Our
main charities for the year during President Gill's term of office are
Hope and Homes Rwanda, St. Martin's Special School, Derby and
June's India Project Here's a little information about
each one. Any ideas on how we might find additional ways to
support these groups would be most welcome.
Hope
and Homes aim is to give hope to children world-wide, who have nowhere
to live due to war or disaster, by providing them with loving family
homes.
supporting
extended families of children who have lost their parents to genocide,
war or AIDS
creating
homes for children needing foster care within their communities
creating
mother and baby units that provide residential care for young,
vulnerable mothers and their newly born babies
tracing
families and reuniting children with their parents and extended family
in the aftermath of war
developing
small family homes for foster parents to take responsibility for the
welfare, schooling and development of the children
The
focus of the projects is to ensure children have a loving, stable
family home with over 80% of funds raised being spent on these projects.
Since
the charity began in 1992 they have helped over 1600 children in 14
countries, the most recent being Moldova, Kosovo, South Africa and
Rwanda.
The Edge
Project offers a safety net for young people involved in or at risk of
sexual exploitation. There are no quick solutions to the
issues they face, their lives are caught in a complex and chaotic web,
which is beyond the comprehension of most of our understanding.
These young people are among some of the most vulnerable in our society
and are in need of our care and protection.The Edge
Project was one of Past President Mike's charities for 2000 to 2001 and
during that year we were able to make a considerable donation to the
project that was not only financial but was to have considerable impact
on the project. More importantly it raised the awareness of this
difficult and little understood group. Many know of our 'red
light' areas but few know of the difficulties facing those young people
who's lives are based there.
Our
members were willing to hear and learn about these young people.
They took that information back to other walks of their lives and
enlisted the help of their companies, individuals made contributions of
equipment and items needed.
Rolls
Royce helped by designing and printing the first lot of publicity,
which was than taken on by design and PR company Origination,
Colourstream Litho did the printing. Rolls Royce also gave the
project some surplus furniture and a substantial donation.
Through Rotary the Derbyshire Building Society became aware of the
project and became a major support, they have contributed furniture and
equipment, financial donations, advice and business support and an
opportunity to raise the projects profile at their Golf Day.
President
Steve stored furniture in his office until such times as it could be
moved in to the new office of The Edge. A local company supplies the
project with cleaning equipment. Individual members of the Rotary
have helped to gain charity status of the project, Edwards Geldard
support this with legal advice.
Members
have donated item such as a safe, a fax, furniture and many other items.
This
Rotary Club made a commitment to understand and has gone along way to
helping Derby City to begin responding to this very vulnerable group of
young people.
Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre (website)
Wholly self funded
Children's home in Skegness
St.
Martin's Special School, Derby
The Multi-use
games area at St. Martin's Special School, Alvaston, has been sponsored
by the 4 Rotary Clubs of Derby (Derby, Daybreak, Mercia and South). As
the school's Centenary coincided with that of Rotary International,
there was
•
An Open Day on 25 January 2005 when the facility was opened by
Margaret Beckett MP.
•
A very successful Centenary Celebration at Landau Forte attended
by the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire - entertainment provided by Dozie,
Beaky, Mick & Tich.
•
Sunday 27 February, a celebration service at Derby Cathedral
where Derby Daybreak provided lunch for the Youth Brass Ensemble &
Choir from Long Eaton and Gill read one of the prayers.
June's
India Project
The Club has
been and is continuing to support a centre in Bhavnagar, India called
the Shri Apang Parivar Centre. Part of this building provides
physiotherapy for children and adults with physical difficulties, but
we are working with a class of children aged 3-9 years approximately
who have physical and learning difficulties. These children mainly come
from very poor home backgrounds and their parents cannot afford the
school fees elsewhere, or their difficulties mean that they cannot
access the municipal education.
When June
first saw this group in 2004 while in Bhavnagar for a PolioPlus
Immunisation programme, they were in dire need of funding and training
for the staff. So with the help of friends, family and of course fellow
Rotarians Gil and June returned this year with £3000 to purchase
equipment and provide some basic training. The Rotary Club of Bhavnagar
Midtown, most of whose members also have physical difficulties, and the
management at Apang Parivar have now formed a joint committee to take
this project forward.
Gil and June
are being kept in touch by phone and e mail and will return next year
to support them again. The final message is one of thanks to everyone
who has supported this project. The children, staff, parents and adults
that we met in Bhavnagar were so pleased that someone was doing
something to help them.
Sight
Savers
Many
pairs of glasses have been
collected by members of the club to send off to third world
countries.
News
on our other supported charities
We've supported these Charities in the past
Derby Cathedral
Plus Appeal
During
the year 2001/2002, Derby Daybreak Rotary Club made a donation of
£1000 to the Cathedral Plus Appeal. This campaign is aiming
to raise £1.25 million for the conversion of the building 18/19
Irongate into a Cathedral Visitors Centre.
The
visitors centre will be of immense benefit, not only to the Cathedral,
but also to Derby and Derbyshire.
The
Centre will house the Cathedral Treasury and Exhibition Area for use by
both the Cathedral and outside organisations. Visitors facilities
will include provision for disabled visitors, an Education Centre and
Library, and a Cathedral Shop and Coffee Shop.
The
establishment of a dedicated Educational Centre will enable the
Cathedral to develop and expand the educational programmes offered,
making them available to all schools and other educational establishme
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