Our Projects
‘We stand up for Women’
Improving the lives of women and girls is what drives us – in our local communities, nationally or globally. All of our projects contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, mainly those relating to women and girls, and to the Planet.
Our long-term commitments
Women’s Imprisonment
There are very few women’s prisons in England and Wales, and we have one in our locality. For many years, therefore, our club members have been interested in the issues around women’s imprisonment, and we have found a variety of ways to support the women in Drake Hall HMP. Women are often given very short sentences, as little as 6 months, but the impact of their imprisonment on their families can be immense. A mother’s imprisonment is particularly damaging. Our projects with the prison are aimed at preserving positive relationships with their families and children, at supporting the women’s mental health, and at the point of their release. We work on this project because we feel it a very practical way for us to help lessen the fear, worry and uncertainty that many prisoners’ families experience. We are not naive – we realise that for some crimes imprisonment is the right answer, but we support the recommendations of the recent Independent Sentencing Review.
- We work in the Visitor Centre. Every time visitors come to see their family member / friend we provide tea, coffee, biscuits and a friendly face for people who may have travelled a very long way to a rather remote prison. There is a rota of 16 members currently covering the rota, 4 times a week, 52 weeks a year.
- We respond to requests for help for those prisoners finishing their sentence who may have no appropriate clothing on leaving, or have other needs. Shoes and warm coats have been particularly welcomed. We contribute to their Food Bank.
- At Christmas, we supplied enough Christmas decorations to furnish 15 of their living units.
- The women are not allowed to give their children Christmas gifts, so each Christmas we donate money (£550 last Christmas) via the Angel Tree Prison Fellowship so that gifts can be bought for the children
Some of our Drake Hall team
For more information, go to Prison Reform Trust
Toilet Twinning
Toilet Twinning funds the provision of toilets and sanitation in many parts of the world where the need is greatest. In 2022/3 we decided to make Stafford a Toilet Twinned Town. During that year, £2740 was raised, enough for 45 toilets, involving our whole community.
The next target was even more ambitious. 85 toilets for our 85th Year – 2024. During 2024-5 we collected a further £425 for our toilet twinning project which means we have funded 101 toilets to date. A steady flow of funds comes from the friends and families of members. The display of toilet twinning certificates enables conversations to be had with young members of the family – thus raising awareness in younger generations! But most of this money has been collected by one member who provides a collection point in her clinic. In the toilet, of course!
For more information, go to: https://www.toilettwinning.org/
Orange the World!
Every year we take part in the UN’s 16 Days of Action against Gender-Based Violence, 25 November to 10 December. We also hold ‘Orange Cafe’s’ on 25th of the month, where we visit a local cafe, wearing orange, and answer the questions that arise.
On 25 November, 2024 we held an Orange Cafe (in a Pub) and then attended Staffordshire Women’s Aid’s Vigil in the Market Square, along with the representatives of many local organisations. The names of all women killed by domestic abuse were read out, and a minute’s silence was held. For more information on where to go for help, visit Sources of Information
SI Stafford’s impact on poverty – Lendwithcare
This is our project to help people in low-income countries work their way out of poverty with dignity, using microfinancing .
Since 2023, we have used a substantial proportion of our club’s reserves to lend to women around the world who are working their family’s way out of poverty, through the wonderful Lendwithcare organisation, part of Care UK.
As the loans are gradually repaid, a small group of members meet regularly to decide where the next loans might go. In 2 years, we have
- Made 57 loans
- Helped 161 entrepreneurs
- Helped create 50 jobs
- Had £2070 repaid; this money is constantly recycled
- Helped 542 family members
Very small loans go a very long way!
Some examples:
Chipulikano Mayi Wala Group, Malawi
This is a group of 10 women aged 45 on average, who have 45 children. The group is located in a rural part of central Malawi called Mzimba. The women of this group typically sell groceries and are also involved in the solar energy business
This is Janice from the Philippines, who is using the loan we made of £45 to improve her farm, breeding pigs and composting
For more information, go to Lendwithcare
Literacy
Since 2023 the club has been supporting Stafford Manor High School in their work on literacy. Members have run a Book Club and helped students with their reading. Using the money given by member, the Club is sponsoring school prizes for improvement on literacy over the next 6 years. The school has benefitted from the support we give to the Rotary Clubs’ Books4Home initiative, in co-operation with SI Cannock and District. We have secured 767 books for this initiative over the past few years.
