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President 2024-25 Indra Patel

Sixty-five years of service to the community

We meet at the Cock Hotel on the second, third & fourth Tuesdays of the month at the Cock Hotel in Stony Stratford. The 'Cock' a famous coaching inn dating back to around 1300 has been doubly immortalised through its name. The nursery rhyme "Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross" is said to refer to a horse from the hotel's stables. And the phrase "a Cock & Bull story" is believed to derive from the exchanges of sometimes exaggerated news from passengers of the forty or more mail coaches which at one time called daily here, and at the Bull Hotel just up the High Street. Please notify apologies for absence or attendance by guests to Rotarian Marcus Rixon by 11.00am on Monday by email. After then please notify the Cock Hotel direct on 01908 567733.

Rotary in Action

Membership is an Opportunity

Rotary members are volunteers doing their bit to help people in need within their local community and support humanitarian projects around the globe. Would you like to know more? Do you have ideas for a deserving project in your local area? Email 'rotarywss@yahoo.com'

Stuart Clarke

We were very saddened to learn that our club treasurer Stuart Clarke passed away unexpectedly whilst on holiday in Greece on Monday 7th October aged 59 years. A past club president on two occasions he made a huge impact within the club and our local community. We have lost a true friend and valued Rotarian, he will be missed by us all. Our thoughts are with Tracy, Ryan and the rest of his family at this sad and difficult time.

Local GP joins Rotary

A warm welcome to Dr Satya Murthy who is the latest new member to join the club. Recently retired as a GP, Satya will be well known by many as their doctor at Wolverton Health Centre and for his long standing involvement in local health care. Pictured is Dr Murthy receiving his Rotary lapel pin from President Indra.

Boost to Public Safety

In a significant boost to public safety and emergency preparedness your local Rotary club has donated 22 Severe Bleed Control Kits to the Jay Fathers Campaign, a crucial initiative set up in Jay's memory aimed at deploying "Public Access Trauma Kits" throughout Milton Keynes.

This is a paramedic led effort heavily supported by Pink Punters Night Club which will significantly increase the availability of kits, with the total number already distributed surpassing 150. Life threatening bleeds which can result from a wide range of causes including stabbings and accidents require immediate intervention to save lives whilst awaiting arrival of emergency services.

Picture is of Jason Fathers, father of Jay, receiving the kits from Rotary President Chris Byard and Mike Thomas in front of the Pink Punters bus.

Photo, courtesy of Pink Punters Club

Club Diary: 2024

Meetings 6.00 for 6.15pm

Tues 22 Oct: Dinner at Voongs Restaurant in Bletchley

Tues 15 Oct: Business meeting

Tues 8 Oct: Fellowship

Tues 1 Oct: No meeting

Tues 24 Sept: Fellowship

Tues 17 Sept: Speaker, Evan Willison (Tales from the Auction Floor). Guests, partners, friends welcome

Tues 10 Sept: Business meeting

Tues 3 Sept: Fellowship and welcome to new club member Satya Murthy

Tues 27 Aug: No meeting

Tues 20 Aug: Speakers from 'MK Prostate Cancer Support'

Tues 13 Aug: Business meeting

Tues 6 Aug: No meeting.

Tues 30 July: Dinner at Ye Old Swan, Woughton, 5.30 for 6.00pm. Details, Rotarian Derek

Tues 23 July: Fellowship

Tues 16 July: Speaker, Rotarian Derek "Sydney Opera House"

Tues 9 July: Fellowship

Tues 2 July: Presidential handover to Rotarian Indra Patel

Tues 25 June: Fellowship

Tues 18 June: Speaker Rotarian Derek Marsh

Tues 11 June: Business meeting, followed by club assembly to identify next year's projects

Tues 4 June: Fellowship

Tues 28 May: No meeting, day following bank holiday

Tues 21 May: Guest speaker Marc O'Brien, MD MK11 Music Venue

Tues 14 May: Business meeting

Tues 7 May: No meeting

Tues 30 April: No meeting. Scatter visits to other clubs

Tues 23 April: Fellowship

Tues 16 April: Business meeting

Tues 9 April: Guest speaker Barbara Middleton, District Governor, District1260 (Beds, Bucks & Herts)

Tues 2 April: No meeting

Tues 26 March: Guest speaker Karl Harris "Keeping Kids off the Street"

Tues 19 March: Guest speaker Alan Routledge "The Mormons Trail"

Tues 12 March: Business meeting

Tues 5 March: No meeting

Tues 27 Feb: Speaker - Inheritance Tax, Wills and Powers of Attorney. Welcome to our visitors from MK Grand Union Rotary

