Our purple for polio crocus, planted in Bantock Park with the help of children from Merridale and Low Hill Primary schools last October are now in full, beautiful bloom, reminding us to complete the job of eliminating the sourge of polio.  From a situation where there were 1000 new cases a day across 125 countries in the world when we started in 1985, we are winning but can’t give up the fight. In 2023, there were just 6 new cases in Pakistan and 6 in Afghanistan.

PDG Richard Green

The District final of the Rotary Young Musician competition on February 25^th once again demonstrated the amazing musical talents of our young people, when 8 vocalists and instrumentalists, sponsored by a number of clubs in Rotary International District 1210 vied for the the opportunity to go forward to the regional final.

Adjudicators Maria Grigorets and Stacey had a most difficult task to select the best of the best from such an array of talents, but they eventually decided that 12 year old violinist Yang He and 17 year old singer William Tyne were the winners.

Yang He, sponsored by the Rotary club of Dudley performed ‘Banjo and Fiddle’ by William Kroll, ‘Melodie’ by Tchaikovsky and ‘Gigue’ by Bach; William Tyne, sponsored by the Rotary club of   Sedgley and Wombourne delighted the packed audience with ‘Where ‘ere You Walk’ by Handel, ‘Chim Chim Cheree’ by Richard and Robert Sherman and ‘Se Vuol Ballare’ by Mozart.

The Regional final takes place at 12 noon on Sunday March 17^th at Dixie Grammar School, Market Place, Markey Bosworth near Nuneaton, CV13 0LG.

PDG Richard Green

Wonderful young musical talents on display at the combined Wolverhampton clubs area round of the 2024 Rotary Young Musician Competition. There was a fine mix of 5 vocalists and 5 instrumentalists; adjudicators Simon Platford and Lorna Parkhouse had an extremely difficult task to select the winners but they eventually chose 14 year old viola player Julia Polit and 17 year old singer William Tyne to go forward to the District Final to be held at the Music School on February 25th.

PDG Richard Green

The meeting of the Rotary club of The City of Wolverhampton at South Staffs Golf Club on Tuesday, January 23^rd 2024 was a highly significant and historical one at which we inducted our first corporate member, Tettenhall College.

The college was represented by Head Teacher, Mr. Christopher McAllister and the Bursar, Mr Christopher Way.

They were welcomed by President Charles Cox,

The photograph shows Messrs McAllister and Way being welcomed by President Charles Cox, Membership Chair Sylvia Morgan and mentor, Richard Green.

Rotarian Past District Governor Richard Green who will serve as their mentor, and Membership Chair, Immediate Past President Sylvia Morgan who carried out the induction.

Sylvia said that in the various meetings that she had held with the college in the run up to the induction she had formed a very favourable impression and she had no doubt the relationship will be an excellent one with the college showing significant support for the many activities in the community carried out by the club.

For his part, head teacher Chris McAllister said he was full of admiration for the splendid work done by the club in so many varying aspects of local and international needs and he looked forward to playing a full part in those activities.

Mentor Richard Green added that the college was already entering 3 youngsters in the Rotary Young Musician Competition and 4 places were being funded on the residential Rotary Youth Leadership Awards course in August 2024.

The Wolverhampton clubs area round of the Rotary Young Musician Competition will be at 2pm on Sunday, February 4th 2024, at The Wolverhampton Music School, Graisley Hill.

Everybody welcome. Admission £3 by programme, payable on the door.

Come along and hear 11 superb musicians and singers!

The Rotary clubs of The City of Wolverhampton in District 1210, Palai and Technopark Trivandrum in District 3211, Kerala, India worked together to secure a Rotary Foundation Global Grant in a project valued at $USD 30,762 to provide vital medical equipment at the K.M. Mani Smaraka General Hospital in Pala.

This is a 241 bed hospital where people below the poverty line receive free medical and surgical treatment.

The equipment provided comprises a standalone vessel sealing machine to close up veins quickly and safely during operations by Ligasure technology, an ophthalmic operating microscope and a Braun Stimuplex HNS-12 peripheral nerve stimulator.

Ligasure tissue fusion uses the body’s own collagen and elastin to create a permanent fusion zone within 4 seconds in most surgical situations.

Opthalmic microscopes support the eye surgeon during every step of cataract surgery enablimg them to work with high levels of efficiency and precision.

Peripheral nerve stimulation is a commonly used approach to treat chronic pain by sending a series of pulses along the nerve..

Representing the City of Wolverhampton club and District 1210, Past District Governor Richard Green attended a handover ceremony of the equipment at the hospital on January 10^th 2024 at which the Chairman of the Health Standiug Committee for Pala Municipality, Sri Shaju Thuruthen expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation for the generosity shown by all the Rotarians involved.