Founding of a GREAT Charity

A Centenary just doesn't come along that often -- well only every hundred years, so this was a suitable event to celebrerate.  Especially when it was the centenary of Rotary's own charity founded 100 hundred years ago this year by Rotarian Arch Klumph. 

We couldn't let this pass without a celebration, and we duly arranged a formal celebration dinner on July 31 with Past District Governor Alan Clark, wife Celia (Chairwoman of this District's Inner Wheel) and our new District Foundation Chairman, Robert MaCaulay, as our guests.  Also present were representatives and Rotary friends from Billericay Mayflower, Basildon Concord and Basildon clubs.

Held in the excellent pavilion of Billericay Cricket Club in Blunts Wall Road, we enjoyed an excellent meal with wine and good fellowship.

Robert MaCaulay was our speaker on the night, and he updated us with a very informative talk on Rotary Foundation's history and the good it has achieved over its hundred years of existence, not least for its End Polio campaign - so close to success with only seven cases worldwide so far this year.

Having been introduced by president Peter Greene, Robert also explained how the grants process will work for district and national applications, setting out what a club needs to do to apply for grants and said the process was now much clearer.  Members will remember how many problems we had in setting up our SandDams project four years ago - and how eventually we not only achieved it but were delighted when our SandDam was completed, photographed and displayed on our website and in our newsletter.

Our thanks to Billericay Cricket Club  and Dikster and his enthusastic young staff for organising the event and serving us so well around the tables.