Members of Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club gathered on Saturday to celebrate a hugely successful year with an end-of-year party that marked 12 months of fun, friendship, and service. The event was a testament to the club’s impactful activities and the strong bonds formed among its members.
 
Throughout the past year, the club organised a variety of events, including the much-loved Easter Family Fun Day, the innovative "Quiz with No Name" to support Shelterbox, and the highly successful inaugural Indian Cultural Night. This cultural extravaganza, which featured the tastes, songs, and dances of India, raised an impressive £3,000 for Alzheimer's Dementia Support and Goonj, an Indian charity.
 
In total, Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club has raised over £15,000 in the last year, supporting more than a dozen charities and good causes. Their efforts have made a significant difference both locally and internationally. Beyond fundraising, the club engaged in hands-on volunteering, including preparing special Christmas hampers for 35 local families facing hardship, ensuring they enjoyed a festive holiday season.
 
Club members have collectively contributed over 2,300 hours of voluntary service, a milestone they are incredibly proud of. The club’s dynamic and diverse membership grew by 11 new members this year, bringing the total to 60 and making it the second largest Rotary club in the Thames Valley.
 
During the celebration, outgoing Club President James Ticehurst honoured two members with the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship. Rajan Gujral received the first award for his exceptional efforts in bringing the Indian Cultural Night to fruition and for his ongoing promotion of the club internationally. "Rajan's energy is boundless and his passion for Rotary is evident at all times. His drive is what made the Indian Cultural Night the success it was, raising a great amount for two very deserving charities," James remarked.
 
The second award was presented to Nisha Chhetri, recognised for her unwavering volunteer spirit and her embodiment of the Rotary motto, "Service Above Self." James noted, "I'm proud to bestow this award to Nisha as she's always the first to volunteer for an event, always has a smile on her face, and her kindness is second to none."
 
The event concluded with the ceremonial handover of the presidential role to Sarah Street, who praised James for his leadership over the past year. "Your mantra was 'Don't mess it up,' and I think we can safely say you succeeded, with fun at the heart of everything we do as a club," commented Sarah.
 
For more information and to get involved visit www.maidenheadbridgerotary.org.uk or contact Lisa Hunter on 07876 341334 or e-mail [email protected]

Maidenhead Bridge Rotary is excited to announce the resounding success of their "Quiz with No Name," held on Friday, May 17th, at Holyport Memorial Hall. The event brought together over 70 participants, forming 10 enthusiastic teams, all eager to test their knowledge and contribute to a noble cause.
 
The quiz night was organised to raise funds for Shelterbox, an organisation dedicated to providing shelter, essential items, and technical assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable people recovering from disasters. The evening featured a series of entertaining rounds, including the ever-popular Dingbats, geography, popular music, and general knowledge, ensuring a fun and engaging experience for everyone involved.
 
Congratulations to the team from the Craufurd Arms, who claimed the title of Quiz Champions for the second consecutive year! Their impressive performance highlighted the competitive yet friendly spirit of the evening.
 
In addition to the quiz, the event also featured a raffle, with generous donations from Storia, The Maiden's Head, and Rebellion Brewery. A special thanks goes to Wenzel’s Bakery for their donation of food, which was turned into a delicious mezze platter enjoyed by all the teams.
 
"We are thrilled with the turnout and the incredible support from our community," said James Ticehurst, President of Maidenhead Bridge Rotary. "Raising £1300 for Shelterbox will significantly impact the lives of those in need, and we are grateful to everyone who participated and contributed."
 
Maidenhead Bridge Rotary extends heartfelt gratitude to all participants, volunteers, and sponsors who made the "Quiz with No Name" an unforgettable evening. Your support and generosity are greatly appreciated.

As we head into the warmer months (hopefully), we're thrilled to share the latest happenings and exciting updates from our vibrant Rotary community. In the spirit of connection, we've put together a special newsletter that encapsulates the heart and soul of Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club.
 
In this edition, you'll find a treasure trove of articles highlighting our club's activities, projects, and the incredible impact we've collectively made over the last few months. From community outreach initiatives to fundraising events, we've been hard at work, driven by our commitment to service and fellowship.

