Rotary Club of Forfar International Night

I had the great pleasure of attending the Rotary Club of Forfar on Wednesday evening. The club have recently moved from being a lunch meeting to an evening meeting. They are still flourishing and do not seem to have had any adverse reaction to their move. After a superb few months of mega fundraising including their amazing donation to the Ninewells Cancer Project recently, tonight saw the club present me with a cheque for £5000 which is going to their chosen International Project which is Opportunity International. Opportunity International UK is a member of the global Opportunity International Network a pioneer and global leader in providing micro finance and training to the working poor. They are the largest charity in the UK specialising in micro finance in the developing world.

(The picture shows yours truly, Katherine Begg International Chair and President Jim Nichol)

District 1230 End Polio Now Exhibition

(The picture shows Jim Stewart, Rita, DG Catherine Stewart, RI Director Gordon McInally, yours truly and Heather McInally)

On Tuesday 24th February Rita and I attended District 1230 End Polio Now Photographic Exhibition in the Mitchell Library Glasgow. The event was well attended by Rotarian's and representatives of all of the Asian communities in Glasgow. Past District Governor Drew Hughes welcomed everyone and introduced District Governor Catherine Stewart who gave an address on our challenge of ridding the world of polio. The amazing donations from the Bill & Malinda Gates Foundation of $350,000000 is indeed helping to achieve our goal of a polio free world by 2012. The exhibition portrayed many harrowing images and stories coupled with an equal amount of success stories and images from India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan.

(The picture shows Jim Stewart, Rita, DG Catherine Stewart and yours truly)

Rotary Club of Anstruther Annual Dinner Dance

On Friday 20th of February Rita and I attended the annual dinner dance of the Rotary Club of Anstuther in the Craws Nest Hotel. The evening was once again a great success enjoyed by all concerned with great music to trip the light fantastic along with a spot of Music from the Shows provided for us by Anstruther Operatic Group. It was especially enjoyable for Rita and I seeing many old friends. President William Duncan and Margaret were our hosts for the evening, when we were able to reminisce about our time together as wild Round Tablers. A superb evening, with good food, good wine and great hospitality, thank you William and Margaret and all of the members and guests for a very memorable night.

(The picture shows President William, Rita yours truly and Margaret)

Woodmill Interact Club Charter

Thursday the 5th February was a very special evening for me as Rita and I had the pleasure of attending the second Interact Charter of this Rotary year. The Interact Club of Woodmill are based in Woodmill High School Dunfermline, the club were sponsored by the Rotary Club of Dunfermline Carnegie. Since formation they have set about doing many activities, the largest and most ambitious being the manufacture of Eco Friendly cotton bags. The club members manufactured enough bags to raise £1000 for our School4All project. The members presented Jo Pike of Leonard Cheshire International with a cheque on this auspicious evening. The members have also been asked by RIBI President Ian Thomson to address our forthcoming RIBI National Conference in Edinburgh in April. Rector Mike Gilmour is justly proud of the youngsters who are a credit to all concerned with the club.

(The picture shows yours truly with Carnegie President Dr Janet Lowe and the Interact members)

School 4 All

It's me once more, as well as being busy with our Polio Campaign the other project close to my heart is our School 4 All project in Uganda. I have informed you all that we have a unique opportunity to really put our mark as a District on something immensely worth while and life changing for many. We have the opportunity to make that difference to over 2000 children who desperately need our help. As recently as Saturday I received pictures and information from our grants officer Cath Chorley detailing the requirements of our school Budaka FHP in the Pallisa District of Uganda. The current status is as follows Budaka FHP has 2,252 pupils and 26 teachers, like all of the schools Budaka FHP has poor and inadequate classroom blocks and is in a very poor state of repair. Classrooms are overcrowded having around 100-120 pupils per class with children seated on the floor. This has been one of the barriers witnessed to teaching inclusion of disabled children. Some children trek as long as five kilometres to school as a result of lack of transport facilities. Existing ramps are dangerously erected so much so that injury could be caused by them. Teachers have a lack of understanding about disability issues and inclusive education. Excluded children do not receive any support and therefore do not have access to education at all. Shortly our District International Chairman Ken Paterson will be updating you all as to the requirements. My thanks to all of the clubs that have already sent funds to District Treasurer. I would be grateful for all others committed to this project to send monies to Jim.

Polio Eradication

Just to refute any allegations of me having flown the country, no such luck I am still here and still busy. One area that requires my devoted attention is the coordination of this Districts commitment to the Gates Foundation $100,000000 Polio Challenge. I along with Stephen Chorley your Foundation Chairman are committed to ensuring that the clubs in this District play their part in ridding the world of this terrible disease. Those of you who attended our District Conference will know how I feel about this scourge that still exists. In any case the bottom line is we are committed to doing our level best to finish the job we began in 1983 and is now almost completed. Fellow Rotarian's I have given RI our commitment to provide $10,000 per year over the next three years to finish the job. Shortly you will see a Polio Goal chart appear on our website which will show where we are and where we need to be by the end of June. I am counting on you all to help me, these little children in India. Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan are counting on you, please don't let them down get your pledges and donations in to District Treasurer Jim as soon as you can. Lets MAKE DREAMS REAL and allow the children of the world to have a life.

Rotary Club of Dundee Camperdown (Visit No 86)

Tuesday the 6th January saw me perform my final club visit to Rotary Club of Dundee Camperdown in the Invercarse Hotel Dundee. I was once again made very welcome by President Ron MacWalter and the members. Having recently had the pleasure of opening the clubs International Day it was indeed nice to be back with them. The Rotary Club of Dundee Discovery had a good turn out of members on a club visitation, they were my first club visit and here they were at my last one, gluttons for punishment possibly. After a very nice meal my address was well received and prompted a few questions. The club are certainly very busy at present doing many worthwhile projects within their local community and further afield. Shelter Box is a project that the club support enormously well with most of the funds raised at their International Day going to them.

(The picture shows yours truly and President Ron MacWalter)