Achive Content

2011

BONAR BRIDGE HAS ALL THE ANSWERS!!!!

The annual Sutherland Primary School Quiz took place in Lairg on Tuesday, with 11 schools from all across the county doing battle in a hard fought contest for the Rotary Trophy.  The teams from every school, be it Durness or Scourie in the North West or Edderton or Ardgay in the South or Brora , Golspie or Dornoch in the East.  All did their teachers and their parents proud, and from my observations proved themselves to be much brighter than the watching adults in the audience!! The Quiz master for the day was William Sutherland of the Sutherland Partnership with Golspie's Rev John Sterrett ably assisting-- but the real stars were the competitors who answered questions on--Sport, Geography, Mythology, Spelling, Anatomy, Science, Literature and General Knowledge with a surprising ease. At the half way stage it was all to play for with perhaps the south east teams just in front but a superb performance saw Bonar Bridge hold off a late Brora surge to secure the trophy and they go forward to the Regional Finals in Strathpeffer this Saturday.  Pic shows the winning team of Iain Wilson--Tim Liddell---Ruairdh Squire and Lissie Cook with William Sutherland, President Alistair Risk and Rev John Sterrett

FELLOWSHIP WEEK - Ceilidh Lineup Announced

SCOTTISH CONCERT & CEILIDH DANCE

Saturday 14th May 2011- 8 for 8.30 pm until Late - at Brora Golf Club

The Strathair  Ceilidh Dance Band
with
           Elaine Shearer           
Paul Griffith
The Standfast Dancers
The Struie Gaelic  Singers and Harpist
Local Pipers and Fiddlers

Tickets are only £10 including Haggis Neeps  n’ Tatties
 

2010 Great Year for East Sutherland Rotary

As the Hogmanay celebrations approach, the members of the Rotary Club of East Sutherland look back on a year filled with generous service and giving, excellent  fellowship and the celebration of their 21st Birthday.
 
During what has been a memorable year the Club surpassed all its ambitions, raising over £20,000 in funds which have been channeled into supporting  needy and the deserving causes across Sutherland and overseas.
 
Locally the Club has supported:-
 
Every group of Scouts, Cubs, Brownies and Girl Guides in the county
Every Primary School in Sutherland
Every junior golf club in Sutherland
Overstepps, the Lawson Hospital & Maggies Highland
Local pensioners lunch groups
The fireworks displays in Dornoch and Brora and Golspie in Bloom
Helmsdale Highland Games and Timespan
Many local youth sports groups and activities
M.S. Research and the Macmillan Nurses
as well as environmental projects and individual secondary school pupil projects
 
Internationally the Club has helped with:-
 
The eradication of Polio in India, Afganistan and Pakistan
The Haiti Earthquake Relief effort through Shelterbox
Flooding in Pakistan
The building of a school with a clean water system and sanitary blocks in Nepal
The treatment and education of children with HIV in Nigeria
International student exchange programmes in Africa and Eastern Europe
and much more through their membership of the World Rotary organisation
 
The club has held Raffles, Duck Races, Quizes and has had stalls at all the counties Highland Games, Agricultural Shows and events and the people of Sutherland have as always been more than generous in their support of our projects.
 
The Club has a keen interest in our local schools and ran a quiz for every Primary school and sent secondary students from Dornoch, Golspie and Kinlochbervie on a Youth Leadership Adventure week to provide them with the skills and the foundation of future success.
 
While the Club has seen its membership grow to 30 for the first time in its 21 years and has received many awards from Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland its proudest moment was probably when it was the "mother club" to the newly formed Rotary Club of Tain and District meaning that this Club had inducted over 30 addtitional Rotary members during the year but that is not enough as the club looks for another 6 or more members to join the East Sutherland Club before Easter 2011, so if readers are interested in knowing more check www.eastsutherlandrotary.org  as we would love more members before the 10,000 crocus bulbs we planted at the county's schools come into bloom in April.
 
As new Rotary President William Sutherland lifts his New Year Dram he can look back on a job well done and forward to a busy year ahead with lots of local projects and fundraising which gets off the ground with The White Heather Club Tribute Night (wi a touch o Burns) at Brora Golf Club on Wednesday 26th January.
 
Well done Rotary and keep up the good work.
 
