The Rotary Club of Turton

The social side of the Rotary year got off to a great start with the Presidents barb-b-que held at Eric and Pat O’Neil’s house on the 18th July. In the halcyon days of June when the sun was turning the grass brown and temperatures were in the thirties it seemed a good idea to kick off the Rotary New Year in style with a charity barb-b-que, and this was arranged for Sunday 18th July.

Following a very wet few days beforehand the rain never stopped on Sunday morning. However, thanks to the big fella up in the sky, the rain stopped and the skies cleared just as the barb-b-que was starting. 54 Rotarians, partners and guests attended the event and an enjoyable time was had by all.

My thanks go to Eric and Pat for the loan of their garden and for all their hard work along with David and Irene Howarth in organising the event. A special thanks to the celebrity chef Brian Evans who single handed stoically manned the bar-b-que all afternoon, except for a little nudging from Hilary and some assistance from Flat Cap.

As ever, Billy Fairclough did his part and raised a few pounds with two raffles. The event raised a total of £406.00 which will be donated to the Thanks for Life programme for the worldwide eradication of Polio.

Thanks to Jeff Hibbert & David Howarth for the photographs.

At our weekly meetings we pass round The Box for Others so that members can donate the loose change in their pockets to benefit those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Some members have opted to make an annual donation rather than answer the weekly call. In itself, the money raised each week, normally between £4.00 and £8.00 is not a great sum. But taken over the year and when combined with the annual donations given, it becomes a sizeable amount. Club Council decided that to make the best use of the whole amount it should be donated to a single charity, group or organisation at the end of each Rotary Year in July.

The recipient charity, group, or organisation is nominated by the President and this year President Jeff has chosen ORCHID as this years charity. Formed in 1996 by former testicular cancer patient, Colin Osborne, Orchid is the only UK registered charity to focus entirely on male specific cancers; prostate, penile and testicular.

Past President Mike has donated £320 to the Willow Foundation, this being the total collected in the Box for Others during the Rotary Year 2009/10.

In June 2009 the Marie Curie Cancer Care Trust set up a fund to raise £200k in the Bolton area to provide extra nurses to look after terminally ill people at home.  This sum, if achieved, was to be matched by a Government Grant.

President Mike decided at the commencement of his year that the Rotary Club of Turton should help with this worthy cause.

A BBQ was held at Past President Stehen Hughes home in September and a Luncheion Concert, arranged jointly with the Inner Wheel Club of Turton, in April at Dunscar Conservative Club.

President Mike and his wife Jean, President of the Inner Wheel Club of Turton, presented a cheque for £1150 to  from the Marie Curie Nurses Appeal being the amount raised from these events.

So far, by the middle of June 2010, £160k has been donated to the Nurses Appeal throughout Bolton and hopefully the target of £200k will be achieved in the next few months.

On the 13th June 2010 the club held the famous annual duck race! Full details can be found here!

This year’s Duck Race was once again a great success raising almost £12,000 which will be distributed to over 50 local charities and good causes as well as adding to our own charity funds. The club also donated an extra 10% of the amount’s raised by the charities and groups.

The event was held at Bradshaw Brook in Bradshaw on Sunday 13th June with well over 250 supporters there to cheer the ducks down the brook. It is good to see that the event is something that so many local people like to come and enjoy-almost ritualistic. Once again as well as the main Duck Race we held a Kids Race, which was won by Mia Hurst, with 140 kids taking part!

As a regular charity event we were privileged to have the continuing help of local business sponsors, who we would like to thank for their support-in particular our main sponsor Renault and Nissan of Bolton.

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The Club held it’s 41st Charter Anniversary Dinner at Dunscar Golf Club, Bolton on Friday 14th May 2010.

The event was attended by 67 Rotarians and guests, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton Councillor and Mrs Norman Critchley and Rotary District Governor Nominee David Ellis. President Mike Croft welcomed and proposed a toast to the guests to which District Governor Nominee David responded and proposed a toast to the Rotary Club of Turton. An excellent meal was enjoyed by everyone and, after only the two aforementioned speeches, being fewer than at similar Rotary events, entertainment was provided by the Nohow Singers who were donating their fee to The National Deaf Society.

An envelope raffle for an original painting by local artist Alan Bamford of Bark Street, Bolton 1970 donated to the Club by Steph and Eric Tarrant was organised. The winner was Jim Turner and the raffle raised £335.00 which will be donated to The Sarah Matheson Trust, the only charity in the country offering help, advice and assistance to MSA sufferers and their families.

Thanks to Colin Wilson for the photographs.