  Association of Inner Wheel Clubs No 19 DISTRICT Roundabout 19 Spring Newsletter March 2020   “Together we can!”

Dear Friends, with all clubs world-wide, and It is hard to believe we are halfway then consider all the “Lives that through the Inner Wheel Year, how have been touched”, you can start time flies when we are having fun! to appreciate what a fabulous As I write this, on a grey misty organisation Inner Wheel is. day, there are signs Spring is just around the corner with Daffodils, Now is the time for our clubs to Snowdrops and Crocus coming into look to the future and to elect bloom – nature working at its best Officers for the coming year and no matter what the elements throw beyond; PLEASE do not be afraid at us. to come forward and take part in the running of your club and As I have travelled around the remember that “Together We Can”! District visiting our clubs, I have I would encourage members to witnessed such warmth, friendship share jobs, also to look at how and fellowship together with great you can minimise red tape and enthusiasm for working together work together to adapt in order friendship. I feel very privileged to to help those less fortunate than to meet the needs of YOUR CLUB. serve as your District Chairman and ourselves. Locally, Nationally and The past cannot be changed, but I look forward to welcoming you Internationally, the number of the future is in OUR hands; only to our District Rally on the 23rd Charities being supported, and WE can change our Inner Wheel, so March, followed by Association projects undertaken is amazing – let us all work together to Keep the Conference in Belfast in April. Congratulations and Well Done to Wheels of Inner Wheel Turning. In friendship everyone. I am sure you do not need me to say, if you think about Thank you to everyone for your Margaret all the clubs in GB&I, together warm welcome, kind hospitality and Chairman - District 19

Remember District 19 Website: www.innerwheeldistrict19.org.uk DISTRICT 19 INTERNATIONAL RALLY Monday 7th October 201 VISION AID OVERSEAS - HELPING THE WORLD TO SEE Speaker: Vera Wilton On Monday 7th October 2019, representatives from clubs In all, an estimated 1.1 billion people worldwide have in District 19 gathered together to celebrate International near vision impairment, a condition that can be corrected Inner Wheel at our International Rally. There were a with a simple eye test and a pair of glasses. 89% of number of wonderful stalls and raffles, and judging by people affected live in the developing world, costing an the amount of chatter, laughter and smiles around the estimated 200 billion USD in lost productivity every year. room, everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Our I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW: Guest Speaker for the afternoon was Vera Wilton; Vera is a local optometrist who has been involved with Vision The Mission for Vision Aid Overseas is that everyone, Aid Overseas for over 19 years. In 2004 Vera visited everywhere, regardless of gender, economic status and for the first time; she has now visited on many geographic location, deserves the right to clear vision. It more occasions (approximately 16) and will continue to can cost as little as £5 for Vision Aid Overseas to provide do so as long as she is able. Vision Aid Overseas is a an eye test and a pair of glasses to a child or an adult small UK based charity which is now developing in other in . A pair of glasses that can transform their life. countries, primarily Africa. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, just imagine how • Burkino Faso you would study or work without them? • Ghana Vera then introduced us to the story of a young man called Billal. Billal is a 14 year-old student at Hobe Jare • Ethiopia Omoka Primary School in Ethiopia. He is one of seven • brothers and sisters and from a very young age has always • been very eager to learn. Before he was seen by Vision Aid Overseas, Billal struggled to see the writing on the Vision Aid Overseas - Charity Vision: school blackboard clearly from a distance. He constantly No-one lives in poverty because of poor eyesight and had to ask his friends and teachers to read the writing on no-one has poor eyesight because of poverty. the board for him or he had to sit nearer to the front of the classroom to learn. Now Billal has received treatment Vision Aid Overseas – Charity Mission: and has his glasses, he says that he can now sit anywhere Everyone everywhere should have access affordable in the classroom, just like the other students. During his glasses and eye care. last semester, Billal was ranked first in his class. HOW CAN WE HELP: How Vision Aid Overseas deliver their mission: Regular donations to Vision Aid Overseas will help • By delivering outreach services them to: • By training local eye care workers • Train local eye care workers to be able to deliver • By establishing vision centres and the necessary quality eye care services at all times. technicians to run them. • Provide outreach services to make eyecare • By encouraging child eye health accessible to rural communities. Did you know: 80% of what a child learns is processed • Establish self-financing Vision Centres in their through vision! partner countries to provide eyecare and glasses to thousands of local children and adults. Did you know: 1.2 billion people worldwide cannot see properly simply because they need glasses! • Provide vital optical equipment and glasses so that children can see to learn, and adults can see to Did you know: 63% of all 0 - 14 year-old children who earn. cannot see clearly, simply need an eye test and a pair of glasses! Vera’s presentation was very well received by those Ladies present. District International Service Chairman Elaine Did you know: 12 million children worldwide struggle to Parker thanked Vera on behalf of everyone, and was very learn simply because they need glasses! happy to present her with a cheque for £910 Congratulations on an amazing Home Service Report for 2019:

