The Rotary Club for Mid Hampshire
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ALRESFORD 10k ROAD RACE 2025
Photos by courtesy of Robert Wesley and Stuart Martin
On Sunday 15th June 453 runners enjoyed near perfect running conditions to participate in the 17th Alresford Rotary 10k run, once again a fixture in the Hampshire Road Race League calendar attracting some of the best runners from across Hampshire and beyond.
The sunshine, broken clouds and gentle wind propelled the runners around the undulating course through the centre of Alresford, past the watercress beds and out into the countryside. Fred Slemeck (Hercules Wimbledon) won the men’s race in 32 minutes 17 seconds, with Chris Newman (Ryde Harriers) and Andy Greenleaf (WADAC) in second and third. In the women’s race Erin Wilmers (Winchester RC) took the honours in 36 minutes 55 seconds with Emma Jolley (City of Portsmouth AC) and Katie Gunn (Bournemouth AC) second and third. They all received a bottle of Louis Pommery English Sparkling wine from the local vineyard and a gift voucher from Run Walk Sport Ltd of Winchester. The rest of the field followed with some fabulous personal performances in trying conditions. The oldest runner in the race was Dr Hugh Bethell in the over 80 category who finished in an astonishing 1 hour and 3 minutes.
The age category winners (ages 40 to over 80) received hampers of local goodies put together by the Arlebury Cafe which also baked hundreds of delicious cookies for the event. Avoiding imported medals and T shirts, every runner received a cookie baked by the Arlebury Cafe and watercress from The Watercress Company. The race was organised by Alresford Rotary with all profits going to support good causes at home and abroad. The Rotary team are grateful for the significant assistance of students from Perins and local Scouts, Guides and Brownies who organised the water point on the route.
The support of local businesses contributed greatly to the success of the event.
James Pinniger,
President Alresford Rotary
wjrp@hotmail.co.uk
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.
