July to September 2010
ANGELA Kennedy gave a heartfelt description of the work carried out by the West Yorkshire Jumbulance Group, which is dedicated to providing European holidays for the disabled and chronically sick.
The unique vehicles used by the group are specially converted coaches, each with a hydraulic lift for people in wheelchairs. Inside there are eight beds along one side, plus 18 seats.
At the club meeting on September 30, Angela told Rotarians that these coaches have official ambulance status and could, if necessary, switch on the siren and blue flashing lights. This is a rare event that has never happened with the West Yorkshire group although it has occurred elsewhere.
When the local group plans a holiday for the sick or disabled, it hires a vehicle from the Jumbulance Trust, which owns the fleet.
Angela, who is Jumbulance organiser for West Yorkshire, paid tribute to the volunteers aged 16 to 85 who help to make the holidays possible. The local team also includes two nurses.
"And are drivers are not just drivers," she added, " They are caring people who help in so many different ways.
"We are always on the look-out for volunteers to be carers on these trips, including young people who bring a vibrancy to the work."
A vote of thanks was proposed by Colin Moran. Angela, who lives at Crofton, can be contacted on 01924 863415 (mobile 07961 508772). The trust's website is at www. jumbulance.org.uk.
It was reported that seven club members had helped with registration work at the previous weekend's Hospice Walk while another 11 had taken part in the event. They raised £170 in sponsorship, mostly from Rotarians.
ROTARY clubs across Yorkshire have volunteers working in schools on the Right to Read programme but its organiser, Roger Bamforth, told members at their meeting on Thursday (September 16) that future funding was becoming increasingly uncertain. The Wakefield club did its bit by presenting Roger with a cheque for £100.
The club was the first Rotary group to get involved in the scheme seven years ago and volunteers continue to go into local primary schools, supporting selected children who need help with their reading.
Roland Mold, organiser of the club's team, proposed a vote to thanks to Roger for bringing Rotarians up to date with the scheme in Yorkshire.
He added: "It has provided me with so much enjoyment I recommend it to everyone."
The cheque was presented by club president Philip Platts.
PHOTO - Roger Bamforth (centre) receives a cheque for Right to Read from club president Philip Platts, with Roland Mold, organiser of the Wakefield club's team.
YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE PARK
"THE WOW factor is essential for major exhibitions" was how John Hummerstone summed up the message relayed by Peter Murray CBE to Wakefield Rotarians and their guests at the meeting on the 9th September.
Peter is the founder of the renowned Yorkshire Sculpture Park in the grounds of Wakefield's Bretton Hall, which started modestly with £1,000 in 1977. Now with a staff of 100 he is still the executive director and has lost none of his enthusiasm for sharing the landscaped beauty of the park with its sculptures, to make visitors more aware of the space and see it differently. They complement each other so well at Bretton, he said.
Another objective is to spot and nurture talent. He said that many artists, such as Andy Goldsworthy and Sophie Ryder, have been able to use the park to aid their creativity and gain international recognition.
No talk about sculpture in the Wakefield district would be complete without mention of local people - Henry Moore (whom Peter described as the second most important artist of the 20th century after Picasso) and Barbara Hepworth, whose eponymous gallery on the banks of the River Calder in Wakefield is due to open very shortly. Both are represented at YSP, which Moore visited and where he became a patron. He was convinced by then that his work needed that sort of setting.
Peter said the Moore sculptures always looked better when the sheep were there. Those sheep belong to Rotary club president Philip Platts ,whose farm adjoins Bretton Park and who has seen it develop over the years.
One exhibit which failed to impart the wow factor to Philip's sheepdog was Sophie Ryder's flock of wire sheep. They just would not move one inch!
Giving a vote of thanks Rotarian John Hummerstone also said that while he was a regular visitor to YSP, he found the talk and the accompanying photographs a revelation.
THE PHOTOGRAPH shows Peter Murray, executive director of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, with work by Italian artist Mimmo Paladino
ROTARY AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLAR Saya Kurita made her farewells to her counsellors and other members of the Wakefield club at their meeting on August 19.
Saya, who was sponsored by the Rotary club in her home town of Kashiwa in Japan, gave a power point presentation which covered her experiences at Leeds University, where she has been on an MA course in development and gender studies. She has been living in accommodation with 16 other foreign nationals from all over the world.
During her time in the UK she has been involved in various Rotary events, joining all the other Rotary scholars and peace fellows at a district governor's welcome at Pontefract Rotary Club in October.
During her year in this country Saya visited six clubs throughout the Rotary district, giving presentations at each. Her visit to the Leeds club's lunchtime meeting in February included a tour of Leeds Civic Centre and a meeting with the Lord Mayor for tea.
At her final meeting at Wakefield she showed she had learned some of the local language and she said she had sampled a number of Yorkshire dishes with relish. She stressed her appreciation of what she called the ‘openness' and welcoming nature of Yorkshire people. She had especially enjoyed a day with children at the primary and nursery departments at Wakefield Girls High School.
She presented a banner from her sponsor club to Wakefield president Philip Platts and showed warm appreciation for the gifts from her counsellors
THE WORK of the Safe Anchor Trust in providing canal trips for the disabled and disadvantaged provided the focus for the August 12 meeting when the speaker was the trust's chairman, Jane Gummer.
This narrow-boat group was formed 15 years ago and today its main object is to support organisations whose members need social and recreational facilities to help their health and enjoyment of life. Those who have benefited from the trust's activities have ranged from the visually impaired to patients from local hospices.
Mrs Gummer said: "This is a fantastic, wholesome charity that has done a huge amount for a huge number of people."
The boats are based at Shepley Bridge Marina at Mirfield and the trust has a team of skippers to man the helms. One of these, Rotary club member Mary Peace, proposed a vote of thanks.
MEMBERS had a busy week which ended with a flourish yesterday (Saturday) when West Yorkshire Police Band starred in the last of the summer charity concerts organised by the club.
The music at the event at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School had a distinct Proms flavour, ending with resounding, flag-waving renditions of Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory. The first half of the evening featured the crowd-pleasing talents of the Junction 41 Band, a choir, soloists and other groups from Outwood Grange Academy.
At the club meeting on Thursday, the speaker was Judith Evans, from the Second Chance Headway Centre at Pinderfields Hospital, where it has been based for the past 32 years. She explained that because of the changes at the hospital, the charity, which helps those with head injuries, would be located in Wakefield city centre for the next three years. During that time they would be looking for permanent premises.
On the same night the club welcomed another new member, Ann Hallaways, head of voluntary services at Pinderfields and other hospitals in the district. She was proposed by Roland Mold.
The previous Saturday the club held its annual barbecue at the Netherton home of Rotarian Richard Hensby and his wife Yvonne. It was the first event for the club's new president, West Bretton farmer Philip Platts, who took over from Sue Parkin on July 1.
JUMBULANCE 
