November 2023

The club has been very busy during November with members helping various charities.

We are always very honoured to be asked to help with the annual RBL Poppy Street Collection. On Sat 4th November our cheery members took to the streets of Ambleside collecting a total of £1229.16 for the Poppy Appeal.

This was followed the next week with an amazing concert, arranged by Judy Fry, and hosted at St Mary’s Church where Jeff Borradaile’s South Lakes Acapella Choir and the Bryce Street Ukulele Showband performed in aid of Children in Need resulting in the magnificent total of £842.40 being raised, and rounded up to £1000 from club funds. 

The club held an open meeting at Ambleside Parish Centre where those present enjoyed a presentation, by Richard Harpley of Cumbria Wildlife Trust. Formed in 1962 the Trust cares for 41 nature reserves, campaigns for the protection of endangered habitats and species and works with adults and children to discover the importance of the natural world. Following the presentation, the Trust was delighted to report that new memberships had been signed up.  A donation of £100 was made to the Trust by the club.

Blackwell Sailing, based on Windermere, provides a sailing experience for people with disabilities.  Furness Rotarian, Frank Randall, visited AK on 21st Nov to explain that work and funding was required for a replacement wheelchair accessible wooden bridge into the sailing club. His suggestion was that 6 local Rotary clubs might donate £250 each to add to the £840 Foundation grant received. 

The club was very pleased to contribute and donated £250.

Following our Pink5K in aid of St Marys hospice, Charles, Judith, Roger & Ali were invited to a reception at Holker Hall in aid of the Hospice. Various organisations, that had supported St Marys over the year were represented, inc Furness Rotary Club. Staff and volunteers were present from St Mary’s together with the Cavendish family, owners of Holker Hall.  

The month concluded with a very happy evening at The Waterhead Hotel where President Colin Thomson presented our Pink5K cheque for £3500 to Mr Richard Cogger, Area Fundraiser for St Mary’s Hospice. We were delighted that representatives Daryl Hardy & Chris Moore of our main sponsor The Inn Collection were also present. Thanks were expressed to both AK for arranging the community event and the Inn Collection for their generous sponsorship, and to JT Atkinson for helping us to raise our magnificent total of £3500.

A wonderful month and proving yet again that despite being a small club we have again achieved great results!