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ACTIVITIES
Gallery of Activities
Here are a few pictures and descriptions of some events the Rotary Club has been involved with in the recent past. They include both Club, Charity and Community activities.
Santa and his Sleigh are visiting Winchcombe.
Despite the bad weather Santa has been out on his Sleigh greeting children and playing Christmas music. He had to postpone one evening due to the snow but has managed to keep his other appointments. He visited the Coop on Saturday with his helpers and also made the draw for the December 100 prizes which include an extra special £100 Christmas prize. He had a visitor all the way from Australia who found the combination of a snowy Winchcombe and a picture with Santa the highlight of her trip. Proceeds from the collections we have made will go to supporting the Toy library in Winchcombe. (December 2022)
Dressing the Town with Christmas Trees.
The last weekend in November is the traditional time for the town to be dressed with Christmas trees. The effort requires an all out effort from Club Members and Friends of Rotary as the trees need to be prepared, decorated, transported and erected in the space of three days. This year we have erected over 80 trees extending the reach into Gloucester Street. We express our thanks to all who have supported us by taking a tree as well as the Young Farmers and Rotary Friends who assisted in the preparation and erection of the trees. (November 2022)
Winchcombe Service of Remembrance.
A busy weekend for Club Members with churchyard maintenance duties at St Peters Church on Saturday and participating in the remembrance service on Sunday. The Rotary Club took on the traffic stewarding duties whist the town centre was closed as well as placing a wreath on the memorial in Abbey Terrace. President Elect Hazel Philips stood in for out of town President James Neuberger. (November 2022)
Club visit to our neighbours "Hollingsworth and Vose"
Some weeks ago Mike Keeling Site Manager at Postlip Mill gave a talk at a speaker meeting relating to the history of Postlip Mill and the Hollingsworth and Vose activity at the site today. He extended an invitation to Rotary for a group visit which was taken up by sixteen Rotary Members this week. Thanks to Mike and his staff for their hospitality. (October 2022)
Great afternoon at Winchcombe Country Show
The Club had its usual spot at the 2023 Winchcombe Country Show. The ever popular "Wheel of Fortune", "Bat the Rat" "Soak the Rotarian" and "Find the Wine" provided entertainment and prizes for all involved. It was also great to talk to members of the public who were interested in Winchcombe Rotary Clubs activities (August 2022)
Winchcombe Rotary Queen's Jubilee Afternoon Tea.
Twenty-Six members and partners gathered over the jubilee weekend to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. In true Rotary style we did not let the weather put us off and we shared a memorable afternoon and an equally amazing spread provided by members. The afternoon was topped off by a loyal toast to Her Majesty’s amazing achievement. God Save the Queen! (June 2022)
Midland Air Ambulance Sky Champs Project.
Winchcombe Rotary is delighted to support the Midland Air Ambulance Sky Champs project with a local programme. The project aims to equip children and young adults, across the region, with skills that could save a life while waiting for emergency services to arrive. Rotary sponsored the Air Ambulance team to deliver CPR and Bleed Control training for seventy year 10 pupils at Winchcombe School as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Awards. The school was also left a bleed control kit. (June 2022)
Hugely Successful Classics at Prescott in it's 19th year.
Almost 400 classic cars attended the event at the Bugatti Owners Club to be part of Classics at Prescott 2022. The weather was perfect for the morning session but rain at lunchtime meant we had to take things a little slower in the afternoon. An added attraction this year was Richard Hammond's Presence filming for his Richard Hammond's Workshop. All monies generated go to Rotary supported charities.(May 2022)
Wonderful weather for a trip around the Cotswolds.
Saturday 14th May saw the opening event of our Classics at Prescott weekend with our ever popular Classic Cotswold Tour. Entries for this 80 mile all day tour of the North Cotswolds have continued to grow and the weather this year was an added bonus. Thanks to the Royal Oak in Gretton for not only allowing us to use the car park as the departure point but also for providing the breakfast service. (May 2022)
Quiz night a great social event and fundraiser for Living with Dementia Charities.
