Rotary RIBI Flood Appeal
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A summary of all recent communications sent to clubs via email regarding the floods in the UK (newest items at the top): |
06/08/2007Rotary Flood Disaster Appeal Reaches £80,000Rotary Clubs across the country have responded to the national Rotary Flood Disaster Appeal set up in response to the devastation caused by the recent flooding. Appeals were set up initially by Rotary in Yorkshire and Gloucestershire but when other areas became affected, a central appeal was launched with a separate fund. To date Rotarians have responded magnificently, both in service and fund raising and more than £80,000 has been raised. Specific examples have been Rotarians working with first responders, filling sand bags, helping in community halls with social services, looking after those displaced from their homes, cleaning and flushing toilets with buckets of water, collecting and laundering people’s clothes, distributing bottled water, essential food supplies and fuel. Rotarians have also housed displaced persons and are now heavily involved in clean up projects. The Central Fund is to collect donations that are not specified for a particular district. The distribution of all donations received will be distributed by those districts in response to club applications. Priority will be given to sustainable community based projects and community recovery activities. Allan Jagger President Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland said “We have launched this appeal to help relieve the hardship of the victims of the recent flooding. Rotary is very grateful for the continuing generosity of the public. Rotary is able to react very quickly and effectively through its national, district and local structure. We work in partnership with local, regional and national government and the rescue and voluntary services to maximize the impact of the appeal. Further donations would be welcome from individuals and businesses.” Donations can be made by cheque payable to “Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland Donations A/C” and sent to Robin Freeman, Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, Kinwarton Road, Alcester, Warwickshire B40 6PB. 03/08/2007Flood Disaster AppealA meeting took place on 1st August at Alcester with the Governors of the affected areas, Tony Bacon (1090), John Craike (1270), John Quinton (1060), Peter Davey (1100), the Chairman of the RIBI Community & Vocational Service committee, PDG Colin Bryant, the RIBI Secretary and RIBI President Allan Jagger. The purpose of the meeting was to co-ordinate the response to the devastation caused by the recent flooding and to recommend a future disaster response procedure to the General Council at its August meeting. Governor John Craike (1270), supported by the RIBI President, launched the initial appeal. When other areas became affected, a central appeal was launched with a separate fund. At the moment, Governors 1270 and 1100 have in place their own local district appeals. The Central Fund is to collect donations that are not specified for a particular district and cheques should be made payable to “Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland Donations A/C” and sent to Alcester. Registered members can log into their club space on the RIBI Web site to find account details for direct donations. The distribution of all donations received by the RIBI Central fund will be agreed by the governors of the affected areas on a fair and transparent basis. Monies received by specific district appeals will be distributed by those districts in response to club applications. Rotarians have responded magnificently, both in service and fund raising. Specific examples have been Rotarians working with first responders, filling sand bags, helping in community halls with social services looking after those displaced from their homes, cleaning and flushing toilets with buckets of water, collecting and laundering people’s clothes, distributing bottled water. Rotarians have also housed displaced persons. Rotarians are now heavily involved in clean up projects. Rotary clubs are encouraged to continue raising funds to enable the district governors to respond to, but not be limited to, requests from clubs for sustainable, community-based projects. Allan O Jagger |
27/7/2007Flooding D1220The Rotary Club of Chesterfield have asked permission to circulate clubs for assistance for flooding in their area. This has been granted. If you want to help then please contact their President David Windle in the first instance. No other club has approached us for assistance to date which is why I am happy to recommend the National Appeal already issued to all clubs. If however any other club also needs help then they should first contact District Community and Vocational Chairman Barbara Hadfield or myself. Barbara or I will be happy and able to offer advice and will arrange a District Communication for you. For information Aquabox have released over 100 boxes to the Gloucestershire and Worcestershire area.” Roger Pursey |
26/7/2007RIBI AppealThe RIBI Executive Committee of RIBI met today (Thursday 26th July) and have decided to launch a National Flood Appeal asking for donations to be paid directly into the following account: Lloyds TSB Sort Code 30-98-26 These monies will be distributed to the
areas having the greatest need. Thank you for your support |
23/7/2007Flooding UpdateAs you are all obviously aware from the media, the flood problem has developed over the weekend to one where it is no longer just D1270 that is affected. Discussions have taken place and the upshot of these discussions was agreement that we now need to convert the original Appeal from one just for the North East into a national one. The needs in D1270 have not diminished but there are now serious problems in the other three Districts as well. The full extent of these problems will not be known for the next 36 hours or so as river levels continue to rise. The proposal in essence is to share the funds that have been raised/donated but not yet allocated to date and those that are still to come in between the affected Districts on a basis proportionate to perceived needs. The plan is for the four DGs of 1060,1090, 1100 and 1270 to meet at Alcester next week, hopefully with Allan Jagger as well, to establish the best way forward. We will aim to make use of all of the work that D1270 have already done and to learn from their experience. We are also hoping to widen the scope of the appeal to an international one within Rotary. I will keep you updated on further developments as they occur. Hopefully the information above will your club answer some of the queries that you are probably asking. I will keep you informed |
18/7/2007District 1270 Flood AppealDear fellow Rotarians District Governor 1270 John Craike has launched a Disaster Notice to respond to the flood devastation in Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire. Today I attended a meeting in Hull of his Disaster Team that is handling the planning and execution of the help that Rotary can give. I can only admire the work being done by Rotarians and add my full support to the appeal. What has Rotary achieved to date?
