Rotary Club of Ipswich Newsletter No 202 - 3 June 2021

ROTARY THIS WEEK Rotary Club of Ipswich Newsletter

Editorial

Edition 202 – 03 June 2021

Club Officers President:

Dear Readers,

Rev Mervyn Dye

After 5 years developing and editing our Club Newsletter, the time has come for me to step down.

President Elect:

It has been my absolute privilege to follow in the footsteps of the legend that was Les Howard, sadly now no longer with us, and have a chance to take the Newsletter to another level.

President Nominee:

A newsletter is nothing without the articles that are written with passion and thought to wet the readers appetite, telling the story of all the great things our club gets involved in, as well as articles of wider interest to broaden our horizons.

At the core of all that has been published since I started the current newsletter, the Rotary theme of “Service above Self” has been encapsulated throughout. We are a great Club with a long tradition and one that does not shy away from rolling our sleeves up and doing great things - the list is endless and can be seen in the last 5 years Newsletter’s.

The Pandemic has tested us all - in different ways - and the lack of fellowship (so important for Rotarians) has been a huge challenge for us all. This edition shows that we are slowly getting back to sharing the fellowship that is so important to all of us as we take the small steps that will see us through this. I hope that the newsletter has, in some small way, kept our values and fellowship alive.

I am grateful for the breadth of contributions from many of you, but in particular to Michael Warren, John Norman, John Skeates, Ian Rossiter and our illustrious Inner Wheel friends, for giving us a Newsletter that has been greatly praised across the other Ipswich Clubs and District.

It has been a pleasure.

Paul Seymour Newsletter copy should be sent to Editor Paul Seymour by Sunday evening to email: semesrotary@hotmail.com

Roger Girling

David Clements Secretary: David West Treasurer: Mark Gladwell

In This Issue • Editorial • Last Week’s meeting • Rotary Coffee Mornings • Forthcoming Meetings

(Ipswich Clubs) • The Rotating Gardener • Remote Drones • Inner Wheel • Hammersmith Bridge

(again) • Photo Corner - Victoria

Falls • Tea Leaf Trust

Last Week’s Meeting - 03 June 2021 Our speaker last Thursday was Christopher Norman (John’s son) who gave us an insight into his experiences of living in Denmark during the past year with Coronavirus.

Notices

If you were unable to attend or would like to listen to Christopher’s talk again, you can do so by following the link below:

Future Events

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/bx1AiBsl_Bl9WRrUesS47sOUwrMhNttvYfkBN7LtBCQjxW1ayGgYbwGZ-CVBg6i.kPfum04XERM9KZtH

Passcode: B1a2B4E$

——–———————— All future meetings will be via Zoom for the time being

If you would like to read a bit more about Copenhagen, Denmark, please follow the link below: https://www.globalconstructionreview.com/news/dorte-mandrup-designs-ikea-storedifference-copenh/

———————————

Car Parking at Holiday Inn Please remember that we need to register our car registration number at HI Reception to avoid receiving a fine—currently £100

Member birthdays in June Jun 26th Paul Johnson Jun 27th Michael Warren Jun 29th Shirley Layne

Rotary Coffee Mornings Our second Coffee Morning, organised by Ralph Tyldesley was held on Wednesday/Thursday 26th/27th May with hosts Karen Jones and Bob Feltwell.

If the weather proves a challenge, we are able now to move in doors keeping to the “Rule of Six” and outside we now have more flexibility in numbers.

We have had a good response for the different meetups to date and those attending have found them relaxing and enjoyable.

If you wish to participate as a host or a guest could you please get in touch with Ralph: T: 01473 311760 M: 07793 416608 email: ralph@wardleyelectronics.com Provisional dates are 9th/10th June

Paul Seymour

Community Service Bike Active Cycle Sheds If you feel up to a little manual labour, some simple carpentry or just applying a coat of paint please put these dates in your diary Friday 2nd July Saturday 3rd July Sunday 4th July The project is to move the two cycle storage sheds (as built by the Ipswich Rotary Club) from the Dingy Park at Alton Water to a more central position close to the Café.