Tues 20 Feb: Cheques' Presentation Evening (Santa's Float collection proceeds)

Tues 13 Feb: Business meeting

Tues 6 Feb: No meeting

Tues 30 Jan: Social & Fundraising Dinner, Royal Thai Restaurant, Stony Stratford 6.00 for 6.30pm. Tickets £25.00 and menu options from Rotarian Derek

Tues 23 Jan: Speaker - Rotarian Stuart

Tues 16 Jan: Business meeting

Tues 9 Jan: Fellowship evening

Ukraine Aid Collection

Thank you to all who donated to our collection in Stony Stratford High Street on 24th August to mark the occasion of Ukraine Independence Day. In total we raised £333.25 which we will be donating for humanitarian aid in Ukraine. Pictured are two of our club members with one of our local residents donating to the cause. Thank you also to our volunteer collectors.

Robin Haseldine

It is with much sadness that we convey the news that long standing and valued club member Robin Haseldine passed away at home on 8th August after a short illness. Robin, a member of our club for well over 40 years and a past club President on two occasions, will be greatly missed by all his friends. Our thoughts are with Ann and the rest of her family at this sad time.

Collection for Ukraine Humanitarian Aid

On Thursday 24th August (Ukraine Independence Day) we were on Stony Stratford High Street/Cofferidge Close from 10.30am onwards collecting donations for humanitarian aid for Ukraine. After 18 months of war there is still a desperate need in the country for medical and humanitarian supplies, and all donations will be gratefully received.

Update: We raised over £330 on Thursday. A big thank you to all those who helped collect on the day and to the public for their donations.

Anyone for Coffee?

Please come and join us for a coffee and a chat and to hear all about what your local Rotary Club is doing in your area. A few members of Wolverton & Stony Stratford Rotary will be in Stony Stratford's Bistro & Cafe (Cafe Latte) on Tuesday 1st August 11.30hrs for an hour or so. We look forward to seeing you.

Club Meetings July to December 2023

Tues. 4th July 2023: Meeting 6.15pm. Club Presidential handover for new Rotary year.

Tues. 11th July: Business meeting.

Tues. 18th July: Meeting 6.15pm. Pop in and say hello, perhaps stay a while for a drink or a bar meal, you will be most welcome.

Tues. 25th July: Meeting 6.15pm.

Tues. 1st August: Meeting 6.15pm. Speaker, Rotarian Jane Lynds.

Tues. 8th August: No meeting this week.

Tues.15th August: Business meeting.

Tues. 22nd August: Meeting 6.15pm.. Speaker, Chris Dancaster 'Livery Companies of the City of London'.

Tues. 29th August: No meeting, day after bank holiday.

Tues. 5th Sept: Informal get together and meal at Cock Hotel 6.15pm. Please advise Rotarian Marcus by 31st August.

Tues. 12th Sept: Business meeting.

Tues. 19th Sept: Meeting 6.15pm. Speakers, Ali and James Tully 'Stony Radio'.

Tues. 26th Sept: No meeting - scatter week.

Tues 3rd Oct: Informal meeting this week, visitors welcome.

Tues. 10th Oct: Business meeting.

Tues. 17th Oct: Meeting 6.15pm. Speaker, Marie Osborne CEO Future Wolverton Ltd.

Sat. 21st Oct: Interested in finding out what Wolverton Stony Stratford Rotary are doing in your area? Pop into the Cock Hotel in Stony Stratford between 12.30 and 2.00pm for a chat, all welcome

Tues. 24th Oct: Meeting 6.15pm. Fellowship, visitors welcome

Tues. 31st Oct: Social event and meal at Voongs Restaurant, Bletchley 6.00 for 6.30pm.

Tues. 7th Nov: No meeting this week.

Tues. 14th Nov: Business meeting.

Tues. 21st Nov: Meeting 6.15pm. Speaker, District Governor Barbara Middleton.

Tues. 28th Nov. Meeting 6.15pm. Speaker, Rotarian Indra Patel 'Tibetan Children's Village'.

Tues. 5th Dec. Meeting 6.15pm. Planning meeting, Christmas Float collections.

Tues 12th Dec: Business meeting.

Thank you to Rotarian Allan for organising our fun evening at the Warbler-on-the-Wharf.

