Reepham Rotary Club has a long history of working closely with our local schools using the wide range of skills and experience in the club for the benefit of young people. After two years of Covid restrictions we are now re-starting a full programme of activity.
Reading support
We provide role models as reading tutors for pupils at the Primary School who are struggling with reading.
Rotakids
Rotakids is the most junior branch of Rotary. Young people set up and run a team that plans and undertakes small community projects. It is an excellent way of learning about the way the world works.
At Reepham Primary School, Jim Fraser found an enthusiastic reception to the idea with a healthy number of pupils volunteering. Here is his report on their first few months of operation. Rotakids
Youth Speaks
The Youth Speaks Grand Final took place at Reepham High School and College on Tuesday 16th June, kindly sponsored by the Reepham Rotary Club. Ten finalists from across Years 7 to 9 (ages 11-14) had made it through an extremely high-quality semi-final to compete in front of a good crowd.
The finalists had to speak to the topic: “It’s the year 3026, and…” Their speeches championed love, community, solidarity, equality, and creativity. These young people are powerful because they use language well and they have a hopeful vision for a brighter tomorrow. The speeches were inventive and the deliveries were confident across the board, giving the judges an incredibly difficult job.
The panel ultimately reached a decision, however, with Evie Wade being chosen as the winner of Youth Speaks 2026. A finalist last year, she spoke confidently and creatively about the lessons we might learn (or not learn!) from using a time machine to visit the past and the future. She entertained and provoked a great deal of thought for a rapt audience.
The school would like to thank the Rotary Club for their sponsorship of the event; particular thanks to Trevor Nelson for his work behind the scenes, as well as John Pickering and Arthur Hawes for sitting on the judging panel alongside Louisa Dreisin, English teacher extraordinaire.
This was the twelfth iteration of the Youth Speaks competition, and it has been going from strength to strength. Next year promises to be even better. Here’s to a hopeful tomorrow, one shaped by the young minds that have the courage to stand up and speak out.
Enrichment Programme
Supporting the High School’s enrichment programme. Club members use their business experience to help students with mock interviews, assessment of business proposals, CV preparation and careers advice.
Science
Members with relevant experience are able to support science education with practical experiments and display material.
Tony Poole Award
This is awarded to a student who its judged to have made the best contribution to preserving and improving the environment. The first award was made in 2003 in memory of Rotarian Tony Poole. This year it was awarded to Luna-Blue Finch who was a vital part of the Care of the Countryside group and central to supporting the school allotment. Through hard work, humour, enthusiasm and passion for the outdoors she showed that she felt strongly about the health and wellbeing of our natural world. The two years Luna was involved with Care of the Countryside saw her ask every lesson “How long until we were going outside?” Well done Luna, hugely deserved and we wish you all the best in the future.
Japanese Garden
The Club has helped with project planning and construction of a Japanese Garden at Reepham Primary School to mark their association with a Japanese school.
Allotment
The Club has helped with the planning and construction of the High School allotment with ground preparation and clearance, construction and overall support.
Future/potential opportunities
We are exploring a number of other possible ways of supporting students
- Life skills – managing money, investments, understanding mortgages, etc.
- On-site support for “outdoor learning” at the primary school, overseeing small groups