Rotary club’s concerns about future fundraising for charities

Reepham & District Rotary Club was able to make substantial contributions to national and local charities from activities in 2019/20. However, the cancellation of many events as a result of coronavirus will make it more difficult to raise funds in the immediate future.
 

Photo: Roy Sherlock

 
A total of £8,200 has been distributed, with a further £6,000 awaiting clarification of the project involved.
 
Each year the incoming president chooses a charity that will be supported for three years. On this basis £2,000 has been sent to each of the Benjamin Foundation, Eating Matters and the Difference Campaign – our newest charity, which supports the University of East Anglia’s plans to develop more sophisticated diagnostic tests for prostate cancer.
 
In addition, £700 has been given to Reepham Primary School for work including the completion of the Japanese garden; £1,000 has been sent to the Rotary Foundation, which supports projects around the world; and £500 to the Rotary polio eradication project, which attracts an additional £1,000 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
 
Reepham Rotary has also raised £6,000 for East Anglia Children’s Hospices, which is awaiting allocation of a suitable project, with the potential for match-funding from other organisations.
 
However, it has been necessary to cancel many of the planned activities in 2020, which would have built up future funds.
 
Club president Tony Williams, who is to continue in office for a further year in view of the unusual circumstances, said: “We are having to look at new ways of raising funds.
 
“So many of our projects rely on gathering people together, which is not likely to be feasible for a while. In addition, sensible social restrictions have temporarily restricted community activities.
 
“However, we are working on ways of meeting the new challenges that will present themselves.”
 
Richard Cooke
 

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