REPORT FROM STEPHEN ELLIS
TO DISTRICT FORUM JANUARY 2026
Good morning fellow Rotarians
On behalf of the Rotary Foundation may I THANK ALL OF YOU WHO DONATE,WHETHER IT BE CLUB OR PERSONAL DONATIONS TO FOUNDATION.
The Rotary Foundation is Rotary’s charity, YOUR CHARITY, and the only one that delivers our vision of a better world.
During the past 100 years, The Rotary Foundation has spent £2.3 billion on lifechanging, sustainable projects around the world.
With 91% of funds spent on the programmes and projects it delivers, The Rotary Foundation is globally recognised for its financial efficiency, accountability and transparency.
Each year, The Rotary Foundation gives £54 million worth of grants to Rotary clubs throughout the world for humanitarian projects, vocational training and scholarship in Rotary’s cause areas. Ranging from small-scale, short-term activities to large, international projects, Rotary grants strengthen global partnerships and provide sustainable and measurable benefits to communities. Grants from The Rotary Foundation support over 1,000 projects every year.
The Rotary Foundation of the United Kingdom
The Rotary Foundation of the United Kingdom (RFUK) is an Associate Foundation of The Rotary Foundation. RFUK supports the aims of The Rotary Foundation by providing funding for its programmes and offering a direct service for giving in Great Britain and Ireland. RFUK has recovered over £1 million in Gift Aid since 2001, allowing even more communities to benefit from The Rotary Foundation.
Rotary on the Brink of Polio History
Since 1985, Rotary’s key humanitarian priority has been to rid the world of polio. For more than 30 years Rotary has led the campaign to rid the world of polio, protecting 2.5 billion children from paralysis and death.
With Rotary advocacy and fundraising, we are on the brink of one of the greatest global health achievements ever. Rotary spearheaded the campaign at a time when there were over 1,000 polio cases a day in 125 countries, paralysing and even killing children. Today, the number of cases is down by 99.9%.Over the last 30 years, Rotary has donated £1.25 billion to the eradication effort and has protected over 2.5 billion children from the disease through vaccination programmes.
Whilst Rotary members continue to be key players in many aspects of the polio programme including on the ground in several countries as well as fundraising and advocacy.
So how are we doing this Rotary Year.
As a District you have from July to December donated $45,125.38, Of which $28,416.22 has gone to the Annual Fund and $13,191.14 to End Polio Now whilst the remainder $3,518.02 went to other funds. This time last year we had hit $49,274.68 so we are behind.
We are now into the second half of the Rotary Year and I now ask you to start thinking about your District and Global Grants for 2026/27, as in the past two years the window for District Grants will be between July and August.
You will also during this half of the Rotary year be considering how you proportion your donations to the Foundation. Please remember the more money donated to the annual fund each year the greater amount of DDF will be available to support your grant applications, consider a 70 / 30 split, that is 70% to the annual fund and 30% to the EPN fund which benefits from a double up from the Gates foundation.
If you would like support for fund raising or on any Foundation questions or would like a club visit then please contact me.
May I again on behalf of the Rotary Foundation thank you all for your support.
'What We Do' Main Pages:
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
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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.
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Full results and detail of the RYA Santa Sleigh in York and district in the run-up to Christmas 2024
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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.
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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
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Rotary York Ainsty membership opportunities are listed and detailed here - click on the image to advance to the detail.
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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.
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Team players wanted to join us in our many York community-based projects - with local, national and international benefits. Find out more below.
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Team players wanted to join us to assist us in our many community initiatives - with INTERNATIONAL benefits... Find out more here.
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Yorkits - making and supplying washable feminine hygiene kits for girls in developing countries
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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.
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Yorkits - making and supplying washable feminine hygiene kits for girls in developing countries
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Greening the Groves is a York initiative supported by YOUR local Rotary Club - Rotary York Ainsty
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A York-based organic nursery and craft workshop is providing a safe and secure community working environment for those with learning difficulties.
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ToyLikeMe is a York-based community-interest company which encourages and influences toy manufacturers to consider disability when designing their products.
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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.
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How to show an interest in joining Rotary York Ainsty - A selection of membership application forms
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Follow the travels of Santa as he tours streets and villages of York bringing the Christmas message to local communities.
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An archive of Press Releases circulated to the media of York - including cuttings and links to original documents and resources.
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Yearsley Grove School in Huntington, York support Rotary York Ainsty's Polio Eradication project
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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.
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Rotarians and volunteers have been out and about assisting with Marie Curie cancer care collections in York.
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The heart defibrillator at Copmanthorpe is ready for use, installed courtesy of Rotary York Ainsty.
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A photo-gallery featuring some images taken on the 2018 visit to RYA's 'twin' club in Münster, Germany - Münster St Mauritz.
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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.
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