Carnforth Rotary Club Christmas Sleigh 2014

The club hosted their annual Christmas sleigh with Father Christmas visiting the Carnforth and the surrounding districts between each night bewtwween 6 - 19 December.

The generosity of the residents of the villages visited by the sleigh is astounding and despite the economic situation that currently exists in the country people donated about 5% more this year than in 2013.

President Bill reading would like to thank everyone who donated and the money raised is used in the local area for various identified needs, President Bill would also like to thank all Rotarians, Inner Wheelers, Police cadets and any other helper who gave up their evenings in all weathers to make this collection such a success.

Carnforth Rotarians Have Fun at Their Annual Christmas Party - 18 December 2014

Carnforth Rotarians together with some from Lunesdale had a great time celebrating Christmas with our partners and friends. Some 40 Rotarians, partners and friends came together at the Silverdale Golf Club for our Christmas Party.

One extremely funny game involved trying to keep a hat on your head when the music stopped. All the different hats used can be seen in the group photograph. We tried to get the ladies to play the game but they did not want to spoil their hair!


We were able to spend some quality time with the other table quests and share in a few more games and dances. We look forward to other Fellowship Events we can share.

Carnforth Rotary Club 2014 Christmas Sleigh Programme

Carnforth Rotary Club will be hosting their annual Christmas sleigh with Father Christmas visiting the Carnforth and the surrounding districts on the following dates and start times: 

Saturday 06/12 (11.30am)  Morecambe Festival Market

Saturday 06/12 (3pm) Bare Lights Switch On

Saturday 06/12 (5pm) Bolton-le-Sands (North)

Sunday 07/12 (5.20pm) Bolton-le-Sands (South)

Monday 08/12 (6pm) Carnforth Brow & Carnforth South

Tuesday 09/12 (6pm) Slyne with Hest

Wednesday 10/12 (5.30pm) Mill Head & Warton West

Thursday 11/12 (6pm) Burton Central & Kings Arms

Friday 12/12 (5.30pm) Crag Bank

Saturday 13/12 (5pm) Halton

Sunday 14/12 (5pm) Hest Bank

Monday 15/12 (5pm) Nether Kellet & Over Kellet

Tuesday 16/12 (6pm) Carnforth Council Estate

Wednesday 17/12 (6pm) Silverdale

Friday 19/12 (5.40pm) Warton Central

BBC Radio Lancashire Rotary Funded Defibrillator Interview with Sally Naden - 30 July 2014

On Wednesday 30 July Past DG Kevin and Carnforth Rotarian PP Mike Craddock drove to Clitheroe for an interview with Radio Lancashire’s Sally Naden which was broadcast live on the last 10 mins of her 11.00 -12.00 radio show. 

Kevin and Mike were part of a group that comprised a local Rotarian; members of the Town Council and one of the First Responders team who had been responsible for training many of the 1000+ local community via the Heart Start initiative.

The interview took the form of a chat forum with all invited to make comments throughout the interview in approx.3 x 5 minute sections.

Sally introduced the group and made a short film for her Facebook page. She talked with the Council about the purchase of an old Telephone box for £1 which was then refurbished and fitted with a digital lock. A Rotary funded Defibrillator was installed

Members of the public on placing a 999 call could then be given the digital code by the Ambulance service to get access to defibrillator and hopefully SAVE A LIFE.

Sally asked Mike about how access to a defibrillator 3 years ago at the Sands Centre, Carlisle saved his life when his heart stopped and he effectively would have died had it not been for two unknown ladies who first administered CPR prior to to the use of the Sands Centre's defibrillator to restart his heart.

Mike was with his wife Gwyneth at the time and she now runs the First Responders group in Bolton-le-Sands.

The interview then turned its focus to the establishment of RotaKids groups within primary schools throughout Cumbria and Lancashire. Through the fundraising efforts of Carnforth Rotary Club sponsored Arkholme School RotaKids the children raised enough moeny to purchase a defibrillator for their village.

Past DG Kevin has secured funding for the purchase of more defibrillators. Each unit costs £800 with another £800 required for the housing. Matching funding from Rotary Clubs throughout our district will enable the purchase of double the number placed.

The use of defibrillators in emergencies is not limited to older people. The life of an 18 year old girl at school was saved by the use of one of these machines. She is now a very keen first responder. Defibrillators have recently been placed along the sea front in Blackpool and there are now three in Clitheroe increasing the chance of saving the life of someone suffering a heart related problem.

Carnforth Rotarian PP Dave Johnson Called to Higher Service - 26 July 2014

It is with great regret that Carnforth Rotary Club lost another of its long standing members on Saturday 26th July, Honorary member and Past President (1996-97) Dave Johnson. 

Retired signmaker, Dave was rushed to hospital in Blackpool the previous day for an operation to remove an aneurysm in his groin. Following surgical complications both his legs had to be amputated and he later died while still sedated. A great loss to all who knew him. Dave is survived by wife Pat and a son and daughter.

Arkholme Primary School RotaKids Raise Funds for Mary's Meals - 24 July 2014

Arkholme Primary School Rotakids have raised nearly £300 in support of the Mary's Meals project at M'bawa Primary School in Africa - enough to feed 25 children for a whole school year.

Tilly, Annie and Niamh, three Arkholme pupils raised £116.61 by holding an afternoon tea party. This simply goes to show what a group of young people can achieve to help those less fortunate than themselves.

Carnforth Rotary Raises Funds at Carnforth Carnival - 5 July 2014

Immediate Past President Malcolm Watkins and fellow Rotarians ran a charity stall where members of the public were invited to try their hand at Sjoelen (Dutch shuffle board) attempting to get 30 wooden discs through slots at the back of the shuffle board at £1 a go. 

The stall was one of approximately 15 to 20 located in and around the Carnforth War Memorial Gardens as part of the Carnforth Festival of Art and Fun. 

The event was organised by the Chamber of Trade and opened by Town Mayor, Cllr Ken Bond. Just over £60 was raised by the club to be donated to local charities.