Page 57 - Phonebox Magazine February 2014

Rotary Club
Christmas collections at Frosts Garden Centre
Rotary Club members, wives, and other enthusiastic helpers including volunteers from Willen Hospice, gave of their time to shake buckets at Frosts during the six week run-up to Christmas.
In spite of competition from other charities on occasions, the fantastic sum of around £5,000 was raised from the very generous customers passing through the garden centre.
The proceeds will be donated to Willen Hospice and other Rotary approved charities.
The Rotary Club of Newport Pagnell would like to express their grateful thanks to Frosts for their generosity and support, and to all those members of the public who contributed money in any way.
Rotary Day – February 22nd, 2014
One of Rotary’s greatest initiatives, both locally, nationally and internationally is the ‘End Polio Now’ project. Because of a rolling immunisation process throughout the world for many years, the scourge of this dreadful disease has been eliminated from the vast majority of countries.
According to official reports, the polio virus is confined to three or four countries, all of which are affected by civil wars and or unrest, making it virtually impossible for the immunisation process to be carried out.
Rotary continues to raise money to contribute towards the project in conjunction with Microsoft founder’s charity - The Bill and Melanie Gates Foundation.
Within Rotary, the purple crocus is recognised as representing the ‘End Polio Now’ project, and there are collection boxes at Lloyds Bank, the Swan Revived Hotel, and the Medical Centre - all in Newport Pagnell - where members of the public can purchase a very attractive lapel silk crocus for a pound.
Newport Pagnell
On Saturday, 22nd February, it is planned to have a stand in Newport Pagnell High Street, close to Boots the Chemist, where Rotary will be selling silk crocuses, handing out Rotary information sheets and balloons, and also with one or two other surprises.
Look out for a real display of purple crocuses, which the Newport Pagnell Rotary Club planted near the fire station three years ago.
Unwanted Spectacles
For many years, Rotarians and Inner Wheel members have been enthusiastically gathering up spectacles for sorting and subsequent distribution to countries overseas. The first sort is done in-house before taking them to a local collecting point. They are then sorted once more minutely before being transported to where they are most needed. There are collection points for unwanted spectacles at various points in the area, usually doctors and dentist surgeries and also some opticians. For the record the last three years have allowed us to collect in excess of six thousand pairs of glasses respectively. Past Rtn Reg Hewison would be well pleased to see that his initiative is still alive and well.
We’d be Delighted to See You!!
If you’d like to find out more about us and want to make a difference having fun and at the same time helping those less fortunate than yourself, come along and meet us. As a result of our regular feature in the Phonebox we now have a healthy membership of 25, with others in the pipeline.
The Rotary Club of Newport Pagnell meets every Wednesday at the Swan Revived Hotel, Newport Pagnell. We are a dual gender dining club but having a meal is optional. If a meal is required then this takes place in the restaurant from 6.45 onwards. Non-diners can arrive in time for the start of the meeting at 8.00 pm. www.newportpagnell.rotaryweb.org
Phonebox Magazine 57