2012/2013 Club News

Issue 2 June 2013: Stroll On is Back - Kidderminster Foodbank - Visit of Mark Garnier MP and New Bewdley Mayor, Linda Candlin - District and Club Assembly - The Big Bike Ride

Issue 1 May 2013: Visit to RAF Cosford - District Peace Conference Report - St George's Day Market - Youth Opportunities News

The Newsletter replaced the Club News webpage

As from April 2013 the Club News was replaced by the Club Newsletter 

Lauren returns to Botshabelo to bring Christmas cheer

Lauren Wright first went to Botshabelo Children's Home in Midrand, South Africa in 2010 as a Rotary New Generations Exchange student looking for experience in child care. What an experience is turned out to be and since then she has returned on a further two ocassions. The latest visit being this Christmas during her vacation from university.

She took with her a gift to the home from the Club  of £200 raised through the Severn Way Walk.

Lauren emailed the Club to say how the money had been spent.

"The home were very grateful for the donation, particularly during the Christmas period when their resources are stretched," she said, "and after much deliberation it has been decided to spend the £200 in two ways." 

"£150 has gone towards a new Milk Kitchen, where the bottles are prepared for the children. The existing facility is falling apart and has been infested with termites!!"

"The remaining £50 has been spent on the purchase of:

A drinking cup for each child, a plate for each child who eats solid food, some toys and educational aids and perhaps most importantly many batteries for the toys that have been inactive for several weeks because the funds were not there to replace the batteries."

Our donation has certainly been put to good use.

Photos of Christmas and New Year 2012 at Botshabelo

Severn Way Walk Presentation Evening - 19th November

The Charity Walk of the Severn Way over 220 miles, organised jointly by the Rotary clubs of Bewdley and Stourport on Severn, raised over £17,000 for over 30 charities.

Walkers aged from 5 to 82, walking from 3 miles to over 100, raising money for their own charity and local charities such as Bramble, Special Olympics, Kidderminster Food Bank and the Bewdley Youth Cafe all benefited. There was a large contingent walking for LAFFs, another local charity, a social group for young adults with learning difficulties within Wyre Forest. Among other charities that benefited were Acorn Children's Hospice, Macmillan Support, Shelter box, CLIC Sergeant. 

Bewdley Festival

Bewdley Rotary club once again supported and sponsored the Art exhibition held at the library as part of Bewdley Festival.

President Chris Onions and various Rotary members were joined by an invited audience for the opening.

This is the 25th year of the Festival, and the exhibition, entitled "A Fine Cut" features the work of Paul Hipkiss who has captured various canal scenes.

The exhibition, which will run for 4 weeks, was formally opened on Wednesday 3rd October by Stuart Williams, who was Mayor of Bewdley when the Festival started 25 years ago.

President Chris is pictured with Paul Hipkiss.

Severn Way Walk 2012

The Severn Way Walk marathon journey ended at Bristol on Saturday 20th September. Bewdley Club Members David Rees, John Cox, Bob Eaton and Konrad Nofer all completed the full 225 miles starting at the source in Wales on 7th September. They were accompanied by a team from Weatherspoons who had walked from Bewdley taking over from the earlier team who walked to Bewdley from the source.

Along the way they were joined by many people representing several organisations taking the opportunity to raise money for their particular charity or good cause. A large contingent walked on the 15th September when the core walkers came through Bewdley and Stourport. Read the article published in the Kidderminster Shuttle and check out our Facebook page.

The walk was 18 months in the planning and involved virtually every member of the Club in one way or another. The amount of money raised is not yet known but we are all hoping for a deserving result.

Well done to everyone involved Rotarians and non Rotarians alike.

Chris Onions is our New President

Handover this year was at the Wyre Forest Visitor Centre and after a bracing short stroll around the forest by Chris and a few followers to work up an appetite the rest of us joined them for a very pleasant meal.

After the meal Derrick thanked the Club for their support during his year in office and in particular the Committee Chairmen. He then with some relief, it appeared, passed the chain of office on to Chris.

Chris did the other formalities of giving Derrick's Past President medal to him and of presenting chains of office to President Elect, Keith, and Secretary, Eric. 

Next came the highlight of the evening the 'Cock Up of the Year' award which was awarded jointly to Heinz, Stan and Alan for their wasted hour+ waiting very frustratedly for a coach to pick up them and the youngsters from Kidz First to go the Kids Out day only to find that there had been a very frustrated coach driver around the corner, no more than 50 yards away, wondering where everyone was who he was meant to pick up. Photos

 News Items from 2011/2012 year

In the Press - reports from the Kidderminster Shuttle

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