Saucing up fundraising

HOW do you raise money from a bottle of tomato sauce?

That’s the challenge facing members of Worksop Dukeries Rotary Club who have each been given a bottle of ketchup and asked to raise as much cash as they can with it.

Publicity officer Pauline Crawshaw said: “It’s the idea of the president of the Rotary club for the whole of Britain and Ireland.”

“The sauce bottles even have Rotary Club labels on them.”

“We’ve had ideas for barbecues or for meals of ‘Australian’ fish and chips with sauce on.”

The Rotary motto is ‘Service Before Self’ and fundraising forms a large part of that.

Most of the people who join are keen to give something back to society, while also socialising and having fun.

Former club president Graham Rye said: “We enjoy ourselves, it’s a way of making friends and getting involved in social activities.”

“But we also get a lot out of it by knowing that we are making a difference. I think one of the most important things we do is our work with young people.”

“We have the Rotary Youth Leadership Award, where youngsters have their skills tested at outdoor camps, and we also have Young Chef and Young Speaker competitions.”

Graham, of Whitwell, is a member alongside his wife Geraldine Pearce.

The Dukeries club began 13 years ago and admits both men and women as members.

It is known as a new model club and as such there is no attendance requirement for members to get to every meeting.

Pauline, of Retford, said: “We won the recruitment award for recruiting the most members in the district and have about 22 members at the moment.”

“We hold three meetings a month, a dinner meeting, a social meeting and a business meeting.”

“We are always looking for new members to join us. It used to be that you had to be in business or a professional to join, but it’s not like that now.”

Dinner meetings are held at Worksop Golf Club and will include a guest speaker.

Business meetings are now held at the newly renovated Priorswell Centre, next door to the Priory Church.

Some of the good causes the Dukeries club has supported include racing ferrets for Doncaster and Bassetlaw Kidney Association, hosting a concert in aid of prostate cancer research, and making donations to Riding for the Disabled, MIND and breast cancer care.

Secretary Chris Weaver, of Whitwell, said: “One of my favourite things we do is at Christmas when we dress up as santa to collect money at Dobbies garden centre in Barlborough for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.”

Chris and Geraldine are also known as the jewellery queens because they hold regular sales of donated secondhand jewellery at The Crossing in Worksop.

Another former club president Fran Walker, of Worksop, said: “Rotary is an international organisation and we have linked up with other clubs around the world.”

“Later this month we have a friendship visit from some members of a South African club.”

*For information about joining call membership co-ordinator Maureen Lilley on 01909 475384.

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