Elgin Rotary Club News

& News Archive

New Read about who we are and what we do here
Pakistan Flood Relief. After a successful street collection and a substantial private donation, Elgin Rotary Club has purchased 12 Shelterboxes costing £490 each to be sent to Pakistan. These boxes contain a large tent, clothing, tools, cooking utensils, water purifying equipment, children's toys and other appropriate items. The Club wishes to express its thanks to all those who gave so generously.

Holding Hands for Heroes

 

6,00 people needed! Elgin Rotary Club is organising a community event on Sunday, 12 September 2010 which will bring together Moray's Armed Forces and civilian communities. Click here to read more.

What a Bunch!
The President's Team 'The Bunch of Grapes' (see left) were joined by 5 other teams in a fun bed push race round a fiendish course in the Cooper Park, Elgin to raise funds for a sensory garden in Dr Gray's Hospital, Elgin. Despite their efforts the eventual winners were the 'Shades' team.

District Governor Visits The Club

Buckingham Palace Honour for Elgin Rotary Club

District Governor George Berstan (right) (Rotary Club of Turriff & District) addressed the club at its lunchtime meeting on 19th August 2010. He was accompanied by his wife Mary. Elgin is one of the 88 District 1010 clubs he intends to visit during his tenure in 2010/2011.

The group in front of Buckingham Palace consisting of some members & partners from the Rotary Club of Elgin and the Charity "Give them a Sporting Chance" just prior to attending the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on July 1st to mark Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal's 60th Birthday, by gracious permission of The Queen. The Princes Royal is an Honorary member of Elgin Rotary Club.

Macmillan Cheque Presentation

On the 24th June 2010, President Graeme presented a cheque for £4100 to Jane Ferguson and Gordon Milne of Macmillan Cancer Support, watched by Senior Vice President Ian.

The funds were raised by a Fun Run in the Cooper Park and by 'Music in the Park' where Cantare and the Elgin Rotary Male Voice Choir entertained an enthusiastic audience in the Cooper Park in Elgin. These events were part of the Club's biennial MotorFun extravaganza.

Grateful thanks were given to all who helped raise this fantastic sum.


Rotary Presidential Citation

This prestigious award was presented by assistant District Governor Maureen Holmes to Elgin Rotary Club President Graham Archibald at the Club's Annual Assembly on 17 June 2010.

To qualify a club must complete an activity from 3 of 6 categories such as work with polio eradication, increasing membership, service to the community and leadership, to a standard set by the awards committee. The purpose of the award is to help clubs to focus on Rotary International's strategic plan of tackling health and hunger, literacy and water.

 


Rotary Male Voice Choir Sing at Music in the Park

Elgin Rotary Male Voice Choir helped Cantare ((below right)raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Care at a concert in the Cooper Park (see item above). Both choirs were grateful for the musical help given by local musicians.

 

 

 

 

 

Both choirs are trained and conducted by Jane Ferguson pictured with two choir members (above)


Connecticut Trophy

This annual trophy for international service has been awarded to District 1010, the north-east district of Rotary in Britain for the first time by Rotary International Britain & Ireland. This is in recognition of the work done for overseas charities by several clubs including Elgin Rotary Club with its water projects in Nepal.

Elgin Rotarian Dr Donald Brown (on the right) collected the trophy on behalf of the Club and its International Committee.

 


Stroke Awareness Blood Pressure Checking in Asda & Tesco 17th April

A total of 398 people came forward to have their blood pressure checked with 98 being advised to have further checks at their Practice. The hope is that these people will avoid the disastrous results of living and perhaps dying with undetected high blood pressure; effects can include eyesight damage, kidney failure, heart failure and stroke.

The Club would like to thank Asda and Tesco staff, the nurses, doctors and others who helped to make the day a success.


