SERVICE ABOVE SELF


Guests present at our Tu e s d a y 2 6 t h J u n e me e t i n g we r e J e r r y Beaulier, a member of the Rotary Club of St Andrews who is leading the newly- formed St Andrews Beach Wheelchai rs Char i ty; Claire Robb, President of Buckhaven and Methi l Rotary; and Gaye Steel, a Trustee of TCCL (Tayside and Nor th Eas t F i fe Children with Cancer and Leukaemia) with the St Andrews Lodge as her main responsibility. Al l three organisat ions are being supported by funding from the club and were gifted cheques for £500 to Jerry and Gaye and a £100 to Claire. Gaye told the Club that the TCCL house in St Andrews is now in its second year of providing a holiday base for families whose children suffer from cancer and similar conditions. The families are offered a week’s free accommodation, plus starter packs of foodstuf fs, vouchers for Craigtoun Park, the Sea Life Centre, other St Andrews attractions and from a number of local businesses. The project requires a minimum £500 weekly to progress and Gaye praised the people of St Andrews whom, she said, “Have supported TCCL wonderfully well.” Buckhaven and Methil Rotary Club, which came into existence only in September of 2016, is constantly trying to raise funds for projects to support local deprived children by giving them clothing. It was set up to help children who it was felt needed warm clothing for winter, but has expanded to assist them – currently 700 children – for the entire year. In an area which has high unemployment and consequently many social issues, the club also set up a foodbank and supply fuel vouchers which allow struggling families to cook the produce. Jerry Beaulier, who was instrumental in starting up both Tourism St Andrews and the Hamish Foundation, kick-started the St An d r ews Be a c h Wh e e l c h a i r s programme earlier this month.


JULY 2018: ISSUE 111


L to R: Member Ian Black, Jerry Beaulier, Claire Robb, Gaye Steel and President John Spittal.


It is designed to al low people to experience time and leisure on the beach which they would be unable to do because of disability. The group use specially- constructed balloon-wheeled chairs which can cope with being pushed on sand, in particular the fine sand of St Andrews West Sands. Jerry explained he first became aware of the concept when it began in North Berwick in 2015 and then on Edinburgh’s Portobello beach last year. Using a variety of funding sources, the St Andrews group’s objective is to acquire five beach wheelchairs of different sizes this year. Currently one of their chairs, known as the Nomad Desert, can accommodate a user who can remain in their normal wheelchair. Planning consent has been given for the erection of a small structure near the existing café on the West Sands road. This will effectively garage the chairs and offer space to allow trained volunteers to assist the disabled into them. It is likely this will be in place next month, extending the number of days the service – which is entirely free of charge – can operate. Jerry is keen to attract more volunteers who can undergo formal training and to increase the number of chairs available. They vary in price from around £4000 to £6000 each, depending on size. The members warmly congratulated all the guests for their unstinting help to their communities and were delighted to donate funding.


Submitted by Iain MacKinnon 9


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