Unscripted - The official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland

Welcome to Unscripted, the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland. Every month we bring together the voices, stories and insights that shape the Rotary movement – from grassroots initiatives to global partnerships. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. In this episode we're joined by: Heather Stuart, Chair of the Rotary GB&I Board, on membership, Rotary's vision for the future, and meeting the King on her first day in the job; Gill and Andrew Campbell, founders of Hearing Ambassadors, talk about their work tackling hearing loss stigma and improving accessibility for those living with auditory challenges; Maeve Furey of Portlaoise Rotary Club talks about Handitandem, a pioneering scheme adapted from France which enables people with disabilities to experience the thrill of tandem skydiving. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org. You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

Welcome to Unscripted, the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland. Every month we bring together the voices, stories and insights that shape the Rotary movement – from grassroots initiatives to global partnerships. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. To kick off our first ever episode, we're joined by: Sanj Srikanthan, CEO of ShelterBox, discussing the global impact of Rotary’s disaster relief partnership celebrating its 25th year; Jasmine Harrison, record-breaking round-the-world sailor and member of Thirsk Rotary Club in Yorkshire, sharing her tale of courage and adventure from Fiji; Linda Crossland, from Retford Rotary Club, Nottinghamshire highlighting a powerful RotaKids peace project nurturing empathy and leadership in young people.  --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

This month’s issue of Rotary Magazine celebrates 25 years of ShelterBox, which started out as a Millennium project by Helston Lizard Rotary Club in 2000.   Since then, through its established partnership with Rotary, with a group of passionate and dedicated Rotarians at its core, it has gone on to support over 3 million people recovering from disaster or conflict worldwide, including in the Caribbean where Hurricane Beryl caused extreme devastation and in Gaza, where ShelterBox has been working with other humanitarian aid agencies to support those displaced by war.  Also in this issue, we round up RI President Stephanie Urchick's visit to Rotary GB&I.

This edition, we shine a spotlight on public image and how Rotary members, clubs and districts can maximise the impact of their activities through publicity and promotion. We'll give you to hints and tips, from mastering social media, to the power of storytelling. We also catch up with Rotarian sailor, Jasmine Harrison who discusses the challenges of sailing around the world during her stopover in Panama, before embarking on the second leg of the Mini Globe Race, from Panana to Fiji, via the Marquesas Islands, Tahiti, and Tonga.  From battling sargassum seaweed which wrapped around her furling line, to hand-steering through squalls, the member of Thirsk Rotary Club in North Yorkshire proves that she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Amid the growing challenges of migration and asylum in the UK, Rotary clubs in the Thames Valley are stepping up to make a difference. The region has become a temporary home for asylum seekers from Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, and beyond, many of whom have endured perilous journeys only to face long waits for legal status in difficult living conditions.  Rotary clubs are responding by providing essentials like clothing, personal items, and refurbished bicycles, while fostering community connections. These efforts highlight the human stories behind global migration - a crisis driven by conflict, persecution, and inequality.  In this issue, discover how Rotary is addressing both the immediate needs of displaced individuals and the wider challenges of building an inclusive, supportive community in an ever-changing landscape.

In this edition, we look back at a stunning sporting summer for a number of British athletes who represented Paralympics GB at the Paris Games. Something they all share, on top of their sporting prowess, is that their journeys have all been touched by Rotary. That includes wheelchair tennis star and Rotary GB&I Ambassador, Abbie Breakwell, Scottish Rotarian and para-canoeist, Hope Gordon, and another two former Rotary Young Citizen Winners. Also in this edition, a range of important stories on polio, as we mark World Polio Day on 24th October. Hear from six British polio survivors about their first hand experiences living with the disease, and their takes on why eradication is so important.

North Star is Rotary GB&I's five-year plan to strengthen and grow the organisation to 60,000 members by 2028. But how are we going to do it? This issue takes a deep dive at the ambitious strategic shift, paying particular attention to four membership channels; Club, Corporate, Direct and Enterprise. Also in this edition, we've got stories on Water Survival Box, the Singapore Convention and Rotary clubs serving communities in some of the most remote parts of the world. Explore more from Rotary Magazine at www.magazine.rotarygbi.org

In the latest edition of Rotary Magazine, we catch up with Tom Hamblet who has had quite the start to 2024, winning the BBC show MasterChef: The Professionals. But Tom's culinary journey actually started out when he won the Rotary Young Chef competition in 2014, which was his first ever competition! A decade on, his career trajectory is set to soar. We went to find out about that first competition, his hopes for the future, and what it's like behind the scenes on one of the country's biggest cooking shows. This edition also features stories on peace in Afghanistan, a climate change project in The Netherlands, and much more, plus your favourite regulars and club stories. Read more stories from Rotary Magazine at www.magazine.rotarygbi.org

Rotary Magazine is new and improved for 2024, now coming to you four times a year in print, a monthly digital edition and the regular audio version packed with stories from each print edition. This edition, we look at the story of Sir Nicholas Winton, a Rotarian and Holocaust hero who saved hundreds of children's lives during WWII.  'Nicky', as he was known, is the subject of a new film called 'One Life', starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, which tells the remarkable story of the Kindertransport.  Also in this edition, Hollywood star Liam Neeson becomes and honorary Rotarian, and we speak to Garreth Murrell, a Rotarian who completed a 45-day row across the Atlantic Ocean.

