Thanks for Life – Update March 2011

Posted on 2 March 2011 by webmaster

Thanks for Life Mailing March 2011 – PDF

Rotaract in London presents A Night at the Cinema – to End Polio Now

Posted on 2 March 2011 by webmaster

Rotaract in London presents a Night at the Cinema…

Focus on the Crocus – St Marylebone News

Posted on 27 February 2011 by webmaster

On Tuesday 23 February by the Jubilee Gates in Regent’s Park the Club celebrated Rotary Day with a civic ceremony, being part of Rotary’s “Focus on the Crocus/End Polio Now” campaign to eradicate polio from the world. Some 45 Rotarians and guests and a few members of the public attended even though the weather was not ideal, although the rain kept off whilst we were in the open. The Royal Parks, our partners at Regent’s Park, had planted the 12,000 purple crocuses we had provided as part of the campaign, but not many were in full flower; they should be blooming in the next few days. The colour purple is significant as the little fingers of young children are coloured purple in the four countries where polio is still endemic to show that they have been immunised against the disease.

President Paul Daly

President Paul opened the proceedings, welcoming our Guest s, The Lord Mayor of Westminster – Councillor Judith Warner, District Governor – David Storrie and Don Merritt – Chairman of London Rotary ‘Thanks for Life’ campaign. President Paul explained the support the Club had given to local causes in the last year, including the mini-bus for the Portman Early Childhood Centre and the Alms-Houses in Crawford Place, and also support for international charities.

He referred to the Club commissioning local artist Sue Bailey to paint watercolours for two different greeting cards depicting the purple crocuses. These cards will be on sale at various events with the net proceeds going to the End Polio Now campaign.

He finished by welcoming our new partnership with the Royal Parks, hoping that this will develop with other projects

Keith Stuart Smith

Keith, the Chairman of St Marylebone Rotary Foundation, reminded the audience that today was Rotary Day and it was the 106^th birthday of Rotary. We are one of 33,000 clubs in 200 countries, working together to alleviate problems experienced by disadvantaged communities everywhere. He mentioned the Shelter Boxes we have provided which contain equipment to provide immediate relief for those caught up in natural disasters.

On polio Keith pointed out that the End Polio Now campaign was the most ambitious of Rotary’s projects. Whereas in 1985 polio was endemic in 125 countries with 350,000 reported cases, last year reported cases were only 1,600 in four countries. Rotary is indebted to Bill and Melinda Gates, who donated $200 million provided Rotary could match it. We hope to meet this challenge by June 2012.

The Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Councillor Judith Warner.

The Lord Mayor paid tribute to the work done by Rotary for the benefit of the local community, and for its international work especially in relation to the eradication of polio. She was very pleased to be with us today as our guest of honour, and to able to participate in this special day. She hoped our partnership with the Royal Parks would continue.

District Governor David Storrie

The DG was pleased to be associated with this event. The District had provided the Club with many of the crocus corms. The eradication of polio was a real benefit and hundreds of thousands of young people had avoided the blighting of their lives because of Rotary’s work.

Paul Harris Award

Tim Raath, Chairman of District Foundation explained the history of Foundation and the Paul Harris awards.

After the speeches we went to look at the crocuses that were in bloom. David Leuw proposed a vote of thanks to Margaret Pollock who had organised the whole event.

Lunch

We then moved to the Garden Café for a very convivial lunch, with great fellowship, abundant wine and very good food, especially the sticky toffee pudding! Margaret Pollock introduced Sue Bailey, the artist who had produced the watercolours for the Greetings Cards. In addition to the two paintings for our cards, Sue gave us two other pictures of the Park and crocuses. President Paul presented one to the Lord Mayor. The other three will be auctioned at a future Club event.

The final toast was given by Keith Stuart-Smith, wishing Rotary a Happy Birthday, “Rotary coupled with the End Polio Now Campaign

The Greetings Cards, which are suitable for all occasions, will be on sale at the next Club meeting on 3 March – £5 for a packet of two (one of each design). It is hoped that all Club members will sell cards to organisations and friends. We have 2,000 cards and we must ALL do our bit to

Focus on the Crocus – Civil Ceremony in Regents Park

Posted on 22 February 2011 by webmaster

CIVIC CEREMONY IN REGENTS PARK

Wednesday, 23rd February 2011 at 11.30am

Jubilee Gate, Regent’s Park, London

Media contact: Eve Conway, Communications Chairman, Rotary in London on 07850 357842 or Rebecca Wallace, RIBI PR Officer, 01789 768127

Rotarians from across London will mark Rotary’s 106^th birthday and highlight the humanitarian organisation’s campaign to wipe out polio at a special civic ceremony in Regents Park, London on Wednesday, 23^rd February, 2011 at 11.30am.

