MEMBERS of Oswestry Rotary Club have been busy.
Kindly permitted by M&S Simply Food Oswestry to make a bucket collection at their Smithfield Road store in aid of 3 local charities, a total of £480 (incl Gift Aid) was donated by customers one wet Friday recently which will be distributed between Oswestry’s Designs in Mind, Transhouse and Shropshire Young Carers groups.
Community Services Chair Mike Griffiths said: “We are very grateful to M&S for giving us this opportunity and to their customers for being so generous when it would have been easier to rush home out of the rain! These amounts will be useful to these charities – even just helping them to meet their running costs.”
Mike and his team were also on hand to help at The Derwen Fete on a sunnier day when entertainments run by Oswestry Rotarians raised £180, and hopefully a few smiles, in the new venue for the Fete near the old Farm Shop. “Once again we are delighted to have contributed in our way to such a successful afternoon for this fantastic college – it all helps towards their target for their Therapy and Fitness Centre,” said Mike, “Thanks to everyone who visited our stall!”
The previous week Oswestry Rotary’s Community Services members had visited the Derwen to present a cheque for £400 to some of the eight students attempting the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award this year. Rotary President David Davies said: “We are pleased to be able to contribute to the residential element of this scheme. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a life changing experience helping Derwen students to challenge their expectations.
“The residential activity will take place at a centre on the shores of Lake Coniston working alongside another Special Needs school involving responsibility for daily tasks such as bed making, preparing meals, cleaning and tidying as well as taking part in group activities such as canoeing, rock climbing, abseiling, raft building and high ropes courses. Everyone will be out of their comfort zone!”
On behalf of the students Will Lyon, Programme Co-ordinator of Derwen College’s Land Based Studies, said: “We are extremely grateful for the support you have given to our DofE award programme, without this it would have been very difficult to achieve the amazing results that we aim for. Derwen College was the first group with learning difficulties and disabilities in the county to achieve DofE awards and is proud to be recognised for its innovative approach which has been endorsed as best practice for similar groups to follow. Thank you very much!”
Pictured:
Rotarians David Davies, Mark Liquorish and Jackie Ridge at the Derwen Fete
(L-R) Students Adam Richards, Joshua Mallen, Rotary Community Chair Mike Griffiths, Rotary President David Davies, Rachel Pickford, Simon Cook and Will Lyon