At a recent club meeting we welcomed Jason Fathers as our guest speaker. Jason, whose 18-year son Jay died as a result of a knife attack in 2021, explained how he and his family have been campaigning to not only help stop the culture of youngsters carrying knives but to also install Bleed Control Kits in as many publicly accessible places across Milton Keynes as possible. The Club intends to fund the purchase of some additional kits, which contain various dressings that can be easily used by members of the public to control a serious bleed before the arrival of the emergency services.

Turkey/Syria Earthquake Appeal

The scale of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in February, with over 50,000 deaths, was truly horrific. Your local Rotary club immediately donated £500 to the ShelterBox charity for the humanitarian aid effort.

On Sat. 25th March 2023 we spent several hours outside the new Tesco Express store in Stony Stratford collecting further donations for the earthquake appeal and together with donations from club members and friends sent a further £500 to ShelterBox. A big thank you to all for your generosity.

Tool for Self Reliance

Club members hard at work refurbishing donated old tools at the Milton Keynes workshop of 'Tools for Self Reliance'. The tools will eventually make up carpentry kits for onward distribution to Africa. Our visits are always rounded off with some well earned fish and chips!

Details about TFSR at http://www.tfsr-mk.org.uk

Going on Holiday?

If you are a member of Rotary you can earn 10% commission for charity every time you book with Riviera Travel. Whether you travel as a group, a family or on your own every holiday can earn funds for your club. Request a free brochure from Riviera Travel at: http://www.rtyriviera.co.uk

Please mention Wolverton & Stony Stratford Rotary Club when you book.

Rotarians learn about MK Prostate Cancer Support

Overall one man in every 8 gets prostate cancer. This was one of many statistics explained to members at a recent presentation by David Wiggins and Haydn Sinfield from MK Prostate Cancer Support Group. To help with the group's important work the club was pleased to make a donation of £100. Pictured above is President Indra handing over the cheque.

Rotary's New President for 2024/25

Pictured left is our new Club President, Indra Patel, receiving the chain of office from retiring President Chris Byard.

In reviewing the past year Chris reflected on just how much, as a relatively small club, we have achieved through our numerous fundraising and service projects and thanked members for their enthusiasm, commitment and support.

In response Indra said how much he was looking forward to his year as President. His main aims are to grow the club, continue with our work supporting the community and fundraising for charities and good causes locally, nationally and abroad and ensure members carry on having fun and fulfilment.

Supporting Indra as the club's new Vice President for the coming year will be Marcus Rixon.

Help for struggling families

Wolverton & Stony Stratford Rotary Club has donated 14 air fryers and 14 slow cookers to MK Community Hub, to help families struggling with the rising cost of living. MK Community Hub working in partnership with Foodbank and Social Services will ensure the equipment is delivered to those most in need.

Pictured at the handover ceremony on 9th February, left to right, are Rotarian Derek Marsh, Paul Mulley (Community Hub Manager), Councillor Robert Exon and Rotary Club President Chris Byard.

Chris said "It is because of the generosity of the local community together with a donation by Costco, Milton Keynes, that we have been able to support families struggling with paying for the essentials. The air fryers and slow cookers we have donated use less electricity and will help to save money compared to other cooking methods".

Stony Stratford Christmas Lights Fayre

Once again we had a very successful day dispensing mulled wine and a delicious selection of mince pies and gingerbread goodies on our stall at the Stony Lights Fayre. Thank you to event organiser Alan Swann, our volunteer helpers and of course the public who visited our stall.

Poppy Appeal Sales

Once again we were very pleased to support the Poppy Appeal on behalf of the Royal British Legion. This weekend (28th to 29th October) we staffed the poppy appeal merchandise table at Wolverton Tesco's and raised over £3,800 a fantastic total Thank you to the volunteers at our table, and to the public who have been so generous with their donations.

Our new Club President 1st July 2023

Pictured (left) is new Club President Chris Byard receiving the chain of office from retiring President Stuart Clarke.

In reviewing the past year Stuart reflected on just how much as a relatively small club Wolverton & Stony Stratford Rotary has achieved through its numerous fundraising and service projects.

For the year ahead Chris has prioritised membership growth, more contact with the general public, more social events and the continuation of our successful programme of fundraising activities and community service projects.

Indra Patel was inducted as the Club's new Vice-President. Congratulations to them both.

Visit to Kings Community Centre, Wolverton

In May we unveiled a plaque at the Kings Community Centre in Wolverton to mark our support for the Centre, most recently with the purchase of an additional oven to help feed more who are in need of a meal.

