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Seaford Rotary
Rotary Boot, Craft and Produce Fairs
Rotary Boot, Craft and Produce Fairs are planned to be held on the Martello Field West on the following Sundays in 2021: 18th April, 2nd May, 6th June, 4th July, 1st August, 29th August, 19th September.
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The fairs will be held assuming that Government pandemic restrictions are lifted in accordance with the Roadmap announced by the Prime Minister on 22nd February 2021. The fairs may be subject to the operational restrictions in place for the fairs last year.
Presidential Changes
Each December, Seaford Rotary holds a meeting at which the existing President Elect (Vice President) and President Nominee (2nd Vice President) are confirmed as President and President Elect respectively for the forthcoming Rotary year from July and nominations for the next President Nominee are considered.
Last December, however, a spanner was thrown in the succession plans, as Keith Blackburn, the then President Elect advised the President that his work on the Community Partnership projects had reached such a level, that he felt he could not continue with the post of President Elect. As he would have taken on the Presidency in July 2021, he decided to step down, so that another member could have time to prepare for the role.
Before advising the President however, he spoke to President Nominee Mike Ogilvie, who, without too much arm twisting, agreed to take on the mantle of President Elect. From July 2021, 2nd Vice President Mike will therefore become President rather than in 2022. This rearrangement also impacted upon the President Nominee position, and again, a member has thrown caution to the wind. Ann Reed, who was nominated to be President Nominee from July, agreed to take up that position immediately, so from July 2021 she will become President Elect, and in July 2022 the first female President of Seaford Rotary. The nominees for these positions were confirmed a few days later at the meeting, but the domino effect resulted in a vacancy for the President Nominee position from July 2021. Members were therefore asked to nominate their preferred choice (with their agreement!).
A nomination for the President Nominee position from July 2021 was approved at the January Council meeting before the nomination was included on the agenda of the February Business meeting.
At this meeting Seaford Rotary agreed that Mark Forrester should be the President Nominee from July 2021, and thus he should become President in July 2023.
Over the Rainbow Walk: 20th June 2020
Due to the national lockdown, it was not possible to hold the Over the Rainbow Fancy Dress walk as planned on 21st March. The new date will be Sunday 20th June 2021 (not 13th June as previously announced).
Teams of would-be walkers should secure their entries by registering before the deadline of 17th May. The number of teams taking part will be strictly limited. Sponsorship for your charity may begin as soon as you register. To maximise fundraising opportunities, early registration is recommended.
Seaford Rotary wishes to see colourfully dressed charity groups and family teams of up to six walking from Splash Point to Seaford Sailing Club and back. Individual walkers, pairs, and groups less than six can also join this fun-themed event. Each group of walkers
Government regulations permitting, it will be full steam ahead for the Over the Rainbow Walk on, hopefully, a glorious day.
For full walk details and a registration form please contact Rotarian Jean Cash by email: jeannecash@gmail. com.
Jaago Foundation Tel-Ed Programme
Seaford Rotary has agreed to continue contributing towards the salary of a Jaago Foundation teacher, Mehenaj Hossain, a graduate from a university in Dhaka, who has been teaching at the Jaago Foundation Rayer Bazar school, Dhaka since 2016. Seaford Rotary has sponsored her salary for more than two years. Jaago Foundation is a not-for-project organisation in Bangladesh begun in 2007 to create change for impoverished children in Bangladesh and to break the cycle of poverty through education. Now, 13 years later, Jaago has 3,500 registered students aged between 4 – 15 years based in 13 sites throughout Bangladesh. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools in Bangladesh were closed in May 2020 and in July 2020, Jaago devised an innovative approach to continue to provide education to those children who were unable to attend school. A Tel-Ed initiative was created by conducting classes over the phone and using short messaging services. The programme has engaged both students and their parents with the teachers and staff, and many positive responses have been received from students and parents.
Teachers found that initially parents had some reservations and were doubtful about the process of Tel-Ed. Now, however, they are extremely satisfied and most of the guardians/parents acknowledge that Tel-Ed is helping to continue their children’s education. Although parents in the towns generally have limited technical ability with little or no formal education, they have expressed their gratitude and appreciation to Jaago after seeing their children interact with the teacher and their child during this period of COVID-19. Jaago began the Tel-Ed program to keep the students engaged, to maintain each student’s link with formal schooling, and to reduce the rate of student dropouts. Accordingly, once normality is restored, post-COVID, students returning to the classroom should not be overburdened with having to familiarise themselves with the curriculum and the learning process again.
In addition to the Tel-Ed programme, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the under privileged in Bangladesh the worst. Jaago has therefore distributed food and essential items since the lockdown was imposed to the worst affected families. Many lowermiddle-class families in Bangladesh have lost jobs and are struggling to ‘put food on the table,’ and so the food package campaign, which was initiated in the capital Dhaka, is being delivered in most districts of the country.
Seaford Rotary welcomes new members. For more information contact us on http://www. seafordrotary.org.uk/contact.php.
Photos opposite: Rotary Boot, Craft and Produce Fairs at the Martello Field West; Tel-Ed teaching via a telephone.
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