Shed one is a typical sectional garden shed, easily unbolted and moved, repaired, re-assembled and repainted. This should be straight-forward and accomplished on the following timescale – take down on Friday – repaint and re-roof Sunday.

The second cycle store is a ‘Dunster House’ Log Cabin which cannot be taken to pieces, thus we intend to move it as a complete unit. Jack it up, put it on the back of a ‘drop sided’ Transit and drive it the 100 yards across the Water Park. One or two of the technical difficulties are still being considered (deliberate understatement). All being well this move will take place on Saturday 3rd (preparations Friday 2nd).

The Sectional Shed can easily be moved, and as a minimum will provide some storage for their bicycles thus is a definite Rotary project. The Log Cabin is somewhat more complex and I’ll keep you informed as planning progresses.

However I would appreciate an email (johnwilliamnorman@gmail.com) if your are able to contribute – please mark your email ‘Bike Shed’

John Norman

Bike Active - Dunster House Hut

FORTHCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS Date

Time

Event

2020 Thurs 17th June 2021

1330hrs

Club AGM and Assembly

Thurs 01st July 2021

tbc

Club Handover (plans in hand for a face to face meeting - no details available )

Sat 10th July 2021

All Day

Young Carers Day - Hallowtree Scout Camp CANCELLED

Contact Us We meet on Thursdays at 13:00 (We gather from 12.30pm for fellowship) The Holiday Inn Hotel, London Road, Ipswich IP2 0UA 0870 400 9045 email:

We welcome Rotarians from the other Ipswich Clubs to join us. Meeting ID and Password are below: The log-in details are: Meeting ID: 829 2197 6372, Passcode: 548698

rotaryipswich@gmail.com Visit us on our website at www.ipswichrotary.org.uk

All meetings will now be via Zoom while the current Government regulations are in force

Rotary Making a Difference

Notes:

Club WhatsApp Group Merv has set up a WhatsApp Group for Club Members. This allows us instant communication where the need arises to pass messages to all in the group - either important news, updates or something to brighten your day.

We all need a bit of light relief in these troubled times.

If you want to join the group, you need to have a Smart Phone, upload the WhatsApp app and let Merv have your phone number (if different from what is in the Club Directory). Merv will then invite you to join. There are currently 23 members in the group.

Holiday Inn meetings – blue Other Events - black - currently all via Zoom Meetings

Rotary Club of Ipswich Wolsey

Programme 2021

June 2021 21st - Assembly Invitation to all members of Rotary Club of Ipswich We start our meetings every Monday at 7.00 pm, except for those Mondays which are Bank Holidays when we do not meet.

Should any of your club wish to join our club zoom meetings one person from your club should collate and provide to John Quarmby (our zoom meeting host) the names of your club members who will be joining any specific meeting. John should be contacted by email g3xdy@btinternet.com and he will provide the zoom meeting ID and password.

Kind Regards, Tony Box Programme Co-ordinator Rotary Club of Ipswich Wolsey As usual, our meeting by Zoom will start at 7.00pm with the talk lasting up to about 30 minutes plus questions afterwards Our Zoom Id is 87288265296 and password 548752. If other clubs are attending this Zoom meeting would one member of that club please collate their club attendees and inform the Rotary Club of Wolsey' host, John Quarmby, by email (g3xdy@btinternet.com). Visiting club members are welcome to stay for the rest of our meeting or leave once Michael Strand has finished his talk.