Within this issue of Rotary magazine, the focus is firmly on membership. The reach is wide, exploring Rotary in its various forms through the eyes of Rotarians. These articles are brimming with ideas about how we move forward and how we can inspire the next generation to join our amazing organisation. This issue also coincides with the launch soon of the North Star project, an ambitious Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland initiative to grow membership to 60,000 by 2028.

This edition focuses on the appointment of Scotsman Gordon McInally as President of Rotary International in 2023-24, with an in-depth feature by Rotary Editor Dave King. Gordon's Rotary theme this year is 'Create Hope in the World', but his presidential themes stretch beyond bringing peace, while also prioritising mental health and empowering girls, demonstrating the continuity of leadership. Plus, there is also an extended feature chronicling Dave King's journey across Ukraine as he sees the impact that Rotary has had in the country during the war.

Loneliness is an often forgotten issue, but one which resonates in communities everywhere. It also impacts people of all ages. Far from being solely an issue for older generations, it is impacting the lives of young people as well. In this edition, we take a look at how Rotary is tackling loneliness, through often simple, but extremely impactful local projects. Plus, you'll also find stories on how Rotary has responded to the Turkey-Syria earthquake, a pirate-themed Rotary club setting sail for new horizons, and an interview with Rotarian author James Barrett, whose novel 'The Club' tells the quirky tale of a fictional Rotary club.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has prompted an amazing response from Rotarians globally, with The Rotary Foundation awarding nearly $15 million in disaster response grants to more than 270 districts worldwide. Each of these projects has had a direct bearing on coping with the enormity of the humanitarian disaster which has followed in the wake of war in eastern Europe. In this magazine, we reflect on the work of the Ukraine Taskforce over the past 14 months, and take a Ukrainian viewpoint on the impact of that work.

The Rotary Foundation is Rotary's own charity. Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, it has distributed more than $4 billion in grant funding to sustainable and impactful humanitarian projects around the world. Since then, it has become one of the world's most trusted charities. In this issue, we take a close look at the Foundation, how it works and the difference it is making through projects and scholarships around the world.

In this edition of Rotaray magazine, we take a closer look at Rotaract, a branch of Rotary for young leaders aged 18 and over. We speak to Rotaract members from across Great Britain and Ireland, including Chair James Thomas, about their journey, what they love about Rotaract and how it helps them give back to their communities. Also in this edition, enjoy stories of Rotarians overcoming personal challenges, from rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, to conquering a stammer to speak confidently in public.

For 70 years, Queen Elizabeth was the rock, the figurehead who provided stability in a turbulent world. So, in this issue of Rotary magazine, we pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II for her amazing life of service which touched people's lives in an unprecedented way. We also focus on polio to coincide with World Polio Day on October 25th. There are spotlights on Afghanistan and Pakistan, two countries which have endured turbulent times, most notably with the devastating floods which swept Pakistan during August.

The UK was shocked when it was announced that poliovirus has been found from sewage sampling in London. In this month's issue of Rotary magazine, we shed a light on what happened in London and what lessons are to be learned. For Rotarians, the End Polio Now campaign sits at the heart of our work but it is only one part of Rotary's focus. This magazine also highlights the life-saving work of humanitarian organisations started by Rotarians including Shelterbox and Aquabox.

Homelessness is a major issue worldwide with people being affected by it for various reasons, often not necessarily their fault, resulting in isolation, loneliness and fear of what will happen next. Families across Ukraine have felt its impact, losing their homes and fleeing for safety into the unknown.  Here at Rotary, we gather together and find ways of supporting individuals facing these difficult times and provide aid and safety to those who are struggling.

With the outbreak of Covid-19 exactly two years ago, Rotarians responded in their communities to help the vulnerable and isolated. Once again with the crisis in Ukraine, this is our opportunity to demonstrate how we are humanitarians and People of Action. We speak to Rotarians in Ukraine about the conflict, Rotary in their country and their hopes and fears for the future. This edition we also speak to Jennifer Jones, who is set to become Rotary International's first female President when she takes office in July. 

Empowering Girls has been a key initiative for Rotary across the world over the last year. In this issue of Rotary magazine, we explore a number of issues relating to this topic, including period poverty, women's health and more. For our cover story, we meet Father Peter Walters, a Rotarian and priest working to protect children on the streets of one of the world's most dangerous cities; Medellin in Colombia.