A long-serving Shropshire head teacher has expressed profound gratitude to a local Rotary club that has been a consistent source of support for her primary school for over a decade.
Charlie Summers, Head Teacher at The Grange Primary School, said she “cannot adequately express her thanks enough” to the Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club. The club’s donations, which began 18 months before her appointment in May 2016, now total a remarkable £14,510.
The latest donation of £1,750 will directly benefit the school’s 156 pupils, covering the cost of essential school uniforms, including jumpers and polo shirts. The funds will also provide supermarket vouchers for items such as underwear and school shoes. Furthermore, the Rotary funding will ensure the local Food Hub can deliver bread and other food twice a week to pupils and their families facing financial hardship.
“We couldn’t manage without Rotary’s financial support and I cannot thank the Shrewsbury Severn Club enough for their generosity over all these years – it’s been absolutely amazing,” said Charlie Summers.
She recalled how the club’s support has evolved, from providing technology for children during the Covid-19 pandemic to making Christmas magical. “This has got better and better every subsequent year with school uniforms and now the Food Hub,” she added.
Ms Summers emphasised the wider impact of the club’s contributions. “We couldn’t do some of the activities that we do here without full Rotary support and the impact it has on our every ‘Granger’,” she said, referencing the school’s logo and motto, “anything is achievable.”
She also highlighted the school’s growing diversity and the anticipation of this year’s festive season. The Rotary club is set to provide its Santa sleigh to entertain pupils from various nationalities, including Polish, Turkish, Spanish, Filipino, Zambian, and Nepalese backgrounds.
“We are very proud to have the children of these nationalities who are making a significant difference to the school which thanks to the support of Rotary is on a journey,” she said.
Rotarian Kerry Ferguson, a former school governor, spoke on behalf of the club. “Apart from providing financial assistance, we helped with one-to-one reading support for a number of years. We continue with book gifts for all the children at Christmas and these are delivered by Santa himself,” he said. “We have also supported the school by providing two school governors for many years and are delighted to continue to help.”
Mr Ferguson added that the partnership is a “great example of the contribution that Rotary can make to the local community.”
For those interested in learning more about the Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club, contact gdmw@hotmail.co.uk.
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