 

2010

Victory for Fellowship at Forres Golf Challenge

The annual match agaist North Berwick Rotary club was conceeded this year after 4 consecutive East Sutherland victories due to a number of our golfing heros being ill, being injured or being committed to holidays and not being avaialable But thanks to DGN Ian Macdonald enlisting the help of 4 members of the Forres club we played an inter district match between 1010 and 1020 over the wonderfull and picturesque Forres course

In the opening match our own Alistair Risk was clearly off form but his Forres team mate George Storm was in sparkling form and despite being handicaped by Alistairs irratic performance they managed to square the match on the last green against Gordon Symon and David Lancaster of North Berwick In the second match East Sutherlands Tony Tracey was in fine form and playing well under his handicap as he and his Forres partner earned a comfortable 5 and 4 win to put 1010 in an unbeatable position While in the tail end match the 1010 pairing from Forres annialated North Berwicks Des Bathgate and Ian Donald to secure a comfortable victory that the Ryder Cup teams could only aspire too.

Of course the golf and the result were incidental if not irrevellent as Fellowship was the name of the game which was played over an lovely course which had donned its most attractive autumn colours for our benefit on what was undoubtedly the warmest and the sunniest day of the year Infact if you ignore the golf played by your reporter it was a perfect day spent in good company with friends who we hope to see again next year in Brora or Golspie for perhaps a triangular match and even more fellowship.
 

2009

The Gavel Games

On Remembrance Sunday the quiet East Sutherland Countryside was invaded by not one but two Caithness Battalions representing the Rotary Clubs of Thurso and Wick.   The Rotary Club of East Sutherland had hoped to recruit the support of the Dingwall club but they must have fallen in battle or have been shot down in transit as they failed to turn up for a superb afternoon of fellowship during which the Northern Gavel Championship divisional Final was played.   The result was immaterial although somewhere it is recorded that Wick and

East Sutherland drew their match and Thurso having earlier beaten Wick trounced the brave souls of East Sutherland with every team being awarded a victory against Dingwall who forfeited their matches by not fielding a team.  These matches were played on a perfect autumn Sunday in the excellent facility offered by Brora Golf Club

and the East Sutherland Club looks forward to welcoming members from all of these and other clubs to the 21st Charter Dinner on 6th March 2010

The pictures show such skilled confrontations as games of Jenga, Draughts, Dominos, Connect 4, Putting and Pitching and some of the group celebrating the Fellowship that is at the core of Rotary.

The 2009 Christmas Party!!

The annual club dinner was held in the Morangie House Hotel when 60 of the members of both the East Sutherland Club and the new Tain Rotary Club got together for a superb meal and a great evening of fellowship and fun.  The early evening entertainment was provided by the children from the Gaelic School Unit in Tain who dressed for the occasion.  Following their musical contribution they are seen here supporting President Alistair Risk when he presented Moira Hermiston with a cheque for £250 to help fund the Golspie Senior Citizens Christmas party and lunch group.  The club is in great fettle and is not only looking forward to Christmas and New Year but to celebrating its 21st Birthday at a big party on 6th March.

Summer 2010 archived content.... 

July 2009, a busy summer!

At Wednesday 22nd July club meeting President Alistair Risk had the pleasure of welcoming District Governor Bill MacFarlane as guest speaker but he was

even more delighted to be able to welcome Hetty Cunningham who has done so much over her 92 plus years for the Brora community as weel as neing the welcoming smile that is Brora to all the vistors to our village-- in recognition of her 75 years of Service Above Self thee Clun with the support of the District Governor handed Hetty a certificate of Appeciation which underlines their award to her as the Community Personality of the Year.

Also at the 22nd July meeting Alistair had the pleasure of handing over a cheque for £500 to Sally McCall from Crossroads Care.

The Sutherland Show, also July 2009

Once again the club was well represented at the county show with 8 members attending to erect and man the stands.

The usual fundraising gimmicks of tombola, bottle squares and the ever popular 'nails in the bails' were to the fore.  But this year we had the added attraction of 'Splat the Rat' thanks to the ingenious Noel who has made the gadget and Clive who produced the art work, and this was a really popular attraction even in the less than attractive weather (we got soaked and frozen!!!) It was also the first event at which we had the BIG HOLIDAY raffle on sale a

The club's August away meeting was a little different this time when 40 members and friends took to the bowling rink in Brora for a truly fun evening of fellowship What also made the evening that little bit special was to have Hon Menber and Past President Eric Potter attend and we all enjoyed having him shout advice (?) from the touchline!!!
 

