Rotary Matters

The St Ives Food and Wine Festival is back following two covid cancelled years. Di Barnes tells us what to expect including wines to taste, a variety of food to sample, choirs, singers, jazz band, pony rides, farm animals and activities for everyone. Sunday 25 September

Patrick Price, a Rotarian from Sydney was shocked at the authoritarian and violent approach to teaching he found in Nepalese schools. Determined to do something about it he founded the Centre for Learning and Children's Rights a non profit organisation delivering educational and humanitarian projects in Nepal regardless of age, gender, religion or caste, including the successful Heartland Academy....

Rupert Guinness, author, commentator and journalist, but above all a world renowned endurance cyclist is Ambassador for the Bobbin Head Cycle Classic aka The Bobbo. Rupert tells his story, how he got started, the long distance rides he has done and how he uses cycling to raise awareness of mental health issues. He provides tips for Bobbo riders, generously and with good grace. A true gentleman. ww...

A brilliant idea to raise funds to eradicate polio. There are still a handful of cases in countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan. A recent case also emerged in New York City. The Train Ride to end polio is the brainchild of local Rotarians in Sydney who have so far raised $500k. Mark Anderson explains what its all about and foreshadows the 2022 event. www.polioeradication.org

An integral part of the Orange Blossom Festival, the Cross Country Challenge organised by the Rotary Club of Hills Kellyville offers three distances to run, walk or to stroll. 10.2 km, 6.8 km, 3.4 km. You can even take your dog! All for a good cause. at the beautiful Bella Vista Farm. Mike Blair OAM ex;plains. www.crosscountrychallenge.com.au

Everyone all over the world is experiencing the effects of climate change. Be they wild fires in France, record temperatures in the UK or disastrous flooding in Australia. Jeremy Wright AM foreshadows Join the Switch, a webinar taking place at 6 pm Tuesday 2 August, the perspectives and the expert panel. www.climateandpeace.com.au

Homeless people are at a significantly higher risk of suffering poor health outcomes, including higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Streetside medics, a mobile medical service run by volunteer doctors, nurses and supporters takes a medical clinic to the street offering free health advice and treatment to the growing number of homeless in our society. www.streetsidemedics.com.au

Not easy being President of a Rotary Club but Dr Bruce Farnsworth takes it in his stride as he takes office at St Ives Rotary Club in Sydney's upper north shore. We learn about the projects supported by the Club and what Bruce has in store for the next 12 months.

Sydney's biggest book fair offers 110,000 books, CDs, DVDs, jigsaws, games, vinyl records and stamp collections. It is massive undertaking relying on thousands of volunteer hours all dedicated to supporting Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury. Michael Cleary explains the history, how it all works and what visitors will experience at this exciting event. Knox Grammar School Wahroonga, 14-17 July 2022. w...

The Pride of Workmanship awards recognise exceptional members of the community, going about their work, professionally, calmly and seeking no reward. John Collignon from Hills Kellyville backgrounds the awards program and we meet the delightful Dirce Pinto a recent recipient who manages the catering at St Josephs Conference Centre, in Sydney's north west.

Shelterbags, sourced from S Africa, paid for and distributed by Rotary provide a warm, dry and portable shelter for Australia's homeless. Mary Crammond, Shelterbags pioneer explains the need, the logistics and the impact of this valuable resource, particularly relevant during these colder months.

Castle Hill Rotary awarded seven Excellence in Teaching Awards. We meet Clarissa Greenhalgh, Head of English at Castle Hill High School. We learn about the Foundations of English program, why her many non English speaking background students need it, the benefits it bestows and how they are measured.

Mina Howard, incoming Governor for a District with 67 Rotary Clubs tells us why she joined Rotary and outlines her goals, plans and expectations for her forthcoming year in office.

Rotary recognises women who have gone over and above the call earning themselves a Rotary Inspirational Women's Award. We meet Lindt Cafe siege survivor Louisa Hope and Olivia Hunter-Young clinical nurse specialist in paediatric and adolescent eating disorders. www.riwa.com.au

Hills Kellyville Rotary Club in north west Sydney made Community Service Awards to two generous, warm hearted, creative and selfless members of their local Indian Hindu community. Pankaj Patel led the campaign to provide essential relief to people whose lives were devastated by recent floods. Dilip Darji worked tirelessly to ensure local Indians were cared for with culturally appropriate resources...

Rotaract is a service, leadership and community service organisation for 18-30 year olds. Like Rotary and embodying the same core values of service above self. Krissie Webb, local Rotaract chair shares her passion and tells us what Rotaractors get up to in the Hornsby Kuring gai area. www.rotaract.org.au

We foreshadow an important, timely and very relevant webinar taking place Tuesday 10 May at 6 pm. Jeremy Wright AM, District Governor introduces the topic and the expert faculty who will address it. Decarbonise or Die. See www.climateandpeace.com.au We also find out his  achievements after ten months as governor of District 9675, with 58 Rotary clubs on the south of Sydney Harbour.

From its beginnings with two homeless children in Nepal, Jan Pryor, Rotarian and teacher has taken the Didi Foundation from strength to strength to create sustainable, self funding lifestyle programs to educate and empower disadvantaged women in Nepal. The earthquake in 2015 and Covid have not diminished Jan's passion to help change the lives and the futures for thousands of women and children. ww...

Solvatten, a deceptively simple device from Sweden enables the production of clean fresh water. The size of a suitcase, the unit uses the power of the sun to generate potable water, relieving many from the drudgery of gathering wood and lighting fires to purify the water needed for consumption and washing. Peter Rheinberger explains how the Rotary Club of Castle Hill encourages local schools and o...

Wahroonga Rotary Club in the northern suburbs of Sydney, in conjunction with McCarroll auto group raises around $140,000 from its annual Novus Foundation Dinner to support local youth causes. Peter Smith OAM explains how it happens, how the funds are raised and what guests can expect at this glittering occasion with a Latino theme. www.novusfoundation.org.au

Enterprising and generous members of Kenthurst Rotary Club support a plan to build a dental clinic, on the banks of the Sepik River, Papua New Guinea. Karo Haltmeier explains the need, the solution and the impact the clinic will have on the oral health of a community which to date has had no dental services. Another example of service above self.

Cycling in Australia is booming with more bikes being sold and more riders than ever before. Matt Colston from professional services firm EY explains the key findings from the 2021 Cycling and the Economy Report. We also learn how EY encourages a healthy lifestyle among its staff.

Erica Henley leads Operation Hope Australia assisting people living in the refugee camps of Greece and Kurdistan. Funds raised in Australia enable Eric and her team to provide essential medical equipment and humanitarian resources to ease the plight of people trapped in the camps, often in over crowded, unsanitary and desperate conditions. A remarkable gesture from an inspiring Australian. www.ope...

Thanks to the creative fundraising efforts of Allan Waldon, hundreds of girls in Nepal are now able to attend school four weeks a month. Allan raises funds to provide personal hygiene pad packs which are reusable, washable, sustainable and environmentally friendly. Allan wants to provide 8000 kits and explains his next fundraising venture.....an ambitious 4000 km ride across outback Australia on a...

In 2008 Kenya faced a severe post election crisis resulting in more than 500,000 people being displaced from their homes. Many children were abandoned, orphaned and driven out by parents unable to support them. Mary Coulson, was horrified and it was her determination that led to the founding of Restart Africa. Originally with six children the orphanage now has over 100 children giving them a home,...