​Check out the list of upcoming events on the back page of the newsletter, if you’d like to join us get in touch today.

We hope you enjoy reading it and if you, or anyone you know, would like to get involved with any of our volunteering opportunities, or attend one of our meetings, please do get in touch; and feel free to share our newsletter with others too.

You're Invited!
If you're not a member of the club yet, then we’d also like to extend an invite to you and your friends to join us at one of our fun upcoming events to find out more about what we do and how you can get involved. 
​
Remember we’re a very relaxed, flexible and friendly club so you don’t have to commit huge amounts of time to get involved.  It’s a great way to meet new people, try out new activities and give something back to the local community.

Attendees of all ages hopped their way to Grenfell Park on Easter Saturday for the annual Easter Family Fun Day, organised by Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club. The event, which ran from 11 am to 3 pm, brought together families from across the community for a day filled with laughter, joy, and Easter-themed activities.
 
Visitors enjoyed a plethora of activities, including an exciting Cryptic Easter Treasure Hunt with rewards of chocolate eggs, face painting, bunny mask making, hook a duck, bar skittles, coconut shy, fairground rides, and a lively inflatable slide. The park buzzed with energy as families participated in these engaging activities, creating lasting memories and fostering community spirit.
 
Adam Hunter, the event organiser, expressed his delight at the turnout and the positive atmosphere throughout the day. "We were thrilled to see so many families enjoying themselves at Grenfell Park. The Easter Family Fun Day is our signature event, now in its 11th year, and it’s great to bring the community together for a day of outdoor enjoyment and celebration," said Adam.
 
Building on the success of previous years, this year's event attracted a diverse crowd, with over 700 attendees immersing themselves in the festive atmosphere. An impressive £1400 was raised at the event which will be donated to local charity Daisy’s Dream who support children and young people affected by bereavement.
 
"We're immensely grateful for the support of the community and the hard work of our members in making this event possible," remarked Lisa Hunter, a representative of the Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club. "The success of the Easter Family Fun Day demonstrates the strong community spirit present in Maidenhead, and we look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come."
 
Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club extends its sincere thanks to Highfield School for Girls for sponsoring the Easter Eggs and the Louis Baylis Charitable Trust for their contribution too.  They would also like to thank Berkshire County Trailers for the loan of a trailer for the day to facilitate getting equipment to site!

Lastly, the club would like to thank everyone who attended and contributed to making the Easter Family Fun Day a memorable and joyous occasion. Plans are already underway for next year's event, promising even more egg-citing activities and family-friendly fun.
 
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]

What an amazing night of simply stunning talent.  From dancing, to choirs, to opera, to rock bands our young performers were simply the best at the annual Maidenhead’s Got Talent showcase on Friday 8th March.
 
The charity event, organised by all of Maidenhead’s Rotary clubs, saw young performers appearing in an exciting show at Taplow Court, in Cliveden Road.  The event featured Izzy Cooper Students, pupils from St Paul’s C of E Combined School, Claires Court, Dance Inspired, Redroofs Theatre School, Angela Terrey School of Dance, Larchfield Primary School, St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School, Newlands Girls School and the Kalakunj Performing Arts Group, totalling over 150 performers!
 
First time performers included Ben Coghlan, a pupil at Claires Court School who performed an amazing piece on the Grand Piano, If I am With You composed by Yoshimasa Terui and operatic duet Ursula Downes and Disha Umapathi an Izzy Cooper student, who performed Una Donna Quindici Anni (Cosi Fan Tutte) by W.A. Mozart.  Not to forget Bella Hislop from Claires Court School who performed a wonderful rendition of The Climb.
 
Other performances included young rockers from Larchfield Primary School who performed Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts, a spell-binding Indian Classical Dance, Bharatanatyam from the Kalakunj Performing Arts Group and some show-stopping songs from the WestEnd. Redroofs Theatre School had some fantastic performances, closing the show with a Matilda Medley by Tim Minchin.
 
Deputy Mayor for RBWM, Councillor Simon Bond, was amongst the special guests and commented “The performances were to a high standard, energetic and disciplined. A lot of hard work went into preparing the event. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, there were clearly a lot of proud parents in the audience.”
 