There is much to do. Displaced families with children, some in hotels have little space to play due to contamination of land. Rotarians are collecting washing and returning it laundered and ironed. The children in one village have lost all their toys. For some, the early return to their homes is impossible. In one area, the water has yet to subside – four weeks after the flooding. The appeal is to:
Thanking you in anticipation
Allan O Jagger |
12/7/2007Following my recent circulation I have more information from District 1270 Governor John Craike as follows: “A trust is being set up as "Rotary D1270 Flood Appeal", and any cheques should if possible be made payable to that account. The District 1270 clubs themselves are also beavering away to raise cash, and some are also directly involved in offering accommodation to the homeless and doing laundry for displaced communities. Some of the work cannot start at ground level until the floods have subsided, but the devastation is enormous. When I was evacuated from Court (as a magistrate not a prisoner!) on 25th. June (the Police Cells are below ground!), within half an hour of my leaving a man was swept to his death yards from where I was by a wall of water as the River Don burst its banks, sweeping away cars etc. Some solicitors chambers adjacent to the Court retained all their files in their basements, and have had to send what is left of them to specialist drying firms...the knock-ons are just enormous and quite outside our experiences. Some parts of Sheffield, Lincolnshire and of Hull, are still under water. The worries now are of disease like hepatitis, Weil's disease etc. and the devastation to the local economies. Crops have always been uninsurable, so some farmers and smallholders in Lincolnshire have been really badly hit: a business guru has forecast that of those businesses which were decimated by the floods, only 20% will recover to stay in business in 3 years time. Any funds that your District can contribute would be really great, and allow the local Rotary clubs the flexibility to deliver aid where it is most needed.” If any of D1220 clubs feel they would like to assist then please donate direct as previously requested or via our own District Treasurer Malcolm Whitt. DG Roger Pursey |
09/07/2007Flooding in the UKMany clubs have requested information on how they can help. District 1270 (the district above us which includes the area from Sheffield to Humberside) have set up a fund to be used for the benefit of their district and I set out below a copy of their letter. Any club or individual that wants to help can pass their contribution to this fund either direct or via our own District Treasurer. We have had no requests of help from our own clubs in areas effected within our own District. Details of the current situation are shown as an extract from their letter as follows: DISTRICT 1270 FLOOD RELIEF FUND At an emergency meeting at Arties Mill of the District ComVoc Committee last night, the following actions and recommendations were agreed, including the formation of a District 1270 Flood relief Fund:- The clubs most local to each flood area
All other clubs in 1270 To recommend that they start immediate fund raising for the Rotary 1270 Flood Appeal To liaise with District ComVoc, who will contact them initially The District ComVoc Committee
Foundation Grants
Public Relations
Treasurer and Finance Committee
District Governor
It was felt that the best approach for
District was to help communities rather than individuals, and that
we should be clearly identified with the help given. It was also
felt that any drive to get second-hand furniture, clothing,
electrical items etc. could well result in warehouses stacked with
items that simply would not be wanted. It was also acknowledged that
this effort would take months, and that a clear view of long term
needs may not be clarified until 2008, but that fundraising should
start immediately. This is a huge opportunity to help genuinely
needy communities in our patch, and in so doing ensuring maximum
publicity for both Rotary and the individual clubs involved. |
