Billericay Mayflower's convoy with Aid to Moldova
more A Celebration of all the good work which Rotary Foundation does in the world on the anniversary of Foundation's formation.
more 4,000 purple crocuses bloom in the grounds of Christ Church, Billericay, in aid of End Polio Now
more We help fund a project by the Rotary Club of Billericay Mayflower to build a toilet block in a school in Gradinata, Moldova
more Everything we do in Rotary has a good charity reason. None better than End Polio Now – a charity close to all Rotary hearts, So, guests offered at least a £20 a head donation to our Garden Party Fundraiser.
more We were delighted to award a Paul Harris Fellowship to Mrs Lucy Mbogo, Headteacher of ACK Ena Primary School, and previously of Ciamanda Primary School, both in Embu, Kenya for tremendous amount of Community work she drives
more Club members band togethor to sponsor a walk raising money for vulnerable children in Billericay
more Members used links between Rotary Club of Billericay Mayflower and Rotary in Calcutta to send donations to help the Rotary Club of Calcutta Visionaries' "Breathe Again" Programme in Calcutta - help is needed immediately.
more We were invited by Lorenzo Gallo of Alba club in Italy to attend a concert by the Amateur Orc hestra of Catalonia arranged by the Rotary Club of Sant Cugat in aid of the workshop Jeroni de Moragas, supporting people with mental or developmental disorders
more We supported the Rotary Club of Plettenberg Bay and its partners at Harkerville School
more Working and visiting Embu in Kenya for ten years to support the community there, with two trips in 2019
more Rotary is committed to End Polio but is also addressing Covid-19. Its own charity immediately changed its rules to help fund the Covid-19 fight and mobilised its Polio teams to fight the disease
more Our first borehole is completed at Ciamanda primary school, bringing the Gift of Life to the pupils and neighbours there.
more Our member visits the area and hands over our club donation to the relief effort
more The World Health Organisation has declared Africa free of wild Polio after 4 years without any cases. Club Member Chandra Gupta recalls how he led our club's part in the long haul to end Polio and reach this dramatic moment.
more Our club is the only club in our Rotary District to achieve over $100 donation to Rotary Foundation by every club member
more Following our successful completion of a well providing fresh clean water to Schoolchildren at Ciamanda Primary school, we have raised enough money to fund three more wells for three new schools in Embu County, Kenya
more Club Member Margaret Fowler reports on the house for a desperately in need family and for which she was the driving force to raise money
more A Rotary plea from the heart of South Africa prompts the club to donate £300 to the Rotary Club of Plettenberg Bay's project for Harkersville School.
more We join our International "twinning" clubs in funding Beausoleil's “Life Straw” project
more 136 Paul Harris Fellows attended a lunch to celebrate the birthday of Rotary International, and we received a certificate for our financial support of the End Polio Now - for the second year running.
more First steps in delivering secure water supplies in Kenya through new boreholes.
more We joined other Rotary Clubs in Great Britain and Ireland in donating to the Mercy Ships 2020 campaign
more Our Club's seed money has helped fund repainting, roof waterproofing, tree planting trees, a vegetable garden and, with the help of a District Grant, installed permanent room dividers between classrooms
more We receive a banner from The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International for our Fundraising and Support activities
more We support new male medical and surgical wards at Bansang Hospital
more We celebrated a hundred Years of the Foundation at a dinner on July 31, 2017, also attended by other local Rotary Clubs
more Our very own member, Rev Margaret Fowler, enlightened us on June 4 about her eighth visit to the African continent and Ciamanda, Kenya and its need for support for secondary education.
more In December 2015, we donated £500 for school uniforms to the Masizame Children's Shelter. Our support for the centre has recently been recognised in an email to our club.
more ShelterBox thanks Rotary for their continued support and help.
more Billericay Rotary Club's annual Grand Christmas Raffle is in Aid of Charities facing the threat of Ebola, ShelterBox, and other charities supported by Rotary.
more The Shelter expresses its gratitude for the generous donation to fund new school uniforms for this year.
more Masizame Children's Shelter - urgent support needed to help feed, shelter educate and provide counselling for these abused children. Immediate need - funding to replace a decrepit bus.
more In an outstanding achievement - Billericay Rotary club has gained a Bronze award for donating over £10,000 to fund 25 Shelter Boxes for international disaster relief - a notable achievement in charitable donations.
more How easy is it to erect a ShelterBox tent? Our Rotary Club decided to find out and try a test set up to document the process.
more ShelterBox saves lives ..again. The latest of our sponsored boxes goes to the Philippines.
more ShelterBox saves lives ..again. Our latest sponsored box goes to Zimbabwe.
more We were privileged to have as speakers the two Ingatestone postmen, Dennis Sweeting and Steve Biggs, who have taken the time to organise a convoy of clothing and other vital materials to the stricken people of Kosovo.
more Billericay Rotary Club hs supported the End Polio campaign since 1987, as a club initiative and in support of Rotary International's campaign to "End Polio Now". Highlighting Rotary's contribution in the Press is great publicity and encourages donations.
more Group Study Exchange supports travel for teams of non-Rotarians from a variety of professions. This records briefly the visit of the GSE Team from Brazil in 2011.
back The club's activities in support of the Rotary Foundation and International links.