|
THE CLEEVE SCHOOL
LIFE-SAVING PROJECT: On 11th
November 2009 this project, to install 2 Automated External Defibrillators
(AEDs) and Oxygen Breathing Appliances, was inaugurated at Cleeve School,
Bishops Cleeve by Ollie Morgan, the Gloucester and England Rugby player.
The project was co-ordinated and financially supported by Cleeve Vale
Rotary Club, the team also comprising of Mr Kevin Dickens of the Great
Western Ambulance Service, who has responsibility for raising public
awareness of life-saving and AEDs in Gloucestershire, Mrs Kim George, of St
Johns Ambulance, who organised the training of school staff, and members of
the N. Gloucs ICD Support Group, which also raised some of the funding. The
life-saving equipment and specialist training on using it in emergencies in
the school was recommended by GWAS due to the heavy daily footfall by
pupils and the general public using the Sports Hall facilities. This was
specifically to address the problem of Sudden Cardiac Arrest, a condition
that currently affects about 100,000 in the UK. Unless heart defibrillation
is administered within a few minutes, the victims will not survive.
Currently only about 5% will survive, but with the use of AEDs, this can
rise to 60-70%. The semi-rural situation of Cleeve School made it an ideal
choice.
Stuart Wilson, Associate Headmaster, said that the school was
delighted to be involved in a project that provides first aid support for
students, staff and the general public using the school’s facilities. Kevin
Dickens expressed his gratitude to Cleeve Vale Rotary Club and the ICD
Group for the commitment to this project. Colin Prottey of the Rotary Club,
who is also the Co-chairman of the ICD Group, said that the intention was
now to extend the placement of Life-Saving equipment elsewhere in the
county, as recommended by GWAS. The Best Working Practice for this has now
been defined and implemented, and we will encourage other Rotary Clubs in
the South West District to take up this initiative.
|
Robin Harvey
(ICD Group)
Stuart Wilson
and Colin Prottey with a commemorative plaque
|
The
Gotherington Singers, who were contributors to this project, have offered
their Summer Concert in 2010 to raise funds for AEDs for the Project Team
for further placements in Gloucestershire – the concert will be supported
financially by this Rotary Club.
Full details will be published here shortly.
|
CLEEVE VALE
ROTARIANS ON FLOOD RELIEF!
During the notorious 2007 floods in Gloucestershire, the
members of Cheltenham Cleeve Vale Rotary Club purchased 20 Dehumidifiers
which were loaned to members of the community in the County to help dry out
their homes after the flood-waters had subsided.
On hearing of the recent flooding in Cumbria, the Club
was quick to offer its services again. As a result of liaising with the
Rotary Club of Cockermouth, a town that has seen devastating damage and
flooding, the loan and transportation of the dehumidifiers to Cockermouth
were offered by Cleeve Vale members.
On Wednesday December 16th the dehumidifiers
were delivered to a haulage depot in Ledbury, where they were transferred
to an articulated lorry of a Cumbrian haulier, who delivered them to
Cockermouth Rotary Club, where they are now being used to dry out houses.
Cleeve Vale Rotary Club member Eric Ford of Winchcombe,
whose original idea it was to purchase the dehumidifiers in 2007 said “…This is what Rotary is all about –
we know that after the floods have
subsided, the silt has been removed, houses decontaminated, and
communications are back to normal, then there will be the long process of
drying out properties that will take weeks – these dehumidifiers will help,
in Cumbria just as they did two years ago in Gloucestershire…”
THE ARTIEPHARTIE CHARITY
Help for disadvantaged children and
young people is an important area that we seek to address. We have made a
donation to this recently formed local organisation, The Artiephartie
Charity, which is dedicated to making a positive difference to the lives of
young people who are vulnerable or who find themselves isolated. It reaches
out to such people with arts activities and performances to celebrate their
individuality and to develop social skills, thereby enabling them to feel
confident within our society. During 2010 a project will be launched at a
school in Cheltenham.
|
THE JUBILEE SAILING TRUST
|
|
THE GREAT WESTERN AIR AMBULANCE
|
|
|
The Jubilee Sailing Trust
is a charity that owns and operates the only two tall ships in the world
designed and built to enable people of all ages and physical abilities to
sail side-by-side as equals. We have supported this charity by meeting
production costs of a puzzle book produced by a local physically disabled
lady, so that all the proceeds from selling the book can be directed
towards funding the experience of locally physically disadvantaged people
sailing with the Jubilee Sailing trust.
|
Mary Jones climbing the rigging
of Tenacious
|
We are privileged to be
able to support the Great Western
Air Ambulance. Since its formation in June 2008 it has attended over
600 serious trauma cases, saving countless lives, using a
state-of-the-art Bolcow 109 Helicopter, equipped with sophisticated
medical equipment. This service, which covers over 3000 square kilometres
of Gloucestershire, Avon, Wiltshire and North Somerset, a population of
well over 2 million inhabitants, diverse leisure and sporting venues and
extensive roads, depends heavily on public donations to remain airborne.
|
Great Western Air Ambulance
|
|
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
OF PERFORMING ARTs
|
|
|
SUPPORT
FOR MAJOR LOCAL CHARITIES
|
|
We have donated the
Cleeve Vale Rotary Club Trophy to the Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts, which takes place in
May of each year. The trophy, which is an engraved rose bowl, will be
awarded to the winner of the "Singing in a Lighter Vein" Section,
which is open to all age groups and covers songs from the shows and
musicals.
|
|
|
We come into contact with many
local charities which regularly participate in our club’s major
fund-raising activities (the Cheltenham Circular Challenge, the Prescott
Classic Car Event). This year we have also made specific donations to
Winston’s Wish, Acorns Children’s Hospice, Worcester and Sue Ryder Care,
Leckhampton.
|
|
Olly Morgan with an AED, and students from Cleeve School
Cleeve
Vale Rotarians loading
dehumidifiers
for the journey
to
Cumbria
|