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Olya Kurtianyk Chair of the Rochdale branch of the Association of Ukrainians paid a visit to the Club to update us on how they are helping Ukrainians both here and in their own country during the conflict with Russia.
President Linda gave Olya £250 to help in any way she see fit.
Olya also told members and friends about the traditional Ukrainian Easter celebrations, and brought a sample of their colourful Easter eggs.
President Linda attended the Inner Wheel Charter Night at the Royal Toby, where she passed on the good wishes of the Club.
Rotarian Bob Chadwick gave a talk about his expedition cruise to Antarctica.
Tony Beckett, the District Youth Officer explained to members in a humorous way about how the various youth competitions worked. He certainly gave the Club food for thought.
President Linda inducted Dr Sushil Marijawala into the Rotary Club of Rochdale. Our second new member of 2024.
Chris Wrigley from the Lytham St Annes Lifeboat station told members about the first 100 years of both the RNLI and the station itself. It's hard to believe that crews at the station carried out rescues using oar-powered boats up until 1932.
Chris will bring the story up to date when the Club visits the lifeboat station at the end of May.
The District 1285 North East final of Youth Speaks was hosted by the Club at Falinge Park High School on 6th March.
4 teams took part in each of the Intermediate and Senior categories with the Bolton School (girls) team taking the Intermediate title and Bury Grammar School winning the Senior category. The winning teams can be viewed here.
Rtn Ravi Sharma organised the event on behalf of the Club.
A great night of fun, that was the description of the joint Inner Wheel / Rotary Quiz Night that took place at Littleborough Cricket Club.
12 teams battled it out for the top spot and bragging rights for the next twelve months, whilst at the same time raising around £300 for the Presidents' charities.
Rotary Rochdale hosted a heat of the 2024 Youth Speaks competition at Falinge Park High School. Five teams of three took part during the evening. Falinge Park High School won the Intermediate class, whilst Bury Grammar came first in the Senior class.
To celebrate Rotary Day, a meal to raise funds for End Polio Now was held at the Waterside Restaurant, where everyone enjoyed a 3 course meal and lots of good fellowship.
With a raffle and Rotary Club card, over £300 was raised, which when matched 2:1 by the bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will allow the supply of at least 4,500 polio vaccines.
Tickets are now on sale for an evening with the Lytham St Annes Shanty Crew. This will take place at Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club on Saturday 11th May 2024 and will raise funds for the Lytham St Annes Lifeboat Station which is one of the charities being supported by President Linda.
Tickets priced at £15, which includes a pie and peas supper can be purchased through Eventbrite by clicking here or scanning the QR code below.
On 1st February, bookings for the 2024 Rochdale Classic Car and Bike Show open on the Car Show website, which can be viewed by clicking here.
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At the Friend's Evening on 1st February, we were joined by Alison Starrs and Heather Bibbington from Rochdale Children's Moorland Home, who updated us on their activities during 2023, and also about the financial pressures they are facing with the increase in energy and food prices.
Also joining us was Karen Knox to talk about the problems caused by the pandemic to young children's reading abilities. It was disturbing to hear that pupils are reaching secondary school age with a reading age on those starting primary school.
It was a thought provoking evening for all.
Members from the Petrus organisation updated members on their latest activities, and talked about their successful gardens at the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show.
More information about the 2024 Show Garden will be revealed soon which our Club will be helping to sponsor.
Our club has had a close association with Rochdale Foodbank since it was formed in 2012 and Rotarians have been regular volunteers. Founders Iain and Margaret Wight and Coordinator Cath Entwistle were welcomed back to the club where they gave an update on recent events.
The move to 14-16 Newgate in 2023 gave much more storage space and was a great success. As well as continuing to provide food parcels (a 10% rise over the past year), a citizens advice service for benefits, housing and debt management is available.