Outgoing President Pat May's BBQ was country and western style.  Although keen on horses this was not the mount she'd expected! 

Midsummer Fun and Games

Out going President Alistair's last away meeting as president was a very enjoyable fellowship evening at Brora Golf Club where 40 members and friends including Tain members played a putting match between the Incoming president and the Outgoing president's teams which ended in a hard fought draw with Alistair presenting the "huge" trophy to William for safekeeping ready for next years match (Judy is just delighted at having the extra trophy to polish in William's trophy cabinet!and has ordered an extra case of Silvo ready for the purpose).

After the fresh air and golfing competitive part of the evening, everyone was ready to enjoy a very good meal and a glass or two with the superb music of Strathair. And after the food Colin and Maureen encouraged everyone (nearly) onto the floor for an evening of dance and hilarity.

Our next away meeting is at the end of August when we return to Brora Bowling club for more fun and games, and Eric Potter promises to be there to shout his encouragement and abuse just like last year-so don't miss it!

EAST SUTHERLAND ROTARY HELPS THE COMMUNITY

Recent events and meetings

We were pleased to have Jenny and Len Kirley (guests of Alistair Risk) join our meeting on the 03JUN and as the RYLA students didn’t show, they graciously agreed to tell us a little of their walk from John O Groats to Lands End. They are walking for Cystic Fibrosis, which afflicts their grand daughter. This is their second and probably last walk. Hugh Johnson suggested that we contribute 100 pounds to their walk and the club agreed. Should consider an additional donation if funds are available. Leslie Pope also updated the club on the Foundation giving for the year, which currently stands at almost USD 3,000. We will be well over when we get everyone to fill out the gift aid forms. Leslie will be asking everyone who does not have one on file to complete one in the next few weeks. This increases our foundation giving amounts by 25% for the money that is sent in as individual donations.

 

The 2009 Duck race raised £2,000 - see Fundraising page

 

A WORD FROM OUR PRESIDENT ELECT ALISTAIR RISK

 

At our Assembly last week our conveners outlined their programmes for the coming year. Their targets are ambitious, and rather higher than our historic achievement – but then this is an exceptional year: the year of our 21^st anniversary.

In all, our various targets add up to around £10,000 over the year. This is bold, of course, but is right to “aim high”. I hope that we shall reach that total, but, lest any member be dismayed by its size, I’d take this opportunity to make a few points.

 

• Almost all the individual targets are aspirational. The only one to which we are firmly committed is the donation of £2000 towards Elgin Club’s water project – a very worthwhile cause.
• We hope to raise around £4000 from just one major event (to which I would ask for your strong commitment) – the 21^st anniversary dinner and raffle. On this front we have made a flying start – the prize fund has already reached around £5000, making our task of ticket-selling that much easier! We have around nine months to reach this target sum.
• We have historically raised large sums in recent years – comparable with next year’s targets if we leave the raffle effort on one side. I think that many members would be surprised to learn just how much our recent historic achievements have been.

 

In my view, we are a strongly social club, in which we all gain much from our fellowship. In recent months, this has been enhanced by our monthly Away Days, which I believe have been widely enjoyed. But there is also an important role for the enjoyable companionship of our weekly meetings – whether speakers’ nights or just non-speaker night chat. I am fully committed to keeping our club activities enjoyable, with a comfortable balancebetween sociable enjoyment and fund-raising effort. In particular, I expect to enjoy our forthcoming anniversary year – and I hope we all do

 

Leslie and Rob move on to help new club

Rotary Kirking and Beyond
 

After the rigors of the 21st Charter Dinner 17 members of the club joined by 4 from North Berwick Rotary attended the sunday service at Golspie Church of Scotland where the sermon was conducted by our own Rev Dr. John Sterrett 
Now John may well have wondered how his congregation had increased by so many but these pictures tell a story 
IF you went to the church service you were invited to Hugh & Jeanettes for canapes and to drink President Alistairs champagne 
This truly was a civilised way to end a wonderful weekend for the club and to toast the next 21 years (and Carol Gillott's birthday!!)

Rotarians step up fundraising activity for Haiti

The club members and friends of the club will be out in force accross Sutherland and Easter Ross raising additional funds through additional raffle sales and the local Co-ops in Brora -- Golspie --Tain and Invergorden have offered space for this purpose this week and the next few through to 13th February as has Grants of Dornoch.