(The Assembly meeting is scheduled to be the Club’s first physical meeting)

You are invited to the next Ipswich East Club meeting on Tuesday 8th June at 7.30pm (room opens at 7.15pm) The log-in details are: Meeting ID: 873 4741 1522 and Password 049324

The Rotating Gardener Week No. 45 What a joy to visit other members gardens for Coffee Mornings, etc. My first outing was to Roger and Hazel Girling's. Neat and tidy like the owners, it had some very striking red & white tulips, a wall of Trachelospermum jasinoides 'Variegata' that I rate highly and recommend plus two newly planted espalier trained fruit trees, Apple 'Cox's Orange Pippin' and Pear 'Conference', named at the fruit Conference in 1885 where it won first prize.

Bred by the famous Rivers Nursery at Sawbridgeworth which ran from 1725 till 1987. I noted the trees came from The Place for Plants and were grown by that great nursery of Frank P. Matthews up in Herefordshire.

Tulip 'Grand Perfection'

Espalier Fruit Trees, a good choice

My second visit was to Karen & Neil Jones garden where I captured the “Bleeding Hearts' perennial (was Dicentra, now called Lamprocapnos spectabilis). It also has other popular names including “Dutchman's Breeches' and “Lady in the Bath”. Early flowering and very fleshy it can be caught by frost but Karen's had escaped. A clematis was pointed out to me, snuggled down only reaching about 12” tall, it sported 3 large flowers, at £1.99 from B&M one can not expect too much ! I identified it as C. 'Dr. Ruppel', raised by Dr. Rupple in Argentina in 1973 and introduced by the late Jim Fisk who had a nursery in Westleton. At the entrance to the front garden, evergreen Azalea's 'Hinodigiri' were almost at their best, grown in containers, probably the best way for these 'Rhododenron's' as we should now call them.

Lamprocapnos spectabilis, was Dicentra

Clematis Dr. Ruppel

Evergreen Azalea 'Hinodigiri'

What we should call Supermarket's that sell plants is open to debate, see Sainsbury's photo, they were trying to compete with Wick's, prosecute under 'cruelty to plants', once when I brought the subject up at B&Q I was told that the person that looked after them 'was on holiday'!

On offer at Supermarket !

Third brief visit was to pick up ladies after their Charity Lunch at Trisha and David West's garden at Bentley. A lovely early flowering Rose 'Maigold' climbed sedately up the front of the house, a clematis I have to identify and raised vegetable beds with impressive mature cabbage lettuces and Pak Choi, a vegetable I have yet to sow the seed !

My final gardens, a NGS Yellow Book garden open this past Bank Holiday Weekend, which, with the lovely weather, the web site for booking had crashed due to high demand. Freston House, two minutes from Freston Boot Inn, boasted 1,000 Hosta's and had many tall bearded Iris's in bloom. Alliums too added colour, covering several acres there was plenty of room to enjoy Tea and Home-made cakes.

NGS Freston House

NGS Freston House Alliums in profusion

Likewise, Fullers Mill at West Stow was looking good, serving cakes too, well worth a visit to enjoy and at the same time supporting 'Perennial', the gardening charity.

Fuller's Mill, a 'Perennial' charity garden

Here at Warren Gardens weeds keep growing, Asparagus appears to have gone to Australia but the new potatoes are growing well, some broad beans will soon be ready and the garlic looks really good. Sweet Peas are getting away, radishes are delicious, delicate and crispy-crunchy and lettuces are hearting up.

Carrots, Beetroot and Parsnips are slow and need some gaps re-sowing. Last year the New Zealand spinach was so popular when I distributed seedlings that our dear friend Jackie raised her own plants this year and supplied me with spares before I could sow my own!

My late friend Peter Franklin introduced me to the genus Plectranthus and I have just planted out these tender South African plants in my renovated trough.

Pictures follow once they get established. Peter also introduced me to Brugmansia's (was Datura). He also became enthusiastic about Agapanthus and Clivia before he died suddenly earlier this year at 86. I miss his calls and boxes of cuttings, the last received Autumn 2020 have just been planted out to keep his memories going.