The event, organised by the Rotary Club of St. Marylebone, is part of Rotary’s “Focus on the Crocus/End Polio Now” campaign to eradicate the crippling disease polio from the world.

Thousands of purple crocuses have been planted as part of this campaign together with our partners at Regent’s Park, The Royal Parks, and should be flowering about now.

The colour purple is significant as the little fingers of young children are coloured purple in the four countries where polio is still endemic to show that they have been immunised against the disease.

Rotary has spear-headed the global campaign to eradicate polio from the world. Since 1985, Rotary’s polio campaign is estimated to have prevented five million cases of child paralysis and prevented 250,000 child deaths. But polio still remains endemic in four countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria.

This event is being held to help raise funds for the ‘Thanks for Life/End Polio Now’ project. The ceremony will be attended by the Lord Mayor of Westminster Councillor Judith Warner and the Rotary in London District Governor David Storrie.

Four quick facts about Rotary’s “End Polio Now” campaign:

The number of polio cases has plummeted by 99 percent since Rotary became involved with the eradication initiative, alongside UNICEF, CDC, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and WHO.
The final one percent is the hardest to eradicate. Geographic isolation, worker fatigue, armed conflict and cultural barriers are hampering the final push.
The campaign to fight polio is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which has donated $355m in challenge grants. Rotary will match their generous donations by raising $200m by June 2012. The generosity of Bill and Melinda Gates is very much appreciated.
There are three different classes of polio ranging depending on the severity of the symptoms. Some patients are left with deformed limbs and paralysis while others require ventilators in order to breathe. An iron lung was often used to support people with this form of polio with many patients spending the rest of their lives encased inside it.

The Rotary Club of St Marylebone purchased a large number of Purple Crocus corms and donated these to Regent’s Park and together with those donated by the Rotary in London District, they were planted in various areas around the Royal Park. For example, the Winter Garden, the English Garden the Jubilee Gates and the Alpine Island. Metal plaques designed and bought by the Club have been placed in the Gardens. St. Marylebone Rotary Club commissioned a local artist Sue Bailey to paint and design two different cards to depict the blooming Purple Crocuses, which will be sold to raise funds for ending polio.

Other sites around London where purple crocuses have been planted as part of the “Focus on the Crocus” campaign include the London 2012 Olympics Site, “Blue Peter” Garden and the US Ambassador’s residence.

Rotary clubs across Great Britain & Ireland will be calling on the public to help Thanks for Life, the national campaign by Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI) to wipe out polio. Wednesday 23^rd of February 2011 is the peak of the campaign and also marks Rotary’s 106^th birthday. Events are taking place in the week surrounding this date to help raise funds.

RIBI President, Jim Moulson, says Rotarians do more than raise funds: “At least twice a year, Rotary members from Great Britain and Ireland fly out to India to help with National Immunisation Days (NID) which take place every six weeks. Thousands of vaccination stations are set up in cities across the country, ready to welcome families and their children. Once immunised, the children’s little fingers are dyed purple to keep track of who has already been given the protective medication, now known as the Purple Pinkie. This willingness to travel great distances and actually deliver the life-saving vaccine really shows that Rotary is about action.

“Around 30 Rotarians from the UK are flying to Delhi for the NID on the 27^th February. Some families find it difficult to travel to the vaccination stations, so Rotary volunteers go on the road to remote villages. These journeys take the volunteers to the slums where families live in appalling conditions. Dirty water runs through the makeshift streets in open drains where children play and people live in piles of rubbish, increasing the risk of contracting polio. It’s a frightening place to be and these Rotary members are determined to save young children from being infected.”

