The York Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge - Sunday 8th July 2012

Brunswick Organic Nursery and Craft Workshop, based in Bishopthorpe, York, is in Rotary’s view “an amazing charity”. Started 20 years ago with a run down field and a broken shed, it now provides a safe and stimulating work place for its ‘workers’ – 60 people with learning difficulties. In Brunswick’s own words – we do exactly what our name implies,

* our extensive nursery grows a wide range of plants, fruit and vegetables which we sell in our farm shop, and through wholesale outlets,

* we have a successful contract gardening service for the local community, and

* our craft workshops produce a range of high quality gift cards, woven goods, and woodworked items.

Many people with learning difficulties are eager to work and engage with their local community, but find there are few opportunities to do so. Brunswick answers this basic need by offering a productive workplace with satisfying work, training opportunities, and a constructive social environment, so much so that with support, its ‘workers’ have formed their own Social Club. This helps to combat the social isolation many people with learning difficulties experience, enabling them to ‘join in like everyone else’ with community events.

With a small core of dedicated staff and 30 similarly dedicated volunteers, Brunswick relies on fundraising events and donations to continue extending the services it offers. Its latest building project includes a maintenance workshop designed for use by those with learning difficulties. All in all a truly ‘growing local charity’.

York Blind and Partially Sighted Society helps anyone with sight loss to be as independent as possible, for as long as possible. Sight loss can impact on every aspect of a person’s life, but with the right help and support that impact can be minimised.

Our Equipment and Information Centre at Holgate Villa in York is the focal point for access to all our services. It is open Monday to Friday to anyone who needs advice, equipment, support or services, including family members, or friends. We can help people make the best use of any remaining vision; use new technology such as accessible mobile phones, computers with speech or electronic reading devices; read independently by using magnification and lighting, large print, audio or Braille, and see and try our over 250 aids that can provide solutions to everyday difficulties.

Last year 1,800 people visited our Centre, 120 people were newly registered blind or partially sighted and we kept in regular touch with over 1,000 people via our Newsletter.

The donation from the Dragon Boat Challenge will help ensure that our Equipment and Information Centre will remain open to everyone who needs to use it – we are very grateful for that support.

2011 Dragon Boat Challenge Presentations

The final event of the 2011 DBC, the Presentations, took place at the Mansion House on Oct 4th 2011.

York Rotary President David Jesper & DB Chairman David Impey, in conjunction with the Civic Party, presented cheques and awards to the winning teams.

They also presented the first tranche of money to York Against Cancer, the 2011 nominated charity, and a donation to the Lord Mayor's Charity Fund.

  FULL STORY AND PHOTOS HERE

The 2011 winning team, Todd's Torpedoes
from Herbert Todd & Son