PRESIDENT'S BLOG - NOVEMBER.

I begin this month’s article with exciting news! . . . You may know, from other pages of this website, that we are supporting Newclare Primary School in South Africa where our contact is teacher, Mrs Maureen Mesimela. Through our involvement and fundraising, not to mention my visit to the school earlier this year, Maureen has gained great insight into the work of Rotary, and of how we can change lives for the better. As a result, she has not only visited her local Rotary Club of Northcliff, in Gauteng Province, but has also joined them as a new Rotarian. Congratulations Maureen!

Maureen is pictured above with Club President Ragu Govender and the Assistant District Governor at her recent induction into the Club on 30 October.

Maureen writes . . . “Thank you for inspiring me to do what I can for those less fortunate. I will be embarking on a mural for a home for mentally sick people. I am excited to take on such a project to uplift these vulnerable people, whom I have met at a recent Rotarian visit to the home. I am and indeed the school is very grateful to Newton-le-Willows Rotary for your generosity. Please let them know how you all have touched my life.”

In an email to me the following day, President Ragu wrote . . . “All credit goes to the work your club had done together with Maureen and Newclare School that gave her insight into the world of Rotary.”

I am looking forward to having a Zoom call with President Ragu in the near future, and I have invited him to join us on our next visit to the school in April 2025.

Our own usual club activities continued throughout October, with our round of Service Team meetings to discuss our various projects and objectives; and guest speakers, including representatives from ‘Hearing Ambassadors’. Plans are well underway for our annual Christmas Float Tour. The various routes that Father Christmas will take around Newton and the surrounding areas will be publicised on our socials so watch out for us and say ‘Hello’! Of course, the reindeer couldn’t possibly make it around every street every year so you may need to go to your nearest publicised location to see us.

We further strengthened our partnership with Ascent Specialist Autism College. At the beginning of the month, two staff and three students joined us for lunch and spoke to us about their work and the students told us briefly about their hopes and aspirations for the future. We were invited to join them for the soft opening of the Kabin Cafe where we enjoyed an afternoon tea prepared by the students. On 24 October – World Polio Day – the students held another afternoon tea, this time to raise money for Rotary’s ‘End Polio Now’ campaign – the flagship project of Rotary International.

October’s social event was a very successful ‘Last Night of the Proms’ with music by the Golborne Brass Band; a fantastic evening of entertainment supported mainly by non-Rotarian guests. My thanks to Ian Parr and members of our Community Service Team for organising this event.

As usual, if you would like further information about Rotary and about what we do here in our own community, please contact us via the contact page.