TAMESIDE ROTARY DISTRIBUTE MONIES TO LOCAL CAUSES

On 10 June, Tameside Rotary held a presentation evening attended by 75 people to celebrate local community groups and organisations whose applications to Tameside Rotary’s ‘Small Grants, Big Difference’ initiative had been successful.

The cash awards were distributed to twenty nine local groups from across the Borough supporting a diverse range of projects including preparing and delivering hot meals to vulnerable people; developing and running community hubs, gardens and transforming local green spaces; working with children across environmental and art/cultural related projects; recycling projects; various support groups who provide help and care for those living with dementia, mental health concerns; loneliness or isolation or potentially life limiting conditions; support for Scouts and Brownies and purchase of key equipment or materials to support fundraising or community led activities.

Approximately £7,000 was distributed with the funds coming from the well supported Tameside Rotary Santa Float collection in December 2024.

President Manhar Taylor said: “We have been greatly humbled and inspired by the way small injections of cash can make a difference to these community groups and the lives of the local people they strive to help. Our Rotary volunteers work hard to put on fundraising events and being able to distribute the monies raised to so many diverse local causes is very rewarding. I do hope Tameside Residents who donated to our Santa collection will be delighted to see how many local community activities our club has been able to support through their generosity.”

Rotarian Julie Nield, working as part of a small team of volunteers tasked to consider the applications, said: “We received many more applications than we have funds for at this time and so this has meant some very difficult decisions had to be made. We are sorry we couldn’t support every group but we thank them all very sincerely and encourage them to apply again in the future.”

The event was not without some surprises. Mark Howarth, who is participating in a Scout led expedition to Madagascar in July, received a small cash amount to assist with expenses alongside a special Tameside Rotary T-shirt to wear whilst working on community projects such as building huts, schools and water stations whilst also venturing into the rainforest in search of Lemurs!

Ms Endeavour UK Great Britain, Leanne Nuttall, was on hand to assist guests and spoke eloquently about the impact of her role within the local community. Tameside Rotarian Su Greaves was presented with the prestigious Rotary International Paul Harris Award in recognition of her hard work on behalf of the Club and the subsequent positive impact in the wider community. Su said: “I was surprised and humbled to receive this prestigious Rotary award. It’s been my privilege to support Tameside Rotary and the local community. This evening is, yet again, a positive affirmation of the work undertaken by so many volunteers and organisations who work tirelessly to support others”.

Tameside Rotary would like to thank all the representatives from the local community groups who attended the evening and helped make it such a celebratory event. Thanks are also due to the Alexander Club for the use of their function room and to Sizzlers for their excellent catering.

Plans are now in hand for Tameside Rotary’s flag charity event – The Tameside Beer Festival – which this year returns to Stalybridge Civic Hall on 19 and 20th September. The proceeds of the event will go to Willow Wood Hospice and The Christie Hospital. You can find out more by visiting www.tamesidebeerfestival.co.uk

Additional information to accompany this release:

Names of the groups and organisations who received awards and attended the event are:

• Tameside Meals SEVA Group

• St Gabriels Community Group

• The Grafton Centre

• Charlestown United Reform Church

• Menopause Your Way

• Incredible Edible Mossley

• St George’s Dementia Café

• Tameside Pulmonary Fibrosis Support Group

• 1st Mossley Scouts

• 40th Ashton Brownies