Supermarket collection points particularly Tesco has been a great provider of food. Other collection points have been set up in businesses and voluntary organisations in the borough and Iain described Rochdalians as 'wonderfully generous'.
Following a delicious Christmas meal, Club Secretary Bob Chadwick gave members and friends a taste of his expedition cruise to Antarctica. Pictures and videos showed penguins, icebergs and brave souls undertaking the Polar Plunge.
Club members have been spending time helping to pack up Shoeboxes that have been sent from across the UK for onward transit to Romania.
The Rotary Shoebox scheme is hosted within District 1285 and more information about how you can donate or help can be found on their website by clicking here.
Michael Buczman from Rochdale Borough Council made a return visit to the Club to tell members about his trip to the Ostoya Roztocze orphange on the Polish - Ukrainian border to install play equipment for Ukrainian orphans.
His story was very emotional and had many in the room wiping away tears by the end.
His story can be read in the Winter edition of Real Rochdale which can be accessed by this link.
Michael was accompanied at the club by his nephew Mason Hayhurst, who when hearing of his uncle's plans, said he wanted to do something to help raise funds towards it.
Mason described to the room how he ended up running 30 times around the pitch at Rochdale AFC.
On Sunday 19th November, the Club facilitated a Craft Fair for Erin Parsons, who has contacted us asking for a donation as she had been very fortunate to have been selected as a representative of Girl guiding North West England, to be a member of a group going to Florida in summer 2024. Erin will be working on a project which focuses on women in STEM and science and visiting the Kennedy space centre.
Erin revealed she raised funds by making craft, so the Club organised a room, publicity flyers and refreshments, leaving the organisation to Erin and her family.
The event was a huge success despite the weather outside with Erin raising £515 towards her target, and all the stall holders asking her to organise another craft fair in the New Year.
The Club AGM took place on 16th November where the annual accounts were signed off, and officers and team leaders for the Rotary year 2024/25 were elected.
Irene Davidson was confirmed as President, John Holder President-elect and Neil Williams President Nominee.
James Earnshaw from the Fireground Museum, visited the Club to update us on their latest activities. He enthused about the visits the Club had facilitated from the Rochdale Children's Moorland Home over the summer. He also told us about how proud the team were that Founder and Curator Bob Bonner had been awarded a BEM in the King's Birthday Honours.
James also tested our general knowledge of Guy Fawkes and his Gunpowder Plot as Bonfire Night was nearly upon us. Top marks went to Keith Banks, whereas bottom of the class was President Linda and Bob Chadwick.
The 97th Charter Night took place on Saturday 21st October. President Linda was joined by District Governor Swati Mukherjee PHF along with Rotarians from our daughter clubs, along with our members and friends.
A 3-course meal was followed by toasts to Rotary International and Rotary Rochdale before everyone was royally entertained by the musical performance of Ailsa Mainwaring and Paul Kendler.
During the night, Long Service awards were made to Rtns John Kay, Elvet Smith and David Acton. President Linda finished her speech by presenting a Paul Harris Fellowship to Rtn Neil Williams to recognise his sterling work for the club.
Slightly late for World Porridge Day on 10th October, the Club held it's annual frugal meal in aid of Mary's Meals. However in a bit of a twist, we combined it with our Pudding Evening to raise more money for the charity.
11 puddings were made by members and friends, and enjoyed by the 22 people present. A Mary's Meals apron was presented to Heather Williams for the best pudding...well it was the one with least left at the end of the night.
£350 was sent to Mary's Meals, which is enough to buy 3,500 nutritious meals or to feed 18 children for a full school year.
More information Mary's Meals can be found on their website here.
On the 5th of October Roy Down Rochdale Horticulturalist and Michael Buczman Project Manager of Rochdale Council's Environmental Management team talked at length about the Rochdale in Bloom programme over the last 15 years.
Roy described how the Rochdale people has been the key to Rochdale's success volunteering so much time and effort to put on a Gold performance last year. Michael spoke of his role in providing vital council support for the venture.
