Previous International Reports
2012 - 2013
OVERSEAS SERVICE REPORT NOVEMBER 2013
By Linda Taylor District Overseas Service Organiser
No. of Clubs in District 12:- 31
No of Reports received:- 32* see below
*Three of our Clubs disbanded at the end of last year but one of these clubs sent in a report for the work they had achieved from November, 2012 - 30th June 2013.
This is my third and final year as District OSC and I am very pleased to bring you this report.
The Clubs have again worked very hard to provide goods, services and funds as detailed below. We have had a very successful year. I am pleased to say that after our donations were down last year these have increased by almost a third this year.
My District is split into three areas and I am very ably assisted by my three Area OSO's. They help at District Meetings, prepare their part of this report, help organise and run the Overseas Service Rally and generally encourage and assist myself and their club OSOs. We have 4 committee meetings a year. ASOC Trish's Newsletters are passed onto Club OSO's for information as they are received.
District Events and Service
District Overseas Service Rally
This was as usual a great success and the highlight of our Overseas Service year. It was held on 6th November for Practical Action. Our speaker, Mrs. Merilyn Canet gave slides and a talk on the general work of this charity. We are supporting their project in Turkana, Kenya to fund the digging of bore holes with the installation of solar pumps, followed by other wells, toilet provision in villages and schools along with hygiene education. This will in turn help with farming and husbandry and will give the villagers greater independence, better quality of life, financial stability and education. The villagers will be taught to maintain all the equipment and be trained to educate others. Directly this will improve the lives of over 22,000 people and indirectly, with the better water facilities, up to 45,000.
Our guests were District 13's OSC, PDC of District14, and our Rotary District Governor. Unfortunately District 25's OSC was unable to attend at the last minute. Our colour scheme was red with individuals and stalls using the colour to great effect. A variety of stalls, run by the clubs included raffles, games, cakes, filled baskets, and home made sweets and crackers. Nineteen stalls in total were very well supported. 259 members attended. See Overseas Rally section.
District Overseas Service Charity
Clubs will continue their support for Practical Action throughout this year. District also asks clubs to support the Yellow Men of Kagdongdong, who require school stationery, details of which are in the club section later. This was a previous District Charity that has been continued for several years.
From November 2012 until June 2013 District was supporting Sightsavers as the Association and our District Charity for 2012/13.
District Disaster Fund
The District maintains a Disaster Fund contributed to from District and Club funds. After Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines I sent out an urgent appeal to my clubs to either support their chosen charity working in the Philippines or send money direct to our own Disaster Fund. As a result of this appeal District paid for 4 Shelter Boxes.
District Overseas Link
We are linked with District 235 in Sweden with whom I had a lot of correspondence prior to their visit to us in June 2013. As quite a few members have kept in touch with friends in District 235, whom they have made through our exchanges, we had no difficulty finding volunteers to host the 25 ladies who joined us for the four-day exchange. Travel arrangements were made with all our guests arriving at various train stations throughout the District and being met by their hosts. We had decided to keep the visit low key with hosts and clubs entertaining their guests as they wished. This included various local outings, get-togethers with other clubs and meals out or within members homes. Ideas were circulated by myself and Area OSOs and full assistance was given to the hosts and clubs participating.
The final day culminated in a District Meal on a lovely summers evening. As this was Sweden's National Day (June 6th) our guests entertained us with their National Song and we reciprocated with our rendition of Jerusalem. We thoroughly enjoyed true Inner Wheel friendship throughout the whole visit and sent our guests away very pleased that they had made the effort in coming. The majority of our hosts etc. are very keen to return to Sweden in 2016. See Swedish District Contact Clubs Visit.
District Overseas Events & Service
Following last year's successful visit to Operation Sunshine's premises near Folkestone, I arranged a similar event to Blythswood Care near Rochester. This was attended by 28 OSO's and members. Not only did we inspect the premises and have an excellent presentation on the work of this charity, but we were able to help check the Shoe Boxes ready for distribution to Rumania, Hungary and several other countries. Our group checked over 290 boxes, which we all thoroughly enjoyed. This has dismissed the rumours as to "what happens to the boxes and their contents" and raised awareness of the needs and excellent work carried out by a small group of volunteers. As a result I am hoping that there will be an increase in the number of Shoe Boxes we donate, which has been dwindling during the past few years, and also increase our goods collections for this charity. The visit was followed by a very pleasant pub lunch, again with excellent IW friendship.
Our District supported the Association Chairman's, raffle for Sightsavers at Conference.
I have attended District 13's Overseas Service Rally on behalf of District 12. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend, or send a representative to District 25's OS Rally.
Service done by members for an Overseas Charity
Members of our Folkestone, Dover and Canterbury clubs continue to assist at the local depot of Operation Sunshine, collecting, sorting and assisting in packing items for dispatch. Other members' transport donated items from District Meetings for Leprosy Mission, Seeds for Africa, Tools for Self Reliance. Stamps, phones etc. are also collected sorted and sent to various charities.
One member of Broadstairs Club is an Ambassador for Send a Cow and one Canterbury member helped with Project Fair Isle.
Members visiting Overseas Projects -
One member of Canterbury club climbed Kilimanjaro
O.S. Projects supported jointly with Rotary
The club of Battle continue to support Rotary Club of Senlac's charity, The Yellow Men of Kagdongdong, in Kenya. One member helped with the Polio Vaccination Programme in Delhi.
Several clubs have a good working relationship with their Rotary Clubs on fund raising and have worked together for the Philippine Disaster Appeal, especially supporting Shelter Box.
