December Newsletter

Fri, Nov 28th 2025 at 10:05 pm- Sat, Jan 31st 2026 - 12:05 am

An update on Local grants.

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

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2021 Young Writer. The Final Presentations

The Lord Lieutenant, with President Ian and Organizer Richard make the presentations.

We visited Truro School Prep. and Richard Lander to conclude a memorable Young Writer competition.

An online zoom quiz battle between two friendly local clubs - and overseen by a quizmaster in South Africa.

We celebrated the Saints Way Challenge and its fundraising aim with a short and easy walk at Fowey.

Hustyns Resort, Hotel and Spa, is set in a remote St. Breock Downs location. And is the only possible safe parking place for miles around. 4 members walk the 6.1 miles to it from Little Petherick.

Mike Grundy takes over from Ian Bell as Boscawen President for the coming year. Mike Barber becomes Senior Vice President.

Brian, David P and PB had some interesting moments on the 6.5 miles that completed our summer challenge.

The Rotary Club of Truro Boscawen team up with BIDS Truro

Julian describes the programme roll out.

We entertain the late night shoppers in Truro.

We will be at Sainsbury's, this month from 16th to 19th, with our newly acquired Barrel Organ. Monies raised will go to St. Petroc's.

A happy occasion with families and friends at the Cathedral Chapter House Restaurant.

On December 27. At St. Mawes.

A fine Club Service, involving many members.

Cheque for £590 - representing one box -is presented.

Boscawen contributes

Young Writer Competition 2022

The results have been announced to schools.

Julian reports another enjoyable youth project.

31 March update. School Presentations of Certificates and prizes.

Update April 2022. Congratulations to them. May update...new pictures added.

Truro Area schools are District Young Writer Winners!

Update April 2022

At Truro School Chapel

Truro Golf Club, Friday 13 May. Click on pictures and then scroll through. Event report below the pictures.

Presentation at Richard Lander School

The Mayor, Steve Webb welcomes David Pollard.

A visit to the Truro depot. Click on photos for captions.

Our National 2nd Place Presentation

We provided the young players with Rotary logo water bottles

A progress update

Another successful event organised by Julian.

Simon, Jade and Helen were excellent guides

The generator labelled and ready for transit.

One year after the start of the war.

Truro Area Schools entry numbers break all records.

Another wonderful Competition for our local schools

A sell out for Boscawen

We visit the 10 Schools. Click on photos for captions.

Photos of the day. Click to enlarge. Report and Results below.

Presidents Handover

Claire Connor.

Boscawen supported the City Council by sponsoring junior football coaching across the city, providing Rotary-branded drinking bottles. David R. and David P. lead, and here we see Bernard, David C. David P, Ed, Brian and PB at the training sessions.

Boscawen sells poppies for the Legion, Nov. 2022.

On Sat. 25 Nov 2023

Wonderful weather. Click on the photos for captions.

Chris Granger represents Boscawen

Now completed

Richard, President Ian and judges visit Truro High School Prep. (Click images to see captions)

At Truro School Chapel. Tickets available online only.

The Rotary Young Writer Competition, 2020

The District Competition

For the second year, we will roll out the "barrel organ", play seasonal tunes, and hope to collect money from shoppers in aid of St. Petroc's.

Presentations to pupils of Devoran School and Richard Lander School are shown here. There will be further presentations after Easter.

This year, under lockdown constraints and with Julian's expert management we have run an online Youth Speaks competition. The only Club in the District to achieve this.

How our Club has responded to the special circumstances of this year.

During Lockdown we have been prevented from holding our usual fundraising events. However we know that local charities need support at these times more than ever.

This Challenge is open to all Cornish Rotary Clubs and their friends. We are walking the Cornish coastal footpath all through August to raise funds for Cornwall Mind and for Clubs' chosen charities.

The Doom Bar at the mouth of the Camel. Seen stretching far out at low tide.

The miles are building up towards our 293 target.

2 weeks done and 2 to go. Check out our progress towards the 293 mile target here.

This is the biggest week yet. We have 18 Related Pages of walks and pics by Boscawen, by Cornwall Mind and by other Rotary Clubs throughout the county. MESSAGE TO ALL: A FINAL PUSH THIS WEEK TO COMPLETE ALL SECTIONS. SEE THE MAP.

Many Clubs throughout the County have joined the Challenge, and we are now within 36 miles of walking every bit of the Cornish Coastal Footpath. See the Map for the remaining 7 stretches to be walked.

Our Challenge is completed! (Just one short section in the east remains). When our Senior Vice President voiced scepticism that we could do it he was by no means the only one. Perhaps we should all have a piece of that hat!

16 other Rotary Clubs in the county, Cornwall Mind, and all their friends have joined Truro Boscawen in COMPLETING THE COASTAL FOOTPATH CHALLENGE

We recorded the miles we walked/biked each week and have shown them as virtual walks. So far, we have walked from John O'Groats to Lands End, and from Lands End to London. We are also raising charity funds at the same time.

Ian Bell and Mike Grundy take up their Chains of Office.

Triumph for local school! The West Cornwall round of the National Rotary Youth Speaks Competition is won by a Boscawen sponsored Team.

We recently entertained our friends from St Petroc's at the club and heard from them about the encouraging reduction in homelessness in the county over the last 3 years.

Mooch around Mylor

Every year just after Christmas we go for a bracing walk with friends, children, grandchildren, dogs, whatever..This time we started at Mylor, went round via the Pandora Inn and back all via creekside paths and woodland.

St Petroc's CEO Steve Ellis will update us on the work of the charity which the club has supported for many years in cash or kind.

A brief description of this Club's current activities - and some history

Our Community and Vocational Services Committee supports local charities with members' time as well as funds; and also promotes activities with schools and young people (see separate page)

International support

A committee of the Club which specialises in international links and support