Report From District 1040 Conference 2025

Held at the Spa, Scarborough on 3rd and 4th October 2025

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - Inner Wheel Orange the World

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - Rotary Kickback scheme

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - Kids Against Plastic

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - Purple Community Fund

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - Schools Consent Project

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - My Mito Mission

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - Keynote Speaker

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - Coats4Kids

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - The Dolly Parton Imagination Library

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - Alzheimer's Research UK

Report From District 1040 Conference 2025 - Disability Games Panel

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District 1040 Conference at the Spa in Scarborough was opened by District Governor Anne Sutcliffe who emphasised the role of Rotary in promoting youth projects. She spoke about Louth Interact clubs link with a club in the USA, the role of Rotakids, the Rotary Youth Leadership scheme, Ocean Youth Trust all of which will be our legacy for the future

Our second speaker was Jennifer Angus of Inner Wheel who spoke about the Orange the World campaign.This is a United Nations world campaign to stop violence against women and girls.

The signature colour of the campaign is orange. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls.

https://innerwheel.co.uk/d22-orange-the-world/

Next up District Governor led a discussion on the benefits of the youth programmes. On the panel was Bianca who recently completed a masters degree in peace studies at the Rotary Peace Centre at Bradford University. She said that she had gained a great deal for the Rotary sponsored course with a greater understanding of the need for empathy in creating peace.

The three other students had all recently taken part in the Rotary Youth Leaders course. All spoke of how it had improved their confidence and self belief, even if the early morning starts were a challenge

Our next speaker at the District 1040 conference was Mat Everett from Bradford Park Avenue football club who spoke about the Rotary Kickback scheme. Bradford PA came into contact with Rotary as they became a corporate member and from that a scheme was developed to give safe spaces for kids in Bradford by providing drop in football for teenagers.

They now have five venues supporting groups of up to 50 children

https://youtu.be/utY4HVYvYLk?si=mgCiw3470JFUyy-H

The final speaker of session 1 was Amy Meek who spoke about the Kids against Plastic that she started with her sister when she was a young teenager. She emphasised that the world only has five years left to meet the targets set by the UN environmental targets to control globall warming

From initial litter picking targets the charity has expanded to work with schools. This has been supported by other Rotary districts with X Kap:Action for Change pledging to support meaningful environmental change through Plastic Clever and Action Against awards - connecting with schools

https://kidsagainstplastic.co.uk/

The speaker at the start of the second session of our conference was Jane Walker on the Purple Community Fund

A few years ago Jane was shocked to see pictures of children in the Philippines scavenging through rubbish tips to find items to sell to survive

The charity has now developed programmes to educate the children to take them away from the life of no hope.

More details can be found on their website including a TED talk that Jane has given

https://www.p-c-f.org/

Ann Percival then spoke about the Schools Consent Project that is running in schools in Harrogate funded by local Rotary clubs

This charity provides speakers to go into schools. The speakers are all lawyers who have the authority to talk to students about how important having consent in any sexual relationship. They talk about sending intimate pictures and how senders and receivers are breaking the law. The talks are aimed at year 9 and 10 students.

More information https://www.schoolsconsentproject.com/

Christine Beal spoke about My Mito Mission. She suffered the loss of her daughter to mitochondrial disease. This disease can be inherited or occur spontaneously. There is no current cure and will lead to the death of the individual Following the loss of her daughter Christine set up the My Mito Mission charity which supports families affected by this disease as well as raising funds for research

More details on their website https://www.mymitomission.uk/

Our first key note speaker the Rev Kate Bottley

Kate gave a very entertaining talk outlining the events in her life taking her first into the church and then into TV and the media via Gogglebox!

The first speaker after lunch at the District 1040 was Val Howe on Coats4Kids.

Coats4Kids is a volunteer led charity that identified that in the UK there are one million primary school children living in poverty whose parents aren’t able to provide good coats for the children to go to school with.

They have developed a voucher system which through schools are given to children via their parents. The vouchers can then be used on the charity’s website to get a coat for their child at no cost.

Each coat costs £25 - Rotary clubs have provided much of the funds to the charity to purchase the coats. This year the charity is supplying over 10,000 coats

https://www.coats4kids.org.uk/

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library was the topic of our next speaker Janet Appleton from Aireborough Rotary Club

This scheme provides books to primary school age children. The project has been running in district for several years initially through Cleethorpes RC and now through Aireborough - over 50000 books have been given to children in the district and over 278 million throughout the world

https://imaginationlibrary.com/uk/

Fiona Burrel from Alzheimer’s Research UK spoke about the devastation that early onset Alzheimers can cause. She highlighted the family of Jordan and Cian Adams who lost their mum to the disease and have now found that they too carry the genes that means they too will get the disease. Their response has been to devote a huge amount of time and courage to fundraise for the charity.

Fiona will come to clubs to give talks about the charity and its work

https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/

District 1040 runs two disability games - the Humber Maritime Rotary Games and in Yorkshire Rotary Accessible Games Leeds. DG Ann spoke to Bill Lennox about the Hull Games and Anne Griffin about the YRAG

The second key note speaker was Christa Ackroyd. She spoke passionately about her life and the forces that over the years have shaped her. She overcame misogyny as a young reporter working on the Yorkshire Ripper case and later when working in TV. As a journalist she believes in getting the facts correct and avoiding sensationalism. A strong advocate for young people she helped secure the Bronte birthplace as an inspiring place for future generations using the slogan “Be More Bronte”

She emphasised that in the current age of social media Rotary needs to shout more about what we do. “Be More Christa”

'What We Do' Main Pages:

York Ainsty Santa Sleigh 2025

Santa Sleigh details

Either utilise the QR Code or click through: HTTP://tinycc/donate2rya

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

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

Full results and detail of the RYA Santa Sleigh in York and district in the run-up to Christmas 2024

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.

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.

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

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.

August 2025 Rotary York Ainsty supports ShelterBox with £1,000 for rapid disaster relief.

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.

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

Greening the Groves is a York initiative supported by YOUR local Rotary Club - Rotary York Ainsty

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.

CLICK ON THE QR CODE - THIS WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO THE DONATION SITE