At the end of each year, one of the tasks I have to a few. It was good to see that many clubs included complete as District Editor is to submit our annual provision of wash bags to local hospitals, for the Home Service Report. Each Club Correspondent is asked homeless and needy – this was something that District to submit club information to me, and I collate all the Chairman Margaret asked clubs to do on her behalf and District Information; this is something that I have Margaret has been very touched by the response to this. thoroughly enjoyed during the past three years and I Our Clubs listed over 35 acts of kindness or fundraising would like to thank everyone for working with me on activities shared with either their Rotary Club or another this. I hope that the information outlined below helps organisation; we had over 20 unusual or one off special you to see just how amazing you are! projects in 2019 as well as supporting our Association There were many and varied ways that our members President’s Charity (Riding for the Disabled), Past in District 19 performed acts of service to Celebrate District Chairman Pat’s charity (The Christie Hospital) Inner Wheel Day in January 2019: These included, and our current District Chairman Margaret’s charity joint lunches, numerous coffee mornings, random acts (Brain Tumour Research). of kindness, soup and sandwich lunches, New Year meetings, lunch with club members and Rotarians, Clubs in District 19 supported almost 30 National attending a church service followed by refreshments, Charities as well as numerous charities in our local faith lunches and some donations to food banks. areas. These including charities involving the elderly, the young, hospices, those with disabilities, community There were over 34 acts of service performed throughout and countless other charities. the year in District 19: Fundraising events, afternoon teas, fun runs, fashion shows, knitting or sewing or A most sincere thank you to everyone involved in any other craft events, volunteering at hospitals or schools, way! Your District Executive are very proud to confirm singing for various groups in our communities, visiting you that within our District alone, we raised a total older neighbours, acting as stewards at a number of of £21,432.50 during 2019. Together We Can – and events, reading with children, making cushions for breast together we most certainly did a tremendous job – well cancer patients and entertaining children to name but done Ladies.

NOTICE BOARD

District Rally: We welcome into the family of Inner Wheel: Monday 23rd March 2020 at Hunday Manor Country House Hotel, Sue Edwards (St Annes on the Sea) Workington Carol Preston (St Annes on the Sea) Yvonne Bennett (St Annes on the Sea) Association Conference, The Waterfront, Belfast: 27th 28th and 29th April 2020 We hope you all enjoy the fellowship and friendship of Inner Wheel.

AGM and District Handover Lunch Deepest Condolences to the family and friends of those Monday 22nd June 2020: Junction 36 Auction Mart members who have passed away recently: Valerie Chew - PP (Kendal) Special Birthday wishes to all who have had a big birthday Betty Horrocks (North Fylde) celebration: Margaret Bamford (North Fylde) Joan Hollows (St Annes on the Sea) Pamela Whittam (Ulverston) Congratulations to all who have become proud Grandparents or Brenda Horrocks - PP (Ulverston) Great Grandparents Pearl Elliston and Family following the death of her husband David who was a Past President and Paul Harris Fellow. Congratulations to Those Celebrating Special Wedding Mavis Estcourt and family following the death of her husband David Anniversaries: Diamond: Stop Press: Maureen and Max Romer (North Fylde) Is your club holding an event, or celebrating something that is not published here? Remember to let your District Editor Golden: know of things you want to be included in our publications or Sheila and Alan Banks (Appleby) to be added to our new Website. Pennie and Neil Holt (North Fylde) Contact Marlene Johnston at [email protected] Ruby: or by telephone on 01900 66209 / 07788 44498 Margaret and Peter Kerekjarto (North Fylde) www. http://www.innerwheeldistrict19.org.uk/ Remember District 19 Website: www.innerwheeldistrict19.org.uk