On Saturday 23rd January  Farnborough Rotary Club held a Burns Night.

It was a great success with nearly 80 people attending.

I made a video of some of the “dancing” but dare not show it for fear of being sued by members worried about their image.

Oh alright then!!!

Also I took some photos too…

A great night and we raised over £1600

Thanks to all who came, especially Sue Evans, Liz Howarth and Pam Minnet for all the cooking of the Neaps, tatties and other delicacies too

Thanks to Gerald Howard MP for addressing the haggis and to Andrew Clarke of Clarke’s Catering for donating the meats and John Grenham for his generous supply of breads.

The MC and main organiser was Jim Thompson

This is a news piece from Rotary International’s  Site for the UK and Ireland

RIBI launches Haiti Earthquake Appeal

Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) is launching an appeal for donations to help rebuild the thousands of lives shattered by the Haitian earthquake.

RIBI President, David Fowler is calling for contributions, which have so far helped victims of the Australia bush fire, the 2007 Flood Appeal and the Boxing Day Tsunami. The gifts will be used to provide long-term and sustainable support for the earthquake survivors.

David said: “700 ShelterBoxes* have already been despatched to the disaster zone, providing tents, clothing, blankets and cooking utensils to the victims.

“To keep this relief effort going, Rotary members are mobilising to raise funds, make donations and help in any way that they can. We are receiving offerings which will support the relief effort and enable victims to reclaim their lives.

“It is too early to tell just how long it will take to recover from this natural disaster. Haiti has been battered by storms previously and much of the population is impoverished. Rotary members from the six Rotary clubs in Haiti are working together and, in some cases, providing shelter for others in their damaged homes. This is where Rotary plays to its strengths.”

(*Click to see Sky News video about ShelterBox’s response.)

Any donations should be sent to:
RIBI Donations Trust
c/o Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland
Kinwarton Road
Alcester
B49 6PB

Please make cheques payable to RIBI Donations Trust and clearly mark your envelope with Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

If you would like to Gift Aid your donation, please download the Gift Aid Form.

A press release from ShelterBox:

First ShelterBoxes arrive in Port au Prince

The first ShelterBoxes have arrived in Port au Prince and hundreds more are due to arrive later today.

The ShelterBox Response Team of David Eby (US), Wayne Robinson (US) and Mark Pearson (UK), who have been in Haiti’s capital since Thursday, took delivery of the first ShelterBoxes at Port au Prince airport yesterday.

The team say twelve of these boxes will be used to build an emergency field hospital at the airport.

‘We are helping build a field hospital with these tents at the airport,’ said Mark Pearson. ‘These are desperate conditions, amputations are happening every half hour. There’s an urgent need for tents at hospitals and this is our first priority.’

ShelterBox Head of Operations John Leach said: ‘The safety of our staff in Haiti is of paramount importance.

‘We are working with the agencies on the ground to ensure that ShelterBoxes are not only distributed speedily and efficiently, but that our team on the ground is able to work in a safe environment.’

Hundreds more boxes are due to arrive into Port au Prince later today from Miami on a chartered aircraft. Thousands more ShelterBoxes are being packed and shipped from ShelterBox HQ in the UK.

ShelterBox Founder and CEO Tom Henderson said: ‘The devastation in Haiti has moved everyone here. We now have our boxes on the ground and it’s a privilege to help. The scale of devastation is huge.

‘By the sheer grit and determination of our staff and volunteers we have been able to respond in record time. Our thanks go to the teams of volunteers, as well as to our donors, who have allowed us to do this.

‘ShelterBox relies entirely on public donations and people’s generosity. We receive no institutional funding and no DEC money. I’d urge, if you can, to help us.’

Public donations are vital to ShelterBox’s continuing work around the world. To make a donation please ring 0300 0300 500 or go to www.shelterbox.org to donate online and get the latest updates on the charity’s response to the Haiti earthquake.

Now that the money is in, someone has to count it.

The money was banked early this morning.

But as you can see, it does mount up.

Last weekend Farnborough Rotarians raised £8500 for the Haiti disaster.

The money was raised over Saturday and Sunday at the Meadows Shopping centre.

All the money will go towards buying shelter boxes which can provide immediate help to those who need temporary accommodation. You can find out more from their website click here.

Sue Evans-John Anderson-President Brian Parker-Barbara Anderson-Liz Howarth at The Meadows

Decided that we were going to try and help, not by giving money but buying  survival boxes Called ShelterBoxes These boxes cost £490 each

So how did we mange it, well we hit the ground running Friday, applied for licences to collect money, designed some A Boards, got pictures and headlines from the National newspaper and Saturday morning we at the Meadows shopping centre.

We raised £8500 enough for 17 Shelter boxes and people were so generous, stuffing notes into the boxes and wishing us well.

Whats in a SHELTERBOX

At the heart of every ShelterBox is a ten-person tent. It is custom made for ShelterBox by Vango, one of the world’s leading tent manufacturers, and is designed to withstand extreme temperatures, high winds and heavy rainfall.

Every box contains a children’s pack containing drawing books, crayons and pens.

Phil and Liz woodford collecting at Marks and Spencers Camberley

Warmth and protection
In addition to the tent, the boxes contain a range of other survival equipment including thermal blankets and insulated ground sheets, essential in areas where temperatures plummet at nightfall. Where malaria is prevalent mosquito nets are supplied, as well a life saving means of water purification. Water supplies often become contaminated after a major disaster, as infrastructure and sanitation systems are destroyed, this presents a secondary but no less dangerous threat to survivors than the initial disaster itself.

Self sufficiency
A basic tool kit containing a hammer, axe, saw, trenching shovel, hoe head, pliers and wire cutters can be found in every box. These items enable people to improve their immediate environment, by chopping firewood or digging a latrine, for example. Then, when it is possible, to start repairing or rebuilding the home they were forced to leave.

Fit for purpose
Every item is durable, practical and brand new. The box itself is lightweight and waterproof and has been used for a variety of purposes in the past – from water and food storage containers to a cot for a newly born baby.

A key piece in every box is either a wood burning or multi-fuel stove – that can burn anything from diesel to old paint. This provides the heart of the new home where water is boiled, food is cooked and families congregate., there are pans, utensils, bowls, mugs and water storage containers.

With £8500 raised we can now buy 17 Shelterboxes.

Already 450 boxes have arrived in Port Au prince

Thank you to all who gave

Farnborough Rotary club will be organising collections this weekend.

We hope to be collecting in Fanborough Town Center and also at the Meadows in Camberley, outside M&S.

As I write, we have received the appropriate licenses from Rushmoor Borough Council and Bracknell Forest. We are waiting on an agreement fro Marks and Spencer

I will report back how much we raise.

All money raised will go towards buying Shelter Boxes,

These specially designed boxes are made for disaster areas and are packed full of vital lifesaving equipment, including a tent that can sleep up to 10 people, pots, pans, a water purification set, tools and other implements to enable survival in the type of conditions we are seeing in Haiti.

Our weekly meeting has been cancelled again due to the snowy conditions.

This will mean that the club has not met for 5 weeks, which must be  a record for our 50 year old club.

A few of us might meet up for a beer as suggested by Tim Dunkley

Watch this space