For the second year, Rotary in Harpenden supplied Friendship Boxes to junior schools in the Harpenden, Redbourn and Wheathampstead area, to be filled by pupils and parents with educational and recreational items for sending to children in Ukraine.
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Classics’ charities – in action
The contrast between the girl’s pristine school uniform and the pitiful conditions of her home is stark.
She’s a lucky one. Her secondary school education is totally free, thanks to Empowering Kids in Kenya, one of the five charities which shared the £30,000 raised by Rotary in Harpenden’s classic car show, Classics on the Common, in July.
Raising £130,000 for a Ugandan women’s hospital
How do you raise more than £130,000 to equip a Ugandan women’s medical centre with an operating theatre, transforming the centre into a fully-fledged hospital?
That was the task begun by Rotary in Harpenden under the leadership of Dr Jim McWhirter of the Reading Matins Rotary Club.
Donation for the President’s cause
Terry Heritage marks the end of her year as Rotary in Harpenden President by presenting a cheque for £5,000 to the staff of Harpenden Plus Partnership, her special cause during her presidential year.
Terry said: ’Our donation will be used to support the work of family counsellors and the purchase of training courses for families and children around behaviour and trauma. During my visit I heard the challenges that children and families are facing especially around socialisation following the Covid pandemic.’
‘The best ideas we have seen’
Pitching their business ideas to three Dragons, Year 6 at High Beeches Junior School excelled themselves.
All 60 children were invited to form teams to create businesses to be operated at an upcoming school event with parents. Rotary in Harpenden provided training together with seed corn money to get the teams started. We then arranged for the Dragons to put the children through their paces.
Young photographers’ stunning entries
The Harpenden heat of the 2024 to 2025 Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland Young Photographer Competition saw some excellent images from the young people of Harpenden. The theme of the competition was “Wonderful Water”.
The unenviable task of separating winners within the intermediate and senior entrants was kindly performed by Ali Asplin of Harpenden photographic Society.
Achievements Awarded
Eloise Starkey of Roundwood Park School and Aryan Pise of Sir John Lawes School are joint winners of this year’s Bill Hewetson Memorial Prize* and Rotary Young Citizen Award.
The awards recognise a young person’s achievements in the spirit of Rotary’s motto Service above Self and were created by Rotary to counter the negative impact of bad news about young people.
Emergency lifting chair ‘a great success’ for Community First Responders
In September 2024 Rotary in Harpenden supplied the town’s Community First Responders (CFRs) with a much-needed emergency lifting chair. The CFRs’ role is to provide crucial emergency medical assistance before the arrival of an ambulance.
‘The Raizer lifting chair, which can be easily assembled by a single CFR, has been used many times with great success to help non-injured patients get off the floor safely and comfortably,’ said Vivienne Ford, team leader of the Harpenden CFR team. ‘It has made a real difference in ensuring a quick and dignified lift for those who need it.’
Lions score again
Harpenden Lions Club chalked up a 12th victory at this year’s Harpenden Quiz of Quizzes, staged by Rotary in Harpenden at St George’s School. The runners-up were Odds and Ends.
As well as giving quizzers a stimulating evening, the event has become noted for its interval hot suppers, produced by the renowned Godfrey’s and served at the quizzers’ tables.
For Shoebox read Friendship Box
Just a few of the many photos we have received from Rotarians in Lviv, a major city in west Ukraine, where our first Friendship Boxes, filled with educational and recreational items, were delivered in time for Christmas to children most affected by the war.