“Also good to see it was supporting three local good causes, Thames Hospice, Thames Valley Adventure Playground and the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice.” he continued.
 
The purpose of the event, kindly sponsored by the Louis Baylis Charitable Trust, is not only to showcase the amazing musical talent right here in Maidenhead. It is also an event for the community and to raise funds for local charities.
 
Mark Loader, President of Maidenhead Thames Rotary and event organiser, commented “this year’s show certainly showed there’s lots of talent in Maidenhead and it’s something we should be proud of.  The performers outshone themselves and did an amazing job.”
 
“We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who came to support the youngsters, to all the performers and all our amazing Rotary Volunteers who make the show possible.  We're still adding up all the donations, but the event will have raised £4,500 to support three amazing local charities.  So, a massive thank you from us!”, continued Mark.
 
James Ticehurst, President of Maidenhead Bridge Rotary, said “Rotary is well-known for raising funds for many local and international charities, but perhaps it is less-well known for the amount of hands-on community work we do.  This concert is a demonstration of our commitment as Rotarians to improve our local community and encourage the local youth to strive for their goals”.
 
Rotary in Maidenhead are also very grateful to the SGI - UK Buddhist, Taplow Court for the use of their magnificent concert hall for this concert and for their support to the local community.

For more information and to be kept up to date about other events organised by the club see our events page or contact Lisa Hunter on 07876 341334 or e-mail enquiry@maidenheadbridgerotary.org.uk

Photo Credit: Lisa Hunter, Maidenhead Bridge Rotary

The Unforgettable Food from Around the World Social

What happens when you bring together good company, good food, and a dash of wanderlust? The answer lies in the resounding success of the recent "Food from Around the World" social hosted at Adam & Lisa's house. An evening filled with laughter, cultural exchange, and a feast that spanned the globe, this event was nothing short of magical.
 
From the moment we stepped into Adam & Lisa's home, it was evident that this wasn't going to be an ordinary gathering. The air was filled with the aromatic promises of culinary treasures from various corners of the world. The breakfast bar showcased a stunning array of dishes, each representing a unique and flavourful journey.
 
French elegance, English classics, Nepali spices, Thai vibrancy, Indian aromas, Indonesian exoticism, Mexican zest, Italian timelessness – the menu was a testament to the rich tapestry of global cuisines. Every dish, a labour of love and a nod to the diverse backgrounds of our friends, brought a piece of their heritage to the table.
 
Adam & Lisa's kitchen transformed into a bustling hub of activity, resembling a mini United Nations of culinary talent. From the sizzle of Nepali spices to the booziness of the French Coq au Vin and indulgence of Italian Tiramisu, it was a symphony of flavours harmonising in the heart of their home.
 
The phrase "good company, good food, amazing evening" couldn't have been more apt. The spirit of camaraderie, the shared joy of discovery, and the genuine connections formed over plates filled with global delights created an atmosphere that resonated with the essence of community.
​
As we look ahead, the success of this "Food From Around the World" social has ignited a spark. The appetite for more gatherings that celebrate diversity, foster friendship, and tantalise our taste buds has been kindled. Stay tuned for more culinary adventures, more shared stories, and more unforgettable evenings on the horizon.
 
In the meantime, let's cherish the memories of this culinary odyssey, where the world came together on a plate, and friendships were forged over the universal language of good food.
 
Bon appétit, cheers, and here's to many more global feasts in the future!

In the spirit of giving and community support, Maidenhead Bridge Rotary is delighted to announce its collaboration with Achieving for Children to provide special festive food parcels for 25 families facing challenges this holiday season.
 
Recognising the increased strain that some families may experience during the festive period, Maidenhead Bridge Rotary has taken a proactive approach to make a positive impact in the local community. The organisation has worked closely with Achieving for Children, a dedicated non-profit organisation committed to empowering young people and families, to identify and support families in need.
 
The festive food parcels, carefully curated by Maidenhead Bridge Rotary volunteers, include a selection of essential items such as pasta, bread, cereal and tinned goods; as well as special treats from mince pies to chocolate selections boxes for all the children to bring joy and comfort to the recipients during this holiday season. The collaboration aims not only to alleviate immediate needs but also to spread warmth and holiday cheer to families facing adversity.
 