The Over 60 quizzers across 13 teams joined an evening of fun, food and facts at Encounter Church. With ten varied rounds, celebrity pictures and jokers played tactically, teams vied for the top spot. Thanks to the Co-op for providing food for ploughman’s platters. All profits in aid of Alzheimer’s Society, BeSocial@theCentre and ReEngage (April 2022)
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Fantastic support for our Ukraine Disaster Fund bucket collection.
The recent collect we held outside the Co-op for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal raised a fantastic £1600 which we were able to donate immediately to the DEC. Thank you everyone who generously contributed. The Club also added an extra donation of £500 from our Charity Fund. (March 2022)
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Celebrating the life and culture of Robbie Burns.
Twenty plus members celebrated the life and culture of Robbie Burns with a traditional Burns Supper at Wesley House. Not only was traditional attire on show and traditional food on the menu but the Haggis was addressed (attacked) by Mike Page, a toast to the lassies offered by Terry Blane and the lassies reply given by Margo Lamb. Jim Craigie chaired the event and treated the group to some of Robbie's poetry and we finished with a rendition of Auld Lang Syne. A good night was had by all (January 2022)
Time to take down the Christmas Trees.
Taking down the towns Christmas Trees is the final Christmas activity for he Rotary Club. Saturday saw us remove all the large trees from the town and Sunday all the small trees were taken down from the town centre. Thanks to Ian Humphries for his help and the Young Farmers for helping us dispose of the trees in an environmentally friendly way. We look forward to Christmas 2022. (January 2022)
A weekend of Christmas Tree dressing for Winchcombe.
This weekend saw the annual Christmas Tree dressing with over 60 trees being mounted on a dwellings and businesses all around the town, as well as several large trees being installed at churches and prominent locations. Thank you to everyone who supported this activity either by purchasing a tree or assisting us with the installation (November 2021)
Classics at Prescott a resounding success.
After the disappointing cancellation of Classics at Prescott in 2020 the event enjoyed wonderful weather, a full paddock and record spectator attendance in 2021. This event has been running for 18 years and has raise a huge amount of money for a wide range of Rotary Charities. Thanks to all helpers both from within Rotary and friends of the club. (September 2021)
Classic at Prescott 2021 opens with Classic Cotswold Tour.
Our Classics at Prescott weekend opened on the Saturday with the ever popular Classic Cotswold Tour. Over 60 cars entered, including nine members of the Midget/Sprite Owners Club, departing from the Royal Oak in Gretton and taking on a 75mile journey around the picturesque towns and villages of the North Cotswolds. Thanks to the Royal Oak team for providing a breakfast service before departure. (September 2021)
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Cruising in the Sunshine.
The latest adventure was a cruise on the River Avon. Leaving from Bidford. Club members took the narrowboat up the river through four locks before turning around (interesting) before cruising back to Bidford. A picnic on the way in beautiful weather was a welcome relaxation following the efforts needed to take the boat through the locks. (September 2021)
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Rotary at Winchcombe Show.
The August bank Holiday saw the Club be involved in a welcome return for the Winchcombe Country Show. Our Wheel of Fortune, Bat the Rat, and Find the Wine games were popular but soaking Rotary members in the stocks was seen as great fun. It was great to be out and about and meeting everyone. (August 2021)
Cycling for the Trussell Trust.
The Club held a static bikeathon outside the Coop, on Greet Road, to raised funds for the Trussell Trust who manage the North Cotswold Food bank supporting Winchcombe and other communities around the North Cotswolds. The team took turns to cycle around a 52 mile route which took in all of the North Cotswold Food Banks. The initial target was to complete two laps but encouraged by the fantastic public support we managed three. Many thanks to Body4you for the loan of the bike and Midcounties Co-op for allowing us on the premises. In total we collected over £700. Thank you for your generosity. (August 2021)
Tree Maintenance in the New Cemetery.
