January to March 2010
20th March 2010
CONCERT AT SILCOATES SCHOOL
A SUCCESSFUL first concert in the club's Wakefield Arts Festival 2010 was performed in front of a full hall at Silcoates School, Wrenthorpe, on Saturday, March 20.
With the support of music director, Helen Crompton, there were performances by various musical groups of all ages within the school. These talented young musicians were supported by Castleford Male Voice Choir with its director, Geoff Cox . The choir is now approaching its 85th anniversary.
There was a very varied programme by animated junior school singers, an impeccably timed percussion group, vocal groups from the senior students and brass and flute groups. Award-winning harpists Jacob Nicholls (15) and his sister, Tilly (10), played solo and duet to an amazingly high standard.
Collection proceeds were for Rotary's Thanks for Life polio eradication campaign.
11th March 2010
WAKEFIELD HOSPICE
KEITH JONES, Wakefield Express correspondent for Alverthorpe, donned a different hat when he spoke to the club about the 18 years he has spent as a volunteer worker for Wakefield Hospice, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
He said nearly 400 volunteers aged 15 to 80 helped the work of the hospice, with duties as varied as fundraising and comforting the bereaved.
The hospice runs six shops and a busy warehouse and it has been estimated that if the time given by volunteers were costed out, even at minimum wages it would be worth more than £500,000 a year.
Rotarians have made their own contributions in various ways, including acting as marshals for the 10k race.
A vote of thanks was given by John Hummerstone.
18th February 2010
MOCK INTERVIEWS
Members of the Wakefield club have been awarded certificates for helping young students prepare for the world of work. They conducted mock interviews with more than 50 students aged about 14 at Wakefield Cathedral School, for which the Rotarians received certificates from Compact Education Business Services, organisers of the national programme.
The club was awarded a certificate, held here by club president Sue Parkin, while individual certificates went to (from left) Harry Livesey, John Harrison, Colin Robertson and Roland Mold, chairman of the club's vocational committee.
CEBS managing director Andrew Czolacz wrote thanking the club. He said: "I feel the work we do is important for both the young person and their potential employers as the skills we are developing in young people are the very same skills we need in everyday life and employment. I believe with the help of organisations such as Rotary we can make a difference."
11th February 2010
AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLAR Saya Kurita, currently studying for an MA in Development Studies and Gender at Leeds University, talked to the Wakefield club about life in Japan and her own ambitions.
She is pictured presenting Wakefield president Sue Parkin with a banner from her sponsoring Rotary club in her home city of Kashiwa, near Tokyo. They are flanked by her Saya's Wakefield counsellors, Guy Cliff (left) and Alistair McKinlay.
28th January 2010
A SPLASH OF COLOUR: That was the title Derek Curtis, a Pontefract Rotarian, gave to his demonstration of painting in acrylics at the club meeting on 28th January.
He explained how, as a child during the Second World War, he had been taught to draw and paint, rather than spell, which he admitted was one of his failings, even today.
He is pictured here with Wakefield president, Sue Parkin.
21st January 2010
ANGEL FACES
WHAT she saw on a visit to America fired up Pam Smith, president of the Osgoldcross and Elmet club, who returned to Yorkshire determined to help young women with facial disfigurements.
She appealed to members of the Wakefield club to help her send two girls to America to take part in the Angel Faces project. Each year it organises a seven-day retreat in a private setting in California.
It is designed for adolescent young girls whose faces are disfigured, perhaps by burns, perhaps by cancer. It shows them how to increase their self-confidence and boost the image they have of themselves.
One of the most popular parts of the retreat is the beauty spa where the girls receive massage, facials, new hairstyles and manicures, all of which Pam illustrated in a video. "What I saw really got to me," she said, "There's nothing like it in this country."
She is now raising the £2,500 needed send two girls to the retreat in June. "When they come back we can, with their help, set about establishing a similar project over here, perhaps in this area where we have one of the country's leading burns units," she said.
14th January 2010
MEETING after a lengthy holiday break, made even longer by the weather, club members decided today to buy a Shelter Box for victims of the Haiti earthquake.
Each box, which costs £490 contains a disaster relief tent that houses 10 people, a stove, blankets and other essential items. Further information about what the Rotary organisation is doing to help can be found at http://www.ribi.org/news/articles/haiti-rotarian-offers-shelter-to-fellow-earthquake-victims.
The traditional New Year's Message dinner on January 7 at the New Brookhouse Club, was cancelled due to the snow. The speaker was to have been Mrs Gillian Wallwork, headteacher at Wakefield Girls High School.
