Littlehampton Rotary Club reviews 2020 and the help it gave community

Rosemary Green, club president, has issued a detailed report, giving a breakdown of the charities it has supported and how the money has been used.

She explained: “This is a review of the past year of our help as a club to people in our community.”

Turning Tides, a charity for the homeless which is based in Worthing and runs a hub in Littlehampton, received £5,000.

Rosemary said: “They have refurbished the former Manse of the United Church, corner of High Street and Franciscan Way, into a six-bedroom hub for local homeless folk.

“Our donation was used for furnishing, washing machine and kitchen equipment. They have now completed this refurbishment and at present have a full house.”

Littlehampton Community Fridge, based at St James the Great Church, received £1,000 to support its work saving food from landfill.

Rosemary said: “This worthwhile project is run by founder Dr Sarah Renfrey. She has a dedicated team of volunteers to help her give out five items to each person who attends, which could be fruit, vegetables, eggs, cakes or bread.

“They have to have refrigerators and freezers to store these items and they had bought a van to help with collection of foodstuffs.”

Littlehampton and District Foodbank has received more than £10,000 from the club since the project was first started in 2009.

Rosemary said: “In 2020, this most stressful year of our lives, our £3,000 helped this very worthwhile charity, which is run very well by dedicated people.

“The last part of this year’s donation was used for our usual Christmas parcels, which had to be produced by Morrisons supermarket, as Rotarians could not buy and pack these food items as usual because of the pandemic.”

Littlehampton Academy was awarded £1,000 towards daily food parcels it has been providing for students in need, organised by chaplain Paul Sanderson.

Rosemary said: “Paul Sanderson worked hard with a team of volunteers during lockdown to pack up food parcels for children in needy families. At one time last summer, they packed 82 school lunches a day for needy children, so they were very pleased with our donations to help them.”

Other donations last year included £500 to Safe in Sussex for Amber House, the women’s refuge in Littlehampton, and £500 to Littlehampton Miniature Railway.

Rosemary said: “Our club have helped with a donation for the restoration of steam locomotive Queen Elizabeth, which was last in action in Littlehampton in 1985-86.

“It is hoped it will again give service on the railway but, of course, it will be after we are more or less rid of the pandemic.

“Also, the club have been called upon by West Sussex County Council to assist families in Wick and Littlehampton for donations and are likely to be called upon further during the pandemic.”

On top of this, in recognition of the fact Rotary is international, the club donated £1,000 to help the refugees sheltering at the Isle of Lesbos, in the Greek Islands, and £1,000 to Friends of the Mombasa Children, a Kenyan charity it has supported for many years.

The club meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month, currently via Zoom, and new members are welcome. Telephone Geoff Watts, club secretary, on 01903 724198 or 07747 000336 for more information.

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