And its now time to announce our next great event- Best Foot Forward at WV Active, Alkdersley Stadium on.
Saturday 28th June 8.00am to 8.00pm
Author Archives: Mike Boyce
Dragons Roar again at Himley
Our club’s annual Dragon Boat Event took place on May 18th on the great lake at Himley Park. 
The weather was fantastic (after all, we did order it back in February…) and the crowds came in droves.
The weather was fantastic (after all, we did order it back in February…) and the crowds came in droves.The Dragon Boat Event Company looked after all of the on-water proceddings beautifully – ensuring that all 34 teams raced on time and were kept safe. If not a little ‘splashed’ here and there hoho!
The team at Himley did a great job in looking after all of the car parking and this year, I think the grounds were in the best condition that we have seen for years so well done to the whole events and grounds team.Members of the Wolverhampton Central Youth Theatre did all of the early marshalling of cars in and out of the event area so it’s a big thanks to them too.
The Midcounties Co-operative Doing Good Together Fund helped with the costs of providing medical cover on the day and the support of our printing genius at Prontaprint Wolverhampton should not go un-recognised.And we definitely have to congratulate Crafted Kitchens 
who took the honours in the Grand Final followed closely by Sponsored Breaks Buoys, and in third place, How to Drown your Dragon.
who took the honours in the Grand Final followed closely by Sponsored Breaks Buoys, and in third place, How to Drown your Dragon.In fact, first and second place were separated by 8 hundredths of a second!
Pretty close eh?
In the minor final, Dewsbury and Proud came home first with Wintech’s Brettalion in second place followed by the anaesthetists from the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, and their boat Row-Crew-Ronium (it’s a play on words for a type of anaesthetic haha) coming home third.
And in this race, the difference between 1st and 6th was less than a second.
Again, wow!
This major fund-raising event is a huge team effort with a great many people supporting the event in one way or another, with our own club turning out in numbers on the day.
We couldn’t do it alone- so thank you to everyone who played a part.
More details and photos on the links below…..
Young people build bridges with Rotary again
On 15th and 16th May, 96 year 5 pupils at Uplands Junior School faced up to the Rotar
y Junior Technology Challenge with the Rotary club of The City of Wolverhampton over 2 exciting days when we were delighted to make our annual return visit. We were pleased to be joined this time by volunteers from the Global Diabetes Initiatives UK who came along to help, organised by club member Rotarian Matilda Chongwa.
The challenge was for the youngsters to build a bridge to allow a squirrel to cross without being blown off in a gale – with the gale being created by the use of a hairdryer, accompanied by much laughter from all concerned. The challenge takes the form of guidance as part of a STEM (science technology and mathematics) briefing during which the pupils learned in a light-hearted way, what it means to be an engineer.
The pupils had divided themselves into teams of 4, giving themselves a variety of fun names such as ‘chicken jockey’ and’ the ‘4 amigos.’ At the end of each day, the teams ‘cookie crumble’ and ‘doughnuts ‘were judged to be the worthy winners of the book token prizes, having best met the criteria and shown the greatest team working spirit.
In thanking the Rotarians and volunteers headteacher Mrs. Suzanne Webster-Smith said “It was great to see all the children engaged and showing great teamwork throughout the 2 days.”
PDG Richard Green.
Club Welcomes Another New Member
On Tuesday the 15 th of April the City of Wolverhampton welcomed its 10th new member this year.
Seen here l to r is is her mentor Lynn Plant, new member 
Hilary Boucher, Membership Chair Sylvia Morgan and President Lorraine McCarthy
The City of Wolverhampton is an extremely welcoming club which has a great deal of fun and fellowship while raising large ammounts of money for so many charities at home and abroad.
Crocuses in Full Bloom
February 2025 – the crocuses are in full bloom in Bantock Park in support of Rotary’s campaign to eliminate polio. The purple crocus is the emblem of the campaign.
It was wonderful to have the support of the children from Merridale Primary, Warstones Primary and Low Hill Nursery schools when the corms were planted in October 2024.
Former Mayor of Wolverhampton, Rotarian Mike Hardacre happened along today to fix the signs.
Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever.
As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we’ve reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.
Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.
Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.
It’s Now Time to nominate your Young Citizen of the Year
Nominations have opened for the 2025 Wolverhampton Young Citizen of the Year awards.
The awards, now in their 12th year, recognise the achievements of young people in the city who have gone that extra mile to help others
.Previous winners include youngsters who have raised funds for charity, supported other members of their community, and made a difference to the people around them.
The awards, which are run by the Rotary clubs of Wolverhampton, were launched in memory of Tom Warren, a former Rotarian and the city’s Education Director for a quarter of a century.
Chairman of the organising committee, former Wolves player Mel Eves, said: “The Young Citizen of the Year awards have gone from strength to strength over the years. Last year, we selected ten young people as finalists and invited them with their guests to an awards ceremony, with many others receiving a certificate of commendation for their efforts.
“This year, we look forward to seeing plenty more fantastic nominations.”
This year’s awards ambassador, Wolves Captain Nelson Semedo, said: “Young people who use their initiative and show kindness to others deserve to be recognised, so I am very pleased to support the awards.”
There are two age categories for the awards, 13-18 and 19-25. Anyone can nominate candidates, who must live or go to school or work in Wolverhampton.
This year’s awards are backed by, Collins Aerospace, the Wolves Foundation, the Express & Star, Wolverhampton City Council, Carvers Building Supplies, the James Beattie Charitable Trust, WCR fm and West Midlands Magazines.
A ceremony will take place later this year, to reveal the winners of these prestigious awards.
For more details and to make a nomination, visit: wolverhamptonyoungcitizen.org.uk/
Audience enthralled by Young Musicians.
Every seat was taken at Wolverhampton Music School on Sunday, February 9th for the District 1210 final of the 2025 Rotary Young Musician Competition. 7 clubs across the District had sent forward winning instrumentalists and vocalists from their own heats to compete for a place in the next round, which will be the cluster final on March 9th, prior to the national final on March 29th, due to be held at New City College, Romford, Essex.
Bususu Chen with DG Jane Cooper and Dudley President Graham Dean.
Owen White with DG Jane Cooper and Bilston President ‘Bobby’ Singh.
Adjudicators Huw Daniel MA and Ian Stephenson confessed they had difficult choices to make in view of the outstanding performances given by the young musicians. After considerable discussion they decided that 16 year old pianist Bususu Chen, sponsored by the Rotary club of Dudley was the winning instrumentalist and vocalist 17 year old Owen White, sponsored by Rotary in Bilston the winning vocalist.
Bususu Chen’s programme comprised ‘Prelude from Partita’ by Bach, ‘Etude no.7’ by Chopin and ‘Mercutio’ by Prokofiev. In his feedback Huw Daniel gave high praise to her musicology and phrasing. Ian Stephenson made particular mention of Owen White’s stage presence and ability to draw in the audience with his renderings of ‘On The Street Where You Live’ by Lerner and Loewe, ‘Se Vuol Ballare’ by Mozart and ‘Stars’ by Schonberg, Kretzmer and Bougill.
The remarkable ensemble.
In presenting the trophies, District Governor Jane Cooper thanked all the competitors for treating the audience to an outstanding afternoon of entertainment which had shown the remarkable talents of young musicians from right across the District.
Richard Green,
Organiser, District 1210 Rotary Young Musician Competition.