Toposcope installation on Ladyhill

The Elgin Fund, set up by the first president of Elgin Rotary club in 1964 and which has continued its close associations with the Elgin Club, is to set up a toposcope, also known as a topograph, on top of Ladyhill in Elgin. The toposcope or topograph will consist of a brass plaque which will display the direction and distance to notable locations near and far around Elgin. It will be mounted on a stone slab and column at a total cost of £25,000, work to commence in May 2010.

The Elgin Fund was established to maintain the archaeological heritage of Elgin. It has been involved in the preservation and refurbishment of various buildings in Elgin High Street as well as work on lanes and wynds around the town including the reslabbing of the Plainstones in co-operation with Moray Council and St Giles Church and the erection of the Harrison Gate at the old entrance to the Cooper Park.


Polio Plus Boosts

A great big thank you to the pupils and staff of Bishopmill Primary School who held a toy sale and raffle on 18th March raising £506, which they very kindly donated to the Rotary Polio Plus campaign.


Another big thank you to the pupils and staff of Hythehill School, Lossiemouth who presented cheques for £520 each to Elgin Rotary Club for Polio Plus and to Help for Heroes.

Over 1,000 children will benefit from immunisations because of this, taking the PAIN  from Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria, the only countries where polio is still endemic. 

The Polio Plus Project

In 1985 Rotary decided to attempt the eradication of polio from the world within 20 years.   We are 5 years over target, and the last bit is the most challenging.  

1985   350,000 new cases of polio every year

1994   World Health Organisation regions of the Americas were certified polio free. 

2000   The Western Pacific – CLEAR!

2002   Polio eradicated from Europe. 

2008   1,173 new cases of Polio 


Young Musician of the Year Competition 6th March 2010

11 local musicians and vocalists entered this competition which was be held in St Columba's Church Elgin.  The instruments included trumpet, violin, cello and piano.

Winners

Voice: Amy Gordon of Banff

Instrumental: Kirsten Mustard (Cello) Alves

Haiti

Thanks to the enormous generosity of the public, the Club raised the staggering sum of £7,690 which will enable the purchase of 15 ShelterBoxes which contain vital survival items such as a 10 person tent, bedding, tools, water purification equipment and even children's drawing crayons and paper.


The 28th Bothy Ballads Competition in Elgin Town Hall on 13th February 2010.

The Annual competition to find the 'Champion of Champions' was sponsored by The Macallan, Claymore Dairies and Duncan's of Deeside.

After an entertaining evening of close competition the eventual winner was Hector Riddell

Opposite top: Winner Hector Riddell received the Macallan Porage Bowl and Spoon from president Graeme and his wife

Opposite bottom: A group photograph of all the contestants 

 


Thanks for Life' Campaign 2010

Elgin Rotary Club erected a display in the St Giles Centre, a local shopping mall, to celebrate and inform the public about the work of the Club and Rotary International.

It shows Rotary International working to eradicate polio through 'Polio Plus' and the Club's involvement in training doctors from Romania, providing Disaster Boxes (see item on Haiti, above) and the Club's work with SightSavers and a host of other agencies and charities both local and international.

 


100 Charities benefit from Marafun's £54,000.

At a ceremony in Elgin Town Hall, on November 18th 2009 , 100 local charities received their share of the funds raised by the 2009 Marafun city centre marathon relay race.

The total raised was £54,056, a wonderful achievement by the runners, sponsors and helpers.

The Club has also been recognised by Rotary International Headquarters for its achievements. Click here to read more of the history of Elgin Rotary's Marafun.

The 10th Bell's Rotary Marafun is gone but not forgotten! Click here to read more or here to read the history of Elgin Rotary's Marafun.


The 10th Bell's Rotary Marafun is gone but not forgotten!

On the 7th of June 2009 the rain stopped, the sun came out and so did the spectators to support the competitors, stallholders and charities. Thanks to all who helped to make the day such a success.

The winners were Aberdeen Uni Old Guns in a new record time of 2:16:13 followed by Keith Builders Merchants, Keith & District AAC and Moray Road Runners, the former course record holders.

Click to download full Results as XL spreadsheet or PDF or view some photographs of the day.


Page updated 4 July 2010