Press Release from RIBI

March 2004

Rotary Club's Annual Golf Day supports Julia's House

The Rotary Club of Poole Bay's annual Golf Day in aid of locally based charity, Julia's House will receive at extra boost this year as entry will also be open to the Rotarians from all over Great Britain and Ireland attending their annual conference in Bournemouth.

Poole-based Julia's House is the charity chosen this year by the Rotary Club of Poole Bay to receive the proceeds of its annual charity Golf Day. With a proven track record stretching back over eight years during which time over £15,000 has been raised for local charities, arrangements are already well in hand for this year's event which will take place at Bulbury Woods Golf Course (near Slepe just off the A35 west of Poole) on Thursday 22nd April.

Normally held in June, this year's Rotary Charity Golf Day has been brought forward to coincide with the Annual Rotary Conference being held at the BIC in Bournemouth between 22nd and 25th April. It is estimated that this will bring over 3,500 Rotarians and their partners to the area.

This year's President of Rotary International in Britain and Ireland, Brian Stoyel has asked all Rotary Clubs to support the work of the national Association of Children's Hospices. Julia's House is the Dorset based member of this organisation.

Tony Ogg, President of the Rotary Club of Poole Bay Club said, "It seemed the perfect match – a national conference, with national participation contributing to a nationally recognised charity to add to our own local competition, with a locally based Julia's House as the recipient of the results of this very enjoyable day's activity."

Entry forms are available from Rotarian David Hudson, Email: hudsonsparkside@tiscali.co.uk

ends

Note for editors:
• Rotary is reputed to be the world's largest voluntary service organization with over 1.4m members worldwide. Amongst its many activities, it has raised over US$588million since 1985 as part of its ongoing effort to rid the world of polio.

• The Rotary Club of Poole Bay, one of nine Clubs in the Bournemouth/Poole area, meets weekly and is open to new members by invitation. Dedicated to providing service both within the local community and internationally the Club has close links with Ashdown and Lytchett Minster Schools. In the lead up to Christmas members raised over £5,300 from members of the public through taking their "Thomas Tank Engine" float out around the Poole area. A few years ago the Club upgraded and redecorated the children's waiting room in the Accident and Emergency ward at Poole Hospital.

• Julia's House aims to provide respite care for families in Dorset, for children that are not expected to live until adulthood. In Dorset there are some 200 children with life limiting conditions. As a consequence the lives of around 1,000 people, usually close relations and friends, can be dramatically affected. The provision of a Children’s Hospice Service for Dorset is urgently needed to provide support and comfort for children and their families, at a time of real need.

For further information please contact:
Rotarian David Hudson: 01202 748031
Or Gavin Fisher: Julia's House 01202 640402