Community and Vocational Service Report to Club AGM 2024

As in previous years, we have continued to seek opportunities to lend assistance throughout the whole of our catchment during the past year, albeit with limited success in some of the West Fife villages, as reported in previous years, however we have been reasonably active through the year.

We have achieved many of our objectives in serving the Community and although at present we have not fully used the Committee budget this year, we have ongoing consideration of projects which may be funded with this or the next Rotary year in addition to having already managed to support a number of worthy causes within this Rotary year.

The full list and details of donations made during the year is covered in the Treasurers report, but can be summarised as follows -

• Helen has continued to be our primary link with the Salvation Army, resulting in a further monetary donation for their chosen use as well as the provision of shoe boxes with essential everyday items for disposal at the discretion of the staff.

• We once again repeated the laying of 4 Poppy Wreaths on Remembrance Day at local War Memorials and sponsored 2 classes at the Fife Festival of Music, attended on the Clubs behalf by Aileen and Robert North.

• Donations were given to the Limekilns and Charlestown Gala, and the High Valleyfield Community Council for their seniors Christmas Party.

Two of the aforementioned projects bring considered for further support are also through High Valleyfield Community Council, the other being possible assistance to two sisters in West Fife participating in a international touch rugby tournament for Scotland in August, with likely crossover to the Youth Committee for assistance in this project.

We have made a financial commitment to the Crossford Allotment project and for a donation to the Dunfermline Central Library and await confirmation of payment details before disposal of these donations.

We have also continued to assist the New4U Children’s clothing project, now set up independently of the Forth Bridges Rotary Club and will review the extent of our commitment to this project within the new Rotary year.

Mainly thanks to Janice and Douglas, we are also assisting with the SpecSort spectacle recycling project being run through the Alloa Rotary Club and one of the York Rotary Clubs. At the of writing we have accumulated large numbers of spectacles ready for disposal to the York Club.

Many thanks to everyone who has helped with the Community and Vocational work this year and hopefully we will have a busy and rewarding period to come for the rest of this year and the new Rotary year.

Neil Spriddle

Rotary Club of West Fife Community and Vocational Service Committee Convenor