The Rotary Club for Mid Hampshire
Webmaster: Hans Wustefeld
TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS TREES ARE US
ALRESFORD ROTARY FIREWORKS AND BONFIRE A GREAT SUCCESS
A CELEBRATION FULL OF FUN, BONFIRE AND FIREWORKS
Alresford Rotary has for over 33 years prided itself on organising the traditional Guy Fawkes Bonfire and Fireworks Night. The event is an important part of Alresford’s festive calendar and help to raise funds for those less fortunate in our local community and people around the world.
The Flower Pots hosted a fantastic day, with wonderful local craft stalls filling the barn, the team at the ‘Pots’ worked tirelessly. Rotary Alresford would like to thank everyone for coming along especially the craft stalls for making the day such a success.
CHRISTMAS SHOEBOXES APPEAL 2025
CHRISTMAS SHOEBOXES APPEAL
It is the time again to look forward to Christmas and support the Wessex Rotary shoebox scheme through which displaced and disadvantaged children principally in eastern Europe receive a box of small gifts which international Customs specify must be for “education, health and hygiene purposes”. Have a look at “Gallery” on https://wessexrotaryshoebox.org.uk/ to see the joy such presents bring. If you want to make a real difference to a child’s Christmas this year browse the website to see full details including suggested knitting patterns! Flatpack boxes are available now upon request from wjrp@hotmail.co.uk / 01962 738788. This is not just for schools. Will you or your organisation make a difference?
ROTARY HAS BEEN WORKING TO ERADICATE POLIO FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS. OUR GOAL OF RIDDING THE WORLD OF THIS DISEASE IS CLOSER THAN EVER.
As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we’ve reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.
Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.
Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.
Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland plants purple crocus corms to flower in the spring. This year two million Ruby Giant (deep purple) corms have been available and (at the time of writing in early October) Alresford Rotary plans on World Polio Day to plant 4000 corms locally, some at the entrance to The Flowerpots Inn in Cheriton and some to add to the many previously planted along The Avenue in Alresford.
President James Pinniger
DECEMBER NEWS UPDATE FROM JAMES
CHRISTMAS TREES
Alresford Rotary’s annual sale of locally sourced Christmas Trees is from 8.00 a.m. on Saturday 6th December outside the Horse & Groom in Broad Street. Competitively priced, buying a quality tree from Rotary enables Rotary to make a difference, both locally and internationally.
THANK YOU
For the tremendous support you have once again this year given Alresford Rotary in its community and fundraising events, most recently by contributing to the Wessex Rotary Christmas Shoebox Scheme and by attending the Torchlight Procession, Bonfire and Firework Evening on 7th November.
This year local schools (West Meon, Cheriton, Itchen Abbas, Sun Hill (Infants and Juniors) and St Peter’s (Winchester)) and local churches and other organisations and individuals including the Women’s Institute and the Mothers Union enabled Alresford Rotary to deliver 307 shoeboxes of Christmas gifts to the District depot in Boscombe on 1st November.
Those boxes and 18,838 others left Boscombe on 12th November for Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and (for onward transmission to Ukraine) Poland. On arrival local Rotarians will supervise the distribution of the boxes to disadvantaged and displaced children (15 and under), many of whom will never have previously in their lives received any gift!
ROTARY FIREWORKS
Despite a discouraging weather forecast the mid Hampshire community turned out in force for New Alresford’s bonfire night.
The evening proved to be drier than forecast and the torchlight procession led by Hampshire Fire & Rescue (carrying the Guy created by The Swan) stretched along the entire length of West Street and Pound Hill to the entrance of Arlebury Park. Following the lighting of the bonfire and the burning of the Guy, the crowd enjoyed a magnificent firework display managed by Pains Fireworks.
As well as being for many a highlight of New Alresford’s community life the annual firework event is Alresford Rotary’s major fund-raising event of the year. Alresford Rotary is grateful to everyone who contributes to its success.
END POLIO NOW!
Filled with such good humour and gentlemanly kindness, there will never be another like him.
I won’t be alone is saying that Alresford Rotary has lost a piece of history, and a piece of its heart, that is our dear friend Stephen Pinch. We will miss him”.
IN MEMORIAM STEPHEN PINCH
I must have first met Stephen (never “Steve”) at St John’s when I moved to Alresford in the late 1980’s. Others can tell his life story until then, although I did find out some years later that when doing VSO in Vanuatu in, I think, his early 20’s he had met Alison who lived directly across the road from me in Thames Ditton in the early 1960’s and a lifelong friendship between them followed.
It wasn’t until I joined Alresford Rotary in 2008 that Stephen became more than a passing acquaintance. On Rotary alphabetical lists my name followed his and I suspect that is why I tended to refer to him as “Pinch” whereas, being more deferential than me, he called me “Mr Pinniger”! Alresford Rotary and its camaraderie and fellowship were very important to him. He was President in both 2008/09 and in 2019/20.
James Pinniger
Rotarian Kim Boog writes “Stephen knew the answer to practically everything! Always a story on offer, an answer ready, a memory for history, a joke to share and always there at the heart of supporting the community. He was a very trusted honourable friend, volunteer and companion.
The Rotary Foundation and the Emily Collins School
All members of Rotary are encouraged each year to donate a minimum of $100 US (currently about £75) to Rotary’s own charity The Rotary Foundation (TRF). Donations are entirely voluntary but if donations from a club reach a threshold, that club is entitled to apply for a grant from TRF to assist the financing of one of its charitable projects. Because of limited funds not all applications are successful but last year Alresford Rotary was awarded a grant enabling it to fund the construction of a toilet block at the Emily Collins School in the south west of Uganda, within 10k of the borders with Rwanda and DR Congo.