"We are thrilled to partner with Achieving for Children in this meaningful initiative to support local families during the festive season," said James Ticehurst, Rotary Club President. "Our volunteers have worked diligently to create special food parcels that we hope will bring a sense of joy and relief to those facing challenges. It's our way of giving back to the community that has supported us throughout the year."
 
Achieving for Children has played a crucial role in identifying families who will benefit most from this initiative. Their commitment to creating positive change aligns seamlessly with Maidenhead Bridge Rotary's mission to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.
 
"As a club one of our aims is to make a positive impact in the community and this project fulfills that objective perfectly," continued James. "Together, we can make a difference and bring a little extra warmth and joy to families in need over the Christmas period."
 
A merry team of 29 Rotary members spent an hour on Sunday morning at Maidenhead Football Club after their usual club meeting making up all the food parcels ready for distribution.  Maidenhead Bridge Rotary encourages community members to come together and support their neighbours during this festive period, fostering a sense of unity and solidarity.
 
For more information and to be kept up to date about other events organised by the club see our events page or contact Lisa Hunter on 07876 341334 or e-mail [email protected]

As we approach the final stretch of 2023, we're thrilled to share the latest happenings and exciting updates from our vibrant Rotary community. In the spirit of connection, we've put together a special newsletter that encapsulates the heart and soul of Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club.
 
In this edition, you'll find a treasure trove of articles highlighting our club's activities, projects, and the incredible impact we've collectively made over the last few months. From community outreach initiatives to fundraising events, we've been hard at work, driven by our commitment to service and fellowship.

​Check out the list of upcoming events on the back page of the newsletter, if you’d like to join us get in touch today.

We hope you enjoy reading it and if you, or anyone you know, would like to get involved with any of our volunteering opportunities, or attend one of our meetings, please do get in touch; and feel free to share our newsletter with others too.

You're Invited!
If you're not a member of the club yet, then we’d also like to extend an invite to you and your friends to join us at one of our fun upcoming events to find out more about what we do and how you can get involved. 
 
Remember we’re a very relaxed, flexible and friendly club so you don’t have to commit huge amounts of time to get involved.  It’s a great way to meet new people, try out new activities and give something back to the local community.

The aim of a Vocational Training Team or VTT is to train others or be trained.

This years team is heading out Uganda for two weeks to train birth emergency skills to health professionals from Ngora Freda Carr Hospital and from surrounding health centres.

The team itself consists of four midwives. Samantha Fleming is a consultant midwife and Claire Carter teaches infant feeding and care of the preterm baby from Royal Berkshire Hospitals.  Danielle Naughton is a practice development midwife and Gillian Pearce is a governance midwife and the Rotarian Team Leader, both from Hillingdon Hospital.

We will be training student nurses, midwives and health professionals covering various subjects including haemorrhage, deteriorating pregnant woman and baby, newborn life support, and difficult deliveries such as when the baby’s shoulders get stuck. Claire covers how to keep babies warm and how to feed them when it is difficult to latch babies onto a mother’s breast.

We will also be working with the community, along with the Rotary Club of Ngora, who are planning a Rotary Family Health Day for our last Friday in Ngora. This could be a challenge!

The events planned are Family Planning, Antenatal Care, Immunisation, Deworming, Cervical cancer screening, health education and training on menstrual hygiene. When I attended their meeting a couple of weeks ago via zoom, they had just completed a similar day and had 1500-2000 people attending!  It looks like it will be a busy day!  

Our VTT is funding the menstrual hygiene element of the Family Health Day, and we will also be giving health education.  We also give a small payment to each person who attends the Health Day to cover their travel costs and the loss of a day’s pay.

There is no system in Uganda for continuing education, so by providing this training we are able to give health professionals an update on their skills. To do this we use World Health Organisation guidance and Global Health videos. One day is going to be spent training health professionals to become trainers, so that they can pass the information on once we have left. We also leave equipment, so that the trainers can carry on.

Gillian Pearce
VTT Team Leader
​Member of Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club

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]