EVENTS 2009-10

9/12/09 - semi-mature trees planted at Grimes Dyke Primary School, Leeds.

Five semi-mature trees were planted at Grimes Dyke Primary School, north east Leeds, on Wednesday 9th December 2009. They are to provide shade in the school grounds for the younger children from the summer of 2010 onwards. Our Club is delighted to have donated one of the 5 trees - a Hornbeam. Initially, we were approached for help with the proposed project by the school's Parent Teacher Association, and after some research, we contacted Martin Howe of Wykeham Mature Plants, nr. Scarborough. Martin provided tremendous support, not only by doing an initial site survey, and arranging a fantastic discount on the trees, but he also personally delivered and planted the trees - with a little help from the children - see picture. Martin (his father happens to be this year's President of the Rotary Club of Whitchurch in Shropshire) deserves a medal for his efforts on the day. Wykham Mature Plants also donated one of the trees. Besides the Hornbeam, two Norway Maples - one red and one green - and two Ash trees were planted. At the planting ceremony, Leeds City Councilor Suzi Armitage, who works closely with the school, thanked Martin for his efforts, and also praised the hard work of head teacher Mrs. Diana Mann and PTA member Fiona Jennings, as well as our Club, for making the initial proposal become a reality. On the same day, Ergremont School in Los Angeles, USA, planted a Chinese Elm in their grounds to celebrate the schools' international links.

(For more pictures, click on Events (top bar), then click on Completed Events 2009-10 (left hand bar), and then click on item showing pictures,).

UPDATE: 25th June 2010.

Three Rotarians from our Club visited the School today to see how the trees were getting on. Thanks to Mrs. Diana Mann, the Head Teacher, we were able to have our photographs taken with two of the five trees and some of the children who helped to plant them. The trees were casting a small shadow on a warm sunny day, and in the coming years will provide much needed shade for the younger children in the quite extensive and beautiful school grounds.

We were delighted to meet up with Martin Howe of Wykeham Mature Plants, who provided and planted the trees, and Fiona Jennings (Parent Teacher Association) who started the whole project off. Mrs Mann and her staff made us feel very welcome, and there may be the opportunity to develop further contact with the school. Our picture shows the children at the front, and on the back row (L-R): Martin Howe, Fiona Jennings, Diana Mann, President Ken Garrett, and Rotarians Tony Vincent and Bill Jones.

Presentations of Prizes to two schools, and Illustrated Dictionaries to another, July 2009.

One Friday in early in July, three members of our Club's Community Service and Vocational Committee, together with our intrepid President, Dr Ken Garrett, visited Ireland Wood Primary School and Ralph Thoresby High School in North Leeds, to present Trophies, Certificates, and Book Tokens to some Special Children. Both Schools are at the forefront of integrating disabled children into main stream education. They attend classes in the normal manner, but every so often have to leave to have Physiotherapy - all according to their needs. Their coordinator for these sessions is Mrs Grainger, or June, as all the children know her. June had chosen some of her charges to receive Awards because they had made a really good effort with their physio during the year. It was a privilege and a pleasure to be in attendance to see the joy on receiving their Awards. The children were just lovely. At Ralph Thoresby we were also privileged to meet some parents and a very proud Grandma. A great afternoon and a thoroughly worthwhile project for our Club.

   Just to keep President Ken busy in his first few days in office, the same team visited another Leeds school, Ebor Gardens Primary School, for the presentation of 56 Illustrated Dictionaries during the school assembly. English is the second language of many of the students, and the dictionaries will be of great use. The children (and staff) were excited by the school's new acquisitions. Again a privilege to see for the Rotarians who attended, and another great project for the Club.