Inspirational Teenage Speaker

Inspirational Hucknall teenage Ben Stewart was the latest guest speaker at Hucknall Rotary Club.  Ben had been part of a team organised by Nottingham Youth for Christ who headed out to Andhra Pradesh, India in August 2013 giving aid in some of the poorest communities.

Ben thanked the Rotarians for their support and donation towards the trip, but Hucknall President Ian Young, said really that it was Rotarians who should be thanking Ben because of the huge difference he had made during the 10 days spent in India. 

The visit had been life-changing for Ben and had given him a passion to do all he can to make life better.  Ben spent time in Leper colonies among the Dalit community who are India’s poorest citizens and treated as outcasts.  They gave out food, clothes, materials and medicine.  Ben was particularly moved by the people he met who saw their visit as a sign that someone from the western world actually cared about their plight.  They were even asked to name a new-born baby because the family believed that they would receive good luck as a result.  The group named the baby Esther because in the Bible, Esther was born into poverty and yet, managed to escape those conditions and became a Queen.  

Remember, remember the 5th of November

It was a real privilege being asked by Theodora Children’s Trust to attend a reception being held at the House of Lords in their honour.

The Host for the reception was the Lord Speaker who welcomed the invited guests into the River Rooms at the House of Lords.  Baroness D’ Souza (the Lord Speaker) explained that the River Room was historically part of the Lord Chancellors residence within the Lords and now it’s official role was the sitting room for the Lord Speaker.   The Lord Speaker chairs the daily business in the Lords and took time out of a hectic schedule to pay tribute to the great work done by Theodora Children’s Trust.

 Prior to meeting us in the River Room, she had addressed the President of the Republic of Korea  (whose motorcade was leaving as I arrived at Parliament ) , Baroness D’Souza apologised that she had to leave to attend another function and bid farewell.   The next speaker, Baroness Thornton who has supported Theodora Children’s Trust since its early days in the UK,  informed us that the function that the Lord Speaker was rushing off to was dinner with the Queen. 

Dr Wonderpants then made reference to making her maiden speech in the House of Lords and again reminded us all as to why we support and want to help this fantastic charity. 

When I left the Lords, Parliament Square was full of protesters and police with the protesters trying to make some sort of connection with Guy Fawkes (it was 5^th November) although later at Victoria Station  I overheard a group of placard-carrying youngsters “I don’t really know who Guy Fawkes was, I think he tried to destroy Parliament or something….”  

Fright Hike

Hucknall Rotary Club’s team managed to complete the Fright Hike challenge was to complete the 18 mile route in under six hours raising over £ 1,000 for Theodora Children’s Trust charity.  Just after  at 4pm, the team left the Starting point at Sherwood Pines Country Park and hiked their way through the falling darkness and around the circuit that including Sherwood Pines, Clipstone Forest,  Bilsthorpe, Cutts Wood, Rufford Country Park and Centre Parcs Holiday Village

It was a lot tougher than I’ d envisaged and we all had to dig in deep to find the strength and determination for this gruelling challenge.  Without the support and encouragement of every team member, I’m not sure that I would have made it.   Meeting this challenge was a great effect in teamwork, sometime which Hucknall Rotary Club excels at.

The Fright Hike was superbly organised by Global Adventure Challenges.  Instructions were given with great clarity and every participant was fully aware of the safety procedures should they need them. 

Each entrant was issued with a route map, however the route was marked so well with directional arrows and glow sticks that  the Hucknall team didn’t need to consult their maps once. 

Its still not to late to sponsor the team and support Theodora Children’s Trust.   Please visit our Just Giving page and support a worth- while charity.

http://www.justgiving.com/Ian-Young17