INNER WHEEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2017


My Passion for Inner Wheel International Inner Wheel President Oluyemisi Alatise


This year’s International Inner Wheel President comes from Nigeria where she has been a member of Inner Wheel since 1987.


It was quite an emotional opening to the address by Oluyemisi Alatise. She recounted the morning she woke up to find post- menstrual bleeding. Her imagination ran riot. An immediate admission to hospital for a biopsy did little to ease her fears as she awaited the results from the laboratory.


As luck would have it, she was due to travel to Cape Town for Christmas. Questions as to whether to travel or cancel her flight were resolved when she realised she could receive treatment in a “better medically equipped hospital”. Following a hysterectomy, she was given the all clear. She described waking up after the anaesthetic as a “rebirth”.


She has never regretted becoming a member of Inner Wheel and has a link with the Inner Wheel Club of Shepton Mallet and District 20 through their support for the Children’s Transit Centre established by the Inner Wheel Club of Lagos in 1988/9. This is the only centre of its kind in Nigeria and is home to some 80 children with a turnover of 10 – 15 per quarter.


Oluyemisi was interested in the International charities supported here in Britain and Ireland. She wished there was a way of boosting membership through younger


people. For her, Inner Wheel was like an insurance policy – you would always find support within the organisation. Her desire to help alleviate suffering has led her to campaign against Female Genital Mutilation, an issue on which she tries to raise awareness wherever she travels.


Inner Wheel friendships for her are very special. She calls it a magnet which brings members together as soon as they realise they both belong to the same organisation. She felt honoured to be able to address the Conference and reiterated the aims of Inner Wheel. Returning to her theme of Touch a Heart, she felt that this was being achieved in many ways and our reward was so often a smile from the recipients.


Dorothy Cree Greetings from RIBI President Eve Conway


President Eve Conway brought greetings on behalf of RIBI and she thanked members of Inner Wheel for the wonderful cooperation between the two organisations over the last ninety or more years. Eve worked closely with members in D13 when she was the governor of that district in 2012 – the year of the London Olympics. Whilst she has travelled throughout GB&I, she has seen for herself how Inner Wheel and Rotary combine together on worthwhile projects.


Eve reminded us that 2017 was a significant year in the history of Rotary –the centenary of the founding of Rotary Foundation – the Rotary charity set up to do good in the world with countless humanitarian projects including the campaign to rid the world of polio. We are on the brink of an historic milestone –so close to achieving Rotary’s goal of a polio free world, with hopes that we could even see the last case of polio this year. This has been achieved through the dedication of Rotarians with great support from Inner Wheel


Goal Ball Presentation


As a change from the norm members were entertained to a display of sporting prowess on the first afternoon of Conference. Betty Ashworth, Development Manager for Goal Ball UK introduced us to three talented young athletes. What is Goal Ball you say. Well as Betty explained to us Goal Ball is one of the events in the Paralympics for visually impaired athletes. The game is played by a team of three blind-folded players


members. This year so far there have been only five cases, two in Pakistan and three in Afghanistan.


In July 2016 the Purple 4 Polo campaign was launched in partnership with the RHS which resulted in about seven million crocuses blooming across Britain and Ireland, Eve was recently in India with over 100,000 Rotarians and Inner Wheel members taking part in an immunisation programme for 172 million children.


President Eve was looking forward to welcoming President Zena and Inner Wheel members to Manchester for the Rotary Conference.


Enid Law


and as we saw on stage is fast and furious. The players throw a ball which contains a bell and the aim is to get it across the line.


The sport which started off as a rehabilitation sport is now played in 55 clubs with 650 members and is growing rapidly. The three young ladies who demonstrated their skills are all members of the GB team. Sarah ,one of the team members who incidentally was studying for a PHD at Cambridge said” I always hated sport as


a child, because of my visual impairment but once discovered Goal Ball it had changed my life. Not only did it increase my fitness levels but it gave me a chance to socialise and be part of the Goal Ball UK family”


Enid Law


7. Did this religious man climb up here? (2 7’1 5 )


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