The RHS has just opened it's Northern garden, Bridgewater after spending many millions upon it. The TV programs appear to show mouth-watering displays that we may expect, in the meantime have just booked a slot to visit RHS Hyde Hall in Essex and will report back on the Pansy Trials which Peter Seabrook tells me are looking good. Remember, travel broadens the mind and gardening is good for you, why not combing to two to make a real tonic.

A reminder too, that “May”, is out so you may cast a clout. Botanically it is Crateagus monogyna and the double 'Paul's Scarlet' is likely to be seen as a Brugmansia from last years medium size street tree. cutting Happy Gardening.

Michael Warren enjoys hearing from you on: warrenmichael@btinternet.com 07748 908907

Michael Warren

Carol Kleine & Sue Biggs open RHS Bridgewater gardens up North

"May" Crateagus monogyna

Double Red May, Paul's Scarlet

Remote Drones The major civil engineering and construction firm Skanska have just announced, with lots of shouting and impressive images that they have just started using drones with a distance of over 50 miles between operator and the machine. They claim to have successfully video surveyed a new Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) building (on which they have just about finished a major refurbishment), chosen because they were still ‘on site’.

The drone was flown from their London headquarters to Mindenhurst in Surrey, where it carried out the survey, controlled by the pilot who remained in London and then returned to base. The test was to prove the value of ‘Beyond the Visual Line of Sight’ (BVLOS) technology.

Skanska suggested that this was a first for the Construction Industry but isn’t it exactly what the American’s have been doing in Afghanistan (and Pakistan) and the Ministry of Defence have been doing (secretly) all over the place?

I first saw a commercial drone being demonstrated over ten years ago, my professional institute organised a demonstration which took place in the car park at the rear of the University’s Waterfront Building. The drone flew from the ground, rising to roof level, from where the boats in the Wet Dock came into view, flew over the building and then descended down to perhaps twenty feet above the heads of a few individuals waking along the quayside.

The drone then flew out over the water, between the masts of the yachts and once into the clear space in the middle of the dock descended low enough to create ripples on the surface of the water. We watched this entire action on a TV screen which the operator had brought to site especially to demonstrate the value of drone technology.

James Hazel, presenter on Radio Suffolk’s mid morning show is owner and operator of Sky Cam East. It’s worth taking a look at some of his Suffolk videos taken by his drone. https://www.skycameast.co.uk/

Incidentally – why do pilots measure – Vertical distance in Feet, Forward visibility in Metres Distance in Miles Speed in Knots Time in Minutes Direction in Degrees Fuel in Litres and communicate in English?

John Norman

Ipswich Dock - Sky Cam East

Inner Wheel Update Latest News The last Pocket Coffee Mornings were held on 10 May with two hours of friendship and fellowship at the homes of the four members who volunteered as hosts: Mary Butters, Christine Norman, Isabella Wainer and Jonquil Johnson.

Mary commented that she was glad that the rain didn’t fall on the parade and that all the guests at all four locations enjoyed a convivial time.

Once again, many thanks to Sharon Johnson and Mary Butters, our Programme Secretaries, for organising Lockdown’s final outdoor event.

Fun and Friendship The Luncheon Party held in the Bentley garden of Tricia and David West on Saturday, 29 May, was a tremendous success. Thirty ladies attended along with acolytes in the form of husbands who performed the tasks of barman, waiters, setters-up and clearers away. I share some of the photos of a memorable event on the following pages.

It was such a lovely afternoon with glorious sunshine, delicious food and refreshing drink celebrating the first coming together after months of Lockdown. It was a beautiful venue with a charming and very welcoming hostess and host, Tricia and David. It was a great idea to have a raffle and a magnificent sum was raised, £1,000.

Many thanks to President Isabella and the ladies who generously donated the savoury food, delicious desserts and drink and to Isabella for her generosity in donating the raffle prizes and gifts to thank her committee.