Pictured above (L to R) is Rotary President Stuart Clarke, Jane Lynds - Rotary Community Lead and Andy Forbes - Centre Manager

Rotary Ukraine Appeal

At our street collection in Stony Stratford on 5th March we raised over £1,800, an amazing total. Thank you everyone for your most generous support; more collections are planned. Out of those funds we have already sent £1,000 to the Rotary Club of Warsaw Winalow International, to fund medical supplies being sourced in Germany where Rotarians are loading them onto lorries for transport to hospitals in Lviv, and £500 to ShelterBox for immediate humanitarian aid.

We also organised and collected a lorry load of bedding and other essential clothing supplies, for transport to Ukraine by a local Ukrainian gentleman, and purchased £200 worth of first aid kits for the devastated region.

Update: Following two more public collections we have been able to donate a further £1,000 to the Rotary Club in Warsaw (for medical supplies for Ukraine) and an additional £350 to ShelterBox. Thank you to all who donated for your generosity.

Update, May 2022: We have sent a donation of £813 to the Rotary Club of Kyiv International to help fund its humanitarian relief efforts, after we heard all about its work during a zoom meeting with its Charter President which was hosted by East Anglia District.

Update: On 24th August 2022 in Stony Stratford High Street (Ukraine Independence Day) we raised almost £500 for Ukraine humanitarian aid. Thank you to our collectors and a big thank you to the public for all their donations.

Update: On 24th August 2023 we held another collection in Stony Stratford for humanitarian aid for Ukraine. The sum of £333 was raised, a big thank you to all who donated and to our volunteer collectors.

Since 1985, Rotary's key humanitarian priority has been to rid the world of polio. Rotary spearheaded the campaign at a time when there were over 1,000 polio cases a day in 125 countries, paralysing and even killing children. Today, the number of cases is down by 99.9%.

Over the last 30 years, Rotary has donated US$1.8 billion to the eradication effort and has protected over 2.5 billion children from the disease through vaccination programmes. Inspired in part by Rotary's volunteer commitment and fundraising success, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was launched in 1988. This partnership includes Rotary, World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the US Centre for Disease Control & Prevention and, more recently, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

There are only a handful of cases left in the world but continued vaccination programmes are essential to stop the disease returning and ensuring the world is certified polio-free. Rotary members continue to be key players in many aspects of the polio programme, including on the ground support and fundraising. Members of Wolverton & Stony Stratford Rotary Club, along with Rotary members throughout Great Britain and Ireland, have been huge supporters of 'End Polio Now'.

Join us for a really fun pirate themed musical evening with local band The Brave Marauders at the Cock Hotel, Stony Stratford. Doors open 6.30 for 7.00pm with tickets in advance only £5.00 from Jane Lynds, email above. And it will all be in aid of a very good cause.

Kids Out Day to Whipsnade Park

In June Rotarian Jane accompanied over 120 special needs children, together with teaching staff and helpers, from Walnuts School on their annual day out to Whipsnade Adventure Park courtesy of Wolverton & Stony Stratford Rotary.

One of the highlights of the day was the train ride through the park where the children could view a wide variety of animals from the comfort and safety of their carriages. Pictured is Rotarian Jane with some of the kids.

Christmas 2023 - A big thank you to everyone!

Firstly, a big THANK YOU to everyone who gave so generously to our fundraising activities during the Christmas period. Our traditional Santa Sleigh outings, both touring the houses and at various supermarkets (with particular thanks to Sainsbury's for their ongoing support for our four days in their CMK store), raised the magnificent total of £3,100 whilst our ever-popular mulled wine stall at the Stony Stratford Lights switch-on (with grateful thanks to Akbar of the Kardamom Lounge for allowing us to once again use the archway next to his restaurant) helped swell our seasonal fundraising total to a wonderful £5,500! And another big thank you must go to James at The Garage in Old Wolverton for very kindly donating brand new batteries for the sleigh, an obvious essential for powering the lights and music during the tours.

And so, in February, the club arranged a special meeting at which it was delighted to welcome guests from various local charities and organisations to receive their cheques, including Willen Hospice, Unity MK (formerly Winter Night Shelter), Baby Basics MK, Wolverton Inner Wheel Club and Talent Unlimited (a local organisation which develops creative talents of people with autism).

The club has also been very pleased to have been able to make further donations direct to several other local charities and organisations including Stony in Bloom, Wolverton in Bloom, Kids Out and Keech Hospice Care. On a practical level, and with assistance from Costco, the club has also recently purchased a total of 28 air fryers and slow cookers for Milton Keynes Community Hub who, working in association with the Council's Social Service, will issue these to families struggling with the cost of living.

