Church Wilne Rotary recently presented their Citizens Awards to individuals for their good works within the community over the past 12 months along with the Community Award for a group or organisation.

A record 17 nominations were received, and it was decided to acknowledge them all with certificates of commendation. However, two nominees stood out for Rotaries top award & a cash prize.

Donna Allen of Borrowash - Over the years Donna has turned so many negatives into positives, raising money for a children's Cancer ward, for Alzheimer research and the Royal British Legion. She has rallied the community together to provide food and gifts for over 100 Christmas lunches for the homeless. Provided socks full of toiletries and selection boxes for the homeless. She's made-up shoe boxes year after year for our soldiers at Christmas, Easter eggs and toys for the Easter. In January Donna did a charity walk and raised £1,000 and awareness for the charity Mind.

As a thank you from Rotary Donna received a cheque for £200, Donna will be making a donation to a charity of her choice.

Sarah Cresswell of Borrowash is the very epitome of the community champion. Throughout the pandemic, she has helped set up and run, both the Ockbrook and Borrowash Foodbank and the School Uniform bank. She also volunteers with the Derby Canal Trust and helped in the construction of their new cottages near Draycott. Sarah organises food parcels for those in the community who cannot easily access shops. Finally, as a professional musician, Sarah gives her time to help give tuition and lead school groups and individuals in a COVID safe environment.

Sarah received a cheque for £100 which she split between the Ockbrook and Borrowash Foodbank & Save The Children's Mozambique Appeal.

In addition to the Citizens Awards, Church Wilne Rotary are pleased to be able to support Karl by donating £1,000 towards the cost of parts to refurbish laptops & tablets.

Karl is a Governor of Ashbrook School, Borrowash and at the start of the first lockdown was horrified to hear how many children in our Parish wouldn't have access to basic IT equipment when home schooling.

Karl is an IT specialist and started refurbishing laptops & tablets to be given out to referred families in the community. To date he's passed on 80 units throughout the parish!

He aims to keep going, even though he has a day job, and to keep supporting families in IT need when the children return to school. He also wants to offer IT to elderly folk via Borrowbrook Home Link in the future.

The club presented the Community Award to The Borrowash Coop and Chloe the Manager who goes in at 4am every Thursday to make sure all Home Deliveries are completed for the isolated and vulnerable shielding in our community. The store as also supported the Christmas Bags for the Food Bank and BorrowBrook Home Link as well as with other worthy causes in Borrowash.

If you wish to know more about the Church Wilne Rotary and how the members aim to make a difference in the local community of for more information on Rotary, our speaker evenings, events and the main activities organised by our club please contact our Secretary, David Hewitt at: rccw1220@gmail.com

Adrian Perkins
For Church Wilne Rotary