Charity Collections
The Club undertakes public Charity collections at locations such as Shopping Centres or supermarkets in aid of local, national or international charities. We are very thankful to the shoppers who so generously give and enable us to donate these monies. The Club is also particularly grateful to all the collectors: members and their families, representatives of the charities and other Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interactors who have helped with these collections and to the management of all the venues for facilitating the collections. The Club have been delighted with the public's response and considerable sums have been donated to the charities.
In 2023 and 24 the Club concentrated on collecting for the ShelterBox Charity Emergency Appeals at Bloomfields shopping Centre, Bangor. In 2023 the funds were donated to ShelterBox's Turkey and Syria Earthquakes Disaster Appeal and the 2024 to ShelterBox's Pakistan Emergency Appeal.
No collections were made during the Covid years.
2019 - £665 - 17 April - Tesco Newtownbreda - Club Rotary Charities
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During the Tree of Remembrance collections shoppers who donated were invited to write a private personal message on ribbons which were attached to the Tree. Whilst Christmas trees are usually purely decorative, these trees provided a simple, yet poignant, way of remembering, acknowledging and celebrating the lives of loved ones amid the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. We hoped that people would take a look at the trees, with their unique ribbons and that the true spirit of Christmas would be made evident for one special moment whilst supporting local charities. The Club have been really pleased at the hundreds of ribbons which have been attached to the trees.
The ribbons, each with their own story of messages and thoughts of loved ones, from the 2012 & 13 collections were blessed by Father Michael Murtagh during mass on Sunday 15 June 2014 at the beautiful Clonard Monastery. The ribbons were presented by President Ken Morrison with his wife Gilly and Past President Brian Clements in attendance.
President Alan Rundle and his wife, Fleur, Club members, Rotaractors and our Ambassadorial Scholar Delia Ferguson were honoured to be at the blessing of the messages of thousands of yellow ribbons from the 2011 Christmas's Park Centre Tree of Remembrance during the Choral Mass Sunday 25 November 2012 in St Peter's Cathedral. All were given a great welcome and there was inspiring music from the renowned Schola Cantorum Choir formed by Director of Music, organist and choirmaster Trevor McClintock. In particular, their Hallelujah Chorus during the offering and blessing of the ribbons was magnificent. This was an exceptional occasion in the beautifully restored Cathedral.
The 2010 ribbons were blessed in St Anne's Cathedral by the Dean during the Club's Centenary Thanksgiving Service. Having been introduced by President Adrian Kerr the baskets of ribbons were processed by six children and grandchildren of Belfast Club members - Assistant District Governor Maurice Brooks, Past President Alastair Corscadden, Mark Davidson and Hon Treasurer Ivan McMinn. They were placed around a candle of light and hope which was lit by President Adrian's wife, Margaret, during which 12-year-old Victoria College student Alexandra Dick sang a moving solo of John Rutter's Clare Benediction (more here).