On the evening of Saturday, November 28th, 2023, Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club hosted a memorable and successful Indian Cultural Night at Holyport Memorial Hall, the first of its kind. The event brought the local community together in a celebration of Indian culture while raising funds for two deserving charities: Alzheimer's Dementia Support and the Indian charity Goonj.
 
The event was a resounding success, attracting a diverse and enthusiastic crowd of individuals from Maidenhead and beyond. Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club, renowned for their commitment to community service and philanthropy, pulled out all the stops to create a night that will be long remembered.
 
On arrival guests were greeted by members of the club adorned in full traditional Indian attire and were gifted beautiful bangles by the club.  They then walked through a beautifully decorated entrance which included a statue of Hindu God 'Ganesh' and Rangoli, a traditional Indian decoration made with brightly coloured ground rice.
 
Guests were treated to a delightful and authentic Indian meal prepared by Kebabsaab Catering, which featured a delightful array of flavours and aromas, highlighting the rich and diverse cuisine of India. The delectable spread included a wide selection of appetizers such as Samosas and Channa Masala, curries, saag panner, tandoori naan and mouth-watering Gulaab Jamun with Kulfi for dessert.
 
Rajan Gujral, Event Organiser, commented “We organised this event to coincide with the start of Diwali, India's biggest and most important holiday of the year.  Diwali is a festival of lights that celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil and the human ability to overcome challenges. Our Indian Cultural Night, and Rotary, certainly ticks all those boxes!”
 
Prior to the cultural programme, Katie Hodges, District Governor of Rotary in the Thames Valley, started the evening with lighting a lamp. This is a very symbolic Hindu ritual, to ward off any darkness and negativity.
 
The entertainment for the evening was equally enchanting, as the event featured live performances of traditional Bharatanatyam dances and energetic Bollywood songs. Dancers adorned in colourful attire brought the art of Bharatanatyam to life, mesmerising the audience with their grace and precision.
 
The event was not only a feast for the senses but also a tremendous success in raising funds for two vital charities, with more than £2000 raised. Alzheimer's Dementia Support, a local organization that provides invaluable assistance to individuals and families affected by Alzheimer's and dementia, will greatly benefit from the generous donations. Additionally, the Indian charity Goonj, which works towards providing essential resources to underprivileged communities in India, will receive crucial support to further their noble cause.
 
Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the event's sponsors, volunteers, performers, and, most importantly, the attendees for their support in making the Indian Cultural Night a triumphant and memorable evening.
 
Club President, James Ticehurst, shared his thoughts on the event: "We are truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from our community. This Indian Cultural Night was a testament to the power of unity and cultural exchange. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the success of this event and helped us raise much-needed funds for these remarkable charities."
 
Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club plans to continue its tradition of hosting vibrant and impactful events that bring the community together while supporting local and international charitable causes.

​For more information and to be kept up to date about other events organised by the club visit www.maidenheadbridgerotary.org.uk or contact Lisa Hunter on 07876 341334 or e-mail [email protected]

The unpredictable autumn weather played ball on Saturday as volunteers from Maidenhead’s Rotary and Rotaract Clubs came together to plant crocuses around the town. Rotarians of all ages donned wellies and got their hands dirty to sow a carpet of purple crocuses which will flower early next year.
 
The initiative aims to raise awareness of the global campaign to eradicate the polio virus. The disease, which causes paralysis mainly in children under 5, was once widespread in more than half the countries in the world.
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Rotary International was a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in the 1980s, when 350,000 children a year were affected. Today, thanks to a global vaccination and monitoring programme, the wild polio virus is endemic only in two countries, and there have been only 9 cases worldwide this year.
 
More than a dozen volunteers from Rotary and Rotaract planted crocus corms at Maidenhead Library, the Desborough Theatre behind the Town Hall and the approaches to Maidenhead at Thicket Corner and Furze Platt Road.
 
Harrie Hayward, Project Coordinator from Maidenhead Bridge Rotary, said: “One of the reasons I joined Rotary was this idea that an organisation would decide to rid the world of a disease, and then do exactly that. It’s totally amazing that the vaccination campaign has been so successful. The polio virus is literally fighting for survival as the number of cases is pushed down every year.”
 
Rotary’s slogan is ‘We are people of action’, and we prove that by going out into the community and doing things, whether delivering food parcels during COVID, getting people moving on the Maidenhead Boundary Walk or supporting other groups organising local events.
 
“Today we had some new members, members from Maidenhead Rotaract, Rotary project partners for 18-30 year olds, and Rotary Direct members from elsewhere in the Thames Valley. It’s great to see people of different ages and backgrounds coming together for worthwhile projects.” Harrie continued.
 
But the purple planting doesn’t stop there as on Thursday, Maidenhead Bridge Rotary will welcome a team of corporate volunteers from Ashfield MedComms, who will help to plant more crocuses in the Nicholas Winton Garden in Oaken Grove Park.
 
For more information and to be kept up to date about other events organised by the club visit www.maidenheadbridgerotary.org.uk or contact Lisa Hunter on 07876 341334 or e-mail [email protected]