Members of the Mid Suffolk Rotary Club were welcomed to Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters in Ipswich to present a certificate marking Rotary’s achievement in raising over £100,000 for the county’s smoke alarm installation scheme since its inception ten years ago.
During the visit, Peter Andrews, Mid Suffolk Rotary’s long‑standing co‑ordinator of the smoke alarm project, also presented a further £2,000 cheque to Chief Fire Officer Jon Lacey, continuing the club’s commitment to supporting community fire safety. The scheme has been strengthened over the years by generous grants from Rotary District 1080, fellow Rotary clubs across Suffolk, and Suffolk Community Foundation, which has helped secure funding from a range of sources.
Senior leaders from Suffolk Fire and Rescue addressed Rotary members, emphasising the vital role smoke alarms play in preventing tragedy and highlighting the value of the partnership—particularly the contribution of the Mid Suffolk club—in protecting vulnerable households. One real‑life case was shared in which a family was woken by their alarm and escaped safely before a fire took hold, a clear example of the scheme’s life‑saving impact.
'What We Do' Main Pages:
The concert was held on 22nd June 2024. Raised £1300 net to the Hospice. We are very grateful to the St Edmundsbury Male Voice Choir and soloist Jess Hughes. A magnificent performance was enjoyed by all who attended.
moreThe website is now called Mid Suffolk Rotary. This is to reflect the fact that we now cover a much larger area and has been approved by RGB&I. Our previous name was the Rotary Club of Stowmarket Gipping Valley.
moreTwo pairs of specialist gloves were donated to Shaftesbury Icanhoe for use with people who find it difficult to grip items.
moreBanners celebrating the club's success in supporting Rotary Foundation Charity were presented at a meeting of the District Council.
moreWe have collected at Tesco on Stowmarket for hampers to be given to needy families in the area. £330 was collected from the ever generous public.
morePresident Guy Wiltshear presented a Book Vending Machine to Daniel Pettitt, the Headteacher and Hannah Flory, the Deputy Head of Abbot's Hall Community Primary School.
moreYou can join Rotary as a business and get help and support from an international organisation, as well as support from other local businesses and Mid Suffolk Rotary.
moreJon Lacey, the Chief Officer of the Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service was given a cheque to go towards purchasing more fire alarms for vulnerable people in the county.
moreA cheque for £400 was presented by Rodney Tate to Captain Martin Gray of the Stowmarket Boys Brigade towards the running costs of their minibus.
moreWe are delighted that our participating businesses have managed to raise so much money in our Giant Easter Egg draws.
moreOur team won the Haverhill Quiz. Photo shows (left to right) Philip Freeman, Richard Tingey (president), Sarah Waspe and Tim Evans.
morePeter Andrews who leads our Smoke Alarm project presented a cheque for £7000 to Jon Lacey, Chief Fire Officer.
moreWe are very grateful to Margaret and Guy for arranging our Quiz evening and John Player as Quiz master. A good time was had by everyone and congratulations to the winners the Bury Abbey Rotary Club.
moreA charity concert in aid of Cancer Support Suffolk has raised nearly £1600. The event was compered by Mark Murphy MBE who used to have a popular programme on Radio Suffolk.
moreMid Suffolk Rotary raised £656 at the Woolpit Steam Rally! A huge thank you to our fund raising team leader Margaret Woollam and all our members who helped out.
moreA certificate marking £100000 raised since the smoke alarm scheme was started by Mid Suffolk Rotary was presented. Also a further cheque for £2000 was handed over.
moreThe Rotary Club of Stowmarket Gipping Valley continues to support Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service.
moreThe Project provides a Moses basket full of all the items both mother and baby need for the first few weeks of the baby's life.
moreWe had an interesting talk from Mike Smith of the Stowmarket Food Bank. A cheque for £500 was presented on behalf of the club by Kevin Widdick, President Elect
moreAt the Mendlesham Street Fayre barrow of booze a hamper was raffled and the winning ticket was drawn by the May Day Queen. This raised £460. Thanks are due to resident Val Remington-Hobbs for loan of the gazebo and other support.
moreThe Club held a street collection in Stowmarket to support shelterbox in supporting those effected by the earthquake in Morocco.
moreMember Rod Curtis organised on behalf of the club some warm clothing and a bench for the Stowmarket Town Youth under 11 team who come under the auspices of the Stowmarket Town Football Club.
moreA litter pick was organised by the Stowmarket Town Council in which Rotary gave a helping hand. The photo shows the Rotary volunteers waiting for the ‘off’.
moreWe organised a stand at the recent (March 2024) Business Exhibition run by the Stowmarket Chamber of Commerce. Many useful contacts were made, and possible businesses being made ‘Friends of Rotary’. The photo shows club president Guy Wiltshear in front
moreStowmarket Gipping Valley Rotary Club makes an annual donation of dictionaries to local schools. The photograph shows this years President delivering books to Gt Finborough school.
moreSome of the club’s previous activities. The photo shows the recent presentation to Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service - see below. Note the Rotary emblem on the fire truck.
more