Community Services 2020 -21

Community Service's Aims for 2020-21 are to:

The COVID situation throughout  2020 has greatly restricted the Vale of Belvoir Rotary Club’s ability to raise new funds and complete some of our face-to-face service activities due to the need to maintain isolation during this period. 

The club made the decision to concentrate the use of the reserve monies in our Charity Account to support local organisations that were reaching out to help those in most need in our Community.

Through Rotary4FoodBanks our club has provided funding to supply food and support to the following charitable organisations:

Community Kitchen, Cotgrave – purchase of kitchen equipment and meals for those shielding.

Tara’s Angels, Gamston – cash donation and provision of food for the victims of domestic violence.

The Friary, West Bridgford – cash donation and 2 food bank donations for the homeless.

Rosie May, Bingham – cash donation and provision and distribution of food for those shielding.

RadCooks, Radcliffe on Trent – cash donation and provision of hot meals for the elderly.

Helping Hands, Bingham – cash donation for food

Community Volunteers Service, Rushcliffe – donation supporting the delivery of food and prescriptions.

The total value of donations to date is in excess of £3,500

Through the Rotary ‘Kids Out’ Christmas Toy Box appeal we contributed funding for 12 toy boxes given to children living in abuse refuges in the NG postcode on Christmas morning.

We also organised ‘Donation Days’ on the Buttercross in Bingham supporting Tara’s Angels (sufferers of domestic violence), Emmanuel House (for the homeless) and Grantham Food Bank (Trussel Trust).

We were able to present our annual donation of a personal illustrated ‘Dictionary for Life’ to all Year 5 children in our catchment area.

We were able to add to our funds when we collected over £3,400 at Blue Diamond Garden Centre in the run up to the Christmas period, which was an amazing demonstration of the public’s generosity, for which we are very grateful.  This will assist our charitable and community projects in 2021.

Unfortunately, some things were just not possible under lockdown rules.  We greatly missed meeting up with local families and their children on our Santa’s sleigh runs through the villages but look forward to reinstating that activity next Christmas.

We could not hold our monthly Memory Café meetings at Cotgrave Church for those suffering from memory problems and we all miss the interesting activities, games and the delicious teas provided by the Club members.  We all look forward to meeting again as soon as it is safely possible. Please contact Gerry on 07979 392652 if you need any further information.

We were unable to continue our support for’ Rotakids’ in 2 local Junior schools.  These groups introduce children at an early age to the concept of service to the community and they will be mentored by school staff in the absence of our team of supporters.

Continue awarding Community Fund Grants (limited to a maximum of £150 to an individual and £400 for organisations.)

Target donations to  local organisations that support individuals and families who are suffering due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

Amongst others, we aim to continue our support for these organisations:

1. Memory Café: - The Cotgrave Memory Café Team who have provided outstanding commitment and a level of service to those amongst us and our relations with dementia and related problems over the past years. We hope to re-open the Cafe at All Saints Church, Cotgrave, as soon as possible. Thanks to those members (and partners!) for their continued commitment and also for the continuing supply of home-made cakes. Delicious!

1. Dove Cottage: - As with the Memory Cafe, the team hope to resume their regular visits.

1. Rushcliffe Community Voluntary Service - Help to defray costs of providing a telephone befriending service, delivering food, collecting shopping and prescriptions for vulnerable and self-isolating people.

1. NSPCC (Bingham Branch): - Support for vulnerable children.

1. Cotgrave Super Kitchen:-  Support for volunteers providing meals and food parcels

1. Friary Homeless Project:- The Club organises and mans a fundraising sale on behalf of the Friary Homeless Project.

1. “Tara’s Angels”, a local charity that helps victims of domestic violence and abuse.

Any person or organisation that is focussed on helping those suffering from the effects of Covid-19 is invited to apply for a Community Fund Grant

 On 8 October the Vale of Belvoir Rotary club, which has been keeping busy making sure that they stay visible during this unprecedented year of Covid, arranged a collection in Bingham Market Square It's been a challenging time for all charities, as we know, so our club decided to spring into action and help two local one that were needing support.

Tara’s Angels is a non profit organisation set up in memory of Tara Newbold who sadly lost her life in 2016 after being a victim of domestic violence.

Her family and friends raise awareness of these vulnerable women and children across the county who are in refuges and often leave their homes with very little, as a legacy to Tara. Receiving new/unused items really make a difference to their well being so this was something we felt we could help with.

Emmanuel House support the most vulnerable citizens in Nottingham tackling isolation, vulnerability and homelessness, providing basic needs and accessibility to services. Their main aim is to help get the homeless and vulnerable adults a home of their own. Receiving clean dry clothes, coats, jumpers, sleeping bags, blankets, and underwear, again was something we felt we could help with.

On the 8^th October after a few weeks of advertising locally in the Vale of Belvoir we organised a donation day under the Buttercross in the main square of Bingham town. The weather was dreadful but to our amazement there was a steady flow of people who kindly donated.

Representatives from Emmanuel House and Taras Angels on the morning were well received by us and the general public, making for a most enjoyable and social activity. Both organisations have been delighted with the items donated and have sent photos and a huge thank you to all for " Making such a difference " to our local vulnerable people.

Jane also coopted the supprt of her mother to knit toys for Tara's Angels.
Following the successful collection  for Tara's Angels and Emmanuel House, we held a collection, in December, for a Grantham based foodbank, which provides food parcels for families living around the Vale.