Rotary International District 1260 - International Services

News Archive prior to May 2003

For news prior to Mar 2002, click here
For news prior to May 2001, click here

• An SOS from Aquabox: Their shelves are bare, and they would appreciate it if boxes out there are filled and returned quickly. Also they would appreciate funding for Aqua 30s or other donations. [They have sent £25,000 worth of Aqua 30's, equivalent to 2m litres of water and 200 standard boxes to Iraq. In April, they sent 20 Aqua 30's and 200 standard boxes. Also, several more sent to other places like Ghana and Sierra Leone]. Click here for details of Aquabox. [7 May 2003]
  
  

• Congrats to everyone ... our District 1260 wins the Connecticut Trophy (a large rose bowl). It is awarded each year to a District in RIBI which has made outstanding contribution in the field of International Understanding. Les Lee had the honour of collecting it at the RIBI Conference in Blackpool. He states: "It  reflects and recognises all the hard work and effort that clubs in this district put into International Service during the year 2001 / 2002. Congratulations for this achievement and I salute you for making an International Difference in the world and from those who benefited from your work". For details of our contribution, see under "How are we doing?".[April 2003]
  

• Those who wish to offer humanitarian help in Iraq should consider organisations like Unicef. Their details  are well covered on this website in the section on Disaster Notices. [Apr 2003]
  
  

• More Aquaboxes needed ... following crisis in Iraq. Please return filled Aquaboxes as quickly as possible. They already have 120 Aqua 30's, (each purifying 33,000 litres of polluted water) in stock, with 50 held in immediate readiness, at the request of Feed the Children, for probable aid in Iraq. They aim to stockpile 1,000 humanitarian aid boxes - also with water purification facility together with Shelter Boxes for call as requested by the various Aid Agencies who always provide adequate monitoring at the point of reception in the areas of need. [ 23 Mar 2003]
  
  

• Les Lee thanks all the clubs for the miscellaneous items they donated for Mozambique. See a short thank you note outlining how they used it from one of the beneficiaries. [23 Mar 2003]
  
  

• Dressed up as "tap" and "loo" at the District Conference in Cardiff... Two members of District International Committee raise money (£240) and awareness for RIBI President's project for the year, Water Aid. For a report on this and the International session at the conference, click here. [Mar 2003]

  
  
  

• Inner Wheel news updated on this website: In aid of "Hope and Homes for Children", a KidsAid Concert was held on 23 March 2003 at the Thame Leisure Centre. District Overseas service Chairman Sandra Maizels was the Musical Director of the programme. Over 400 people attended the event, and they raised £1,500 for Hope and Homes. Click here for full story. [March 2003]

         

• Hitchin Rotary Club Story - sponsored ride for "Riders for Health". For their story on how they plan to raise awareness as well as money for a "Uhuru" (a sidecar), click here. [ Feb 2003]
  
   
  
  

• If you missed the Dist. International half-yearly meeting on 31 Oct 2002, here is your chance to catch up with the  report. [5 Nov 2002]
  
  

• Club case study: Berkhamsted Bulbourne's commitment to Sparrow Ministry of Hope, Johannesburg, S.Africa. Click here to see how they help destitute, helpless children with a prognosis of AIDS/HIV - and how you can also help if you wish. [ 5 Nov 02]
  
  

• The Inner Wheel Dist 26 Overseas Service webpage on this site has been updated - with information on Charity Concert for Hope and Homes (23 Mar 2003) and an update on Flora Light Challenge for Women. [5 Nov 2002]
  
  

• Club case study: Over 2,300 Rotary Shoeboxes were collected by Rotary Club of Great Missenden. This is a record for the Rotary year 2002-03 in the District and possibly nationally... unless you know some other club. Click here to see the press publicity and for tips on "How they did it?" by the organiser George Rivas. [2 Nov 02] 
  

• The Inner Wheel Dist 26 Overseas Service webpage on this site has been updated for 2002-03. It covers the committee members, diary dates, some of the achievements in 2001-02 and plans for 2002-03. Click here for details. [Oct 02]
  