Mike Thomas, PR & Communications Officer, Wolverton & Stony Stratford Rotary Club

Santa has been very busy.

Thank you to all who donated to our Rotary Santa's Float which toured Fairfields (Mon. 11th Dec), Wolverton (Wed. 13th) and Stony Stratford (Thurs. 14th), followed by one day outside Tesco's in Stony Stratford and then four days at Sainsbury's Central Milton Keynes. We hope the young ones all got a chance to see Santa and to wave him on his way.

And a big thank you to Rotarian Alan, who organised the collections, and to our volunteer collectors including Wolverton Inner Wheel, partners and friends of Rotary.

MK CAN Challenge - Monday 16th October 2023

They did it! MK Foodbank supported by well over 200 local businesses, charities and community organisations helped Milton Keynes to achieve a new Guinness World Record title for the longest line of food cans. The total number of cans counted was 102,447 beating the previous record of 44,966 (3.28kms) in 2014 held by Montreal, Canada.

Wolverton & Stony Stratford Rotary Club was very pleased to take part in this challenge to support a very deserving cause. Each participating organisation signed up to collect a minimum of 350 cans and set these out in allocated 25 metre lines, forming a continuous single line of cans snaking all over Campbell Park. Our own club tally was 504 cans, well in excess of the minimum requirement, so we displayed the extra cans collected alongside our section of the line.

At the end of the challenge all the cans were collected up by MK Foodbank, enough to supply food to local families in need over the coming winter months. A whole range of foodstuffs was collected including fruit, vegetables, tomatoes, soup, meat, fish, baked beans (very popular!), other pulses, rice pudding, custard, pasta etc.

Thank you to everyone who so generously donated cans. And thank you to everybody who worked so hard with all the various tasks involved with our participation in the event including transportation of the cans, setting out, supervising the line and clearing up afterwards.

Pictured are President Chris, Alan, Jane, Indra, Denise and Mike setting out the cans on our section of the line.

http://mkfoodbank.org.uk/mk-can/

Out on the Streets Again!

In May we were out litter picking again! President Stuart, Jane, Mike, Allan and Chris ignored the inclement weather forecast and turned up to help. This time we were on Millers Way/H2 as part of 'Big Help Out' day in celebration of the coronation of King Charles. We collected about 10 bags of rubbish. Thanks to Wolverton & Greenleys Town Council for the equipment and MK Council for the bags and quick collection.

Distribution of Santa's Float proceeds Feb 2023

Your local Rotary Club was delighted to welcome various local charities to a special meeting at the Cock Hotel in Stony Stratford on 28 February in order to present them with the proceeds from the club’s Christmas events and Santa tours.

Happily displaying their cheques are representatives from Baby Basics (MK), Motor Neurone Disease Association (MK Branch), Willen Hospice, Talent Unlimited (autism support) and Wolverton Inner Wheel, together with Community Chair Rotarian Jane Lynds and Club President Stuart Clarke.

Stuart said, “It is only through the kindness and generosity of the local community that Rotary is able to support charities such as those here this evening, and we wish them all the very best with the marvelous work they do”.

A number of other local charities have also benefitted from our Christmas events.

Helping Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries

Wolverton & Stony Stratford Rotary is celebrating a landmark charitable achievement as one of hundreds of Rotary Clubs from across the country to contribute in total over £1 million to Lendwithcare.

LendwithCare is a microfinance lending website from the development charity CARE International UK. Launched in September 2010, it allows individuals and groups to make small loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries, and help them work their way out of poverty. These can be farmers, tailors, market stallholders and food producers to name just a few of the types of businesses Rotary have helped. Wolverton and Stony Stratford Rotary Club has been pleased to lend, so far, a total of £2284 in loans to entrepreneurs in eleven countries.

What are you doing this week-end? If you are clearing out your loft or garage, and have items you no longer require and do not wish to sell, then please give Rotarian Chris a call. We can convert your pre-loved items into cash, via further car boot and internet sales, to go towards our Rotary charities.

Our car boot and internet sales of donated goods over the last four years have been very successful (£600 raised in 2016, £350 in 2017, over £100 in 2018 and a similar sum in 2019). Everything then went on hold due to Covid-19 but we are now back in business. So, if you are kicking your heels at home have another go at decluttering your home!!

Message from President of Rotary International

https://cdn2.webdamdb.com/md_wXN5hVeVmG29ViP9.mp4?1626981413

Rotary Magazine

Read the latest news from around Great Britain & Ireland

http://www.rotarygbi.org/magazine/

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