Oversteps Home in Dornoch

An Evening of Fun, Fundraising and Information Gathering

As part of the Rotary Club's commitment to the community, the members paid a visit to the wonderful Oversteps Home in Dornoch, a facility which the Rotary club has a regular commitment to help. The evening was a wonderful mix of

information gathering and bonding not just with the fantastic staff at this Church of Scotland Eventide home but also with the lively, charming and highly personable residents (some of whom were over 100). Many of the Ladies and Gents were as sharp as a new pin when it came to conversation and more importantly to the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Quiz which was a highlight of the social part of the evening! 
 

The staff and residents gave the Rotary members a good thrashing and having won all the money!!!  Dornoch's second most famous resident Willie Hook Mackay acted as the quizmaster but was never quite sure if he was Magnus Magnusson, Bamber Gascoigne, Brucie or if he was

on Mastermind, 15 to 1, Weakest Link or Krypton, in fact he was so confused the staff offered him long term residential care!!! 

The whole event was rounded off with an excellent international supper prepared by chef Raymond and the Rotary Club were delighted to make a donation of £200 to Oversteps as a thank you for the evenings fun and fellowship. 

Support Across the County

November 09, Visits to Fellow Clubs

During a busy November week members of the East Sutherland Club were out and about visiting or supporting other clubs.  This included a visit by 7 members to the Dingwall Club in the rather posh and masculine Tulloch Castle Grand Banqueting Hall although Christine, Leslie and Fiona did their best to add a little female refinement and culture to the 100% male membership of our mother club. 

Fiona and Alistair enjoyed a superb breakfast at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness with the Riverside Club, who hope to welcome many more early birds from East Sutherland in the near future.  In fact a party of 14 members of our Club went to the Eden Court in Inverness to support the Riverside Breakfast Club with their most enjoyable Gilbert and Sullivan musical comedy evening and had a super time with Paddy, even starring on stage as one of the "policemen who did not have a happy lot".  Leslie, Rob, Fiona and President ABR also attended the emerging Tain Club and Isobel out did us all by visiting the Rotary Club of Los Americas in Tenerife.  Where ever we went we were made very welcome and we spread Rotary Fellowship.  Visiting other clubs is not just fun but we learn from all those clubs and we build friendships too.
 

Great Hospitality at Dornoch Away Day

The October Away meeting was to Royal Dornoch Golf Club where Chef Micheal provided the 29 members and guests with an absolutely delicious meal and our speaker Willie "Hook" Mackay entertained and educated us on the fantastic Clubgolf development across Scotland and in particular the Highlands and Island which he heads His talk included comment on the skills and dedication that has brought about the remarkable achievements of Young Calum Stewart from Brora who the club sponsored 3 years ago to go on a training trip to the USA and he is now captain of the Scottish Boys team and was second in the European Masters in Paris this year An he spoke encouragingly about the new Golf Academy that is being created in Brora and also one in Tain With golf now an Olympic Sport we may even see one of our local boys win gold??

CLUB WINS  PRESIDENTIAL CITATION

Rotary International John Kenny has awarded the Rotary Club of East Sutherland with a Presidential Citation (our 3^rdConsecutive Year) This is due to what has been described as the exceptional work carried out by our club- not just in the Sutherland Community but in supporting the Polio Plus, Water/Aid, Shelter Box, Emergency Box and Shoe Box initiatives as well as the way in which the club celebrates Fellowship on a weekly basis.

District Governor Bill McFarlane – Smith said “ this may be a small club but it is the envy of every large club—I wish I could bottle the enthusiasm and the energy shown in East Sutherland”

Club President Alistair Risk was delighted to accept the award on behalf of a club which continues to grow in members and in its ambitions.

21st CHARTER DINNER

 

With Poppy Day fast approaching, Britain’s Armed Forces are increasingly in our thoughts these days – but some former members of our forces may need support at any time of year. At a recent meeting our guest speaker was Jonathan Brett Young, Chairman of the Sutherland branch of SSAFA Forces Help. SSAFA FH is a charity which offers support to former soldiers, sailor and airmen (male and female, old and young) who have fallen into difficulty after retiring from the forces, be that at the end of pensionable service or after a much shorter time. SSAFA FH watchword is, “One day’s service, a lifetime of support.”

 

 

Visit by Sir Arthur H.C.Yarham

At the recent meeting of the Rotary Club of East Sutherland the members had a special guest--Sit Arthur Yarham from the Rotary Club of Sanaton in South Africa.

