Rotary in the South East was recognised alongside the major community and voluntary agencies with thanks from Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal for their action and dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Princess Anne met the club for a unique gathering at Dover Castle that was organised especially to thank the pandemic emergency people of action.
District Resilience leader Brenda Parsons introduced Ruth Portway from Rotary of Medway, Steve Hanks from Rotary of Maidstone, Robin Dodridge from Rotary of South Foreland and Joe Sullivan from Rotary of Folkestone alongside emergency services, local authorities, volunteer and military groups to The Princess Royal.
One club provided 7,000 bags and 3000 travel masks.”
The Princess asked many questions of the Rotary South East group, commending them particularly on the wide range of volunteering and support they had been involved with.
Rotary and their volunteers in the district had provided more than 50,000 hours of service since January 2021 and raised over £250,000 for local people, organisations and international communities.
This included working in Food Banks and supporting vaccination centres across thirteen geographical areas.
We are proud to have played our part during the pandemic.”
Dover and Folkestone have been managing the total supply of volunteers, supporting young carers and the elderly through befriending programmes and providing hundreds of computers for schools as well as scrubs, scrubs bags and thank you gifts for hospital staff.
One club provided 7,000 bags and 3000 travel masks.
The Princess Royal meets Joe Sullivan, Ruth Portway and Robin Dodridge.
Brenda has represented Rotary and their mission statement while expressing her thanks for the recognition.
“We are proud to have played our part during the pandemic,” said Brenda Parsons.
“We have all strived to live up to our Rotary motto ‘Service above Self’ – to build partnerships and friendships, to be sustained as we continue volunteering.”
For more information contact Brian Portway at publicimage@rotarysoutheast.org
