Strathaven Rotarians aim to help £100m bid to eradicate polio

Mar 13 2008

AT the meeting of Strathaven’s Rotary Club, secretary Ian Valentine announced last week that members’ individual contributions to raise money for Ian Thomson and Paula Welch’s expenses for their visit to Sierra Leone now stood at £330.

Ian also read from a letter of thanks received from Anne Ramage of Strathaven Academy, thanking Rotarians for their help with the mock interviews for fourth -year pupils.

She indicated that the pupils had found the experience nerve-racking but very worthwhile and left them with a great deal of food for thought.

International convener David Thomson announced that the international concert, which had to be postponed last Monday evening due to the inclement weather, would be rescheduled to Monday, April 28.

A few tickets are still available via any club member.

Vice president Billy Cochrane reported on a visit by 21 members to the Rolls Royce factory.

The party were met by Pauline Duffy and addressed by Graham Waddell who gave an illustrated talk on the recent history of the company and its change over to team working.

The party was then treated to a conducted tour.

President Nigel Thomson introduced speaker Tom Allan who revealed to members some of the mysteries of The Rotary Foundation, the charity arm of Rotary International.

Tom gave examples of some of the work carried out with funds.

The planting of 58,000 trees in the Gobi desert, to the effect of the dust storms, post-tsunami relief and help to communities affected by hurricanes were but a few.

Tom spent some time analysing the spending on Ambassadorial Scholarships – a topic of great interest to members since a scholar addresses the club on an annual basis.

Turning his attention to probably the most well-known of Rotary's efforts, ’Polio Plus’ , Tom encouraged club members to continue to play their part in helping to raise the £100million needed over the next three years, to match the same sum pledged by Microsoft’s Bill Gates and his wife, in order to achieve the aim of the project – eradicating the disease.

The project was started by Rotary International in 1985.

Ian Coyle delivered the vote of thanks.