High Suffolk Rotary Club
 

The Rotary year has just ended & the retiring President, Robert Norman, can reflect on his presidential term with great satisfaction.  The Club is in good heart; membership is increasing & there is strong fellowship involving both Rotarians & their partners.  The Rotary ethic of ‘service above self’ has been met in many ways.  Donations have been given to -:
 

Practical help has been given by organising a stroke awareness day in Framlingham, Debenham & Eye.  We also provided stewards for the Framlingham charity run.

But two projects are the high points of Robert’s year; a two-year project to renovate the five courtyard gardens at the Council run old people’s complex at Mills Meadow in Framlingham has been started. 

In two of these, overgrown shrubs have been pruned, the borders weeded & replanted & the paving slabs cleaned.  The central courtyard enjoyed by the 33 residents for relaxation & socialising has been tidied.  A major redesign & renovation is planned for this garden during the second year to make it more accessible to those residents relying on a wheel-chair.

The Club has formal links with five other Rotary clubs throughout Europe.  Each, in turn, selects an international project to be funded by all. Last year High Suffolk was the initiating club.  For years many children in Belarus, a former satellite of Russia, were placed in large orphanages.  Many of these children were not orphans but were ‘in care’ because of family breakdown or other social reasons.  Although well cared for every need, including schooling, was provided within the institution. 

There was no integration with the local community.  Government policy has changed & these orphanages are being closed & the children returned to their own families or placed for adoption.  However, for a small number neither option is possible. 

Hope & Homes is a well-respected British charity providing small family units for such children in a number of countries world-wide.  In Belarus, as elsewhere, they purchase houses, engage a couple to act as ‘parents’ for about six children creating a small family environment.  Our project was to fully furnish one of these homes.  This will be successfully completed in September this year giving these children a safe happy background.

Although members do contribute most money comes through our fund raising events.  As Robert Norman says “we have achieved much during my year but we could not have done this without the generosity of the local population.  So a very big ‘thank you’ to all those who gave to any of our fund raising activities.

Eye Stroke Awareness Day

Saturday 28th April at the Volunteer Centre, was highly successfuly.  This follows the donation of £1,000 to Friends of Eye Health Centre in order that 16 portable blood pressure monitors could be purchased. The picture shows Brian, who, as outgoing President, chose this charity, presenting one of the monitors to Dr Partridge

A prominent ex-Occoldian Harry Standley was recently awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship Award. Harry was a prominent Occold farmer and parish councillor who undertook a life change and turned his hobby and passion – boats & the sea – into a new career. He and his wife Alison moved away to Aldeburgh where he established a successful yacht brokerage business. He moved back to this area (to Laxfield) three years ago. He was a founder member of the club and has been active in the Rotary in various capacities. His particular baby has been the Christmas Sleigh Collections each year in Framlingham, Debenham and Eye which have raised over £10,000.

Rotary Rideout Success
Amid splendid springtime sunshine on Sunday 25th March, forty riders enjoyed tackling a new, mostly off road, course from Occold Hall out to Southolt past the labs and back through Church & Clint Farms. High Suffolk Rotary members Robert Owen & Brian Hull and their neighbours helped create a course of about 15 miles - with suitable refreshment stops along the way. A modest entry fee of £15 per horse ensured that £600 was raised for local charities. This event was well received by participants, land-owners and organisers alike.

Brian Hull finished his year as President of the High Suffolk Rotary Club with a ‘Summer Evening Barbie’ at his home on Wednesday 28th June. Suitable quantities of food, beer, wine and games helped to keep at bay the effects of a bright but chilly evening.