It was lovely to see happy smiling faces and to be with friends after such a long absence. A truly wonderful time spent in a beautiful garden. It was so good to see everybody again - IN PERSON. A big thank you to the whole team who organised such a successful event. The photographs are a wonderful reminder of our day together.

Congratulations to Anne-Marie and David Clements on the birth of Skylar, their fifth grandchild, announced at the luncheon.

TWAM Pat Morphew has booked the last load to TWAM. Huge thanks to Jonquil Johnson for Stowmarket Inner Wheel’s support in making this final load possible. Also, very many thanks go to Pat Morphew for spearheading this International initiative.

Bras for Africa It has been suggested by Carol Skeates that we donate bras and knickers to Africa to support women in less fortunate circumstances than us. Bras are bouncing in from charity shops and, no doubt, knickers will soon kick in. So, rather like Abananzar and his lamps, it is a case of ’Bring out your bras and under crackers for Africa’. Another good initiative for our International Fundraising. As I write this,164 bras and 67 pairs of knickers have found their way to Pat Morphew, who is spearheading the collecting.

AGM A reminder The AGM, by zoom, is on Monday, 7 June. Thanks to Dottie Kennerley for setting it up.The meeting starts at 6.30pm, followed by our speaker, the Rev Sally Letman, of Capel St Mary. The AGM will be our last meeting of our Inner Wheel in Lockdown year.

Presidential Handover The ceremony, on 5 July, will be in Prema Fairburn-Dorai’s garden. Keep an eye on your e-mails for further information. We all wish Prema a productive and happy year as President and a year of fun, laughter and friendship.

Farewell As President Isabella Wainer comes to the end of her term of office, we thank her for her generosity of spirit, her kindness, calmness, patience and, as Isa Graham commented, such beautiful e-mails. We will miss them.

We have been truly blessed in her Presidency during such a difficult year with Lockdown curtailing so many activities.

Ipswich Inner Wheel ladies have risen to the challenge and have raised a considerable amount for our President’s charities. The Frugal Lunch alone raised £700 for our International Charity. It has been decided to support a small Uganda orphanage. The money will go through the Kerry West Orphanage Project, a very worthwhile charity suggested by our Treasurer, Tricia West.

Isabella’s local charities have included EACH, St Elizabeth’s Hospice and the Blossom Appeal. Representatives from the three charities will receive their cheques at the Handover lunch on 5 July.

While Isabella is coming off the committee, we look forward to seeing her at our Inner Wheel meetings between her visits to Hong Kong to see her parents. On a final note, I would like to thank Isabella for all the great photographs taken and forwarded to Paul Seymour for the Inner Wheel Newsletter.

Job Vacancy Don’t be shy Ladies - the power of the Club Correspondent can be in your hands. You just have to volunteer. I have thoroughly enjoyed my three years in the role and what pleasure it has given me. Pleasure awaits the volunteer. All applications to Prema Fairburn-Dorai.

Finally My thanks go to all the ladies who sent photographs to illustrate our meetings over the last three years and who supported me as Club Correspondent.

Last, but not least, my grateful thanks to Paul Seymour for all his help and skill in making the Inner Wheel reports so professional.

Penny Thompson Club Correspondent

Luncheon Party held in the Bentley garden of Tricia and David West

HAMMERSMITH BRIDGE (AGAIN) Grant Shapps has finally weakened and agreed that the Government (DfT) will contribute to the repairs of Hammersmith Bridge. However his suggestion that the Government will contribute one third of the cost with the proviso that Hammersmith and Fulham Council, and Transport for London also contribute one third each has not gone down well.

Steve Cowan, Labour leader of the Council is having none of it! He is adamant that the cost of the repairs shouldn't be incurred by the ratepayers. Ordinarily the maintenance and repair of (almost*) all of London's bridges is borne by HM Government. "Why should this repair be any different, the bridge is used by a wide cross-section of Londoners, and others, not just by H&F residents". *The exception is London Bridge which is owned and maintained by an independent Trust.”

