School in a Bag

A thank-you letter and certificate from School in a Bag.

Dear Rotary Club of York Ainsty

I am writing to confirm receipt of your generous donation totalling £250.00 which has funded 12 SchoolBags :)  Thank you so much for choosing to support School in a Bag – we are so grateful.  Please find attached your School in a Bag certificate which outlines the numbers of the 12 SchoolBags you have kindly funded.  You can also see detail by entering these numbers in to the ‘Track My Bag’ section on new www.schoolinabag.org website.  You should by now also have received an automated email notifying you that one of your SchoolBags has been delivered - we set the database to communicate this as the default setting would send you a separate email for each SchoolBag that you funded…and we don’t want to clog up your inbox!  When you track your SchoolBag, click the button ‘view all bags funded by this person' to see every bag that you funded.

Please feel free to share your great contribution on social media - if you do, please can we ask that you tag School in a Bag in to the post.  Thank you in advance.

Here at School in a Bag we are surviving and thankful for having good reserves.  The team of four has halved as two of our colleagues have moved on to secure and better paid jobs which has worked out neatly all around. We are thankfully busy and funding SchoolBags...with recent consignments handed out in Guinea Bissau, Tanzania and Nepal.  In addition to this we have funded further projects in Ghana, Nepal, The Gambia and Georgia.  One thing that is clear is that the need for SchoolBags now is greater than ever!

Lockdown No.1 gave us the chance to design and build a new, much needed website which we are really pleased with.  It provides comprehensive information about our work and includes a better donation platform, offering supporters greater breadth in how they fund their SchoolBags. The donation section also gives donors the opportunity to donate towards our running costs – the latter being a new necessary addition given that we have lost in the region of £100,000 of income from events we have had to cancel due to COVID – funds which would ordinarily go in to our expenses pot to fund us as an organisation.

The website includes an e-shop and our Christmas campaign to fund SchoolBags in lieu of sending Christmas cards, as Christmas presents or for virtual secret Santa gifts launches today.  The shop also includes School in a Bag merchandise which would make great Christmas stocking fillers!  Lastly, look out for us in the Christmas guides of The Observer, Telegraph, Daily Express and Grazia magazines :). Ho ho ho!

May I take this opportunity to thank you for your wonderful continued support.

'What We Do' Main Pages:

SpecSort expands its area of operation

Annie Arkwright hands over another batch of SpecSort glasses to the Navajeevana Centre, Sri Lanka.

The highly-regarded SpecSort initiative - a flagship project of Rotary York Ainsty - is expanding its sphere of operation by delivering sorted and graded pre-owned glasses to more countries across the globe.

Hard at work at the York Minster Yorkits workshop 2023

Yorkits - making and supplying washable feminine hygiene kits for girls in developing countries

Rotary York Ainsty Rotarians embark on a purple crocus planting campaign to mark World Polio Day on October 24 at the Folk Hall, New Earswick, York.

Rotary York Ainsty Rotarians embark on a massive purple crocus planting campaign to mark World Polio Day on October 24 at the Folk Hall, New Earswick, York.

The remote and difficult to get to area of Fushë Arrëz in Albania

Rotary York Ainsty, working in cooperation with two other Rotary Clubs in different countries, is developing a project which will bring medical aid to a remote region of Albania - Fushë Arrëz.

Financial results of the Santa Sleigh visits in York and area in the run-up to Christmas 2023

Details of the RYA Santa Sleigh in York and area in the run-up to Christmas 2023

A 'Signature' project for Rotary York Ainsty. Members collect glasses from opticians then sort and grade them, before taking to Africa. RUTH PEROTT awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year's honours. Link: https://tinyurl.com/MBESpecSort

The main projects supported by Rotary York Ainsty as at March 2024...

York optometrist Ruth Perrott was honoured with the award of an MBE in the Queen's New Year's 2021 list for her work in supporting visually impaired patients in Africa. She recently attended a ceremony where she received her award from Prince William.

Sow, Grow and Share is now an over-arching title which encompasses the various diverse initiatives including Rotary York Ainsty providing growing kits to produce fresh food for participants in the York locale.

A varied series of meetings with guest speakers, activities and projects.

Rotary York Ainsty has honoured York-based charities and individuals who partnered with Rotary to mitigate the effects of the Covid-10 Pandemic on the communities in York and district

A joint initiative with local organisations and schools to plant crocuses, the purple crocus blooms reminding all of the on-going threat of poliomyelitis to the world's children.

Rotary York Ainsty membership opportunities are listed and detailed here - click on the image to advance to the detail.

Team players wanted to join us in our many York community-based projects - with local, national and international benefits. Find out more below.

Team players wanted to join us to assist us in our many community initiatives - with INTERNATIONAL benefits... Find out more here.

The main photograph (above), supplied by Tanzanian aid worker Alice Kostrzewa shows a group of schoolchildren in Arusha, the United Republic of Tanzania, proudy displaying their personal hygiene kits, locally made from templates provided by Yorkits.

Yorkits - making and supplying washable feminine hygiene kits for girls in developing countries

Eco Angels is a Rotary York Ainsty (RYA) initiative that aims to transform waste plastic into attractive Angels. For a voluntary donation to the Yorkits project (which helps to change lives) RYA is providing basic armature shaped kits.

A York-based organic nursery and craft workshop is providing a safe and secure community working environment for those with learning difficulties.

Rotary York Ainsty is getting its gloves on to assist a community boxing club in the city.

ToyLikeMe is a York-based community-interest company which encourages and influences toy manufacturers to consider disability when designing their products.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an intensive leadership experience organised by Rotary clubs and districts where teenagers develop skills as a leader while having fun and making connections.

Rotary York Ainsty Associate Membership - What is involved - What is expected.

A photographic record of some visits (both ways) in recent years

Three examples of how you can assist those less fortunate via Rotary membership

How to show an interest in joining Rotary York Ainsty - A selection of membership application forms

Rotary York Ainsty supports Door 84 - a York city centre for youth

What is Rotary all about? Some interesting facts and figures

Santa on tour with Rotary York Ainsty Rotarian 'collection Elves' - Peter Kendall, John Merchant, Christine True and John Niklaus.

Follow the travels of Santa as he tours streets and villages of York bringing the Christmas message to local communities.

A thank-you letter and certificate from School in a Bag.

An archive of Press Releases circulated to the media of York - including cuttings and links to original documents and resources.

Yearsley Grove School in Huntington, York support Rotary York Ainsty's Polio Eradication project

York area school pupils aimed for top marks in ingenuity as they swapped their classroom for a design and construction challenge - the RiY Technology Tournament, which was held at the international headquarters of Portakabin, in Huntington, York.

York Ainsty Rotarian Avtar Matharu is seen with another Marie Curie supporter at York central rail station.

Rotarians and volunteers have been out and about assisting with Marie Curie cancer care collections in York.

Six Rotary York Ainsty Rotarians tell the story of why they joined the association.

The heart defibrillator at Copmanthorpe is ready for use, installed courtesy of Rotary York Ainsty.

A photo-gallery featuring some images taken on the 2018 visit to RYA's 'twin' club in Münster, Germany - Münster St Mauritz.

Chechelele - the main attraction at RYA's Charter Night with a Difference - WOZA RYA

WOZA RYA - A Charter Night with a Difference - Rotary York Ainsty Charter Night 2018

Rotary York Ainsty Friends form a vital part of its community structure

Social Activities 2023-24

RYA have an active social program, usually held during the first week of the month in place of the traditional club meeting. This is open to relatives, friends and anyone interested in Rotary.

Get Involved - DONATE

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