Rotary Club of
Godalming Woolsack
humanity in motion
rotary international in great britain
and ireland
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humanity in motion
rotary international in great britain
and ireland
The Rotary motto ‘Service Above Self’ conveys the humanitarian spirit of the organization’s more than 1.2 million members. Strong fellowship among Rotarians and meaningful community and international service projects characterize Rotary worldwide.
Each year, the RI president appoints resource groups to help clubs and districts address specific issues in their communities. The president selects Rotarians with relevant expertise to serve as members, and district governors may appoint separate district-level coordinators for each group. These Rotarians are backed by a network of zone and area coordinators.
For 2009-10, RI President John Kenny has appointed five resource groups to support his emphases:
Health and Hunger , Literacy , Public Image , Water , Youth Services
This year our club’s International Committee will apply their approach of a ‘wider giving’ by including such deserving causes as shelterbox, polio, Ethiopia, Italian Earthquakes, Aquaboxes, Tradeaid Toolbox, Lifeline
International Service
Woolsack was delighted to welcome James Sanpha Koroma to their Monday meeting. He is a member of the Rotary Club, Sierra Leone and is presently in the UK to attend the Rotary International meeting in Birmingham. He is a retired civil servant and banker, the founder and CEO of the Union Trust Bank and first Indigenous bank in Sierra Leone. He is married and has 3 boys.
For more information about our International work, read on . .
A visit from far away lands . . .
For a couple of days, Woolsack recently played host to the four members of the GSE team from Patagonia. Group Study Exchanges are an important feature of Rotary activities as they foster greater understanding across cultures, languages and countries. This year's visiting team comprised Florencia Albanesi (a Radio and TV Journalist), Leticia Mandra (an intellectual property lawyer), Marcelo Alvarez (a Safety and Hygiene specialist in the oil industry) and Juliana Sarracino (a Certified Public Accountant). They were a very vibrant and friendly group, eager to learn all about Godalming and to tell us about their home provinces in the South of Argentina. For more information ►
Visit to Hampton Court with President Ian Coult
Two more Shelter Boxes have been dispatched in these last few months. One to Sumatra and one to the Philippines.
ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide
Each box contains a dry shelter, a warm bed, light and heat, clean water, cooking aids and tools for 10 people lasting 6 months.
Philippine typhoon
Sumatra earthquakes
Early on Tuesday, 24th September, a group of intrepid travellers, comprising Ian & Denise Bowell, David & Audrey Scholes, Ian & Patience Smith, Ian Coult and last but not least Ian Russell, set off for the Channel Tunnel and onwards to The Netherlands. Progress was thwarted by the closure of the M25 causing long delays and the two cars to miss their train bookings.
Nevertheless, the journey through Northern France, Belgium and into Zeeland was comparatively uneventful with all participants arriving at the hotel at Burgh-Haamstede by 16.30 hr, to be met by Host President Henri informing us that our transport to Middelharnis and the Club meeting would be leaving at 17.00 hr!!
After a 30 km minibus journey we arrived at the meeting venue, an excellent traditional Brasserie 't Vingerling in Middelharnis. The evening commenced with convivial drinks and conversation, to be followed by a superb three course meal (waitress served!) comprising parma ham and melon, steak, frites and salad, finishing with an ice cream dessert and coffee - a standard meal they said?
Following introductions, one of the members gave a Powerpoint presentation on the Club, Middelharnis and the surrounding areas.
President Ian then presented President Henri with a print consisting of a montage of scenes along the River Wey, which was gladly accepted and then passed around the members for all to see close-up. At the end of the meeting (about 21.00 hr), the host members circulated freely amongst the visitors, anxious to find out as much as possible about Woolsack and Godalming.
The following morning, ten Rotarians and partners accompanied us to The Delta Project at nearby Neeltje Jans for a video presentation and visit to the engineering installations which comprise the flood defence systems which were put in place following the 1953 floods in which thousands of inhabitants lost their lives. This was a tremendous engineering feat and a copy of the video presentation was procured for the Club.
The visit ended with a buffet lunch and farewells for a wonderful and hospitable visit to our potential twin Club.
Last week we visited the Dutch club of Goeree Overflakkee and at dinner presented them with a montage of scenes of the River Wey. Pic1 shows this. Pics 2 shows the group of hosts and visitors together outside the entrance of the exhibition hall of the Delta Works.
Group of hosts and visitors
Presentation of a Montage of scenes of the River Wey by President Ian Bowell
One of the pleasures of being a Rotarian is the opportunity to visit clubs when you are overseas on holiday or on business and to enjoy the fellowship and gain an understanding of life in these Counties. In October we visited Bermuda to see relations of my wife Janet that we had not seen for 45 years. There are 4 Rotary Clubs in Bermuda, which has a population of 60,000. I joined the Hamilton Club for their lunchtime meeting on Tuesday 13th October. I was made very welcome by President Barrett Dill and members in the Royal Bermuda Sailing Clubhouse that is in a stunning location on the water side looking across to the capital of Hamilton. The meeting started with Members standing and facing the Union flag whilst singing the National Anthem followed by a “welcome” song in honour of guests. Dress was very smart with many members in Bermuda shorts with jacket and tie and the ladies in summer dresses. To say the least the climate is most agreeable.