Members of Whitburn Rotary in West Lothian, Scotland, have re-enforced their community credentials with unstinting support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
President-elect, Jonathan Moore, said that Rotarians have been extremely busy in the region, west of Edinburgh.
He said: “When the coronavirus pandemic hit our shores, members of the Rotary Club of Whitburn swung into action. Throughout the lockdown, we undertook a number of projects to help the Whitburn community and, indeed, the wider West Lothian community.”
Among the projects was distributing sweet treats to key workers.
Among the projects was distributing sweet treats to key workers.
The Rotary club arranged with Fishers Bakery in Whitburn to distribute tasty apple pies to staff working at the Accident & Emergency unit at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, Bathgate Fire Station, the doctor’s surgery in Fauldhouse, the Scottish Ambulance Service station in Livingston, the Well Pharmacy in Fauldhouse and Whitburn Police Station.
They also helped to distribute large quantities of biscuits, donated by Borders Biscuits, Lees of Scotland and Tunnocks, as well as from Paterson Arran (Burton’s Biscuit Company), to care providers, community hubs, emergency services, foodbanks, health centres and the NHS in West Lothian.
The Rotary club has also handed out more than 250 face visors to key front line healthcare providers, including GP surgeries, dental practices, care homes and to Tippethill Hospital in Whitburn.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit our shores, members of the Rotary Club of Whitburn swung into action. Throughout the lockdown, we undertook a number of projects to help the Whitburn community and, indeed, the wider West Lothian community.”
Members were also kept busy with the distribution of more than 250 bottles of hand sanitiser to pharmacies, emergency services and to St John’s Hospital in Livingston.
While a significant number of protective gowns were also issued to front-line workers, including those in the health care sector and community hubs, in and around Whitburn.
The recently formed Rotary Cheadle Royal satellite group from Cheshire decided when lockdown was announced last March that any chance of organising charity collections was out of the question for an indefinite period.
the club has donated over ÂŁ2,000 to two local foodbanks and two hospices in the area – East Cheshire and St Anne’s hospices.”
Therefore, as they were not holding their weekly meetings, the next best thing to do to support local charities by donating the money they would have normally spent on food and drink each week.
To date, the club has donated over £2,000 to two local foodbanks and two hospices in the area – East Cheshire and St Anne’s hospices.
Over in Derbyshire, it is a similar story with the Satellite Rotary Club of Chesterfield, which has continued to meet online during the pandemic and raised money to support local foodbanks.
And when its annual car show at Renishaw was cancelled, the club ran it as a virtual event, and was able to donate ÂŁ4,000 to local charities.
Chair of the club, Andrew Thompson, said that their club continues to go from strength to strength.
The club ran it as a virtual event, and was able to donate ÂŁ4,000 to local charities.”
He said: “Many Rotary clubs, including the club in Chesterfield, had found their numbers declining and the age of members increasing.
“So a new satellite club was formed a few years ago.
“The new club is a diverse group of Gen X and millennials. In fact, our door is open to all, especially younger people who want to support their local communities, while having fun at the same time.
“It has also enabled local businesses to support good causes by sponsoring members.”
In Somerset, Langport & Somerton Rotary has been engaged in a very different way of raising funds – by tending graves.
Money raised is being donated to the Yeovil Hospital breast cancer appeal, as well as supporting the homeless and local families.
“Regularly tending your loved one’s grave can be an emotional experience at the best of times,” report the club in a flyer. “As we get older or live further away from their resting place, it is harder to find the time to look after them.”
The Rotary club is covering church yards and cemeteries in Langport, Curry Rivel, High Ham, Aller, Huish, Episcopi, Pitney, Somerton and Long Sutton.
And the club is offering to tend graves up to three times a year by cleaning headstones, memorial pots, removing dead flowers and plants, trimming and edging grass, and lightly pruning any bushes.
