The club had another very active Christmas, raising £12,000 from all activities.  The sleigh was out in force again on the streets of Grays Thurrock.  Most of our 40 members were involved over 10 consecutive evenings on 10 different sleigh routes, involving 98 people on a shift, 4 different drivers, 5 different Father Christmas’s, 46 Elves, (20 of whom were Rotarians, including ADG Mark Chambers - many thanks Mark) and a partridge and…...   Thanks to Iain Ramsay for organising the sleigh.

We managed 6 full days of supermarket collections.  Two days at ASDA, Tilbury, one at Morrisons, Corringham and three days at Tesco, Lakeside.  The card reader this year was a real boon to collecting and whilst the residents of Thurrock were rushing around trying to meet their Christmas needs, a surprising number stopped to donate.  Thanks to Peter Hoche and the three Superstores for organising.  The Sleigh and Supermarket donations will shortly be re-donated to national/local children’s charities.

Father Christmas and his Elf also visited all 600 pupils at Little Thurrock Primary School on the last day of term, visiting the classrooms and three Disco’s in the evening.  Thanks to Clive Page, Fiona East and Bob Paterson who said the kids loved it.  Rotarian Kevin Watkins organised the signing of over 40 club Christmas cards by every member, which were send to members.  A voluntary donation from members raised over £500 for our Trust Fund.

Earlier in the year a large number of new toys were donated very generously to the club by Tesco Extra at Lakeside, to distribute to the children of Thurrock around Christmas time with the aim of helping as many children as possible.  Distribution was a herculean task but Rotarian Bob Paterson found time before Christmas to get the job done and the toys were distributed to deserving children at the following locations, Thurrock Give a Gift, Basildon Hospital Children’s Ward, Little Havens Children’s Hospice, Thurrock Children’s Services for use of foster children from the Thurrock area and to Treetops School to assist with their therapy syllabus.  Thanks to Bob and Tesco Extra, Lakeside.

Our last Christmas activity was a Christmas Party laid on for the residents of the Bluebell Nursing and Residential Home in Grays, on Friday 20th December.  We brought along the club choir, who had been practicing enthusiastically beforehand and sang 15 Christmas carols and songs plus three solo’s, much to the delight of over 40 residents plus staff who were encouraged to sing along.  Father Christmas and his Elf also visited leaving presents for over 60 residents.  Thanks to Rotarians Clive Page, Adrian Alsop, Barry Price, Peter Brainwood and Chris Churchyard who ensured everyone was fed, watered and had a great start to Christmas.

At our meeting of the 5th December 2024 at the Orsett Hall and in the presence of our District Governor Anne Moriarty we inducted our newest member into the club, Stephen Davies. Steve, a Consulting Engineer, brings with him a wealth of business and project experience that we are pleased and excited to add his skills to the knowledge base of existing members. In the picture below, Steven Quigley (our Vice President and acting President) welcomed him into the club and went through his duties and obligations as a member and Rotarian Brian Little (his proposer) pinned the Rotary badge on Steve.