A heartwarming visit to the community Sandam project

Caterham Rotarian Geraint Jenkins has just returned from an absolutely amazing visit to the Kyanzonzo Village Community Sand Dam which had been funded a few months ago by The Rotary South District Organisation, Caterham Rotary Club , Caterham Overseas Aid Trust, and The Rotary Club's of Hart, Titsey & District, Storrington & Pulborough, Shepperton & Sunbury plus a legacy left to Caterham Rotary Club by Dr David Beckitt who passed away 2 years ago.

Geraint said “meeting the members of the self-help group was such a joy. Hearing the history, reasons for, and benefits of the Sand Dam was truly eye-opening and inspiring! There were speeches, photos, videos, laughter, and so much kindness shared – a day I won't forget so soon!” Geraint went on to say "In addition the Dam's construction is simply top-notch, and you could really feel the appreciation from the entire village community. It was heartwarming to see everyone's names and clubs included in the inscription, acknowledging all the wonderful donors and supporters!"

During Geraint's stayI in the area he was looked after by Titus, and Bernard, who made sure he was taken care of. Geraint commented "They both deserve a big round of applause and I extend my deepest gratitude to them both."

More information on Sand Dams generally is available via https://www.sanddamsworldwide.org.uk/our text here...

Caterham Rotarians win Rotary Regional Quiz

The winning team with their trophy David Barrett, MichaelBarrett, Colin Vane & Steve Woplin

For the second year in a row, The Stepping Stones pub in Westhumble was chosen as the venue for the final of this year's Rotary DistrictAfter competing against over 60 other clubs, during four previous rounds across nine months, the Rotary Clubs of Caterham, Rushmoor, Storrington &Pulborough and Surbiton came together from the four corners of the District for one final battle, with the Caterham club ultimately emerging triumphant with a score of 86 out of 100, soundly beating last year's winners, Surbiton, into second place on 80 points.Rushmoor took third spot with76.5 points, whilst Storrington &Pulborough gallantly brought up the rear, albeit with a still very respectable score of 61.5 points. As well as the quiz itself, everyone present enjoyed an excellent supper of pizza, sandwiches and chips, courtesy of the pub.

Caterham Rotary Club’s Charity Golf Day Proves a Massive Success, Raising Nearly £5,600

The Caterham Rotary Club held its annual Charity Golf Day in June at Bletchingley Golf Club. Organiser of the day Rotarian David Barrett commented “the event was a tremendous success, with 22 teams of four players each participating in a friendly yet competitive atmosphere. The day was graced with excellent weather, and participants enjoyed a superb buffet lunch following the golf.”

The Corkscrews, a team that competes every year, emerged as the winners of the event. Beyond the golfing, the day featured a highly successful raffle and auction which raised an impressive £1,185. Total money raised was £5600 which included a donation to The South East Cancer Help Centre by The Bletchingley Golf Club Seniors Captain’s charity,

Archaeological dig for the kids

Caterham Rotary Club were recently delighted to support The East Surrey Museum at the “Rod Stead Archaeological Dig” for young people, which took place at Queens Park Caterham.

The event this year was named after the former Museum Chairman and Rotarian, Rod Stead, who sadly passed away late in 2022.

The dig, organised by Peter Connelly, Museum Curator, utilised the services of Wayne Weller Archaeology Officer from Surrey Community Archaeology who provided the necessary equipment and opened two patches of ground. His knowledge and expertise proved invaluable. Also on hand was a local Metal Detectorist Richard Joly, who like last year proved a great success with the children in helping them to discover a few interesting items.

Many of the children who took part last year returned this year with their own detecting devices.

The event was a great success with over 230 people visiting over the two days.

Malcolm Russell from Caterham Rotary said, “the finds proved interesting, with the dig unearthing (subject to verification), fragments of medieval pottery in addition the Metal Detectorist found a raft of Victorian coins, along with other pieces.”

Of most interest was an aged, enamelled badge, with the lettering S H and a brooch which has been left with the Surrey Finds Officer for verification.

A display has now been set up at the Museum 1 Stafford Rd, Caterham, Surrey CR3 6JG

Bringing Beauty to Your Commute: A Railway Station Transformation

As you rush through your daily commute, have you ever wished for a moment of serenity amidst the hustle and bustle? We're thrilled to share that we've been busy bringing a touch of nature's tranquility to your local railway station! Our team has been hard at work, giving the station's planter boxes a much-needed makeover, filling them with a vibrant array of new flowers that are sure to catch your eye and Well, but I'm I'm I mean, there are things that can change. I think the major thing is if it's fat, let's stick that in. Cause I to save time, I can go through this and think, well, don't worry. This is already on the website. It's all there So we've got we've got some. warm your heart.

Say goodbye to those dull, uninspired planters, and hello to a delightful burst of colors and fragrances that will brighten your day. We've carefully selected a variety of blooms, from cheerful daisies and delicate petunias to elegant lilies and fragrant lavender, creating a picturesque scene for you to enjoy as you await your train.

We believe that even the smallest of spaces can be transformed into something extraordinary, and our railway station project is a testament to that. So next time you find yourself passing through, take a moment to pause, breathe in the sweet aroma of fresh flowers, and appreciate the beauty that nature has to offer. We hope that our planter box rejuvenation will bring a little joy to your daily travels, proving that sometimes, the journey can be just as delightful as the destination.

We were approached in 2023 by a local A Level student Mia Wilson aged 18. She was studying A levels in her 2nd year at Reigate College in Surrey. She explained that she and 4 other students were interested in setting up an environmental project to recycle local children’s school bags which were no longer required and could be used to carry school books and homework for children in Schools in Nairobi. Fron the student's research they discovered that many school bags in good condition were being thrown away and the opportunity lost to recycling.

We arranged a meeting with the students and were very encouraged and inspired on the content of their presentation to us. As a result, we agreed to support them by contacting several schools in our area where we have strong connections The objective was to collect the unused bags and to attange transportation to The Amara Charitable Trust in Nairobi who would share out the bags to local rural primary schools. We would like to thank the following Caterham schools who took part in the gathering up of the school bags: St Francis, Oakhyrst Grange, Whyteleafe, St Johns, St Peter & St Paul and St Bedes Redhill.

200 bags have now been collected and flown out to Nairobi. Our grateful thanks to the sponsors: The Integrity Communications Group https://integritycommunicationsgroup.com & Import & Export specialists 512 https://www.5-1-2.com/