Rotary Club of Dudley
Serving our Community

COMMUNITY SERVICE is an important and pleasurable part of the work of the club. Members give practical assistance and raise funds to support projects and activities that improve life in our local community.  Here are just a few examples:

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Mary Stevens Hospice: To mark the Rotary Club's Centenary the club has funded a log cabin and internal building works to support the hospice's care for young people.

Heavens Kitchen and Lighthouse Project: The club supports Heavens Kitchen, operated by Dudley Christian Fellowship to help the homeless, with regular gifts of food. It also made a major grant towards rebuilding the Community Hub and Counselling Centre to serve the homeless and disadvantaged. Also to celebrate its Centenary Year the Rotary Club is funding an expanded counselling service at the Lighthouse Centre for both youngsters and adults.

 

Knife Surrender Bin: With the co-operation of Tesco, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and British Ironworks Centre, the Club installed the first knife surrender bin in the borough.  In a 15 month period it took well over 400 lethal weapons off the street, including 2 guns.

Dudley Kidney Patients Association was presented with a van to help its charity shops with the collection and delivery of goods.

Pens Meadow Special School Playground for  pupils with profound learning difficulties.  This award-winning venture was initiated and organised by the Club and supported by our French partner club Brest Côte des Légendes, our respective Rotary districts, and the worldwide Rotary Foundation fund.

Soundbeam equipment donated to local special schools for youngsters with severe learning difficulties.

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Some more community projects: Kids Day Out - each year we sponsor up to 50 underprivileged children to have a fun day at Drayton Manor Theme Park. Dudley Young Carers - pantomime visits and parties for these often-unappreciated young people. Stroke Awareness Days - support for the annual Dudley event.  Typically over 150 people are checked for blood pressure, blood sugar and other vital statistics.  The exercise has prompted numerous urgent medical interventions. Age Concern Dudley - donation towards the reopening of a day centre in Sedgley Darby End Tenants & Residents Association, Netherton - donation to support a group event Parkinsons UK Netherton Open Water Swimming group - funding tow floats for new swimmers Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham - support for a Brain Cancer Research project. Respite for a Dudley family - funding for a weekend holiday break.

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... And yet more local projects we have supported: Over the years we have funded major projects such as:  the first three cardiac emergency response vehicles in the district /  equipping rooms at the Dudley Handicapped Centre / purchase of medical equipment for Russells Hall Hospital Breast Cancer Care Unit and Russells Hall heart unit / providing support, including a lorry equipped as a mobile workshop, for Black Country Wheels; and hundreds of smaller projects including:  support for local Scouts, Guides and Brownies / St John Ambulance / Dudley Salvation Army Corps /  Headway Black Country / the Dudley Leaving Care Team / MacMillan Cancer Support / the West Midlands Air Ambulance Charity / Lunch On The Run ...

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PERSONAL SUPPORT: Individual club members are closely involved with other community and charitable bodies, including support for local schools, churches and a Hindu temple, a hospice, and various educational and cultural trusts.
		Club members give support each year to the Dudley Festival of Music, Drama & Dance. The Dudley Festival is now so successful that it attracts several thousand competitors and takes place over three weekends in March/April.

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LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER CHARITIES: The Club generally feels it better to support projects that help groups rather than individuals, so applications for assistance from individuals are usually referred to other more appropriate local charities. We are pleased to publicise the assistance given in the Dudley area by the Parsons Charity and Baylies Charity which provide educational assistance (for example for students to participate in academic, artistic or sporting courses or events), and also the Dudley Charity, and Reginald Unwin Dudley Charity which help persons suffering hardship. (Click on the links for details of each and how to apply.)

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AIMING FOR EXCELLENCE AWARDS: The Rotary Club of Dudley makes annual awards at various local primary and special schools to young pupils who have been rated by their teachers as Best Achiever of the Year. The prizes are awarded to boys and girls who have shown success despite personal or family difficulties. Eight schools now take part in the scheme.

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FUND RAISING to support community projects: Although fund raising is not the primary purpose of the Rotary Club we are pleased to have the generous support of the public for our fund-raising events, notably a visit by Santa Claus and his helpers over several days at Christmas.

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CENTENARY AWARD: To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Rotary movement in 2005 and the remarkable life of Dudley citizen Bert Bissell, the club established a fund to give an annual Centenary Award, now worth £2000, to a local organisation serving young people. The 2022 Award went to YMCA Dudley to boost its Highland Road facility, which provides Housing Support for 11 young people and helps them job search and develop skills to achieve their life goals. YMCA Highland Road Dudley Chatback  has produced a series of videos, with youngsters as their actors, warning of the dangers of sexual predators in society. The videos have been widely distributed to schools, medical practitioners, taxi associations etc. The other recipients: The Young Ones theatre group / Side by Side Theatre Group / Brooklands Amateur Boxing Club / Kids Out project at Lye / Dudley Young Carers / Priory Park Amateur Boxing Club / Bethel Chapel Lye for its youth activities / Dudley Hope / Black Country Wheels project/ Round Oak Robins  supporting  bereaved children / Coseley Comets marching band / Dudley Action for Children / Fens Pool Voluntary Association.