Cornish Rotary Club Raises £5,000 for ShelterBox Through Community Efforts

Photo: St Austell Rotary Club president Elke Deeley and club member David Foster present ShelterBox with a cheque for £5000 (1)

The Rotary Club of St Austell has successfully raised £5,000 for the international disaster relief charity, ShelterBox, through a series of community-driven fundraising events.

The efforts included themed dinners, a night of music, and a sponsored family walk, all aimed at supporting those left without shelter due to disasters and conflicts.

A Community United

Under the leadership of president Elke Deeley, the Rotary Club of St Austell has been a pillar of the community since 1922, dedicated to fellowship and service both locally and globally. Elke shared the club’s long-standing commitment to ShelterBox:

“As a club we have been raising money for ShelterBox for many years. We plan a variety of fundraising events for the charity throughout the year and make sure there’s something for everyone to get involved in.”

People in St Austell braved the rain in a muddy fundraising walk for the disaster relief charity ShelterBox

Walking the Extra Mile

The highlight of the fundraising efforts was the “Walk the Extra Mile” event. Inspired by ShelterBox’s dedication to disaster relief, the club organised a sponsored walk with routes of varying difficulty to ensure inclusivity. Despite the rainy weather, participants enthusiastically joined in, with some even walking in their back gardens.

“The support was amazing. Smiley faces all round, happy to be raising funds for an important cause,” Elke commented.

The walk started from Pentewen Sands Holiday Park and followed the scenic Pentewan Valley Trail up to Heligan. Participants enjoyed sea shanties performed by the local band ‘Press Gang’ and listened to Rotary Club member and ShelterBox ambassador, David Earl, share insights about ShelterBox’s global projects. David also spoke about his personal fundraising endeavour – a skydive to mark his 80th birthday.

Musical Fundraising and Themed Dinners

In addition to the walk, the club organised a concert at St Fimbarrus Church in Fowey in March. Orchestrated by Merlene Bowden, the event featured performances by the Restormel Concert Soul and Swing Band and the Imerys Mid-Cornwall Male Choir. Attendees were also treated to musical pieces by Marlene Bowden on the piano and Patrick Saunders on the clarinet.

The club further raised funds through two themed dinner evenings, organised by Ross Jerome, offering food from around the world. The proceeds from these events were donated to ShelterBox to support their ongoing disaster relief projects.

ShelterBox Impact

ShelterBox, founded by a Rotary club in Helston in 2000, has aided nearly 3 million people across approximately 100 countries. As Rotary International’s project partner in disaster relief since 2012, ShelterBox and Rotary work closely to support those displaced by conflicts and disasters.

John Stanbury, Community Fundraising Assistant at ShelterBox, praised the efforts:

“We’re always humbled to hear about the incredible fundraising efforts our supporters go to, and what a fundraising extravaganza the St Austell Rotary Club has put on. The partnership we have with Rotary is incredibly valuable to us. By sharing resources and collaborating in our responses around the world, it enables us to ultimately reach more people affected by disaster.”

Currently, ShelterBox is providing aid in Gaza, supporting thousands affected by conflict with emergency shelter and essential items like blankets and mattresses. In Bangladesh, they are working with local partners to assist those whose homes were destroyed by severe tidal surges following a powerful cyclone.

For more information about ShelterBox and their global efforts, visit shelterbox.org.

ShelterBox is supporting thousands of people who have been left with nowhere to live because of severe water surges in Bangladesh after Cyclone Remal.