A Group of Club Members got together to do some maintenance of the trees we planted in the New Cemetery back in November 1919. The trees are in the main establishing themselves really well although there have been a couple of casualties which will be replaced in the autumn. The group did a little pruning, re-tying and replacing some of the stakes before enjoying some a catch up and some refreshment. (August 2021)
Summer Barbeque enjoyed by all despite the rain.
Everyone was really looking forward to getting together for the first time socially in eighteen months to enjoy a summer barbeque. The weather certainly kept us on our toes but a thoroughly enjoyable time was had by all. Thanks to James and Belinda for hosting the event. (July 2021)
Our contribution to "Thank You Day"
Rotary Nationally supported the national Thank you Day to show appreciation for everyone who has helped us throughout the pandemic by promoting a "Power Hour" at 11am on July 4th. Our contribution was to conduct an hours worth of litter picking around the centre of Winchcombe. (July 2021)
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Incoming President Gavin Phillips thanks outgoing President John Evans for his difficult, yet very successful year.
The planned face to face AGM and Handover meeting at Wesley House was thwarted by the extension of indoor meeting restrictions. The handover was however conducted using Zoom with almost thirty members and officials in attendance. (June 2021)
June 30th marks the end of term for club officers and is the time for the President Elect to take up their year as President. Our handover on Thursday was again a "Virtual" event but the following day new President Gavin Phillips visited outgoing President John Evans to say thank you for his successful year and present him with a pair of commemorative wine glasses. Gavin Takes over the President role from July 1st and he outlined his key objectives for the coming year. "The club members have demonstrated Rotary being People of Action and one of my key aims, is to expand our relationships with local organisations to continue the fabulous work of responding to our community’s needs. You’ll see us out and about, so come and talk to us to find out more about Winchcombe Rotary Club. We’re a sociable mixed group and welcome new members."
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Helping maintain the churchyard at St Peters.
Having postponed several "maintenance" days due to Covid it was possible to bring together a working party of volunteers to bring the weeds and creeping Ivy back under control. Rotary members have helped over the past few years with is important maintenance work on this iconic Winchcombe landmark. (June 2021)
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Rotary Club Sponsored Honduras Student Graduates.
Twenty two year old Fanny Alejandra Sanchez, who has been sponsored by our Rotary Club, graduated with a Degree in Psychology from the Catholic University of Honduras in December 2020. Fanny has spent her whole life in the Santa Maria de Los Angeles children's home in Olancho Honduras. The childrens home supports children from birth through to young adulthood and Father Alberto, who runs the home, can be seen here with a new arrival as well as a birthday celebration and a proud moment at Fanny's Graduation. (May 2021)
Helping to prepare for the season at the Bugatti Owners' Club
Rotary Club Volunteers helped out with ground maintenance at the Bugatti Owners' Club at Prescott taking down some old fencing and clearing winter debris from the track. BOC Chairman Nick Upton came to meet the group over coffee and gave a brief background and history of the Club. The Rotary Fundraiser "Classics at Prescott" will take place at the Prescott over the weekend of 11th - 12th September. (April 2021)
Spring has Sprung!!
When the Club Members planted 4000 Crocus bulbs back in October we expected a good splash of purple to promote the work Rotary International have done to eradicate Polio worldwide. We have not been disappointed by the show of blooms at the West Gate of
St Peters Church and the verge at the end of Brook Close. (February 2021)
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Santa's Sleigh subject of University Project.
The Clubs Santa's Sleigh activity has attracted the attention of the daughter of Club Members Gavin and Hazel Phillips. Sallie is a third year undergraduate studying Journalism and Communications at Cardiff University and used the Sleigh as the topic of her "News Report" assignment. Watch the finished result below. (January 2021)
Sallie is pictured here with her parents Gavin and Hazel who are both Winchcombe Rotary Club Members. Gavin has in fact been the driving force, on behalf of the club, to organise the Sleigh activity this Christmas. Sallie took the opportunity to use this project as part of her assignment to produce a "News" Report for her degree course. Watch the final result by clicking on the play button and unmute the sound
Santa visits Winchcombe.
