Reverend Bernard Arnold gave a talk to the Rotary Club of Ely on Twinning Toilets.

Of all the topics to choose, at first glance, this does not appear to be an ideal topic.

However, as one of the main purposes of the club is to support charities, once the talk was underway, it was clear that it was, indeed, a worthy subject.

Toilet Twinning involves donating money for a toilet to be built somewhere in the world where it is needed.

One toilet costs £60 and Bernard was delighted to get a Christmas present of one from his family. He received a picture of the toilet and its exact latitude and longitude.

Bernard explained how he once worked in Jamaica and the toilets for the poor people were on rock – very difficult to dig proper trenches.

This is the case in many countries around the world. Bernard told the club that one in four people in the world have no toilet.

Having no toilet is especially difficult for girls and women who have no privacy without a proper structure.

The Twinning Toilet scheme has been set up by Tear Fund to alleviate the problem.

At the meeting, the club decided to buy 10 twinned toilets.

If you are interested in contributing to this scheme, visit www.toilettwinning.org or donate through the club.

It was also brought to the club’s attention that there is another need in our area – and that is from Ely College.

They have a ‘Gardening for Wellbeing Club’, which will start in February if the school is given enough help and support in the form of donations.

The school says "if you have any spare gardening tools or items you no longer need or looking to throw out please send it our way, it will be very much appreciated".

The items we need are as follows:

  • storage container or small shed (priority)
  • spades, shovels, forks, rakes
  • hand forks and trowels
  • garden gloves, watering can
  • bamboo canes, egg boxes
  • bags of soil/compost

Gardening Club for Wellbeing will be run during Session 6 once a week after school and will be aimed at students who have specific needs and challenges, so any donations would be put to very good use!

Please drop items into main reception.

For more information on Rotary and/or if you would like to join the club, phone Viv Doji on 07984623011 or Bernard 0796378116.

More information is available on the club’s website via www.elyrotary.co.uk