Speaking about the Civic Ceremony, Nick Biddle, Park Manager of Regent’s Park said:

“We’re pleased to support this worthwhile event. The crocuses will look beautiful year after year, and are all the more special because of the significance they carry. I hope that Park visitors will not only enjoy the flowers, but also be reminded of this hugely important campaign to eradicate polio.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

For interviews and more information, please contact Eve Conway, Communications Chairman, Rotary in London on 07850 357842 or Rebecca Wallace, RIBI PR Officer, 01789 768 127.

Polio eradication has been Rotary’s top priority since 1985. Since then, polio cases have fallen from 350,000 a year to a recorded 1,600 last year. Thanks to Rotary’s help, two billion children have been protected from the disease, and the number of endemic countries has fallen from 125 to just four: Afghanistan, northern India, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Rotary members have so far raised US $900 million to fund polio immunisation activities and every penny raised goes to the project. Rotarians all work on a purely voluntary basis so funds are not drained away in administration costs. Rotary clubs in Great Britain and Ireland have so far donated more than £16.5 million (US$26.5 million) to polio immunisation initiatives.
Money raised goes towards funding national immunisation drives for all children under age five in endemic and high risk countries, as well as tracking possible incidences of the disease, measures to control outbreaks and improving public health infrastructures.
Rotary International is a worldwide voluntary organisation of 1.2 million dedicated business professionals and community leaders. In Great Britain and Ireland there are over 55,000 men and women of all ages from all walks of life in Rotary clubs who share a passion and commitment to helping and improving communities both locally and across the world. Each member enjoys giving something back to those in need, as well as building business and social networking opportunities, learning new skills and having a huge amount of fun. For more information, visit www.ribi.org

Focus on the Crocus – Update Feb 2011

Posted on 13 February 2011 by webmaster

Dear President
“THANKS FOR LIFE”
FOCUS on the CROCUS – END POLIO NOW
The Rotary Club of St Marylebone purchased a very large number of PurpleCrocus Corms and donated these to Regent’s Park and together with thosedonated by District were planted in various areas around the Royal Park. Forexample, the Winter Garden, the English Garden the Jubilee Gates and theAlpine Island. Metal plaques designed and bought by the Club have been placedin the Gardens. In addition, notices inviting the public to attend the ‘Focus onthe Crocus’ Ceremony have been placed at the five entrances to the Park withinthe planting areas
R.C of St. Marylebone is holding an event in Regents Park on Wednesday 23rdFebruary at 11.30am in order to raise funds for the ‘Thanks for Life’ project.This event will be attended by the Lord Mayor of Westminster and our DistrictGovernor.
The Club, at their own cost, commissioned a local artist Sue Bailey to paint anddesign two different cards to depict the blooming Purple Crocuses. These cardswill be on sale at various events such as RIBI Conference in Dublin, DistrictConference in Eastbourne and more importantly at our next District CouncilMeeting on Thursday 24th February.
This is all with the ‘blessing’ of our District Governor.
May I ask you to discuss this with your Club members so that permission isgiven to your District Council Representative to purchase packs of these cards atour forthcoming District Council Meeting on 24th February?
The cards are very beautiful and ‘eye catching’ and of an excellent qualityand can be used for any occasion. They are in packs of two and priced veryreasonably at £5 per pack.
In my capacity as “Chairman of London Thanks for Life” I fully support thismarvellous endeavour, and hope that you will be generous in your support,particularly as ALL proceeds go towards ‘RIBI Thanks for Life Fund’.
We need all the support that we can give to help match the “Gates Challenge” ofraising US$200 million…you will be pleased to know that we have so far raisedover US$160 million.
Once again I ask you for your continued support so that we can achieve our aim
‘END POLIO NOW’
in warmest Rotary friendship
DONPDG Don Merritt
‘Chairman Thanks for Life’
11th Feb.2011

Witnessing history – PDG Colin Mathews in India for End Polio Now

Posted on 19 January 2011 by webmaster

WITNESSING THE NEAR EXTINCTION OF POLIO

Polio – the crippling scourge of the world until a quarter of century ago –will almost be consigned to the dustbin of history in the next few years. The disease is at the moment found only in four countries – India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.

Colin Mathews, a Putney Rotary Club member and Past District Governor, together with 18 Rotary volunteers from Yorkshire, Berkshire and Sweden are in Delhi to help their Indian Rotary colleagues in one of India’s National Immunisation Days on 23^rd January.

