I was really impressed with Rotary York Ainsty’s splendid patchwork of proactive community-based projects. As a member I have been involved in an incredible range of activities.
With Specsort, we recycled spectacles for certain communities in Africa; with Yorkits we helped tackle the worldwide problem of feminine ‘period poverty’ through workshops making washable Feminine Hygiene Kits, and with Door 84, we supported social, cultural and educational activities for youth in York.
The York Rotarians also helped to prettify the gardens at York Hospital and Wilberforce Trust homes, and over Christmas we livened up communities with Santa’s sleigh collection float in support of charities like the Marie Curie Foundation, St. Leonard’s Hospice and York Mind.
COVID-19 caught virtually everyone off guard. Before 2020, we were relatively familiar with the nature of epidemics like the Ebola and the Zika viruses. And we knew so much about Swine Flu and HIV/AIDS.
But very little was known about COVID-19. That’s why it has hit the world so hard.
Before the lockdown was enforced in March some of us in York Ainsty Rotary were planning to launch a new satellite group that would appeal to the younger segment of our communities.
Faced with the pandemic and the lockdown, we began to explore practical ways the Rotary club could support the most vulnerable citizens of York.
We came up with the idea of producing non-medical grade, washable, reusable, and cotton facemasks, which are needed to minimise the transmission of COVID-19.
The York Ainsty Rotary community face masks project was born.
Faced with the pandemic and the lockdown, we began to explore practical ways the Rotary club could support the most vulnerable citizens of York.”
Steered by eight Rotarians and four satellite group volunteers, who met every Saturday on Zoom, we resolved to make and distribute 3,000 masks to target communities in York between June to August.
We agreed that the masks would not be for sale but distributed free, though donations would be welcomed.
The Rotary club seed-funded the start-up costs, and initially several individuals donated fabrics and sewing accessories. Many of our Yorkits team agreed to help sew the masks.
For publicity, we designed and distributed flyers canvassing for volunteers to join our team as fabric cutters, sewing machinists, packers, couriers and distributers.
Many of our Yorkits team agreed to help sew the masks.”
Today, the project is supported by nearly 70 volunteers. One of the great miracles of the lockdown was witnessed in the ability to co-ordinate this large group of people working individually, or as family, or in small groups in multiple homes and locations spread out across York.
Thanks to the generosity of these dedicated volunteers, by the middle of July we had amazingly exceeded our set target of making and dispensing 3,000 masks to charities, food banks, projects supporting vulnerable young people, families and individuals in York communities.
The completed masks, made in three sizes, are quarantined for three days before being packed in twos in bio-degradable bags sealed with York Ainsty Rotary stickers.
Now the Government has released new extended guidelines requiring the use of face coverings in shops, supermarkets, banks and post offices from July 24, this will obviously increase the need for facemasks.
At York Ainsty Rotary, we intend to keep the project going probably up to August.
Personally, it has been an honour being involved as part of the patchwork of volunteers in this project.
The positive feedback and donations we have received from members of our community are deeply reassuring. They indicate that this has been a very worthwhile project.