The work was largely undertaken during the school’s summer break and it is hoped that the new toilet facilities will be of great benefit to all attending the school. The grant met about 50% of the cost of the project with the other half being funded by Alresford Rotary from monies raised from your support of its activities in recent months. Thank you! For much more information about the Emily Collins School have a look at https://emilycollinsschool.com/
NOVEMBER 7 Alresford Fireworks and Bonfire Night Arlebury Park
NOVEMBER 17 Rotary meeting Swan Hotel
NOVEMBER 24 Rotary meeting Swan Hotel
DECEMBER 1 Rotary meeting Swan Hotel
DECEMBER 6 Christmas Trees Market Broad Street
DECEMBER 15 Rotary meeting Swan Hotel
ALRESFORD 10k ROAD RACE 2025
Photos by courtesy of Robert Wesley and Stuart Martin
AND THE WINNERS ARE
PEOPLE OF ACTION IN THE ALRESFORD COMMUNITY
Alresford Rotary carried out what has become a regular annual attempt to spruce up Broad Street. In just a couple of hours gutters and kerbs and drain covers were cleared with the mud and other “arisings” collected filling two large “grab bags” kindly supplied by New Alresford Town Council.
In the past few years Alresford Rotary has done “outdoor works” at both Perins and the Sun Hill schools. Last month a day was spent at Sun Hill including tidying up the nature pond and its surrounds (created by Alresford Rotary some twenty years ago) and installing a water feature. Further work will be carried out later this year..
Right now, over 120 million people around the world have been made homeless by disaster and conflict. ShelterBox is working to change this.
By providing emergency shelter and tools for families robbed of their homes by disaster, we’re transforming despair into hope.
We want to see a world where no family is left without shelter after disaster.
END POLIO NOW
Alresford Rotary marked the start of Spring by planting Ruby Giant (deep purple) crocus corms in Alresford. For the last nine years Rotary internationally, as a member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, has planted spring flowering purple crocuses to raise awareness and to raise funds for the End Polio Campaign. A major benefactor of such initiative is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Bill Gates has written that “The world’s progress in fighting Polio might be one of the best kept secrets in global health”. The relevance of the purple crocuses is that in developing countries millions of children are vaccinated in the course of a few days in frequent, mass polio vaccination campaigns.
It is important that children do not receive duplicate vaccine. Once the child has received two drops of vaccine (by mouth) their left little finger is painted with an indelible purple ink. Vaccinators always check a child’s finger before administering polio vaccine. If it’s purple they do not vaccinate. In 1988 Rotary made a pledge to the children of the world that Polio would be wiped from the face of the earth and since then the number of cases has been reduced by 99.9% There is no cure for Polio but it is preventable by vaccination and until it is eradicated every child is at risk. For further information please look at https://www.endpolio.org/
At the Sun Hill Junior School the nature pond and decking was replaced and tidied up and more purple crocus corms were planted for a good show this Spring.
For many years the local community has generously supported the Wessex Rotary shoebox scheme through which displaced and disadvantaged children principally in eastern Europe receive small gifts which International Customs specify must be for “education, health and hygiene purposes”.
Have a look at “Gallery” on the recently updated website https://wessexrotaryshoebox.org.uk/ to see the joy such presents bring. If you want to make an early start to making a real difference to a child’s Christmas this year browse the website to see full details including suggested knitting patterns! Flatpack boxes are available now upon request from Alresford Rotary.
Contact James at: wjrp@hotmail.co.uk
Alresford Rotary raised £4,500 for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.
The Alresford Rotary 10k road race and children’s fun runs raised the money last year, and on January 20, Alresford Rotary treasurer Peter Kidman handed over a cheque to Judith Stephens, a support engagement officer for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA).
The money will help fund the charity’s life-saving missions, which cost an average of £3,500 each.
The charity relies entirely on voluntary donations.Alresford Rotary treasurer Peter Kidman handed over a cheque to Judith Stephens, officer for Judith also provided an update on the charity’s work and its move from Thruxton to Southampton Airport, which will improve response times and efficiency.
Since the first Alresford 10k road race in 2008, the annual event has been organised by the same project manager with the support of Alresford Rotary.
However, due to other commitments, a new project manager is urgently needed if the event is to take place this year on June 15.
The ideal candidate should have some knowledge of the local running scene and experience in event organisation..
If you feel you could take on this role, contact Alresford Rotary at indri50@me.com or 07743 698841.
Thanks to all our wonderful customers for supporting us through what was probably our worst ever weather christmas tree sale. Thanks also to all our helpers…The Scouts as always supported us with moving the trees to cars. Town traders were hugely supportive – Tesco so generous with warm croissants, The Swan and Alresford Linen Co doing rounds of coffee, Paul and Pat for the sausage rolls, the Toyshop and D&G hardware helping with surplus trees… not forgetting George with his trumpet! Despite the weather it was Rotary at its best in the heart of the community once againxxx
As a celebration of all your activities in the past Rotary year, I wanted to offer my thanks on behalf of ShelterBox for the amazing fundraising that you have carried out with your community and as a club. The Rotary Club of Alresford has raised a total of £8,000 in Rotary year 2023/2024.
Congratulations on becoming a Gold Partner Club!
Sanj Srikankanthan, CEO ShelterBox
As a humanitarian organisation ShelterBox must remain neutral and a-political. We go wherever in the world the shelter need of civilians is the highest, right now that is in Gaza“.
If you would like to learn more about ShelterBox have a look at: https://shelterbox.org/ and international support – Alresford Rotary (alresford-rotary.org)
The modest contributions that Alresford Rotary has been able to make over the years to ShelterBox have only been possible because of the support the local community has given to its events and Alresford Rotary is most grateful for that.
