New Year , New Kids

Quilters

Tuesday October 17 was a special day at Quilters Junior School, not only for the presentation by club member Rev. Margaret Fowler on our Borewells project which had provided fresh water for 10 Kenyan Primary Schools and 5,500 primary school children in Embu County (See separate report on page 8 of this Newsletter).  It also was the opportunity for us to complete the investiture of the new Quilters RotaKids for the new academic year.
The presentation took place in front of the whole school at its Tuesday Assembly, with president Roger, Vice-president Patrick, Youth Officers Stephen and Peter, and Rev. Margaret Fowler in attendance.

Helping Others

Headteacher Michael Wade complimented the Rotary Club on the work they continue to do to help others locally through their fundraising and community events in Billericay such as the Soapbox Derby, Christmas Market, etc, as well as internationally in projects such as this Borewell project.  This work was done not for personal gain, but to help others.  He exhorted all the children to follow this example and gain the benefits of helping others.

Our Rotary Club members then introduced ourselves and our role in the Rotary Club to the Assembly.
The RotaKids had this year been split into two groups, those focussing on Dementia Awareness and those concentrating on school well-being, so there were more than the normal number of children to complete the investiture.  No matter, all the RotaKids were called up in front of the whole assembly, and one by one they paraded past our Rotary members to receive their RotaKids badges.

Buttsbury

Friday October 20 saw the same investiture for our Buttsbury Rotakids, this time attended by Youth Officer Stephen King and Rotary club member and School Governor Les Sheppard, as president Roger and Youth Officer Peter had to attend (separate) funerals.  The presentation ceremony was part of the whole school Assembly, with all the children sat around the hall on all four sides. 

Headteacher Ann Robinson introduced Stephen King and Les Sheppard, and asked the incoming RotaKids Officers to join them in the middle of the hall and four of them (unfortunately Vice President Sophia was absent) joined them there.

Les addressed the assembly, congratulating the pupils on their amazing fund-raising last year, and also the additional tasks they had undertaken for their school and the local community.  He also remarked how much we had enjoyed being with them last week for the litter pick.  “All our club look forward to you visiting us next summer for the annual presentation” said Les, “when you will be able to tell us all the things you will have achieved during this school year”.

Ann told us that the  charity chosen by the children for this year is Cancer Research UK.

• This year’s officers are:
• President:   Sam McFeely
• Vice President: Sophia Anderson
• Secretary: Isabel Bailey
• Treasurer: Arnav Gupta
• Public Relations Izzy Hadassi

Serve My Community

Les presented each officer with their badge of office and a RotaKids Pledge Card.  Rotakids badges and pledge cards for all the other RotaKids were passed to Deputy Head Teacher Mr Graves for later distribution.  All the RotaKids then stood up and repeated after Les the RotaKids Pledge:
“As a RotaKid, I endeavour to be fair to all, to serve my community and to show respect for others”

Mrs Robinson spoke about the school links with Ciamanda Primary School (where our Rotary Club had piloted our Borewells project), and that she was flying to Kenya the next Sunday to visit the schools and the area that Buttsbury, the Rotary Club of Billericay and the local church community had been supporting.  This would include meetings with education authorities and the diocese.

She thanked Stephen and Les for coming and making the presentations.

We look forward to working with them again this year.