Grant Shapps offer is based on a major reduction in the original estimate, a new engineers report suggests that the cracks in the support columns are not as serious as first supposed. The original estimates, for TfL and for H&F Council were in the region of £140 million, the latest, for the Government is just £90 million, hence Grant Shapps offer of £30 million.

TfL contribution will come from their hefty £1 bn bailout (a rescue package from the Government on Tuesday 2nd June) thus the Government are effectively contributing two thirds of the total cost. This still hasn't satisfied Steve Cowan who, quite reasonably reminds Grant Shapps that £30 million is still 25% of the H&F annual budget and given that there is no slack this additional cost will need to be past on to ratepayers.

If this political battle can be sorted quickly then the bridge could reopen to cyclists and pedestrians by the summer. Note, of course, that cyclists and pedestrians are local residents and ratepayers.

John Norman

Member Photos This week, I share some photos taken by John Skeates at Victoria Falls (and a couple from the Editor - in the dry season)

I’ve had on my bucket list for a very long time the wish to visit the Victoria Falls, and stay at the historic Victoria Falls Hotel. A few years ago, we achieved this goal.

It involved a flight of 5650 miles to Johannesburg, South Africa and then a further flight of 600 miles to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

The Victoria Falls is a waterfall on the Zambezi River in southern Africa, which provides habitat for several unique species of plants and animals. It is located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and is considered to be one of the world's largest waterfalls due to its width of 5,604 ft.

The Victoria Falls are classified as the largest falls, based on its combined width of 5,604 ft and height of 354 ft, resulting in the world's largest sheet of falling water. The Victoria Falls are roughly twice the height of North America’s Niagara Falls and well over twice its width.

David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary and explorer, is believed to have been the first European to view the falls on 16 November 1855. Livingstone named his sighting in honour of Queen Victoria, but the Sotho language name, Mosi-oa-Tunya—"The Smoke That Thunders"—continues in common usage. The World Heritage List officially recognises both names. Livingstone also cited an older name, Seongo or Chongwe, which means "The Place of the Rainbow", as a result of the constant spray.

The River Zambezi, upstream from the falls, experiences a rainy season from late November to early April, and a dry season the rest of the year. The spray from the falls typically rises to a height of over 400 metres, and sometimes even twice as high, and is visible from up to 30 miles away. During the flood season, however, it is impossible to see the foot of the falls and most of its face, and the walks along the cliff opposite it are in a constant shower and shrouded in mist.

We went in April when it is in full flood – the average flow over the falls is 3,000 cubic meters per second. In the dry season there is just a trickle – don’t go then (Paul Seymour went twice, once in September and again the following May - a couple of his photos are included to show the difference).

At the edge of the falls the noise is tremendous and you absolutely drenched from the spray, which is like being in a constant rain storm. One of the best views of the falls is from a helicopter flight over the river Zambezi and falls.

The Victoria Falls Hotel, built by the British in 1904, was originally conceived as accommodation for workers on the Cape-to-Cairo railway. It was built and operated by the railways administration, but in the early 1970s it was leased to the then Southern Sun hotel group, and converted into a luxury.

Steeped in history it is one of the oldest hotels in Africa, The Victoria Falls Hotel serves is a reminder of the distinguished and past elegant era.

We were also lucky to spend some time with a local chief and his family, who was very willing to show us round the various communities and homesteads that he looked after.

John Skeates

Victoria falls

Victoria falls

Tea Leaf Trust Virtual Quiz Dear President and Members of the RC of Ipswich, I hope you are well.

As a Past President of the Rotary Club of Catford, I can only imagine the impact that the pandemic has had on the social and fundraising elements of Rotary life for your club and members.

We wanted to share with you the Tea Leaf Trust Virtual Quiz, in case you wanted to use it as a social event for your club or share with them to enjoy with their families and friends. This is a free offering to all clubs who have supported our work at any point in time.