Sir Arthur was Knighted some 30 years ago for his charity work especially in Rotary and in reforming the prison service in South Africa when Apartheid was disolved and the country took its early steps into being the modern vibrant country it is today.

On Wednesday 12th August a visitor from Northern Ireland, George Harkness was welcomed to the club, an past President to exchange banners on behalf of the East Belfast club.

Pat hands over chain of office

to Alistair  for clubs 21st year!

2009/10 Our 21st Charter Year

Proving that the club has matured and has come of age, the members were set a stiff challenge by President Alistair Risk.

Targets for fundraising and donations, for membership & Fellowship and for providing community benefit.

1) Hold a celebratory dinner for 100 people

2) Donate £2,000 to Foundation

3) Donate £2,000 to Polio Plus

4) Donate £2,000 to Nepal Wateraid

5)Donate £2,000 to local charities and special interest groups

6) Enrole at least 6 additional members to take the club over the 30 mark

7) Set up a daughter club in Tain with at least 20 members

8) Support the Rotary Thanks for Life campaign and thus help everyone understand what Rotary is though Press articles, the Web and Shop Windows

9) Design and opperate a club web page http//:www.eastsutherlandrotary.org

10) Be able to react to local or international emergency need

And as at our 21st Charter Dinner and Auction on 6th March 2010 all of these targets will have been achieved with more to come.

So Happy Birthday East Sutherland and congratulations on a job well done!!

Magic Rotary Fundraising Help for Haiti...

The members of the Rotary Club of East Sutherland discussed the Haiti Earthquake and how they may be able to help those people who are so desparately in need.  It was agreed to send 2 Shelter boxes immediately each of which include:

• 10 man tent and sleeping bags 
• A water purification system 
• Food and basic medical provisions for a month 
• Cooking equipment, crocketry and cutlery 
• Soap and washing material

...............and lots more 

The club members and friends of the club will be out in force accross Sutherland and Easter Ross raising additional funds through additional raffle sales and the local Co-ops in Brora -- Golspie --Tain and Invergorden have offered space for this purpose this week and the next few through to 13th February as has Grants of Dornoch.

This weeks guest speaker Clive Grewcock was performing his Magic at the meeting and was so impressed that he is also accompanying the members to perform at the shops and attract the crowds as members attemopt to break their £1000 target and raise as much money for as possible. 

Road Trip Fundraiser

Rotarian Rob Pope from Culrain sets off on his non stop sponsored drive arround all of the coast roads of Mainland Scotland during which he will visit John O'Groats, Cape Wrath, the Mull of Galloway and St Abbs Head, he will even speed arround Skye as he says that since the bridge connects the roads there to the mainland they are an essential part of the trip Generous people from throughout Sutherland and Easter Ross and even further affield have sponsored Rob and Arnold Clark have leant him a brand new car so as a result of this and a raffle the club is running to celebrate its 21st Birthday a sum of arround £6000 will go to Water/aid,to the erradication of Polio and to local needy causes.

Picture shows Rob and his co-driver Zack setting off is dreadfull weather from outside the Sutherland Inn Brora supported by members of the East Sutherland Rotary Club
 

SPLAT THE RAT!

The Rotary Club of East Sutherland was once again to the fore at Helmsdale Highland Games.  Picture shows Malcolm MacCall encouraging rats to go down the drain and to be SPLATTED by paying customers while Leslie and Christine man the tombola stall Once again we were blessed with good weather and generous customers and we raised over £2,000 from this and the Tain and Dornoch Games events Well done to all who helped.

HOLIDAY DRAW - now drawn - see News and Events Page for results!

The 2009 Duck Race!

PRESS RELEASE  SENT 

8TH JUNE.........

Last weekend the River Brora turned yellow, as the Rotary Club of East Sutherland staged a successful “Duck Race” fundraising event.  Nearly 1500 plastic ducks were launched into the river at Brora village centre, and raced their way downstream towards the finish line further downriver, where they were retrieved by members of the East Sutherland Canoe Club and East Sutherland Angling Club.

Generous residents of East Sutherland have been “buying” the ducks over the past few weeks, in the hope that their duck would be first to cross the finishing line.  The winning duck had been picked by Elaine Ward, Main Street Golspie, who won the first prize of a meal for two at Il Padrino’s restaurant with £50 vouchers.  Second prize of a meal for two at Sutherland Inn, plus £30 vouchers, went to Cain Sutherland, of Seaforth Place Brora.  Third prizewinner was Cassie McCall of Inverbrora Farm.  Since third prize is a bottle of champagne, and Cassie is a sheepdog and therefore under age, her owner Malcolm McCall will have to take charge of the champers!  Fourth prize of a bottle of wine plus £10 voucher went to Elizabeth Smyth of Achrimsdale, Brora.