Santa's Sleigh was seen around the streets of Winchcombe, Greet and Gretton in the week leading up to the Christmas Holiday. Santa gave very strict instructions to his Elves to make sure that he was Covid compliant and this meant, unfortunately, that the Elves were unable to hand out treats to the children. He promises that he will make up for that next year. His Sleigh was also equipped with screens and hand sanitiser. Donations which were made were greatly appreciated and will contribute to the Rotary Charity Fund. Santa left us with the message for everyone to have a safe and Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for 2021. (December 2020)
The Trees go up.
Being Covid compliant was top of the clubs agenda during the time we mounted the Christmas trees throughout the town. Trees were sponsored by individual households and businesses along North Street, Gloucester Street and Hales Street. Large trees have also been situated at St Peters, St Nicholas and the Methodist Churches along with additional sites at The Coop, The Old Police Station, The Medical Centre and the Museum. We hope that lighting up our town during this difficult time will give everyone some well deserved Christmas cheer. (December 2020)
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Christmas is coming.
The Rotary Team have taken delivery of the Christmas trees and started the process of preparing them ready to be put up around the town. Covid restrictions meant that the usual process of trimming and dressing the trees in the Guide Hut could not be done within the restrictions, so trimming was carried out in the Fire Station yard and Rotary Members dressed the tress at their homes. Thanks to all who have agreed to support us with the purchase of a tree. (December 2020)
We will remember them.
The Remembrance Service in Winchcombe could not take place in it's usual format this year due to the Government restrictions relating to Coronavirus. Rotary President John Evans however visited to lay a wreath, as has been done in previous years, on behalf of the club. (November 2020)
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Purple4Polio
Rotary International have been working to eradicate Polio across the world for 35 years. Rotary’s pledge for a polio free world was made in 1985 when there were 125 polio endemic countries and hundreds of new cases every single day. In the past few years, only two countries have reported cases of polio caused by the wild poliovirus so we are not quite there yet. 24th October is World Polio Day and Rotary Clubs help to raise awareness by planting millions of purple crocuses every year. This year the Winchcombe Club have planted 4000 bulbs in two locations in Winchcombe. The first is by the West gate at St Peters Church and secondly on the verge at the junction of Gloucester Street and Brook Close. Roll on Springtime. (October 2020)
Classic Cotswold Tour Gets Underway.
As part of our Classics at Prescott weekend around 50 cars left the Car Park at the Royal Oak in Gretton to embark on a 75 mile all day tour of the Cotswolds. This unfortunately will be the only part of the weekend we can hold as Sundays event at the Bugatti Owners' Club at Prescott has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus Regulations. (19th September)
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Late "Spring Clean" of Abbey Terrace.
Volunteers from the Rotary Club did a "Spring Clean" of Abbey Terrace this weekend. This involved picking litter, some weeding and giving the area a good sweep up. We also had members picking litter on Castle Street and the Back Lane car park. (July 2020)
Update from Honduras Orphanage
We have received some recent communications and pictures from the Orphanage in Orlancho, Honduras which is supported by the Rotary Club. We make a monthly contribution to the running of the orphanage, food, services etc, which is completely dependant upon charitable contributions. The age range of the children is from two to teenagers. We have also made a one off contribution to enable one of the young adults to go to University. The middle picture shows Jonathan Willmar and his wife Celia, who are our contacts with the the orphanage, with some of the children. The Orphanage leader Padre Alberto Gauci recently wrote to us and said "Thank you all for your help, rest assured you're making a huge difference, helping feed our people with your monthly donations and now with your extraordinary education donation helping Clara, one of our kids at the orphanage, to start her university education in a few weeks time." (July 2020)
The "Virtual" Handover Meeting
On Thursday 25th June a "Virtual" Club meeting was held where outgoing President Steve Wilkinson handed over to John Evans who will hold the office for the 2020 - 21 Rotary Year. Due to the need for social distancing Steve and John met prior to the club meeting to wish each other well, whilst meeting the Government Guidelines to remain two meters apart. (June 2020)
John Evans
John Evans
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