Get your club or family together, challenge your quiz loving friends and join us from the comfort of your home for our tea inspired fundraising event.

Available whenever you are!

Featuring actor and voice artist Matt Houston the quiz includes tea and nontea related rounds all pre-recorded and ready to use whenever you can get your friends together.

You can find the quiz link below, please feel free use and share with family and friends or use as a Rotary fundraiser, should you wish.

The link is: https://bit.ly/3varM0f

This is free. If you enjoy and want to make a donation then that is, obviously, amazing.

We would also be utterly grateful if you would follow us on Facebook or Instagram and share our posts.

We are a micro-charity and are trying to raise as much awareness as possible. For more information about Tea Leaf Trust visit www.tealeaftrust.com

With best wishes, Tim Tim Pare EHF Fellow +64 211998077 Tea Leaf Trust www.tealeaftrust.com

Tea Leaf Trust Update Dear Ipswich Rotarians, It has been such a long time since we have been in touch through Melissa Day from when Tea Leaf Trust was just one school in 2015 and your generous support at that time was so crucial to helping us establish two additional schools that have been a key service for the young people of the tea estates of Sri Lanka and their families.

We now have three centres for 18 to 26 year olds and a mobile library bus, as well as a Community English Programme where we train our main diploma students to teach Basic English to 2,000 local children a week for free.

There are huge issues on the tea estates, and in every class it is likely that 16 out of 20 students have an alcoholic at home, and 17 out of 20 students witness domestic violence against their mothers. Over 80% of our students year on year live off less than $1 a day.

In the face of all of this, we have achieved some staggering results:

1.

We have witnessed a sharp decline in the suicide rate amongst our alumni

2.

82% of our alumni are in f/t employment, training or FE within 12 months of leaving the programme

3.

Our employed alumni earn more than 50% more than their peers who didn't attend

4.

Our students have given nearly 60,000 hours of voluntary service to help over 330,000 community members.

Even within the tough confines of the Covid Pandemic our staff and students delivered emergency food relief to 13,660 of the poorest and most vulnerable across 60 tea estates.

We have had a challenging but inspiring year at Tea Leaf Trust with a major funder withdrawing support from January 2021. We are left with increased demand and diminishing funding, which is very challenging for us.

I wanted to write as we are about to launch a fundraising campaign that kicks off on International Tea Day, May 21st.

I know that Rotary fundraising has been hit very hard by the pandemic, and I know from my time as President of the RC of Catford in 2015/16 how many requests for support are made even in more normal times. Please know that this request is made with great humility and reluctance, only due to the urgency of the need our communities are facing.

We are doing this because of the impact of the pandemic on two things:

•

Increase in the number of students suffering from mental health on the Sri Lankan tea estates

•

Increased unemployment meaning an increased demand for our English and professional skill development

We will be running a widespread social media campaign in the week building up to International Tea Day and for the duration of the campaign. So, I am getting in touch to see whether your club or any individuals linked to the organisation would be prepared to support us with a small donation of perhaps £100 and we can turn that into £200 of support for us?

The way this works is like this:

•

Say you were able to commit £100, for example

•

We then announce during our campaign that we have a generous match funding donation of £500 from you with logo

•

E.G. "For the next 24 hours, any donation you make will be matched by xxxx up to £100, making your £20 worth £40.

•

We let people know that this £100 will only be donated to Tea Leaf Trust, IF we raise an additional £100

•

If we raise the £100, then we claim the donation from you

•

If we only raise £20 then you would only donate £20

•

Ultimately, because of your donation we raise £200 instead of simply the original pledged donation

•

This makes your donation go twice as far and helps us twice as much

I wonder if there is any possibility you might consider a donation to support this? I would be very happy to have a chat or make a presentation over Zoom, if that was of any interest to you and the club.

I attach a one-pager for further background information about the campaign With best wishes, Tim Tim Pare EHF Fellow +64 211998077 Tea Leaf Trust www.tealeaftrust.com