President Linda thanked Roy for a very amusing and informative talk and Michael for adding more detail of the environmental department's key role.
On 30th September, a concert was held in memory of Rtn Mike Lucas PHF at Bamford Chapel. It featured The Nightingale Singers, with conductor Ken Greaves and accompanist J. Edward Rigg.
Over 90 people enjoyed a wide range of songs from the choir and soloists. Proceeds from the event are to be donated to the Chapel and to the Dementia Friendly Cafe that is held there.
The 2023 Cricket Dinner took place on 21st September where the guest speaker was former West Indies and Hampshire batsman Sir Gordon Greenidge KCMG MBE.
The evening attended by 90 people included a three course meal, stand-up bingo, an auction of a specially commissioned watercolour by local artist Geoff Butterworth and a raffle.
Rotarian John Holder a former Test Match umpire and Hampshire teammate of Sir Gordon organised the event, proceeds from which are to be used to fund Youth Cricket Coaching in the Rochdale Borough.
Lyn Jeffries and Carole Greaves from the Dementia Friendly Cafe at Bamford Chapel told member and friends how the cafe came to be and the wonderful effect it has on the attendees.
On 7th September, IPP Selwyn Hodge presented cheques for £2,500 to each of his chosen charities. Sarah Fitchett from Papyrus and Jessica Kateryniuk-Smith from Place2Be thanked Selwyn and the Club for their generous donations.
22 Members and Friends visited the new HQ of the RSPCA Rochdale Branch at Hollingworth Lake to see how a £6,000 donation by Rtn Merrilyn Chadwick during her Presidency had been used.
David Canavan, former National Chairman of the RSPCA and now Chairman of the Rochdale branch explained about the work of the society and how it is funded.
A tour of the building took place followed by some lovely food in the onsite café, The Woodlands.
A collection amongst the attendees lead to a further £150 being donated to the Rochdale RSPCA.
Becky Calverley from Crown Oil presented Rotarian Neil Williams with a cheque for £250. This was raised by their staff in support of the Classic Car and Bike Show and the work that Rotary Rochdale carry out both at home and abroad.
The annual Bowls Evening took place on 21st July, with members and friends taking on each other at Castleton Bowling Club.
Following the bowls, everyone enjoyed a meal of pie and peas provided by Millcroft Tea Gardens
The 2023 Classic Car and Bike Show took place on Sunday 16th July at Falinge Park, Rochdale.
Despite the inclement weather forecast, over 170 vehicles were on display, 40 craft stalls attended, Roch Valley Radio provided entertainment, whilst the volunteers from Vintage Worx kept everyone fed and watered. The sun appeared around 1pm to leave everyone with a nice warm feeling.
Philip Dean with his Triumph TR4A was presented with the trophy for Car of the Show by President Linda Mainwaring. (Picture courtesy of Ken Rowlett)
Rochdale Rotary would like to thank all the volunteers who helped on the day including members of Round Table, Freemasons, Air Cadets, friends and family. As well as Premier Automotive and Crown Oil for their support.
More pictures from the day can be seen on the Classic Car and Bike Show page here.
On Saturday 8th July, led by President Linda, members attended an Open Day at the Fireground Museum, where we extolled the virtues of Rotary and our Club.
On the evening of 6th July 2023, the Presidential handover took place at the Masonic Hall. Retiring President Selwyn Hodge handed over the reins and the chain of Office to Linda Mainwaring.
President Linda then gave the President Elect and President Nominee ribbons to Rotarians Irene Davidson and John Holder respectively.
President Linda then presented a bouquet of flowers to Secretary Bob Chadwick to pass on to the previous Immediate Past President, Merrilyn Chadwick, before received a bunch herself from Ann Whitley on behalf of the Inner Wheel President, Anita Sharma.
Following the team photograph, a lovely buffet was enjoyed by all.
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