Exmoor Rotary: Club News

Updated: January 24, 2012

News archive from 2002 - here

Community Sunday Lunch

On Sunday 15th January the Club held its annual Community Sunday Lunch in aid of Shelterbox at the Riverside Hall in Bampton. This event was started following the tsunami in SE Asia in 2004, and since then we have raised over £30,000 for over 60 Shelterboxes, a remarkable achievement and a mark of the generosity of those in the Bampton and Dulverton area.

A 3-course meal was provided with coffee for £11.50, and a bar, raffle, and auction raised money for the chairity, along with a few donations. All the catering (preparing food, serving, and washing up) was done by club members and friends and families, and about 140 people supported the event.

The total raised was an incredible £1650 - almost enough for three Shelterboxes. Thanks to all for their generosity.

New Member

On January 3rd President Alan welcomed new member Hugh Saxby to the club.

Hugh has recently moved to Bampton from Wimbledon following his retirement from the BBC where he worked for some 30 years. He was a Director of their Global News organisation which is part funded by the Foreign Office and provides news and programmes to countries across the world. He has been involved in Scouting and Athletics Coaching and was a keen footballer; he is accompanied by his wife Avril.

Club Christmas Dinner

On the Thursday before Chritsmas, the Club held its annual Christmas Dinner, this time at Bampton's Communuity Hall. Catering was by the always reliable Acer Catering -thanks to Edward!

A very good time was had by all, judging by the number of (empty) bottles about the place.

Cabaret Night for Children in Need

On Friday 11th November, the Club organised a Cabaret Night (including a buffet supper) in aid of BBC Children in Need. The evening featured Sapphire, a versatile duo playing a variety of music, which was much enjoyed by an appreciative audience.

An auction of 14 items which had been donated for the cause raised £507, and with the profit from ticket sales and from the raffle, a total sum of about £900 was raised.

Many thanks to all those who helped out, and who supported the event.

Visit to CHSW

On Monday 12th September, some of our members (Gill, Barbara, Sandra, and President Alan seen here) visited Children's Hospice South West at Little Bridge House near Barnstaple.

This is always a moving but uplifting experience, seeing the excellent facilities provided to help children who will not live to adulthood because of various medical conditions.

Bampton Open Day

Exmoor Rotary played a significant part in the Bank Holiday festivities in Bampton. The weather (which had been dreary) decided to brighten up, and crowds of people came and enjoyed the fun and entertainment.

The club members really showed their presence in the bright yellow club tabards - here shown selling tickets for the annual Duck Race.

BOOK STALL - £130.80 # ANIMAL SAFARI - £38 # WHISKY GALORE - £268 # DUCK RACE - £811.50 # TOTAL £1248.30

Many thanks to all the helpers, and of course to all those who supported Rotary by parting with their cash. More pictures can be found at http://www.bampton.org.uk/open-day.html

Dunster Show

This year the Club again had a stand at Dunster Show, along with Rotarians from the Somerset District. Whiskey Galore was the name of the game, a continuous raffle drawn every 20 tickets.

As can be seen from the photo, the show took place on a nice sunny day, and this must get the prize for the best of settings - a flat valley with wooded sides, with Dunster castle in the background. It is not, by the way, a Rotary requirement to have a dog...

Dictionary Presentations - Bampton

Spot the odd one out! Yes it is President Alan with the 11-year old leavers from Bampton School.

Four members of the club (including the Chairman of the Governors) were at the school on the last day of term (July 15th) for their Leavers' Assembly, and the pupils were presented with illustrated dictionaries, part of the Dictionary 4 Life scheme.

A Cheque from St. Helen's School

A cheque from St. Helen's School, Abbotsham was presented to President Alan, this being sponsorship money from their involvement in the Rotary Exmoor Youth Challenge earlier in the year.

The cheque for £351 will go to Children's Hospice South West.

Dictionary Presentations - Dulverton

On 5th July, the new President Alan visited Dulverton Middle & Community School to present to the Year 6 pupils (all 28 of them) the Rotary Illustrated Dictionaries published by Usborne.

The books were much appreciated by the pupils - they had already started looking through the pages before this photo was taken!

President's Night & Handover

On June 25th, President's Night took place which included the Handover between Presidents, ready for the Rotary year beginning on 1st July.

Shown here are the outgoing President Dev (breathing a sigh of relief), incoming President Alan (bouncing with ideas and enthusiasm), President-Elect Terry, and President Nominee Tony.