  
• A special "Thank You" from Les Lee for clubs efforts in 2001-02...... On behalf of the District, RIBI and all those people you have helped... The approximate total financial amounts shown by Clubs in Dist 1260 for projects in the RIBI Library and other club projects is nearly £82,000.  Taking into account those who have not declared an amount and other donations in kind, it is safe to assume the total figure for International Service activities during 2001 / 2002 was in excess of £160,000. For details, click on How are we doing?/Matrix summary [Sep 02]
  
  

• DG Ian Holiday inducts Les Lee as Chairman of International World Community Service for 2002-03 [July 02]

  
  
  

• On the induction day, RIBI International Service Awards were presented to Luton North and Leslie Robertson for their work on rebuilding Gujarat after the earthquake, and for Guru Guruswamy for developing and maintaining this Dist 1260 International website. Guru acknowledged the invaluable help from Roger Munday. [July 02] [See also section on "How are we doing?/Matrix summary"]

  
  
  

• The District Club International Award was given to Rotary Club of Great Missenden. For details of the club's achievements, click here. [July 02]

                        

   
• Congratulations to Watford and the Langleys for Twinning with Nancy Majorelle on 29 June 2002 - Best Wishes from the District International Service Committee. You can see the details of the twinning agreement [3 July 2002]
  
  
• RIBI President's Preferred International Service Project is WaterAid. An RIBI/WaterAid Website was launched on 1st July 2002. Why not have a look at  www.ribi-wateraid.org - it has a special Message from our RIBI President, Tony de St. Dalmas and everything you wanted to know, including an online donation facility. If you need any information about the Project from the District 1260 committee,  please contact Roy Lester rlester@94kingsway.freeserve.co.uk [1 July 2002]
  
                   
  
  

• Has your club filled in the form of Achievements for the International Activities for the year 2001-02?  You can check in the "How are we doing?" section. You can also get a summary picture for all of the Clubs in the District, and a spare form in case your club needs it.[26 June 2002] 
  
  

• Aquabox: Costs increased from £40 to £45 each - but picking up arrangement with Parcel Force simplified. Those who ordered boxes with the (very) old price of £35 each need to reorder. See Details [26 May 2002]
  
  

• Rotary Selected as Recipient of Gates Award for Global Health. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced that The Rotary Foundation has been selected to receive the 2002 Gates Award for Global Health. The $1m award recognizes Rotary’s leadership and impact in the field of public health, most notably the organization’s efforts to eradicate polio by 2005. Details [20 May 2002]
  
  

• Water Aid is RIBI's preferred International Project for 2002-03 and it is hoped that each club will do something towards it. An excellent one-page background to the objectives and cost implications for a project in Tanzania are set out in a note by RIBI president elect for 2002-03, Tony de St. Dalmas. [19 May 2002]
  
  

• RIBI Projects CD ROM for 2002/03: This is a great way to get your clubs projects known. They should be submitted by the 31st May 2002. This can include text, photographs, video and PowerPoint presentations. Since this CD is also used by Non-Rotarians, ensure there is the 'human story' that relates to service and not just a copy of a project leaflet or project library sheet. Forward details to gill_blissett@hotmail.com or via post to Mrs Gill Blissett, 26 North Side, Stamfordham, Northumberland NE18 0QG [16 May 2002]
  
  

• Here are the notes from the District Assembly syndicate sessions - to help Club Chairmen of International Committee for 2002-03. The format was different this year, and those who missed the Assembly may find it particularly useful.[9/16 May 2002].
  
  

• The document that Les Lee handed out at the Dist Assembly for guidance to each club's International Chairman is available on this site. [Please note that it is in a .pdf format, and if this is new to you, please see Newsletter section for instructions]. [9 May 2002]
  
  

• Newsletter from Chairman Les Lee bridges the gap between the two Rotary Years 2001/2 and 2002/3. Items of interest also include destinations of Aquaboxes, and some features on "Feed the Children" and "Save the Children". [8 May 2002]