Interclub Meetings for Overseas Service
There have been Interclub meetings for the following Overseas Charities:- Practical Action, Sightsavers, Mary's Meals, Global Challenge and a Lenten Lunch for Water Aid and Save the Children.
Contacts with Overseas I.W. Clubs
Our clubs are in contact with 20 Overseas IW clubs; 2 in France, 3 Australia, 2 New Zealand, 8 in Sweden, including 5 who joined our exchange visit in June, 1 Malawi, 1 Denmark, 2 South Africa and 1 Italy. The clubs linked to Italy, and France exchange visits, along with one of the New Zealand clubs. Other clubs send Christmas greetings, newsletters etc.
(last year's reports showed 25 contacts and the year before 33 so I am assuming that some of the club reports were not completed fully)
Hosting of Overseas IW Clubs
See District Section re Swedish exchange visit. It would appear that our clubs have not hosted their contact clubs this past year.
Hosting of Students/Visitors from Abroad - Nil
Sponsorship of Children or Elderly
I am unaware of any sponsorship this year.
DONATIONS TO OVERSEAS CHARITIES
AZAR
BLYTHSWOOD
CHRISTIAN AID
DIOCESE OF ROCHESTER SCHOOL IN TANZANIA
DOROTHY'S WELLS
FALCONER TRUST
GAMBIAN SCHOOL TRUST
GLOBAL CHALLENGE
GROW PEACE
HANDS AROUND THE WORLD
HOPE ROMANIA
INTERPLAST
LEPRA
LEPROSY MISSION
LEPROSY TRUST
MARY'S MEALS
MICHAEL PROJECT
MERCY SHIPS
MUSTARD SEED MISSION
OPERATION SUNSHINE
PENNIES FOR POLIO
PHILIPPINES TYPHON HIAYAN
PRACTICAL ACTION
RED CROSS SYRIAN APPEAL
SAVE THE CHILDREN
SHELTER BOX
SIGHT SAVERS
TEAM TANZANIA
WATER AID
YELLOW MEN OF KAGDONGDONG
CHARITIES SUPPORTED
AZAR (Tanzania)
BLYTHSWOOD
DIOCESE OF ROCHESTER SCHOOL IN TANZANIA
DOROTHY'S WELL
E.D. AID
FALCONER TRUST
FISH AND CHIP BABIES
GAMBIAN SCHOOL TRUST
GLOBAL CHALLENGE
GROW PEACE
HANDS AROUND THE WORLD
HOPE ROMANIA
HUMANITARIAN AID TO UKRAINE
IMPACT
INTERPLAST
LEPRA
LEPROSY MISSION
LEPROSY TRUST
MARYS MEALS
MERCY SHIPS
MICHAEL PROJECT
MUSTARD SEED MISSION RELIEF
OPERATION SUNSHINE
PHILIPPINE TYPHON HIAYAN APPEAL
POLIO PENNIES
PRACTICAL ACTION
RED CROSS APPEAL FOR SYRIA
SAVE THE CHILDREN
SEEDS FOR AFRICA
SHELTER BOX
SIGHT SAVERS
STOP POLIO
TEAM TANZANIA
TOOLS FOR SELF RELIANCE
WATER AID
YELLOW MEN OF KADONGDONG
HOW OVERSEAS MONEY WAS RAISED
Afternoon and Strawberry teas
Bag 2 Collections
Car Show
Charity Breakfast
Charity Quizes
Clothes 4 Cash Collections
Coffee and Book/Bring and Buy Mornings
Collections (At local supermarkets)
Collection of Copper coins
Craft Afternoon
Darts Evening
Frugal Lunches
Garden Bring and Buy
Indian lunch cooked by members
‘Im and ‘Ers Evening
Monthly Raffles
Open Garden Day
Penny Pot
Pink Party
Private/individual donations
Silent Auction
Tombolas
Various Stalls
World Inner Wheel Day Collection
**********
ITEMS DONATED TO OVERSEAS CHARITIES
ITEM COLLECTED/MADE TOTAL
Adult Clothing:-
Men's Jackets 4)
T-Shirts 24) 44 bags + 35 items
Shoes 11 prs)
Unspecified 44 bags )
Baby Clothing:-
Bootees 4 prs)
Dresses 6) 15 items
Mittens 5 prs )
Children's Clothing:-
Jumpers and Cardigans 445)
Hats 392) 880 items
Scarves 32)
Vests 11)
Household/Living
Bar Codes 11
Bric-a-Brac 2 boxes
China 1 pie dish & 1 box mixed
Containers 14
Crutches 5
Material 3 metres
Needles and Syringe 1
Sewing Kits 5
Sewing Patterns 3
String Bags 5
Tools (including garden ) 17
Toolboxes 3
Toys 1 box
Xmas Decorations ?? 10 boxes
Ink cartridges 373
CD's and Videos 1 box of each
Knitted Balls for Shelter Box 1
Linen/Towels
Blankets 249)
Linen & Sheets 47 + 10 bags)
Duvets 23
Pillow Cases 66) 451 + 10 Bags assorted
Towels 38)
Tea Towels 28)
Mobile Phones 6
Mobile Chargers 3
Postcards 154
Shoeboxes 148
Spectacles 283
Stamps 37,239 grams
Stationery for Yellow Men of Kagdongdong
Exercise/Notebooks 30 + paper)
Pens/pencils 4 boxes + 21) 51 + items & 4 boxes
Tea Coupons for wheelchairs 20
Teddies for Shelter Box and Yellow Men of Kagdongdong 216
Toiletries 1 box
Toothbrushes 236)
Toothpaste 62) 1 box + 372 items
Soap 68)
Flannels 6)
