Forgot about this one! Sorry! Think it may be relelvant to Pat? Any others please send your info direct to the contact at the bottom of the email.

Alison

Hi All
I am forwarding an Email from Celia Burton (MidWest- Supporter Group Forum Representative) which is self explanatory. If you have any information or ideas would you please contact Celia direct
Kind regards
Derek Riley

Dear All,

You probably know that Rotary Clubs are some of VSO's long standing generous supporters - but you may not know that Rotary International is the world's biggest conference - and the Centenary one is being held at the NEC Birmingham from June 21st -24th - with run-up events before that. 25,000 delegates from all over the world are paying big money to take part......

Here in Birmingham we have been brainstorming about what we could/should do to promote VSO in the city while so many delegates are around. (Can't afford to do some of the obvious things e.g. to have a stall anywhere near the conference costs between £1100 and £5000 !!!!)

However, we are determined to try and cultivate as many personal contacts as possible in the run up to the event - and see if we can get to meet any delegates with a VSO link - or who might be tempted to sponsor volunteers in future. (Marc Stewart from Harborne Hall is working on this from the formal VSO side - but the local group thought we should pool our ideas and contacts, as we may well have more than HQ know about.....)

VSO HQ have been in touch with all British clubs who currently sponsor volunteers - but we know that there may well be other personal links with clubs who do not do a formal sponsorship - and even links with clubs overseas who may be in touch with volunteers abroad.

Please can you circulate this request to your groups and members: We should like to know the following:

(RSVP to Celia.burton@ mypostoffice. co.uk )

Do you have any RV's who were sponsored by Rotary? Or does your local Rotary currently sponsor a volunteer? (Who /when/ where? NB: HQ may not have kept records of sponsorship some years ago.)
Do you have other good links with your local Rotary Club? (If not - why not ring them up and ask if they or their friends will be in Brum.)
Are any members of your local club coming to Birmingham for Rotary International? (Names? Emails?)
Does your local club know of any personal friends/colleagues from their linked clubs overseas? (Look out for countries where VSO works - and also for partner countries like Canada and Holland..... ... Contacts welcome)
Did any of your VSO RV members meet any overseas Rotary clubs/members while working abroad e.g. their employers/colleague s in the host country? (Where - who what?) Obviously if they know anyone coming over - that would be brilliant - but even if we only know that a volunteer spoke to a Rotary club in e.g. Ulan Baatar (which is a real example) - then we can chat up any Mongolian visitors and hopefully impress their British hosts!
NB: Inner Wheel - the women's club associated with Rotary, is also holding social events alongside the big conference - so contacts there are also useful.
If you can offer any useful ideas or suggestions - please do!
Thanks for any info you can gather...... .

Celia Burton (LG Rep - Mids West.)