Rotary Club of East Sutherland, which has around 25 members, celebrates its 21^st anniversary next spring and has a long history of successful fundraising events – but this duck race seems to have broken all club records, with over £1,100 raised.

Club president-elect Alistair Risk paid tribute to all those local people who had bought ducks.  “We have been astounded by the generosity of local people,” he said.  “Our Club members sold ducks to family and friends, but the huge numbers of ducks entered is mainly thanks to all those generous people who supported our duck-selling activity outside Brora Co-op on two successive weekends. 

“Those who contributed can be sure that funds raised will go to worthy causes - international, national, and local.  Our Club’s sincere thanks go to the Co-op, to our sponsors Il Padrino’s Restaurant and Sutherland Inn, Brora, to the Canoe and Angling Clubs for getting our ducks back, but most of all to all of those people who bought ducks and who made the race day such a success.”

William Sutherland

Club's Alisdair Miller's Trip to Nepal to See the REAL Effects of Rotary Work

To most people, Nepal is simply the country where Mount Everest is located – but this ignores Nepal’s many attractions. This rugged mountain nation, wedged between the mountain wall of the Himalayas and the steamy jungles of the Indian plains, has been described as paradise on earth.

During their trip, Alisdair and Cecilia visited two Rotary-funded projects designed to alleviate one of the problems Nepal faces: the lack of clean water in many remote hill villages. Nepal comprises 68% mountains, with 15% of these snow covered all year. There is no shortage of water, the country having the second highest water resource in the world after Brazil. But many villages are very poor and remote, without the infrastructure to provide clean water. Villagers therefore use water collected directly from streams which are invariably contaminated by dead animals, rotting vegetation and other waste. This causes disease and death.

To help combat this, two water and sanitation projects, co-ordinated by the Rotary Club of Elgin, were funded by North Scotland Rotary Clubs. These projects were overseen on the ground in Nepal by the Rotary Club of Himalayan Gurkhas, with technical expertise provided by the Nepal Water and Health organisation.

The projects involved two villages, Nepane and Simle, situated in Nepal’s remote and hilly Gorkha district. The provision of clean water was achieved by damming the streams close to the villages and filtering the water to provide a secure gravity-fed clean water system with tap points into the villages. In Nepane 19 tap stands, 66 latrines and a school toilet block with separate entrances for boys and girls were provided, directly benefiting 521 people and a school of 315 students. In Simle 334 people plus a school of 184 students benefited from the provision of 13 tap stands, 45 latrines and a school toilet block. Each project also included comprehensive training in maintaining health and hygiene. 

In all, twenty-two Rotarians from eight Scottish Rotary clubs made the trip. They spent four days travelling high into the hills to visit the two projects. Project funding was raised by donations from thirty one Clubs within Rotary District 1010 (Scotland North), with RCoES donating £2000 raised from the generosity of Sutherland people. This and matching grants from District 1010 and Rotary Foundation (Rotary’s own Charity) raised a total of £48,000. Approximately 20% of the funding was provided by the villagers constructing the facilities and providing some materials from local resources. The commitment by the villagers was huge: in Nepane this involved a team of thirty people over a period of three months carrying vast quantities of sand and gravel up very narrow and steep tracks from a river bed approximately 1,200 feet below the village. The projects began in January 2010 and were completed in December.

The visits took place in November during the Nepali New Year celebrations, and the visiting Rotarians were humbled by the welcome they received in both villages, with dances, meals and liberal quantities of raksi, the locally produced rice wine. The villagers are hard working, honest people with great dignity and were keen to demonstrate their new facilities which were maintained in a spotless condition. The projects have led to a major improvement in the lives of over a thousand people by providing something which we in Sutherland take for granted – clean water. 

The visit showed clearly that even a small Rotary Club like East Sutherland’s can make a difference not only in our own area but to communities around the world. The villagers of Nepane and Simle are grateful to all those in Sutherland who contributed to the fundraising efforts by RCoES which helped make these projects a reality.

The work of RCoES goes on, with current fundraising concentrating on the Pakistan and Brazil flood disasters, as well as local charities.