Rotary Club Projects - The Rotary Club of Reading

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Rotary Club Projects

Projects
Reading Rotary club are proud to have instigated or been heavily involved in a variety of projects, both locally and internationally. Details of some of these are presented below,
One of our more recent initiatives is to help the Reading Refugee Support Centre. Read more here>
Spring 2021 - Mikese Borehole, read more>
The Kitope hospital male ward in Zanzibar has now been completed. Read more here>
Village of Hope - India

Over the last few years we have, through club members' friendship with Pangbourne podiatrist Ali Clarke Morris and her colleagues Mandy and Millie, developed a close connection with The Village of Hope leprosy village near Delhi.
 
Every year Ali visits the bandaging unit Village of Hope to treat and train locals in how to improve the care for their leprosy wounds.  The first International Dinner at The Elephant in Pangbourne was organised specifically for this project in 2017 and  it has been a shared beneficiary for the following two years. Those of us  who listened to Ali and Mandy speak about the project and give their thanks to the Club will have no doubts as to the value of their cause and their sincerity.

Ali has made a short video of the presentation of the trikes being presented with Reading Rotary Club's name emblazoned on the back. You can see how the daily lives of the recipients are being transformed by their new mobility. Watch video>

During the Covid crisis Reading Rotary Club have contributed some funds to their foodbank, there are some photos here>
Building a brighter future for Reading and beyond. Laying the first bricks and the completed Centenary House block of flats for Reading Single Homeless (Now Launchpad). Read the story of a tenant here>


Orum Primary School - Uganda.
The International team's major project 2018/2019 has been the construction of a primary school in Orum north east Uganda. Find out more>


Locally for 2019-2020 the Communities team has focused on helping improve a number of community gardens around the town. Here is a photograph on the new greenhouse at Redland Community Garden which we helped to fund.

The Rotary Shoebox scheme.
This scheme started in 1994 by Rotary clubs in North West England and was then intended to provide children of Iasi, in  north-east Romania with Christmas gifts. Since then, the scheme has become a national project which our club supports. More details here>
Bottle Greenhouses July 2017 by the Youth Team

Rotary club of Reading, Youth Team have had a long connection with Oxford Road Community School dating back to 2007 when we helped fund the introduction of Life Education. Since then Rotary Club of Reading have helped with Dictionaries and gardening projects. The latest project, this Spring, was responding to a request from the school to build a frame for a bottle greenhouse.
 
Ace joiner Tony Cowling, assisted by his apprentice built the frame and the children are collecting the 2 litre plastic bottles that they will thread on to bamboo poles.
In May 2017 it was well on its way to completion.
 
This was a satisfying project that was of importance to the school and of modest cost to us.
bCyberwise

The Club has enjoyed a long association with Oxford Road primary school starting of with us contributing to the cost of introducing Life Education to the school in 2007. Since then we have helped with Dictionaries for Yr 6 Leavers and gardening projects.

The latest news is that they have just signed up to Life Education's special bCyberwise programme which has been designed for Primary school pupils in years 4,5 and 6.  The aim is to help educate the children to take care when using the internet and social media sites.

The Dictionary Project  
In 2007 the then President (John James) initiated our Club's participation in the Dictionary project and in July 2008 we presented 100 copies of the Usborne Illustrated Dictionary to Year 6 pupils leaving their local Reading primary schools to move to secondary schools. Targeted that year were Oxford Road Community, Wilson and Katesgrove Schools. For 2016 the figure is up to 750 for 15 schools.

Draught Busting  
In December 2012 Transition Town Reading (TTR) was given a grant by Reading Borough Council to pay for materials for draught proofing the homes of some of the most disadvantaged people in the borough.

Life Education Programme   
The Rotary Club of Reading is supporting pupils to understand healthy life styles at several schools

RYLA  
The Rotary Youth Leadership Award scheme is to develop leadership skills for those aged 18 to 25.

The Brian Middleton Award  
In 2005 the District 1090 decided to make an annual payment to send a disabled young person on a RYLA or similar course. This was set up in memory of Rotarian Brian Middleton of the Reading Rotary Club, who spent many years organising and supporting Rotary Youth Leadership Awards for the disabled.

Shelter Box and Aqua box   
Shelter Box is a club project, owned and run by RC Helston Lizard.

CIRDIC   Churches In Reading Drop In Centre   
Situated just off Berkeley Avenue, Reading (turn at the Esso filling station) CIRDIC has existed since 1990 to serve some of the most disadvantaged people in the local community.

Water Aid  
Clean water is a vital ingredient in sustaining communities and the prevention of disease and Rotary makes a difference with this club alone raising over £3,500.
This charity targets specific areas of the world's poorest communities with projects involving the local community in a commitment to the provision of sustainable safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. These are all areas of focus for the Rotary Foundation.

Reading Sustainability Centre  
This project is in its infancy and will involve a hydro scheme on the Thames at Caversham that will ideally fund and power a centre which will showcase a range of green, ecological, environmental and sustainability themes'
  
Just Around the Corner  
Just Around the Corner (JAC) Ltd is a Berkshire based registered charity committed to engaging with young people and their families.

ReadiFood  
Readifoods Collections.
The food bank is a short term measure to help people out of immediate difficulties.

In addition RRCP (Reading Rotary Community Project) helps many other worthwhile causes through grants and awards. Please read here, for an up to date list of recent awards.

Interested in joining us? Learn more>
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