At their recent meeting, members of The Rotary Club of Oswestry and Cambrian had chance to reflect on the success of several of their projects.
The 2025/26 annual competition for grants from the Club’s Mary Hignett Bequest Fund had resulted in some excellent applications and grants totalling £14750 have been awarded to the following local organisations in support of their activities in the fields of sport and the arts: Music MOB (£3000), Borderland Theatre (£800) Chloe Elizabeth Dance Company (£2250), Connect for Life (£1800), Lingen Davies Dance Project (£1100), New Saints FC Foundation (£1500), 4 All Foundation (£1000), Design and Shine (£2500) and Oswestry Community Games (£800).
The club was very busy in the pre-Christmas period helping Santa with many visits, promoting the Tree of Light, with invaluable support from local solicitors, Lanyon Bowdler. As a result, the club was able to make grants of £1000 each to: Hope House, Teens with Tots, Shropshire Young Carers, Calon Riding for the Disabled and the Marches School Choir (who sang at the Tree of Light switch-on event).
Earlier in the year, the Club’s partnership with Ellesmere Rotary Club at The Ellesmere Regatta enabled it to award £1695 to North Shropshire Special Olympics.
Although the Club’s focus is very much on supporting local good causes, it has, for many years, supported an overseas charity – “Lend with Care”. The approach here is unusual – instead of giving grants, loans are made to small-business entrepreneurs in developing countries. The amounts are small by UK standards, but the impact is often large. In total 153 loans have been made – £7160 in cash terms. As loans are repaid, the money is re-cycled and there has only ever been a single default. 355 jobs have been created, 487 entrepreneurs assisted and a further 2500 people indirectly helped.
The Rotary Club of Oswestry and Cambrian team supporting Santa in Oswestry last December.
The Rotary Club of Oswestry and Cambrian cheque presentation to North Shropshire Special Olympics.
