Thank you Rotary !

Thank you Rotary!  That was the heartfelt cry from one very wet rider as the peloton swept majestically into Rock Hill under the supervision of strategically positioned Brue Valley marshals positioned at dented.copycat.stilted and slam.affirming.bench !!! 

So what was going on? Well, last Sunday was the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge.  Brue Valley Rotary provided six marshals all of whom got soaked at some point. The northern section team (well just two – Andrew M and Roger W) were at the Rock Hill junction on the A378. The southern team (Brian, Chris, Jenia and Simeon) were deployed in the West Bay Area. 

Road bikes, a tandem, a couple of fold ups, a recumbent were all in evidence; as was the good humour and appreciation of all riders – so many thank yous. We were able to semi regulate the traffic thus ensuring a safe right turn for the riders – save for one boy racer absolutely no problems from drivers all of whom were patient and understanding. 

It was lovely to be so appreciated – as for that Thank you Rotary …………..! 

RW

Job done – with panache!

There’s a tiny charity in Castle Cary called the Moat Garden Project. It recently put out a call for help and Brue Valley Rotary Club today responded magnificently in providing five skilled gardening volunteers, who with the Garden’s trustees, “worked their socks off”! Colin and Graham were soon at work reconstructing the compost bins and engaging in precipitous coppicing work. Karen constructed a dead hedge and Nicky and her friend Terri ensured an endless supply of dead hedge material was readily available. Time passed quickly and it wasn’t long before coffee and chocolate biscuits were served. Morale remained high until the end. The Moat Garden are really grateful to Rotary for their help – they hope we will be back for more fun – maybe in the autumn ! RW

Third Time Lucky

After two, Covid induced, postponements The Club at Holbrook race night was finally able to take place last night, Saturday, 2 April.

What the relatively small crowd (41) lacked in number they certainly made up in enthusiasm, both in terms of their cheering of their horses and their generousity when placing their bets and in bids to “own” a horse in the final race.

Notwithstanding the absence of our Race Night Guru (Graham – laying low after a positive Covid test) the show was kept on the road with John doing an superb job as MC, Mike S on projection, Simeon and Anne on pay-out duties, Jules, Steve and Roger and Janet Lowe on the Tote and Andrew M attempting to fill Graham’s rather large boots on overall coordination.

Final totting up is yet to take place but over £700 was raised for the chosen charities, Macmillan and Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief, from the Tote and horse sales alone.

Brue Valley Rotary Charity Golf Day

Deck the street with bacon and burgers (and cheese and jig-saws) fa-la-la-la-la la la la la

After an enforced absence last year, it was good to be back at Cary Big Christmas selling our bacon baps, burgers and, of course, The Works! It was sad that the rain, which seems to be a feature of the Big Christmas, also made a return!

To complement our catering offering, we had a second gazebo this year selling off the jig-saws left over from the Jig-Fest earlier in the year. Much to the relief of the Rotarians who have been housing the jig-saws, every last one was sold.

Our charitable funds benefited greatly by the kind donation of the burgers by Penny Lane Foods, the baps by Burns the Bread and the bacon by Denelas Bakery. Many thanks to each of these organisations.

The kit and Rotarians will hopefully have dried out in time for the Wassail in January.

Brue Valley Rotary Help Pack Water Survival Boxes

Four members of Brue Valley Rotary gave up a couple of hours today to help pack and build up stocks of water survival boxes in Midsomer Norton.

Meeting up with fellow Rotarians from Chelwood Bridge we managed at least 75 boxes in less than two hours.

The coffee and biscuits provided by Chelwood Bridge were gratefully received.

For more details on Water Survival Boxes please go to https://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/page.php?PgID=686159&ClubID=1649