Buttsbury Makes its Mark

Early on June 19, District Governor David Willis attended the morning assembly at Buttsbury Junior School to present the school RotaKids with the Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland Presidential Citation. David was accompanied by Rotary Club of Billericay (sponsors of the Buttsbury RotaKids) President Roger Kettle, President-Elect Patrick Rothon, and club members Rev. Margaret Fowler, Mike Sinclair and Peter Greene.

To qualify, they needed to carry out at least three of eight specified community activities, all of which had to be started and finished between July 1, 2023 and May 1, 2024.  We are delighted to report that they achieved seven of the eight challenges, only missing out on a Polio eradication task.

The Whole School

As always, we were very impressed by the behaviour of the school children as approximately 400 young school children filed into the hall for their weekly assembly, and in honour of the RotaKids’ achievement, and sat down in neat rows.  

Headteacher Ann Robinson started the proceedings with the normal business of the Assembly, with a quiz on what they had been learning about music and British composers in particular.  The attentiveness and knowledge of the children was very impressive.  Ann then introduced DG David, President Roger and our other members, and handed over to the DG.

A Very Special Achievement

David congratulated the RotaKids for their very special achievement winning the Presidential Citation for the third year in a row.  Wow!!  

They are one of only four RotaKids’ clubs in the whole District, and one of only forty clubs in the whole of Great Britain and Ireland, to be awarded the Presidential Citation, a recognition of their achievements over the year.  David remarked that it was a pleasure to honour the RotaKids in front of so many smiling faces, and presented the President of the RotaKids with the Rotary Great Britain and Ireland Presidential Citation, letter of appreciation and a banner showing the Rotary Theme of this current year.  

The Officers and visitors then left the Assembly for the customary photographs in the school grounds.

We congratulate them all for their achievement.