After a COVID-enforced break of three years, members of the Rotary Club of Sleaford Kesteven again organised a Technology Tournament for schools in the Sleaford area.  Staged in two groups – Junior (Year 8) and Senior (Year 10) – a total of 27 teams (112 students) represented: Kesteven and Sleaford High School, Carres Grammar School, St Georges Sleaford and St Georges Ruskington.  The students were tasked with designing, building and testing an electrically-powered (battery) vehicle which could travel along an open pipeline to clear debris in the pipe and then reverse passing under a bridge – all within a 10 second timeframe.  The task was designed by Rotary and was intended to exercise a number of skills helping students develop their STEM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).  Schools are currently very keen on this.  The principal organisers were Rotarians John Webster and Bill Martindale who said:  “The students trialled their vehicle on a test rig and were also expected to decorate it with a suitable charity logo.  Once finished they were required to present a portfolio explaining the vehicle’s design and development and reasons for the chosen design.”

The year 8 winners were a team from St Georges Sleaford while the Year 10 winners came from Carres Grammar School.

As part of the recent Jubilee celebrations, staff at the Ashdene Care home in Sleaford looked at ways of creating a special garden in its grounds. The Rotary Club of Sleaford Kesteven was only too pleased to help as we have a professional Horticulturalist and garden designed in our ranks. With a bit of added man and woman power the results were very impressive.

The Rotary Interact Group at Sleaford Girls High School, led by President Meredith (and overseen by the Rotary Club of Sleaford Kesteven) organised a collection for the Sleaford Food Bank and its organisers Rod and Anna called into the school to collect the products, which resulted in a full boot and a full back seat of carrier bags. Congratulations t all the girls and families involved.

From the members of the Rotary Clubs of Sleaford and Sleaford Kesteven, a massive thank you to the residents of Sleaford, Ruskington and the surrounding areas for their very generous donations to the Ukrainian Appeal over the last few weeks. To date, circa £19,000 has been raised and this includes personal donations, monies raised at Sleaford and South Kyme Golf Clubs and an extremely generous amount from a local Sleaford company. You can all be very proud of your wonderful contributions.

“This is a brilliant example of how Rotarians in the Sleaford area can work together for the benefit of those in the world that desperately need our help.  This is why I joined Rotary,” said Alan Thomas, Foundation Chairman of Sleaford.

The two clubs have made an initial transfer of £14,000 with the funds being sent directly to the Rotary Club of Zamosc Ordynacki in Poland and the Rotary Districts 2231 (Poland) and 2241 (Romania and Moldova), with the rest being transferred in the coming days.

We would love to get to £20,000 so that local people can be extra proud of their achievement.  If any individual or company would like to send a donation to Ukraine appeal, please contact me and I will forward bank or cheque details.

ROTARY ACTING AS A FACILITATOR at its best!