During this campaign, 172 million under five children will receive two life-saving drops of vaccine on their tongues. Group Leader, District Polio Officer, Chris Philip says: ‘We have come to work alongside our Indian Rotary colleagues and to encourage them in all they do to ensure a Polio free India.’

The 20 strong group were received and welcomed by Mr Lokesh Gupta from Rotary’s Delhi Polio office. During a presentation, the team was given the good news that within the next two years, Polio will have been chased out of India altogether. Success has come because of the determination and dedication of Rotary and the total commitment of the Government of India.

In 2010 there were only nine Polio cases in the North East of India compared to 710 in 2009. This dramatic fall can be attributed to the use of a bivalent vaccine, which attacks both types of Poliovirus (P1 and P3).

Colin added: ‘I am bowled over by the dedication and hard work of my Rotary friends in India. It is a privilege to work alongside them in this project. I know that we are witnessing history. If we can eliminate Polio from the world, I will be proud to have been part of the process on behalf of the children of India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Afghanistan. They deserve the same future as our own children.’

New Focus on the Crocus Press Releases

Posted on 10 January 2011 by webmaster

Fellow Rotarians

Hope this reaches you in good health and with renewed vigour to capitalise on the Focus on the Crocus awareness campaign in the lead up to Rotary Day on 23rd February. So don’t forget to postcrocus related events to www.focusonthecrocus.org .
The next selection of Thanks for Life press release templates are nowavailable. These are attached for convenience. The complete set with links toother useful material is available by logging into: http://www.ribi.org/thanks-for-life/template-press-releases

Good luck with all of your events. As always we are always looking for any wacky, or public attention grabbing Thanks for Life events that can be broadcast more widely or used to inspire others in years to come. So if you have some good examples, and or good press coverage why not send them to PDG Don Merritt and copy to Rebecca Wallace at RIBI

Yours in Rotary friendship

PDG DON MERRITT

National Immunisation Day – India – Feb & Nov 2011

Posted on 6 January 2011 by webmaster

Should anyone be interested in attending the next “National Immunisation Day”, in February or November, contact PDG Don Merritt for further details as soon as possible please.

Polio National Immunisation Days in India

These ‘days’ are held every 4-6 weeks during their winter months, sometimescovering the whole country when they would aim to immunise 168million childrenover the few days and sometimes just in the areas of highest risk , mainly in UttarPradesh and Bihar + Delhi when they would expect to immunise 67 million.
Twice a year we organise groups of Rotarians, together with wives, husbands, sonsand daughters, nephews and nieces etc to go to help.
The next two Groups will leave the U.K. in February and November 2011. Whenarriving in Delhi they will be briefed by the Rotary Polio Office in Delhi beforesplitting into 3 groups going to 3 cities. On the first day they are involved in publicity,trying to maximise the turnout on the following day. Sunday which is the main day,Volunteers are divided into groups of three, one giving the two drops of the livevaccine, one marking the little finger and one giving a small gift as a reward to thechild or its guardian. On Monday they accompany health workers going house tohouse in a mop up operation, trying to find children who missed the drops for somereason. After that most but not all stay in India for some time as tourists havingtravelled so far.
The cost to the volunteer including airfares is around £1000 and we have asked thequestion in India if it is worth the volunteers spending so much to help. They say it isvery important that we continue to do this for three reasons:
1
We show that Rotary is not just a fund raising organisation but the biggest serviceorganisation in the world.
2
We give encouragement to the Indian Rotarians who have had the job of getting volunteersto help every 4-6 weeks since 1985
3
Most importantly, we get a higher turnout of children in a slum or poor village whenthey see these strange foreigners in their bright gold shirts.
An added reason from our point of view is that every volunteer who goes comesback as a real enthusiast for the campaign to “END POLIO NOW”.
We will next have groups going in February 2011 and then November 2011 and Ihave the dates if you are interested
If you are a Rotarian or connected with Rotary in some way, please send me an emailand I will send details of the February group as soon as the dates are confirmed. If youare not connected to Rotary in any way, I am sure there will be a club, near to you andif you make contact with them, they may have a member that you know who wouldbe interested to come with you –or even make you a member.