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“Big Rotary Phone Drop-in” |
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Written by David Westwood (Hull)
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Saturday, 07 October 2006 |
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 It is proposed that District 1270 supports the And Albert Foundation in its work by gathering, and encouraging others to gather old mobile phones, which can be recycled instead of sent to land-fill and the money received sent directly to help with these projects.
The And Albert Foundation, based in East Yorkshire, is a registered charity (number 1072068) and an established NGO which has trained people and leaders in a group of villages along "The Old Slave Routes" in rural Africa that led from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and down to the Atlantic coast slave forts. In each of the locations, And Albert has already begun a programme of activities to benefit the whole community. These include the provision of clean water, the sales of their handicrafts and now a strategy of growing and planting indigenous species of trees, shrubs and plants to create a healthier environment as well as economic development. President of RC Hull, David Westwood represents Rotary on the organising committee in Hull of Wilberforce 2007, to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the first Act of Parliament abolishing the slave trade. This project will be taken to the Wilberforce Committee to consider adoption as part of their programme of events and activities as it is so closely connected with the slave routes. If adopted, this will ensure wide publicity and encourage further public support.
The primary strategy is to plant fruit bearing trees in each locality to provide, in particular,  free health-giving fruit for the children as well as the economic benefit of sales of fruit in the future. This is done alongside the provision of water for irrigation and nurture for the young plants and seedlings as well as the establishing of more mature trees. Professor David Bellamy is a patron and strong personal supporter of the work of the charity, and has visited the projects. For further information, visit the website, www.and-albert.com. District Assistant Governor Peter Manton has volunteered to be a reception point for collected phones in Lincoln, District Secretary Simon Kalson in Grimsby, and President David Westwood of the Rotary Club of Hull will receive phones from the North Bank, and co-ordinate the project. District is asked to support this as a project, and individual clubs are invited to participate and be creative about encouraging the public to part with their old mobiles to assist in helping some of the poorest people in Africa to improve their lives. It is proposed to run the project until October 2007 in the first instance, and then review it. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 28 October 2006 )
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